India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [80]
Day 8: Ranthambhore
Take an early morning or afternoon game drive into the park. Set aside a few hours to visit Ranthambhore Fort, whose high, jagged escarpment has towered over the park’s forests for nearly a thousand years. Go tiger tracking; the highlight of a trip here is spotting a tiger. Even if you don’t see a tiger (and do be prepared for this eventuality), the physical beauty of the park is worth experiencing. Other species to watch for include caracal (a wildcat), crocodile, nilgai (large antelope resembling cattle), chital (spotted deer), black buck (delicate buck with spiraling horns), chinkara (a dainty gazelle), and sambar. The park also holds leopards, wild boars, sloth bears, and rich birdlife. At night, unwind around a campfire and swap stories with other travelers, or discuss the fate of the highly endangered tiger.
Day 9: Shahpura
Drive to the expansive wooded estate of family-run Shahpura Bagh, where you’ve got quaint, off-the-beaten-track Shahpura—one of the more unspoiled villages in Rajasthan—right on your doorstep. When you’re not relaxing by the pool, explore Shahpura’s narrow streets, with photo opportunities everywhere: old men beating copper pots into perfect shape; tailors working with beautiful fabrics on ancient Singers and ironing with coal-heated irons; huge mounds of orange, red, and yellow spices offset by fresh, colorful local vegetables; rickshaws carting women adorned in color-saturated saris; ancient step wells and temples blaring live music.
Days 10 & 11: Udaipur
Visit Udaipur’s lovely bazaars and towering City Palace and Museum. Take a boat ride on Lake Pichola and overnight at either Lake Palace or one of the other accommodations with a lake view. Or spend the night at elegant Devi Garh just 26km (16 miles) from Udaipur. If the lake is dry, tarry no longer than a day, moving on the next day to one of the excursions outside Udaipur. Begin with the temples at Nathdwara, Nagda, and Eklingji; then move on to the awesome Jain temples at Ranakpur, Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, and magnificent Kumbhalgarh Fort. Alternatively, consider another long, full-day trip to Chittaurgarh, site of the most legendary Mewar battles. Overnight on Day 11 at Rawla Narlai or Deogarh Mahal, from where you can head northwest for Jodhpur.
Day 12: Jodhpur & Delhi
Make an early start to drive to “the Blue City” of Jodhpur and explore fabulous Mehrangarh Fort and Museum. For many, this looming, 15th-century edifice to Rajput valor is still Rajasthan’s most impressive fort, with walls that soar like sheer cliffs 122m (400 ft.) high—literally dwarfing the city at its base—and a proud history of never having fallen to its many invaders. Don’t miss Umaid Bhawan Palace, once the largest private residence in the world—a vivid reminder of the decadence the Rajput rulers enjoyed during the British Raj (if you have an extra day, consider staying at the Palace, now a superb luxury hotel). Catch a flight to Delhi, where you can relax after a long day.
Days 13 & 14: Agra
From Delhi, drive to Agra to visit the jewel of India, the Taj Mahal, stopping en route at Fatehpur Sikri. Visit Itmad-ud-Daulah’s tomb and Agra Fort. If you have the time, see beautiful Jama Masjid, built in 1648 by Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan’s favorite daughter. Overnight at the Oberoi’s Amarvilās, a worthwhile splurge for your last night in India. Ideally, you can visit the Taj