# Rajasthan The land of the Rajputs: desert forts, palace cities and Jaipur's pink bazaars. Rajasthan spans much of northwestern India, a region where the Thar Desert gives way to scrubland, rocky outcrops and the winding ranges of the Aravalli Hills. It is one of India's most architecturally rich states — an extraordinary concentration of hilltop forts, painted city quarters and royal palaces survives here, alongside a living culture of craft, music and hospitality that continues in markets, workshops and desert settlements. ## Forts, Palaces and Painted Cities The cities of Rajasthan each carry a distinct visual identity. Jaipur's older quarters are known for their terracotta pink facades, Jodhpur's compact centre is dominated by the soaring walls of Mehrangarh Fort, and Jaisalmer rises from the desert in golden sandstone. Smaller cities carry their own character — Udaipur's lakeside palaces, the painted havelis of Shekhawati, the old walled towns of Bikaner and Jodhpur'sClock Tower market, where spice and grain stalls crowd beneath a centuries-old structure. Beyond the cities, the land is scattered with structures built across centuries. Forts such as Chittorgarh and Kumbhalgarh enclose temples, reservoirs and palace ruins. Step wells — some dating to the medieval period — descend in geometric tiers into the earth. Rural towns contain temples and cenotaphs carved in regional styles that differ markedly from one area to the next. ## The Land and Its Inhabitants The Thar Desert covers the western portion of the state. Beyond the major cities, the landscape opens into flat plains broken by rocky ridges, thorn scrub and occasional oases. Camel caravans once crossed these routes; small trading towns grew up along them, their bazaars selling textiles, spices and the crafts for which the region is known. This is not an empty landscape. Villages and small towns are scattered across it, and markets bring communities together on rotating days. Life here has long adapted to the rhythms of a harsh climate — water management, livestock herding and seasonal agriculture all shaped the culture of the region. ## Living Culture The crafts of Rajasthan have long travelled beyond its borders. Block-printed textiles, lac bangles, hand-painted pottery and miniature paintings are among the traditions still practised in workshops and bazaars across the state. Food follows the climate: dried legumes, coarse grains and preserved vegetables dominate the cuisine, flavoured with regional spice mixes that differ from one area to the next. Throughout the year, markets and seasonal fairs draw people from surrounding villages. These are functional trading events, not staged for visitors, though they are open to those who come. Music and performance are embedded in daily life rather than confined to stages. Rajasthan resists easy summary. It is a region of considerable variety — in landscape, in architecture, in the cultures of its distinct communities — and the best way to understand it is to move through it slowly. ## Places in Rajasthan - Jaipur ## Tours that visit Rajasthan No tours visit this place just yet. ## Before you book you should know ### Is this trip right for you? Our groups are capped at eight travellers, which is about a third of what the industry calls a small group. Eight people share one vehicle, one table at dinner and one guide's attention, and the day can change on the road without anybody being left behind. If you are looking for a coach, a fixed script and a microphone, this is not that. Most days involve real walking, often on ground that was laid two thousand years before walking shoes: marble worn smooth, cobbles, uneven steps and long site paths with little shade. Bring shoes you can spend a morning in. Some days move between regions and are largely a drive, with stops along the way. Summers are hot — well over 35°C inland — and winters are colder than most people expect, so layers, a hat and sunscreen earn their place in the bag whatever the month. How demanding a particular trip is, is written on the trip itself: the physical rating in the header, and the day-by-day itinerary above. ### Rooms, and travelling on your own Trip prices are per person, sharing a twin room. Each traveller picks their own room while booking, so a party can mix the three: - **Twin share** — two single beds, shared with someone you are travelling with or with a traveller of the same gender. - **Travelling as a couple** — one double room. - **Individual room** — a room of your own, for a single supplement on top of the trip price. Availability is limited, and the supplement for a given date is shown next to the option when you book. Solo travellers are welcome on every departure, and most of our groups have one or two aboard. ### Accommodation The hotels named in an itinerary are a guideline rather than a guarantee. Where one is full, or has dropped below the standard we booked it for, we substitute a property of a similar standard in the same area — we would rather change the hotel than the trip. Check-in is usually mid-afternoon. If you arrive early we will ask for the room, but no hotel can promise one before its own check-in time; luggage can normally be left at reception in the meantime. If you want the room from the night before, ask us and we will add the extra night to your booking. ### Passports, visas and insurance Entry requirements depend on your nationality and change without much notice, so the only reliable source is the official one: the government of the country you are travelling to, and your own foreign ministry's travel advice. Check both before you book a flight. Many countries ask for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and for blank pages. It is worth looking at yours now rather than at the airport. We ask every traveller to carry travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and we would strongly encourage cover for cancellation and for your luggage as well. ### Your departure is guaranteed — the day can change Once a departure is on the calendar it runs. We do not cancel a trip for want of a minimum number of bookings, so a booked date is one you can plan flights and leave around. What can move is the shape of a day. Museums and archaeological sites change their hours, roads close, weather turns, a local holiday lands in the middle of the week. Where that happens your guide reorders the day, or swaps a stop for one of the same weight, and tells you why. Changes to a booked itinerary are covered by our Booking Terms & Conditions. --- Full page: https://www.smallvoyage.com/destination/rajasthan/