The City Palace on the shore of Lake Pichola, Udaipur

South Asia

India

Rajasthan — forts on the rocks, palaces by the lakes and the silence of the desert under the stars.

Photo: Pranav Panchal / Unsplash

India is too vast to know in a single journey, so we suggest beginning with Rajasthan, the old land of the maharajas in the north-west. In Jaipur there are pink façades and Amber Fort on its hill; in Jodhpur, the blue houses of the old town beneath the mighty Mehrangarh; in Udaipur, white palaces reflected in Lake Pichola.

Further west the Thar Desert begins, and from it rises Jaisalmer, a golden sandstone fort where people still live today. Between the great cities lie smaller ones — Bundi, Pushkar, the painted havelis of Shekhawati — and at Ranthambore you can go on safari in tiger country. Rajasthan's colour, sound and hospitality stay with you for a long time; the secret is not to rush.

Sandstone pavilions reflected in the still water of Gadisar Lake, Jaisalmer

Experiences to consider

01
Jaisalmer and the Thar Desert
Morning by the pavilions of Gadisar Lake, a walk through the lanes of the living fort and an evening in the dunes as the desert falls quiet.
02
Udaipur, city of lakes
A boat on Lake Pichola at sunset, the courtyards of the City Palace and old-town lanes where miniature painters still work.
03
Forts and palaces
Amber Fort in Jaipur, Mehrangarh above blue Jodhpur and lesser-known Bundi with its painted palace rooms.
04
Nights in heritage palaces
Across Rajasthan, palaces, havelis and forts have become places to stay — and a night in one becomes part of the journey itself.

Ways to travel

Ways to experience it

Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.

Culture & discovery
Markets, craftspeople, temples and food — with local guides who help you make sense of it all.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Palaces, havelis and desert camps — every night's stay with a story of its own.
Wildlife & nature
Safaris in Ranthambore, home to tigers — though no one can promise a sighting.
Honeymoons & special journeys
Rooftop dinners in palaces, lakeside sunsets and nights beneath desert stars.
Tailor-made journeys
A private driver, trains and rest days arranged so that India inspires rather than exhausts.