Horseback Riding in India
INDIA CHRISTMAS RIDE |
The Christmas Ride begins like the first part of the Pushkar Fair ride and continues through and along the Aravalli Hills to end in Jaipur.
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| Itinerary |
| 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 of the riding days. 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/drive 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 . |
| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | Delhi |
| Length of Ride | 14 days, 13 nights and 9 days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Strong Intermediate |
| Group Size | Minimum-8 Maximum-14 |
| Riding Per Day | 4-6 hours |
| Pace | moderate / fast |
| Tack | English trekking |
| Horses | Marwari |
| Weight Limit | 195 lbs |
| 2008 Dates | Dec 21, 2008 - Jan 3, 2009 |
| 2008 Price | $4,505 |
| Single Supplement | $1,225 |
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