Day 1: Arrive Jodhpur (By train or flight from Delhi or Bombay)
PM: City Tour: This ancient capital of the state of Marwar is surrounded by a stone wall  almost 6 miles in circumference, which  separates it from the sands that stretch out on all sides. Upon a rocky eminence stands a massive impregnable fortress, within which lie  a number  of  palaces, barracks, temples and other buildings. Delicately latticed windows and pierced monuments worked in sandstone are a dominant motif within the rugged fort. On the walls of one of the gates of entry are the palms of widows who, ages ago, immolated themselves upon the pyres of their departed husbands.

Day 02: Jaiselmer - Jamba: (Camel Safari begins, living in Tents) Morning drive to Jamba which is the start of our camel safari. PM: Test-ride the camels in the surrounding desert.  Late evening sing and dance with the local villagers.

Day 03 to 05: Camps in the Thar Desert
Days crossing the desert atop our camels. At dawn we shall mount our camels and set out into the surrounding desert. As we leave the village, bare - bottomed children shall clap their hands and dance a jig, cheering us on. Each of us shall have a camel and a camel - driver. There will also be a camel - drawn water cart and another camel - cart to carry our camping equipment and food supplies. Behind us shall sit our camel-drivers, majestically perched atop gigantic fodder- sacks. Their bright turbans make a silent proclamation against the monotonous tones of the surrounding desert. Sometimes, we may perceive startling flashes of worldly and other - worldly wisdom in their gruff proclamations. The camel-drivers are gentlemen too, despite their  earthy aroma. When their camel behaves badly, they may curse it viciously, but the strongest expletive used on these gigantic, silly creatures is: “Camel!”  The  camels  seem  to appreciate this, and most  respond amiably enough.

In the days that follow, our motley caravan shall traverse vast tracts of rocky scrubland and sandy wastes. Often, beautiful  palm-fringed lagoons may seem to shimmer tantalisingly on the horizon, and perhaps one day we shall actually camp at a beautiful oasis straight out of the movies. Sometimes, we shall see colourfully dressed women  wearing heavy silver jewellery and carrying brass pitchers on their heads, marching single file across the vast plains. They stop at unmarked holes in the ground to draw water.

By noon on most days, we shall stop for lunch. There is always a cool shady patch near the villages, and we will have a leisurely lunch prepared on the spot by the cooks. This mid-day meal is usually in light European or Chinese style, as we reserve  the joys of Mughlai for the cold nights. Later in the afternoon, some of us may enjoy playing games with the village children, while others make friends with the local housewives and explore their homes.

Even the simple mud houses in such remote villages have a wealth of adornments and decorations, and many of the villagers produce excellent handicraft items for sale in local fairs and carnivals. Their homes are often remarkably clean, airy and spacious.

Around 4 PM each afternoon, our caravan shall set off again across the desert, amidst ululating protests from the camels. In these cooler evening hours we may see partridge, quail and herds of deer scampering across the sandy scrublands. The memory of these evening rides in the golden light of the setting sun shall remain with us, long after the spectacular photographs are lost in forgotten family albums.

At sundown, we shall pitch camp. The campsite is usually at the base of a sand dune, or in the lee of a small abandoned castle, or near a village. After a wash, we may settle down around a fire; the crew brings firewood with the rest of the supplies.  As thick clusters of glittering stars appear in the desert sky, the temperature drops rapidly. We usually spend an hour or two over drinks and an elaborate dinner. The camel drivers launch into lilting melodies with catchy off-beats, and we may join them....

Day 06: Camel Safari end point - Jaiselmer
Morning ride our camels on the last leg.  Drive to Jaiselmer. The  massive  battlements of the living fort of Jaiselmer rise ethereally out of the vastness of the Thar desert. This fascinating  fort was built in 1156 in the heart of the Thar desert. Within the towered battlements of this citadel there is a mass  of curiously carved buildings, with fantastic  facades  and elaborate  balconies. The Jain temples  within  the fort are decorated with deities and elaborate dancing figures  in mythological  settings.  Attached to this place of worship is a library containing some of the most ancient manuscripts in India. One of these is written on palm-leaf, in black ink, with colored wooden covers.

Day 6: Jaisalmer:
AM: Full day guided tour of the desert city Jaiselmer. Founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156, this desert city is a fine blend of sights and experiences.. Visit the intricately latticed havelis with their conspicuous facades. The superb craftsmanship of the stone carver is illustrated in Nathmalji-ki-haveli, Patwon-ki-haveli and Salim Singh-ki-haveli. After a sumptuous lunch, experience the exhilaration of a camel ride on the golden Sam sand dunes. Jaisalmer’s exotic bazaars offer fine mirror work and embroidered articles, wooden boxes, trinkets, silver jewelry and curios.

Day 7: Jaisalmer - Khimser: (Drive)
AM: Half day drive to Khimser. Perched on the edge of the Great Thar Desert lies the unique Khimsar Castle. Originally, the fort walls, turrets and stables were built solely for war, and were constructed around the beginning of the 16th Century. Subsequently, the royal family moved in, and a new “zenana” or ladies’ residence was erected with finely carved windows in stone that provided “purdah” or veil for ladies in waiting.

Day 8: Khimsar - Mandawa:
AM: Half-day drive to Mandawa. Check-in at the Castle Mandawa, now converted into a heritage hotel.PM: Walking tour of the interesting towns of Shekhawati, where the dominent merchant families decorate their ancestral homes with elaborate murals.One of the oldest murals (1760) is within the Castle Mandawa.Some of  them are influenced by the arrival of the British East India Company in India. One shows an Englishman riding a bicycle, but the artist had obviously never seen a real one. There is another representing the Wright Brothers flying an airplane, but it has only one wing!

In the evening, relax in the romantic ambience of the castle- hotel.

Day 9: Mandawa - Samode: (Drive): Half-day drive to Samode Palace:
AM: Half-day drive to Samode Palace. This is a perfect jewel hidden away in deep ravines some twenty-five miles (42 Km) from Jaipur, one of the few unspoiled preserves of the former maharajahs. The story of the palace dates back more than 400 years to the time of the illustrious Prithivraj Singhji of Amber. Stately corridors, frescoed walls, and ethereal audience halls, harmoniously reflect the skill of master craftsmen in a perfect blend of the Rajput and Moghul styles of  architecture. 

Each room is exclusive. A blend of contemporary comforts and traditional styles, reflecting an old world charm replete with antique furniture. All 35 rooms have attached baths with running hot and cold water, and air-conditioning.

The hotel was chosen as the principal setting for the British television production of M.M. Kaye’s “The Far Pavilions”. It has proudly  hosted world - figures like the late Mrs Jacqeline Kennedy Onassis and Mick Jagger. It has been judged as the Best Heritage Hotel in India for three years consecutively. Samode offers you the unique experience of Royal Rajasthan, where during the day you can travel on camel back through quaint villages to the splendor of the Mughal garden at Samode Bagh.

Day 10: Samode- Jaipur: (Drive)
1 hour drive to Jaipur. High above the city, the towers and domes of the Amber Fort are reminiscent of scenes from some fairy tale. We shall ascend to the fort atop gaily decorated elephants, as did the Maharajah’s of old. Within the fort walls lie an assortment of buildings famous for their intricate mirror inlays - the Hall of  Mirrors and other palaces with latticed windows and beautifully sculpted arches and pillars.

PM: This afternoon we will tour Jaipur city, visiting the Maharaja’s City Palace. The City Palace is still the residence of the Jaipur family, and its museum displays a fabulous collection of paintings, carpets, jewelry and arms.We will also visit the Jantar Mantar (the Royal Observatory), and the Hawa Mahal, or “Palace of the Winds”.  This is a multi-storied, intricately latticed facade of pink sandstone, designed for the pleasures of the ladies of the royal court. From here they could look out upon the quaint bazaars that still thrive around the palace, without exposing themselves to the prying stares of the common people.  Later, we shall explore the same colorful bazaars on foot. Here  we may have memorable encounters with the descendents of those "commoners", many of whom still live in their ancestral “havelis” along the main market-street. The sheer variety of the items that is sold off the street is fascinating, ranging from the mundane to the exotic, and even the simply baffling.

Day 11: Jaipur - Agra: (Drive)
Half-day drive to Agra. We spend the afternoon and early evening at the Taj Mahal, the magnificent monument to an emperor's love for his queen. Here, the Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan presented the world it’s most  magnificent monument to conjugal Love. A colossal, perfectly proportioned mass of marble, the Taj Mahal is literally a jewel. It was  fashioned over 17 years by 20,000 craftsmen & laborers. From a distance, it seems to float, like a  fantastic mirage, upon the banks of the River Yamuna.

Day 12: Agra-Delhi: (Drive or evening train):
AM: At leisrue in Agra. PM: Afternoon drive apx. 4 hr to Delhi, or take the evening train to Delhi which arrives Delhi at 10:50 PM. Depart homewards from Delhi or join another High Points trip!

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