Private journeys in seven lands · a planner replies within one working day
Try "Udaipur", "tiger", "honeymoon", "Ladakh in July"
Nine nights combining Rajasthan's palaces with its tigers: two nights in Jaipur, three in Ranthambore for four or five safaris, a night among the murals and stepwells of Bundi, and three nights on Lake Pichola in Udaipur. Private car, driver and naturalists throughout.
This journey answers the most common request we hear: palaces and tigers in one trip, without rushing either. It begins at Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, with Amber Fort and the old city, then heads south to Ranthambore for three nights at The Oberoi Vanyavilas and a fair chance of seeing a tiger.
Instead of retracing the road to Jaipur, we continue south-west to Bundi, a small fort town of painted palaces and stepwells, and then to Udaipur, where three nights on the lake slow everything down. The drives are planned so each has a stop worth making.
Highlights
Day by day
Your driver meets you at Jaipur airport for the short drive to Rambagh Palace. Rest after the journey and walk in the palace gardens. In the late afternoon, your guide leads you on foot through the old city bazaars from Hawa Mahal into Johari Bazaar, with street food chosen for freshness. Dinner at the palace.
Reach Amber Fort as it opens and walk the courtyards and Sheesh Mahal before the crowds. Visit the Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell and stop at Jal Mahal. After lunch and a rest, see Jantar Mantar and the City Palace. Sunset at Nahargarh Fort above the city.
Take the morning train to Sawai Madhopur, about 2 hours, or drive south through the countryside. Check in at The Oberoi Vanyavilas in time for lunch. In the afternoon, your first safari in an open jeep with a naturalist, through the zone allotted by the forest department. Evening by the fire.
Leave at first light for the morning safari, when tigers are most active and the forest cool. Return for breakfast and rest through the middle of the day, or visit the Dastkar craft project. In the afternoon, a second drive, often in a different zone, looking for tigers near the lakes and among the ruins.
A final morning safari. After breakfast, drive into the park to climb to Ranthambore Fort, a World Heritage site with the Trinetra Ganesh temple and views over the forest and lakes. Afternoon at leisure, or a fifth drive if permits allow. Farewell dinner at the lodge.
Drive south-west through farmland to Bundi. After lunch, walk with your guide through the old town to Raniji ki Baori, a deep stepwell built in 1699, and the twin tanks of Nagar Sagar. Late afternoon at the palace and its Chitrashala murals. Overnight in a heritage haveli below the palace, a simpler stay chosen for its setting.
An early start for Chittorgarh, 3 hours away. Spend two hours on the great fort with a guide, seeing the Tower of Victory, Rana Kumbha's palace and Padmini's palace. Continue to Udaipur, 2 hours further, and check in by Lake Pichola. A quiet evening on the terrace.
Visit the City Palace at opening with a Mewar historian, then walk through the old city to the Jagdish temple. Afternoon at leisure by the lake. In the last hour before sunset, a private boat on Lake Pichola past the ghats, the Lake Palace and Jag Mandir.
A day to rest after the safaris and the drives. The spa, the pool, a miniature painting session in the old city or a drive to the Monsoon Palace for sunset are all possible. Farewell dinner at the hotel.
Breakfast by the lake, then your driver takes you to Udaipur airport for your onward flight. Direct flights connect Udaipur with Delhi and Mumbai, linking with international departures. Check current status before you travel.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
The former home of the Maharajas of Jaipur, run by Taj, set in large Mughal-style gardens about 15 minutes from the old city. It is the …
A luxury tented resort on the edge of Ranthambore National Park, with large canvas tents set in landscaped gardens, a spa and naturalist-led safaris. It is …
An 18th-century white marble palace that covers its own island in Lake Pichola, reached only by boat. Built as a royal summer retreat and run by …
A palace-style resort on the eastern shore of Lake Pichola, with domed pavilions, courtyards, gardens and rooms opening onto shared or semi-private pools. It faces the …
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Questions travellers ask
Four, across three nights: afternoon on arrival, morning and afternoon on day 4, and morning on day 5. A fifth can be added if permits are available. Most guests see at least one tiger over four drives. Each safari is in an open jeep with a naturalist, in a zone allotted by the forest department. Sightings are never guaranteed; check current status before you travel.
Zones are allotted by the forest department when permits are booked, and cannot be changed on the day. We book as early as possible to give the best chance of the core zones. Check current status of the rules before you travel.
Ranthambore to Udaipur is about 7 hours by road. Stopping in Bundi breaks it into two days and adds murals, stepwells and Chittorgarh Fort, which most travellers would otherwise miss. The first leg is about 140 km and 3 hours, the second about 270 km with two hours at Chittorgarh. The Bundi night is in a heritage haveli below the palace, a simpler stay chosen for its setting.
November to March is the most comfortable. March and early April give the best tiger sightings while still pleasant. October is possible, as the park reopens on 1 October. Winter mornings in an open jeep are cold, and Udaipur is pleasant through the season. The main zones close from 1 July to 30 September; check current status before you travel.
Yes, for children over about eight who can sit for three hours in a jeep. Forest department rules on children apply. Tell us ages when booking so we can arrange rooms and safaris. Day 7 is long, about 5.5 hours of driving plus Chittorgarh, and we can split it with a night near the fort. The free day in Udaipur gives everyone time to rest.
Yes, when they are open. Both are seasonal tented camps with excellent naturalists. Six Senses Fort Barwara is another option for a palace setting. The number of safaris stays the same, but the price changes, and Fort Barwara is about 30 km from the park, so drives start earlier. Camp seasons vary; check current status before you travel.
Yes, in executive or first-class seats. The journey takes about 2 hours from Jaipur. Your car travels ahead with the luggage, and the hotel meets you at Sawai Madhopur. The morning train puts you at The Oberoi Vanyavilas in time for lunch and the first safari. If you prefer, the drive takes about 3.5 hours through the countryside. Timetables change; check current status before you travel.
Neutral clothing, a warm jacket, hat and gloves for winter mornings, sunscreen and a scarf for dust. Binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens help. Pack light; jeeps have little space. Camera fees in the park are not included. For the rest of the journey, add modest clothing for temples such as the Jagdish temple and comfortable shoes for Chittorgarh Fort.
Yes, per person, twin sharing, from the figure shown. It changes with dates, room categories and safari type. Single travellers pay a supplement. We confirm a firm price once dates are set. Choosing the Taj Lake Palace or Udaivilas in Udaipur, and a private jeep in Ranthambore, both change the figure. Christmas, New Year and Diwali are the highest-priced weeks.
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