Our Pushkar Fair Tour itinerary is designed to give you an idea of what’s possible and is simply a starting point when crafting your tailor-made tour of Rajasthan and the Pushkar Fair. Next year, the Pushkar Fair will take place from 20 – 27 November 2023 (conveniently one of the best times to visit Rajasthan).
A whirlwind of colour and culture, this annual event is far more than just a place to buy and sell livestock; it’s one of the best festivals in Rajasthan. The fair kicks off with camel races, traditional folk performances, cricket matches and even a camel beauty contest! A festive funfair atmosphere prevails over Pushkar during the mela’s two-week duration and reaches a crescendo on the night of the full moon when pilgrims take a dip in the holy lake. A photographer’s dream, one cannot help but become immersed in this frenetic festival’s sights, sounds, and smells.
Take it easy this afternoon to relax, settle in, and recuperate from your international journey. Depending on how early in the day you arrive, you can let us know anytime if you’d like to begin exploring this afternoon. Your chauffeur is always on hand, and we’re only a quick call away on your complimentary mobile phone (or WhatsApp, if you prefer).
If you’d like to dine out this evening, we recommend the award-winning Indian Accent or Bukhara.
Later, continue to Dera Amer to spend a memorable evening with elephants. It’s a magical place on the outskirts of the city, where you can spend time up close with elephants by helping to feed and bathe them before taking a gentle walk together through the surrounding forest at sunset (Dera Amer do not encourage rides). If meeting elephants isn’t your thing, this can certainly be removed or replaced. Perhaps with a private cooking class or a special dinner recommendation. For those interested in spending time with elephants, Dera Amer is a fantastic and ethical place to do it.
There’ll be time to settle in and freshen up before your accompanied by your guide for an afternoon walking tour through the Old City. Wandering among the tiny shops dotting these crowded, narrow lanes in the heart of the town, you’ll get a real feel for the life and colour of Marwari jewellery, utensils, kitchenware, leather shoes, trinkets, wedding clothes. You can find just about everything here (including locksmiths and indigenous dentists sitting side by side on the street).
This evening, soak up a private Bhopa performance – a rare Rajasthani art form that combines dancing, singing and painting. Afterwards, enjoy a traditional thali dinner (a bit like tapas, a thali presents you with several small plates. It’s a great way to get a taste of Rajasthan and try things you perhaps wouldn’t have otherwise ordered). Our past guests have found this a very culturally rich experience, and a highlight of our Pushkar Fair Tour.
Later, you’ll be steering off the usual tourist route to a beautiful village in rural Rajasthan, for a two-night stay at Rawla Narlai. Dating back to the 17th-century, Rawla Narlai is a converted fort with a selection of comfortably rustic rooms adorned with plenty of local charm and character whilst offering a modern hotel’s facilities. The inner courtyards are blooming with bright pink bougainvillaea and fragrant frangipani. The surrounding village and landscapes are beautifully picturesque. Rawla Narlai is a special place and quite the hidden gem.
To end the day, we suggest Rawla Narlai’s signature Stepwell Dinner, which is the highlight of a stay here for many of our guests. The magical supper offers four courses of local specialities served beside a 1,100-years-old stepwell, spectacularly lit by hundreds of oil lamps and accompanied by soulful folk songs performed by a local musician on a tambura.
When arriving in Udaipur, you’ll take a short boat ride across Lake Pichola to the fabulous Taj Lake Palace. Dating back over 270 years and floating majestically in the middle of the water, this is the ultimate Indian palace hotel experience for many likeminded visitors, and we’d have to agree! The palatial interiors have been carefully restored to their former glory when the palace served as a summer retreat for Maharaja Jagjit Singh who ruled Jaipur in the 17th century. Other favourite hotels of ours in Udaipur you may wish to consider are The Oberoi Udaivilas, The Leela Palace, and RAAS Devi Garh.
The Pushkar Fair Tour described here is merely our suggestion and can be tweaked to suit you better. We can arrange this itinerary at any time of the year; even without the Pushkar Fair, it makes for a wonderful journey through the region, soaking up not only the highlights but also lesser-known gems. A stay in Agra can easily be included (between Delhi and Jaipur) for those who’d like to visit the Taj Mahal. If you have a little longer to spend in Rajasthan, a journey to Jaisalmer and the Thar desert makes a perfect addition to our Pushkar Fair Tour. All our tours are private and tailor-made to complement your taste and interests. In essence, the itinerary described above is just a starting point, and together we can refine it into your ideal Indian experience.
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