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Rajasthan 2023 – Photo Gallery

By on 22. March 2023 in Asia – Photos, India, Photo Galleries

Jal Mahal, the “Water Palace”, Jaipur

Rajasthan has immensely changed since my first trip back in April 2012! The first thing that immediately stroke me was the mere fact that now tourism is mainly local. The most surprising fact was maybe how well organized & clean the major spots of Rajasthan now are. Only once we were back to Delhi had we the impression we had escaped this “sanitized experience”. Then, what were hidden gems 10 years back are now surrounded with 5 stars resorts full of SUVs, catering for the new middle / upper class of India discovering their own country. All in all? Rajasthan is far easier to travel than it once was, and quicker! Better infrastructure and improved organization make your life so much easier. Of course, it will appear less confusing and more “On the main touristic tracks” than it was 10 years ago. Continue Reading →

An Itinerary in Rajasthan – 2 Weeks

By on 20. March 2023 in India

Taj Mahal, Agra

Rajasthan has immensely changed since my first trip back in April 2012!

  • The first thing that immediately stroke me was the mere fact that now tourism is mainly local (maybe 90%, from what I could observe).
  • The most surprising fact was maybe how well organized & clean the major spots of Rajasthan now are. Only once we were back to Delhi had we the impression we had escaped this “sanitized experience”.
  • What were hidden gems 10 years back are now surrounded with 5 stars resorts full of SUVs, catering for the new middle / upper class of India discovering their own country.
  • All in all? Rajasthan is far easier to travel than it once was, and quicker! Better infrastructure and improved organization make your life so much easier. Of course, it will appear less confusing and more “On the main touristic tracks” than it was 10 years ago.

Continue Reading →

Budget Guide To Rajasthan (Updated)

By on 18. March 2023 in Country Budget Guide, India

Elephant and Rickshaws at Sardar Market, Jodhpur

One Of The Cheapest Places To Splurge A Little Or Upgrade Your Travel Style…

Type Of Travel

The 4 trips to Rajasthan were really different from one another, and this actually also shows in the budget spent:

  • During the first 2 trips (2012 & 2013), with limited time at hand (each time 12 days) and India being a rather cheap country, I opted against traveling low budget. Instead, I frequented “mid-range” hotels or Havelis and pleasant local restaurants. This trip could definitely have be done a lot cheaper than spending 44 and 48 Euros per person per day (this amount does not include the international flight or the visa fees).
  • For the last 2 trips (2015 & 2023), I went for the “upper mid-range” type of travel to ensure a nice level of comfort and enhance the mobility: nice Havelis or small Boutique hotels, nice restaurants, at times a car with driver… The budget almost doubled, not surprisingly.

Continue Reading →

Gangaur Procession in Jodhpur

By on 16. March 2023 in India

Gangaur procession in the streets of Jodhpur

Highlights are where and when you do not expect them, aren’t they? I honestly had never heard of Gangaur, so when we stumbled upon a group of Indian ladies, young and old, in traditional dresses, in the streets of Jodhpur, we had no idea what it was all about… Well, the explanations given over the hours that followed created more confusion than anything else… We somehow understood that they took care of idols praying for a “good husband” (whatever that means…). Continue Reading →

Street-Art in Jodhpur

By on 15. March 2023 in India

Street-Art in the streets of the old city of Jodhpur

I wasn’t exactly expecting Street-Art when starting my third visit of Jodhpur, the laid-back, relaxed “Blue City” on the edge of the Thar Desert! I just recalled a maze of intertwined, narrow streets, where you would actually get lost however careful you were trying to keep somewhat of an orientation… Continue Reading →

Rajasthan – A Selection of 70 Pictures

By on 9. December 2015 in Asia – Photos, India, Photo Galleries

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

In April 2012 I had my first brush with India, to be precise Eastern Rajasthan: for 11 days I gazed at the most incredible Moghul architecture in Agra and Jaipur. I also threw in a bit of wildlife by visiting Ranthambhore National Park. When I returned in March 2013, I headed for the Southwest of Rajasthan for 12 days, to marvel at these impressive forts & palaces in Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Bundi, Chittorgarh and last but not least Pushkar & Ajmer. Delhi was my hub during both trips.

In March 2015, I went back to Rajasthan for one full month, and made an extensive loop through this area of India: Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri & Abhaneri, Jaipur, Pushkar & Ajmer, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Kumbalgarh & Ranakpur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner & Nawalgarh. I ended the trip in Amritsar (Punjab) to marvel at the Golden Temple.

Continue Reading →

Grand Escapades’ Travel Guide To Rajasthan

By on 9. December 2015 in India

Grand Architecture, Vivid & Colorful Street Life And Holy Cows

Witnessing one of the many processions (this time for peace in the world…) in Jaipur

Itinerary And Time Of The Visit

In April 2012 I had my first brush with India, to be precise Eastern Rajasthan: for 11 days I gazed at the most incredible Moghul architecture in Agra and Jaipur. I also threw in a bit of wildlife by visiting Ranthambhore National Park. When I returned in March 2013, I headed for the Southwest of Rajasthan for 12 days, to marvel at these impressive forts & palaces in Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Bundi, Chittorgarh and last but not least Pushkar & Ajmer. Delhi was my hub during both trips. Continue Reading →

10 Lesser Known Highlights In Rajasthan

By on 20. November 2015 in India
Kumbhalgarh Fort and the "Indian Great Wall", Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

Kumbhalgarh Fort and the “Indian Great Wall”, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

Rajasthan abounds with stunning but extremely popular highlights, so it is extremely tempting to stay “On The Beaten Track” and focus on a very classic route, rushing from one monument to the other, especially if you have a limited amount of time at hand. This is all the more true as regular trains connect those major points of interest very efficiently and very cheaply, keeping you focused on few places. Continue Reading →

Fortresses Of The Thar Desert: Jaisalmer & Bikaner

By on 5. November 2015 in India
Fortress of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India

Fortress of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India

After passing through some lush-green and fertile areas of Rajasthan, it was a shock to enter the Thar Desert west of Jodhpur. An endless plain of dust, dotted with small trees and bushes, and random greenish fields scattered through parts of this desert. None of the romantic images one might have of mighty, windswept sand dunes, but a lonely, dry, dusty, sun-torched landscape that merges somewhere with the horizon. Continue Reading →

Jodhpur, The Blue City – Just Get Lost!

By on 24. March 2015 in India
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajsthan, India

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajsthan

Do not even try to read a map when strolling the Old City of Jodhpur, simply useless in this maze of narrow streets lined with shops, street vendors and houses that were once blue. Add honking auto-rickshaws, motorbikes, bikes, pedestrians, men pushing heavy carts, cows, dogs and you realize – Jodhpur is a city to stroll aimlessly. Continue Reading →