CHRISTMAS RIDE, RAJASTHAN - INDIA

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This Christmas ride gives you the opportunity to visit and stay in some of the finest Forts and Palaces of Rajasthan. A combination of seeing rural India on horse back and visiting well know Fairs as well as including the sights of Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur and Delhi make these itineraries good all round visits to India. The rides cover a variety of terrain and pass through many small local villages. This offers you a unique chance to experience rural India and its cultures/people. On this horse riding holiday are opportunities to observe wildlife and partake in various spiritual ceremonies and festivals during the riding.

Trip length 14 days/ 13 nights. Flight Inclusive Price from £3,795 Ride only price 2009: £2,785 Departure dates 2009: 21 December - 3 January Approximate riding time per day 4 to 6 hours Riding ability required Intermediate onwards Group size 8-15 Meeting point (getting there) New Delhi Airport, India Transfer All included from meeting point internal airfares and road transfers. Flight guide London - Delhi return £400 - £600 Single supplement None if willing to share and we find you a sharer, otherwise £945. If we cannot find you a sharer the supplement is halved.

SAMPLE ITINERARY - CHRISTMAS RIDE, RAJASTHAN

Day 1
Dec. 21 Arrive in New Delhi and overnight in Hotel Imperial or similar hotel.

Day 2
Dec. 22 Drive to Dundlod from Delhi in the morning (about 6 hours), lunch and overnight Dundlod Fort. This old building has lots of character and now has some modern comforts. It has a large banquet hall, and each bedroom is different, with its own charm. The palace is located on the edge of a small village of the same name.

Day 3
Dec. 23 Today you will try the horses and ride in and around Dundlod visiting various villages and temples. In the evening possibly another ride around Dundlod. The terrain around this semi-desert area is soft and sandy and is ideal for riding with plenty of opportunities for some good canters. Overnight at Dundlod Fort.

Day 4
Dec. 24 Ride to Mandawa (about 20 kms.); on the way visit the havelis, mansions which have some of the finest frescoes in the world. They were almost unknown until a few years ago and are just becoming famous. Christmas Eve dinner and overnight at the Desert Resort.

Day 5
Dec. 25 Ride to Nawalgargh and visit the frescoed havelis. Christmas dinner and overnight in Roop Niwas Palace in Nawalgargh.

Day 6
Dec. 26 Ride to Bhaironji Temple (about 30 kms.), passing through several villages and farmers dwellings. After lunch ride for some time through farm lands, then follow a dry river bed running parallel to the Aravalli Hills. Camp overnight in tents near a small temple.

Day 7
Dec. 27 Ride to Kochor village through a spectacular landscape of sand dunes, hills and lakes. Overnight in tented camp.

Day 8
Dec. 28 An early morning ride out to Danta Fort (about 25ms.), riding along hills and through a variety of villages, to the village of Danta, which is surrounded by two fortresses on top of a hill. One of the fortresses is now a hotel, the Dera Danta Kila (kila means fort), where the night will be spent.

Day 9
Dec. 29 Ride from Danta to Kuchaman (about 38 kms). Early morning ride through one of the most spectacular areas of Rajasthan. This days ride is one of the best on this spectacular horse riding holiday. You ride across a very scenic area comprising of beautiful villages, farmlands, hills and huge sand dunes. As you near Kuchaman, you can see the towering fort of Kuchaman perched high up on a hill. The Kuchaman Fort is one of the most spectacular and luxurious Fort hotels of Rajasthan. Overnight in Kuchaman Fort. The Kuchaman Fort was established as a "chowki" [garrison] by the Gurjar Pratiharas sometime between 450 to 750 A.D. Like a gigantic beast astride a triangular cliff, crouching, waiting to pounce on enemies, real or imagined.

KUCHAMAN: The Fort was built to control the ancient trade route from Central Asia. In 950 A.D. the Chuhans of Ajmer drove out the Gurjar Pratiharas, to open a new chapter in the history of Kuchaman Fort. In the following centuries, the Gaurs won and controlled the fort, until they surrendered it to the might of the Rathores. Being Suryavanshi Kshatriyas who trace their lineage back to Lord Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, the Rathores brought to the fort their long and glorious traditions. A new life came to the Fort, enriching its colorful history.

At the Kuchaman Fort you discover tales of courage and valor woven into the very fabric of its formidable ramparts; with their 32 bastions that house cannon points, their thousands of muzzle loader ports from which pellets were once showered upon attacking armies, and their strategic 10 gates, each with its own soulful story. As you travel on a winding and undulating mountain road, toward the massive portals of this magnificent Fort, you travel back in time, only to be swallowed into the ancient world of mysteries, of secret chants and mantras, classical music and ragas, and of fine arts and murals.

The Kuchaman Fort, waiting to welcome you, as it rises proudly into the clear skies, at the top of a high, sheer rock cliff. It is as though a million-year-old rock itself changed its shape to record the extraordinary Kuchaman glory.

Day 10
Dec. 30 Ride from Kuchaman to Nawa (about 25 Kms), The ride on this day takes you across the salt flats of Kuchaman, then a beautiful valley in the Aravali hills dotted with small villages and temples, and on to the great Sambhar Lake (which is the largest salt water lake in India). The salt flats give you the chance of galloping for as long as the horses or you can manage. Arrive Nawa and camp near the salt flats.

Day 11
Dec. 31 Ride from Nawa to Roopangargh, crossing varied terrain to the village that is dominated by a fairy tale fort set up high on a hill overlooking the village. Roopangargh is famous for the "Kisangargh School of Art" miniature paintings. Dinner and overnight in Roopangargh Fort.

Day 12
Jan. 1 After a leisurely breakfast drive to Jaipur (about 3 hours). Enjoy the sights of Jaipur in the afternoon, then overnight in Jaipur at the Rajputana Sheraton Palace, or similar hotel.

JAIPUR: The rose-pink capital of Rajasthan, is surrounded on all sides by rugged hills crowned with forts. Enclosed by embattled walls, the city was built early in the eighteenth century.

The Maharaja's palace stands in the center of the city amidst lovely gardens. Houses with latticed windows line the streets, their rose-pink color lending enchantment to the scene and an almost magical quality at sunset. Jaipur is aptly called the "Pink City of India", and takes its name from the famous Maharana Sawai Jai Singh, who founded the city in 1728. A keen astronomer, he built a most interesting observatory that still exists and is equipped with masonry instruments of remarkable size. Jaipur is noted for its craftsmen skilled in the art of cutting precious stones and famed for its garnets and rubies. It is equally well known for brass inlay work, lacquer work and the printings of muslin.

Day 13
Jan. 2 After a visit to the imposing 17th century Amber Fort and an elephant ride, fly to Delhi arriving about 6:00 p.m. and transfer to the airport for departing flights, or overnight in Delhi.

Day 14
Jan. 3 Transfer to airport for return flights. Rooms will be available until noon today, January 3rd .

The weight limit for this ride is 15 st/209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
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WHAT IS INCLUDED
All transfers and internal flights, all accommodation on a B&B basis in cities and full board during rides, road transfers, sightseeing in cities, all riding and guiding, tea and coffee during meals and a 1 litre bottle of water per day. Flight inclusive price also includes direct return flights from London - Delhi with BA world traveller class. Regional departures can be arranged.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International flights (except flight inclusive price), monument entrance fee's in Delhi, lunch and dinner in cities, drinks other than tea and coffee with meals, laundry, tips, camera fees and visa fees.

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