Colorful Rajasthan Luxury Bike Tour

Udaipur can be a jumble of sights, sounds, and smells but is an absolute must for travelers. On the first day of the trip, our guide meets you at your hotel at 13:00, and we cover some Udaipur highlights – a guided walk of the City Palace. The City Palace is enclosed in a large complex on the banks of Lake Pichola and has many more palaces inside.

Enjoy walking the old market and eating street food at Paliwal Kachori, take an amazing cooking class with Sashi, or a boat ride on Pichola Lake.

We convene tonight at the dinner, next to the beautiful lake, to celebrate the start of a fabulous cycling journey.

Today we explore the ‘City of lakes’ on a short half-day-long loop on a bike, swerving to untreaded nooks and corners through the beautiful rural countryside and absorbing this historic capital of Mewar at your own pace. A colorful landscape unfolds here with brightly clothed village women. Here you can see a typical hamlet of Rajasthan with people busy with farming. We get to discover kingfisher, langurs, cows, goats, and peacocks along the way, and a chance to take a refreshing ride around Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar, and Badi Lake.

In the evening, we recommend enjoying an enthralling cultural show organized at Bagore Ki Haveli.

On this day we start early and take a shuttle to a short distance and ride to the next town of Kumbhalgarh. This is the most scenic ride of the trip as you climb the Aravalis, maneuver through the rolling hills, and cycle past a Dhonk (Anogeissus Pendula) strewn topography. The plant adds a spattering of color to the pale brown stretches along the way. Kumbalgarh is yet another historic fort town from the 15th century.

In the evening, we climb the rugged Kumbalgarh Fort, surrounded by a 35km wall with 365 temples within.

The Aravallis are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and its rugged, worn hills are thickly wooded and littered with numerous mountain streams and brooks. The terrain is slightly challenging and offers excellent opportunities to experience at close quarters the lifestyles of the Bhil tribals – an indigenous tribal people of India and one of the oldest inhabitants of the subcontinent.

Another beautiful day on a bike through the dense forest and gradual inclines take you close to the Aravalis. En route, we visit Ranakpur Jain Temple. Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation. This architectural wonder in white marble is known for exquisitely carved 1444 pillars.

Castle Bera, set in tranquil surroundings of the low-lying Jawai hill ranges, and vast shrubby forests teeming with wildlife, Bera is a great stop. This is the most wholesome ride of the tour as you get a balanced day of different topographies.

Wake up to a dramatic wilderness. Enjoy a fabulous early morning leopard safari, where leopards roam wild and free in an untrammeled wilderness, coexisting comfortably with the charismatic communities.

Later go on a little tour of a nearby village on foot, to get up close and personal with the rural life of Rajasthan.

We ride through a quiet and narrow backroad that offers ample opportunities for spotting wild animals like the blackbuck, blue bulls and if you’re lucky, the shy but extremely graceful Indian Gazelle too. As you ride past swaying masses of yellow mustard and wheat, you’ll meet run into hordes of camels and goats as well as friendly villagers always happy to pose for a photograph or two.

The ride remains largely flat. You can enjoy the vistas with ease and look forward to your stay at the Chanoud.

On this day we cycle to Jodhpur along a beautiful route that, despite the barren landscape is known to support a surprising diversity of fauna. En route, you may spot animals like deer, blackbucks, camels, and blur bulls as you ride past swaying masses of yellow mustard and wheat.

Later we take a shuttle and arrive at Jodhpur, the second-largest city of Rajasthan, which have earned the moniker of ‘Sun City’ for its bright clear skies and sunny weather. Notice how a large number of houses here are blue in color – a striking contrast to the pale sandy color of the city. The towering Mehrangarh Fort, a key highlight of Jodhpur, looms over the city from a small hill and can be seen everywhere.

In the afternoon, we explore the magnificent 15th-century Mehrangarh fort built by Maharaja Man Singh. Clutching onto a 100 feet perpendicular cliff, the fort epitomizes the majestic history of Rajasthan. One of the best-preserved forts of India, it is replete with antiques, artifacts, palanquins, and intricate carvings spread over the period rooms and galleries. The fort expands over 5kms on top of the hill. So colossal are its proportions that Rudyard Kipling called it “the work of giants”.

Here we have chosen one of the most architecturally delightful hotels in Jodhpur, to fill your journey with complete immersion in history and a charming slice of Rajasthan’s grandeur, at the Raas Hotel. Winding through the quaint streets of the city, the hotel comes as a pleasant luxurious oasis in the jumble of houses and markets – undoubtedly an authentic location for you to get inducted into the Rajasthan culture. Check in and relax in this perfect synthesis of contemporary designs, modern facilities, and the old-world charm of Jodhpur – you can see the famous Mehrangarh Fort from every room here.

Today, you can venture out into the markets on your own. The narrow market streets splashed with colour in the form of bright textiles, silver jewelry, ethnic bags, and more – a classic taste of Rajasthan’s vibrant culture.