The architectural grandeur of Jaisalmer’s havelis make this city a big hit

Can you ever tire of Rajasthan? The state has an irresistible combination of forts, palaces and vivid colours and has scores of destinations that are each worth visiting. When you’ve done Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur, you can always move on and get a bit of variety by turning up in time for a cattle fair in Pushkar. It isn’t hard to understand why it tops travellers’ charts.

You don’t, of course, want to visit the state in mid-summer when the sun is scorching the dunes. So, visitors flock there in winter when they can criss-cross the state in comfort. Cashing on this are travel houses that put together their best packages as the season approaches. All the top travel agencies like SOTC, TCI, RTDC and Cox & Kings are offering customised deals this winter.

What are the most popular spots? Well, there’s Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Jaipur. Alternatively, if you’re game for some kind of adventure, then Ranthambhore and the bird sanctuary at Bharatpur await you.

The impressive Jaisalmer Fort

Take, for instance, Travel Corporation of India (TCI), which has an eight-night, nine-day package that includes Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. The cost is Rs 20,100 per person on twin-sharing basis and includes accommodation, breakfast, transfers and sightseeing.

What will you see on a package like this? Well, there’s Amber Fort and Sheesh Mahal in Jaipur, Gadisar Lake, the havelis and camel rides in the sand dunes of Jaisalmer, Mehrangarh fort and Jaswant Thada in Jodhpur and the City Palace in Udaipur. Says Meher Bhandara, general manager, TCI, “Bookings are in full swing for Rajasthan as it’s the choicest destination for winter this year.”

The state’s Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) also has several packages designed for tourists who want to pack in as much as possible. You can choose from 14 RTDC packages. There is, for instance, The Pearls of Rajasthan package where you can pack in almost everything, including Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur.

The package costs Rs 8,500 per person and includes stay in a non-AC room (twin-sharing basis) with breakfast, all transfers and tours in a non-AC car. The tariff does not include air and rail fares, meals and personal expenses. This package is not valid during Diwali at Mt. Abu; during December 24 till December 31 at Mt Abu; from December 31 to January 6, 2007 at Jaisalmer; and from January 31 to February 2 at Sawai Madhopur, Sariska, Siliserh and Desert Festival at Jaisalmer .

The interiors of Bikaner’s Junagadh Fort

RTDC’s 12-night, 13-day A Taste of Everything package starts from Delhi and includes Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mount Abu, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Ranakpur, Udaipur and Jaipur — all at Rs 16,000 per person.

Some of the other packages of RTDC are Journeys through the Royal Past from Delhi to Udaipur (seven nights, eight days), Desert Package (eight nights, seven days), and Rajasthan Exclusive with Pushkar (16 nights, 17 days) to name a few.

Says Jyoti Bharadwaj, assistant director, Rajasthan Tourism, Mumbai, “If you want to see the best of everything, we generally recommend the Pearls of Rajasthan and Exotic Rajasthan packages.”

For wildlife enthusiasts, RTDC’s five-nights, six-days Best of Wildlife package starts from Jaipur and covers Ranthambhore, Bharatpur, Deeg and Sariska at Rs 8,200 per person on twin-sharing basis in a non-AC room.

There’s also the eight-day, seven-night Royal Rajasthan package of Cox & Kings that takes travellers to Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer. Starting from Delhi, it costs Rs 18,890 on twin-sharing basis. You can sample the architectural grandeur of Hawa Mahal, City Palace and museum, Amber Fort and Jantar Mantar in Jaipur; Karni Mata Temple in Bikaner; Golden Fort, Nathmal Ki Haveli and the sand dunes at Jaisalmer; Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur.

The package includes stay, transportation, meals and sightseeing. Explains Karan Anand, director, contracting, Cox and Kings, “If you have a flair for history, then this is the place to be. There’s plenty of sightseeing options all of which add up to a great holiday.”

Besides this, SOTC too has a seven-night, eight-day Forts and Palaces of Rajasthan package starting from Delhi with destinations like Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur at Rs 21,925 per person on twin-sharing basis at three-star hotels.

This includes accommodation with breakfast and tours in non-AC cars and excludes rail/airfares and other meals. Anil Rai, senior general manager, SOTC, domestic recommends places like Ranakpur for its sheer architectural beauty. “Not many people know that the Ranakpur Jain Temple near Udaipur is famed for its detailed carvings. Kumbhalgarh is another must-visit place.”

Clearly then, the options are plenty. And if you wish to explore the royal history of this state in winter, it might be time to start making plans very soon.

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• This is one shopping spree you can plan well in advance. With the Dubai Shopping Festival coming up in December, it’s time to make your hotel reservation right away. To help you along, JW Marriott Dubai has unveiled a Shopaholic Escape package that’s been designed keeping serious retail therapy in mind. The hotel is offering rooms ranging between $380 (approx Rs 17,372) and $440 (approx Rs 20,115) per night (for two) and is throwing in some extras like a pick up and drop to/from the airport, accommodation in a deluxe room and breakfast. There’s more: you’ll get a complimentary Harvey Nichols store voucher of $30 valid at the Mall of Dubai, private transport to your preferred shopping centre and a reflexology session. The package will be valid between December 1 and February 28, 2007. Reserve at: www.jwmarriotdubai.com

• Hate the paperwork of getting a visa? Well, here’s another reason to visit Malaysia. In order to spur tourism from India, especially during the Visit Malaysia Year 2007, the country has relaxed its visa regulations for Indian tourists. Now you can get a visa on arrival and that too from six different points of entry into the country. That’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Pulau Pinang International Airport, Senai Johor International Airport, Kuching International Airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport and Complex Sultan Abu Bakar, Tanjung Kupang Johor. The visa will be valid for 30 days and travellers will have to pay RM 100 as port of entry visa.