Pushkar Camel Festival

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Delhi

Arrive in Delhi at any time. There are no planned activities, so check into to the hotel (check-in time is 12.00 midday) and enjoy the city. In the evening you will meet your fellow group members to go over the details of your trip. Check the notice board to see what time and where the group meeting will be held. New Delhi, the capital of India is one of the most historic capitals in the world and three of its monuments- the Qutab Minar, Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb - have been declared World Heritage Sites. It offers a multitude of interesting places and attractions to the visitor, so much so that it becomes difficult to decide from where to begin exploring the city. In Old Delhi, there are attractions like mosques, forts, markets and other monuments depicting India's Muslim history. New Delhi, on the other hand, is a modern city designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Tree covered wide streets with many roundabouts are notable in New Delhi. Home to many government buildings and embassies, as well as Rashtrapati Bhawan, the one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys; India Gate, a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers martyred during the Afghan war; the Laxminarayan Temple, built by the Birlas, one of India's leading industrial families. Further out in the southern suburbs you will discover more history including Humayun's Tomb, said to be the forerunner of the Taj Mahal at Agra; the Purana Quila, built by Humayun, with later-day modifications by Sher Shah Suri; Qutab Minar, built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty; and the incredible lotus-shaped Bahá'í House of Worship.There are so many options for dining, from age-old eateries in the by lanes of the Old Walled City to glitzy, specialty restaurants in five-star hotels, Delhi is a movable feast. There are so many restaurants and bars, catering to all the varied tastes and budgets.The best of Mughlai cuisine can be enjoyed at Karims, (both in Jama Masjid and Nizamuddin) where recipes, dating from the times o the Mughals have been the closely guarded secret of generations of chefs. The finest Frontier cuisine is available at the Bukhara, recently voted as the best Indian restaurant in the world!! And at the other end of the scale there are the many popular roadside eateries where kababs, rotis and biryani are the order of the day.A delightful outlet offering a range of Indian cuisines are the food stalls at Dilli Haat. Here, the cuisine of different states is made available. Set in the midst of a spacious crafts bazaar these cafes are a very pleasant place to enjoy food.

Day 2 Delhi / evening train to Ajmer

In the morning we dive into the heart of India’s capital to explore Old and New Delhi. Visit Delhi’s famous Jama Masjid (Great Mosque) and climb the minaret for a bird’s eye view of the old city. Walk through Chandni Chowk, one of India’s oldest and busiest markets, and learn the history of the Sikh religion at the important Gurduwara, (Sikh place of worship) Gurdwara SisGanj. Stop for photos at the colourful spice market before finishing at the Victorian Connaught Place, one of the most prominent architectural remnants of British rule. The Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, commonly known as the Jama or Jarna Masjid (Great Mosque) of Delhi is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Masjid-i-Jahan Numa means "mosque commanding a view of the world, " whereas the name Jama Masjid is a reference to the weekly congregation observed on Friday (the yaum al-jum`a) at the mosque. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and completed in the year 1656 AD, the Jarna Masjid is the best-known and largest mosque in India; its courtyard can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque houses several relics in a niche in the north gate, including a priceless copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin. The Sikh holy site of Gurdwara SisGanj stands at the site where the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was beheaded in 1675 on the orders of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for refusing to accept Islam. During a time when the emperor was waging a war against Hindus, Guru Tegh Bahadur argued for freedom of worship and was executed as a result. Before his body could be quartered and exposed to public view, it was stolen under cover of darkness by one of his disciples, Lakhi Shah Vanjara, who then burnt his house to cremate the Guru's body. The severed head (Sis) of Guru Tegh Bahadur was recovered by Bhai Jaita, another disciple of the Guru, and cremated by the Guru's son, Gobind Rai, later to become Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Sikh Guru. The giant circle of New Delhi’s Connaught Place, sitting at the centre of any map of Delhi, radiates with roads like spokes from a wheel. The circle’s obviously Victorian architecture was modeled after the Royal Crescent in Bath, England.We catch an overnight sleeper train to Ajmer and then transfer to Pushkar. Traveling in India, by trains is an experience that one should definitely engage in at least once. There is virtually no better way to get to make friends with the people and see the spectacular views of the diverse Indian countryside. The chaos on the Indian Railway stations is a replica of the life in India.Indian Railways, the largest rail networks in Asia and the world's second largest rail network under one management covers more than 100,000 track kms, 300 yards, 2300 good sheds and 700 repair shops. Its rolling stock fleet includes 8300 locomotives, 39,000 coaching vehicles and 350,000 freight wagons. Its work force is 1.65 million and it runs some 11,000 trains' everyday connecting about 7500 stations, ferrying nearly 20 million.

Day 3-4 Pushkar Camel Fair

Pushkar is one of Hinduisms holiest towns and an essential pilgrim destination. Its name comes from Pushpa (flower) and Kar (hand). It is said Lord Brahma, Creator of the Universe, did battle with the demon, Vajra Nabh, and slew him with a lotus blossom. A petal fell from his hand and landed on earth, creating the lake. Hindus come to bathe in the lake as it will wash away their sins, earning themselves a place in heaven.Pushkar has five principle temples, many smaller temples and 52 ghats where pilgrims decend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters. One of the primary temples is the 14th century temple dedicated to Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Very few temples to Lord Brahma exist anywhere in the world.Pushkar is a relatively small town and easy enough to get around on foot There are no auto-rickshaws in the town center. A bicycle is best to get around.Pushkar Camel FairThousands of people from rural India flock to Pushkar during this annual fair to partake in everything from livestock trading to religious festivities. A true sight to see is the first half of the festival during the camel and cattle trading fair, when the Indians spruce up their camels with fur and colourful adornments hoping to get the best sale. Throughout the fair around 50,000 camels are sold, decorated, shaved and raced.The religious activities dominate the later half, culminating when thousands of devotees take a dip in the holy lake on the full moon signalling the end of the fair.During the fair, the temples and ghats are decorated to worship the Lords. A series of worship processes takes place and people visit the temples and take baths in the Pushkar lake. The temples of Pushkar comes to a new life during the celebrations. Also the surrounding areas of the lake become a mini Rajasthan market during the fair. Decorative items for camels, like saddles, saddle-straps and beads are sold. You can also buy jewelry, garments, silver ornaments, bead necklaces, tie 'n' dye fabrics and all the usual Rajasthan handicrafts.

Day 5-6 Castle Bijaipur

Castle Bijaipur is a 16th century castle set in the serene Vindhyanchal Ranges. It was built by Rao Vijay Singh, descendent of great rajput warrior Shakti Singh, the younger brother of Maharana Pratap. Bijaipur was a strategic location in the former kingdom of Mewar, as it defended the frontiers against the invading Mughal and Maratha armies. The present Rao Saheb Narendra Singh has renovated and converted the castle into one of the first heritage hotel in this region for tourist to come and experience the warm Rajput hospitality.There are a number of nearby small villages, forts, lakes to enjoy but you will have to pull yourself away from the many activities at Castle Bijaipur like horse riding, cycling, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, yoga or a massage.Located just 5 kms away from Castle Bijaipur is Modea Mahadev Bandh, with an expansive reservoir. The drive to the Bandh is delightful, passing through many traditional villages, some like Tarapur which are doing hand block printing and others that offer views of traditional rural life and countryside. There are many different bird species to view along the drive and at the Bandh itself, including water birds and a waterfall.The 12th century Pangarh Fort that is 13 kms from Castle Bijaipur and situated on the banks of the Lotus Lakes, which are true to their name and filled with lotus flowers in the flowering season. Pangarh Fort was the former residence of the rulers of Bijaipur and is now a ruin with a few temples and sculptured statues. The lakes are a very ancient source of water for the local tribal people, who still grow water chestnuts on the banks. Sundown brings many birds to this lake and there is also the opportunity to ride in a quaint boat of indigenous design. Menal lies about 70 kms from Bijaipur and is famous for the twenty Shiva temples that were built during the Gupta period. Adjacent to the ruins is an amazing gorge and waterfall that runs during good monsoon. The temples are quite remote and are surrounded by scenic wooded hills, with plenty of bird and animal life, including the leopard.

Day 7 Chittaurgarh Fort

Early this morning we will visit a nearby village of milkman and we can spend the morning learning about the culture and activities of the tribe. We will watch them milking and help in turning the milk into lassi. Then travel to the town of Bassi, famous for its woodcarvers, who create briliantly coloured religious pieces. Carved from mango wood, these amazing folding boxes called kavad, are made of a number of hinged doors that open outwards, each one covered in colourful hand painted pictures that illustrate the great Indian epics.We then travel on to the legendary fort at Chittor, which is reputed to be one of the largest forts in the world. Chittaurgarh Fort, is one of the best-known forts in Rajasthan and is famous for its vast historical structures and invincibility. The ‘Mother of all Forts’ was built in the 7th century and is famous for its impregnability and tales of courage, romance and valour. You’ll have the opportunity to see some amazing Rajput architecture. There are many palaces and temples within the 700 acres contained within the walls of the fort, which has a 7 km circumference. Every stone here is sacred and tells a story about the great people who lived in this Fort. The ruins of the many magnificent monuments within the Fort remind you of the innumerable deeds of bravery and sacrifice.In the evening we board our overnight sleeper for our journey back to Delhi.

Day 8 Depart Delhi

Arrive into Delhi in the morning and transfer to our strating hotel where we have a couple of rooms for you to use until midday, when the trip finishes. If you are departing India today its best to book your flight for later in the afternoon as delays do occur. Please note that additional accommodation is also available at this hotel in Delhi. G.A.P Adventures offers a Varanasi city break extension or a Goa beach break extension. Please check with your agent at the time of booking.

Trip Details

Departure	November 9, 2008
Group Size	Max 15, Avg 10
Local Payment	USD100
StartFinish	ex Delhi
Brochure Intro	Witness one of India's largest and most colourful livestock and religious festivals. Thousands of people from rural India flock to Pushkar during the fair and around 50,000 camels are sold, decorated, shaved and raced. After the festivities, relax in a 16th century castle and explore small villages.

When can I go?

Start Date	Finish Date	Places Available
2008-11-09	2008-11-16	7+

Browse Similar Trips

• Classic Kerala
• goa beach break
• south india highlights

• Spice Roads - Delhi to Kashgar
• Highlights Of India
• golden triangle and varanasi

• Ganesh Festival Mumbai
• Best of Southern India
• Rajasthan Adventure

• Thrissur Pooram Kerala
• corbett wildlife extension
• India Family Adventure

• Home
• International Airfare
• Hotels
• Hostels
• Community
• RTW Guide
• Travel Blogs
• Adventure Trips
• Travel Gear
• Travel Insurance
• Eurail