Luxury Train Holidays

Palace On Wheels

Most memorable journey with a royal treatment and mannerism, a great experience on the wheels. The train "Palace On Wheels" ranked one of the best train in the world. It has 14 air-conditioned saloons (coaches), embellished with intricate décor, all saloon is named after former Rajput states. Each saloon is having 4 coupes with 2 beds, channel music, carpeted, with attached bath and mini pantry which serves hot and cold beverages, a beautiful lounge attached with well stocked bar, 2 elegant restaurants offering delicious Indian & continental food of your choice.
A mobile palace that takes you to other palaces.

Duration : 7 Nights / 8 Days
Destination Covered : Delhi - Jaipur - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Ranthambhor - Chittaurgarh - Udaipur - Bharatpur - Agra - Delhi

Day 01
Delhi, step on board to a royal welcome, dinner on board, depart from Delhi cantonment railway station for Jaipur at 1745 hrs.

Day 02
Jaipur arr. 0830 hrs be greeted by caparisoned elephants, welcome to the pink city of Jaipur. Discover Hawa Mahal, amber fort, Jantar Mantar and city palace, and silent sentinels of a glorious era. Lunch at Ram Bagh palace. Dine under stars at Jaimahal palace. Depart for Jaisalmer at 2000 hrs.

Day 03
Jaisalmer arr. 0830 hrs, arrive at the 12th century city of Jaisalmer dominated by its sandstone fort of 99 bastions. Visit the exquisitely carved havelis and palaces with their latticed windows, balconies, cupolas and facades. Experience the famed camel safaris and desert camps, and dine under the stars as the rhythm of Rajasthani music drifts into the night. Depart for Jodhpur at 2330 hrs.

Day 04
Jodhpur arr. 0900 hrs, the Meharangarh fort looks large over this 15th century city. Visit this magnificent fort and Jaswant Thada, the royal cenotaph. Lunch at the Umaid Bhavan Palace, the royal residence, a part of which is now a hotel. Depart for Ranthambhor at 1545 hrs.

Day 05
Ranthambhor arr. 0630 hrs, welcome to the beautiful 10th century fort of Ranthambhor, surrounded by the Ranthambhor national park, a project tiger reserve, the imposing ramparts of the fort soar high above … still echoing the ancient past. Depart for Chittaurgarh at 1100 hrs. Chittaurgarh arrival 1600 hrs, images of love and valor. Scars of battle lost and won, thrice besieged, Chittaurgarh fort is all this and more. Moving legends of honor and pride. Dinner on board, depart for Udaipur.

Day 06
Udaipur arr. 0730 hrs, moving legends of honor and pride as you proceed to Udaipur, the city of lakes, palaces and gardens temples and forts. Lunch at the lake palace hotel, the former residence of the prince of Mewar. Enjoy the tranquility of lake Pichola; visit the city palace in all its ancient glory, the residence of Maharajas of Udaipur. Depart for Bharatpur and Agra at 2000 hrs.

Day 07
Bharatpur arr. 0715 hrs, a wonderland of birds, visit the renowned Keoladeo Ghana national park at Bharatpur, once the preserve of the Maharaja of Bharatpur and now a world heritage site. It is home to 300 species of birds, some flying from as far as China and Siberia. Visit the red fort stone of Fatehpur Sikri. Lunch at the Mughal Sheraton in Agra and visit to one of the most beautiful monuments ever conceived, the Taj Mahal. Depart for Delhi at 2000 hrs.

Day 08
Delhi arr. 0730 hrs, breakfast on board, return to Delhi Cantonment railway station with unforgettable memories.

Royal Orient

The Royal Orient, brainchild of the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat and the Indian Railways, is a thirteen-saloon air-conditioned train with vestibule facilities. It runs through the exotic states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, opening vistas of history and splendor to those who board it. Each saloon boasts four large comfortable coupes with adjoining washroom facilities and a lounge fitted with a television and video recorder. A liveried attendant is on call throughout the day and night and service is accompanied by a warm smile. Broad beds (only the lower bunks are used, two to a couple), with adequate storage facilities, welcome you to the cabin. Running hot and cold water ensures a refreshing bath at the end of a day of sight seeing.

The itinerary is conveniently drawn up; one can Tour through the night and take in the sights during the day. The food en route is cordon bleu and the helpings a glutton's delight. Specially trained chefs toss up exotic oriental and European cuisine, varying the menu with each meal to ensure that no dish is repeated during the trip. Meals are served in two rather natty dining cars, the Sasan Gir and the Velavadar. The former, with mud-plastered paneling studded with pieces of embedded colored glass, recreates a rural ambiance as you savour your chicken Mughlai and vegetable biryani. One also the option of consuming the Almond Soup and Fish Florentine in the more staid surroundings of a Raj gymkhana dining saloon in the other dining car.

The journey covers three major locations in Rajasthan - Chittaurgarh, Udaipur and Jaipur. The 7th century Fort at Chittaurgarh, sprawling over seven hundred acres, is redolent with history as is the Rana Kumbha Palace and the romance ridden Zenana Mahal where the invader Ala-ud-din Khilji glimpsed the beautiful princess Padmini with gory consequences. The picturesque city of Udaipur and the tourist haven of Jaipur offer great photo opportunities at the Ranakpur Jain Temple, the Amer Fort, the Hawa Mahal and the City Palace.

Enter Gujarat however, and one is given a glimpse into the little traversed but immensely awe-inspiring beauty of this unique state. The beautiful Sun Temple at Modhera, built in the 11th century, is an architectural wonder, with a beautiful tank in its front yard. The breathtaking Rani-ki-Vav nearby, a step-well built by the aesthetically inclined Solanki rulers in the 11th century, has some delicately executed sculptures of deities and their attendants. The impression that these celestial figures might at any moment come to life stays with one, even after leaving the site for the coach journey back to the Royal Orient.

Sultan Ahmed Shah founded the city of Ahmedabad in 1411. Unlike any other city in the country, Ahmedabad boasts of a cross section of the finest architectural heritage within its city limits, from Indo-Saracenic to Muslim to le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. The serene ambiance of the Gandhi Ashram where the Father of the Nation commenced his final struggle for the country's independence and the aesthetically displayed collection of precious textiles at the Calico Museum make this stop of the tour very special.

No journey into Gujarat is complete without stopping to view its rich wild life. The sole habitat of the Asian lion makes the trip to the Gir Forest filled with adventure while for those craving for sun and sand, the evening spent at Ahmedpur Mandvi proves supremely satisfying. To throw in a rich dose of piety on a journey of leisure is indeed a bonus. Few visitors to the 863 Jain Temples snuggling at the peak of the Shatrunjaya Hills at Palitana can return without a touch of divinity within them. A mind-boggling 3572 steps lead one to near nirvana, an effort worth the making.

The trip aboard the Royal Orient ends at Jaipur after seven delightful days of exploring some of the most beautiful and vibrant parts of India.