How To See Rajasthan In 10 Days

Day 1: Full day in Jaipur, having arrived from elsewhere the prior night

Hotel: Trident Hotel

Jaipur is the most "touristy" of the old kingdoms, since it forms the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra. Local and international travelers use this corner of the triangle to peek into the land of Kings on short-haul trips. That said, the palace is magnificent. (Skip the elephant ride if you have taken one in Thailand or elsewhere.) In the evening, I took a wonderful cooking class with Chef Lokesh Mathur. In his home, the chef showed us how to make several Indian dishes, including Fish Tikka, Laal Maas, Malai Kofta, Vegetable Biryani, Naan, and Gulab Jamun.

Day 2: Drive from Jaipur to Bikaner (about 330 Km/6 hours)

Hotel: Laxmi Niwas Palace

As your first long-haul drive, you'll have your nose glued out the window, but don't expect too much. Except for one small stretch closer to the end of the trip, the scenery doesn't excite. It's the desert, after all. However, the hotel does very much excite! It was difficult not to swoon over my palatial quarters. I spent the evening in the courtyard enjoying a small troupe of musicians and a dancer.

Day 3: See Bikaner

Hotel: Laxmi Niwas Palace

I may have spent a bit longer in Bikaner than would be ideal. At the time, it ended up being a very good thing because I used these low-activity days to recover from a small bout of food poisoning. That being said, a healthy me would have wanted to move on faster.

Day 4: Drive from Bikaner to Jaisalmer (about 330 Km/7 hours)

Hotel: Mandir Palace

The Mandir Palace had a smell I couldn't escape. I think it was supposed to be perfume, but it accosted the senses, like a walk through the perfume and make-up section of Macy's. The accommodations were lovely, though, and it wasn't too far outside of the Jaisalmer city center. Be sure to book your hotels in Jaisalmer ahead during the busy season -- I think it would have been better to stay elsewhere, but I stayed over New Year's and hence had few available options.

Day 5: See Jaisalmer

Hotel: Mandir Palace

Perhaps my favorite evening of the whole Rajasthani adventure was the dinner and dance in the desert. My driver took me about 45 minutes outside of Jaisalmer to the sand dunes, where I rode a camel at sunset. The ride was just me, my camel, and my camel handler--who couldn't have been more than 12 years old. We sat silently on the sand as we watched the sun set, and then we walked back to camp where festivities were getting underway for dinner.

The meal was served buffet style for everyone to enjoy on blankets whilst sitting around a large campfire. Talented musicians played as two dancers took turns twirling around the firelight. While all the guests were indeed tourists, the event didn't feel "touristy". Many of the tourists were Indian themselves, having come from other parts of the country to see the palaces themselves. Of course, still others were from greater Asia or the west, giving dinner a diverse and welcoming air.

Day 6: Drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (about 310 Km/7 hours)

Hotel: Ajit Bhawan

My favorite hotel, the Ajit Bhawan is an old royal escape (who knew--another palace!). The sister hotel, Rawala Narlai (below), was a close second. At Ajit Bhawan, I slept in a stand-alone villa in a circular room. So peaceful.

The city of Jodhpur was another highlight for me. Perhaps because it's blue.

Day 7: Drive from Jodhpur to Narlai via Ranakpur (about 170 Km/4 hours)

Hotel: Rawla Narlai

Ranakpur doesn't have much--just a Jain temple. But the Jain temple, the largest in India, is well worth the trip. Wandering through the 1,444 columns felt like an escape. The detail on the stone can keep you looking for hours, and the old tree growing inside the temple creates an organic, breathing space. For a while I just sat. If you have ever tried to meditate--especially in New York City--the effort to wash away thoughts can seem insurmountable. In the temple, everything stops, and outside thoughts don't even come. This was an absolute highlight of the trip.

Continuing the theme, one of the most peaceful evenings of the trip I spent at a small village called Narlai. If you have time to spare, or you're sick of seeing temples, I recommend staying another night at this quaint villa. It's likely even better when the weather is warm, so you can make use of the outdoor lounge chairs and pool.

Narlai has only three sites: a hotel, a hill, and a swami. Just outside the village nature reins. The hotel provides a jeep safari and has been tracking a leopard for quite some time.

With not much else to do but lounge by the too-cold pool in the hotel, I went on the safari and didn't regret it. Along with a driver, a guide, and a handful of other tourists (a British family with several teenage boys), we did end up spotting the leopard. Yet, in my opinion, that wasn't the best part of the safari. More than that, I just enjoyed being in nature--wholly--without anything else around. Another good way to enjoy

Day 8: Drive from Narlai to Udaipur (about 95 Km/2 hours). Visit Kumbhalgarh.

Hotel: Trident Hotel

I'll admit, by the time I got to Kumbhalgarh, I was palaced-out. Like overdosing on churches in Europe, I had seen enough Indian palaces for (all of) my lifetime(s). Emotional and physical fatigue drained me of starry-eyed enthusiasm. That said, there's something special about Kumbhalgar because it seemed to be only popular among Indian tourists. Smaller crowds and crumbling walls of this less-maintained palace gave it an underdog feel. It's a bit of a hike, but the view from the top is worthwhile. Vistas chopped by the fortress walls reminded me a bit of the Great Wall of China. I'd say, if you're on the way anyway, stop and take a look. But don't drive too far out of your way to see another palace (unless you're really into that).

Day 9: See Udaipur.

Hotel: Trident Hotel

Udaipur is the most beautiful of the Rajasthani cities. Everyone says so. It's farther south, allowing it more greenery, and the man-made lakes from a few centuries ago infused the city with reflective beauty and mystique. 

Though the palaces and other historical sites are undoubtedly beautiful, the two activities I enjoyed as highlights on my trip included a yoga class and a painting class. Having practiced for more than a decade, I wanted to try yoga in its birthplace. The yoga epicenter is much farther north, in Rishikesh, but I wasn't going there and had to make do with an old yogi in Udaipur.

My painting class was very spur-of-the-moment. Having strolled along the streets, I noticed many shops had signs for painting classes. Art abounds in Udaipur, as tour guides will tell you as they casually try to steer you toward a purchase. But I was a studio art major and didn't want to buy a painting -- I wanted to create one. My teacher, Ali, spoke little English. With all of the patience of the world, he helped me re-create a painting of an elephant. The two-and-a-half hours I spent with him (one-on-one in a private session) relaxed and rejuvenated me. The experience--and the painting itself--are far better souvenirs than yet another photo of yet another palace.

Day 10: Say a wistful goodbye