Expeditions to India


Highlights of this tour:
- Enjoy a boat ride on Lake Pichola
- Stay in a 16th century Maharaja's castle
- Track the Bengal tiger
- Watch the sun set and rise over the Taj Mahal
- Enjoy the Gangaur Festival

"Photography is, for me, a spontaneous impulse coming from an ever attentive eye which captures the moment and its eternity."
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French photographer 1908-2004)

TRADITIONAL RAJASTHAN AND TIGER SAFARI - Discover the rich and colorful culture of this princely state from a Maharaja's castle, experience traditional India and track the Bengal tiger.

DATES: March 09 - 22, 2018, 14 days/14 nights
PRICE: $5,375 (land arrangements only, based on double occupancy).
ARRIVAL: March 09, 2018 in Delhi. You need to leave the USA on March 07, 2017 to arrive Delhi in the night two days later.
DEPARTURE: March 22, 2018 from Delhi if your flight leaves shortly before midnight; March 23rd if your flight leaves after midnight. (Flights leave Delhi in the middle of the night). You will arrive in the USA on March 23rd. Please check with us before you book your flight, to avoid any error!
GROUP SIZE: 2 to 6.
This expedition is also a great trip for non-photographers.

NOTE: DEADLINE TO REGISTER: DECEMBER 25, 2017!!!
Please email us after that date to check availability.

Welcome to our Traditional Rajasthan itinerary. Contrary to most other tour companies, our India expeditions do not include time spent in big cities such as Delhi, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) or Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), or staying in 4- and 5-star deluxe hotels. We want to show you the traditional India and facilitate contact with the local people in the countryside. And given the great hospitality of the people of India, we are often spontaneously invited to share a meal or a cup of tea with the villagers or with our chauffeur's family and, because of our very small group size (6 participants at the most), we can and do accept these invitations. This close contact is a wonderful opportunity for you to share the lives of our hosts and capture intimate portraits, something that may not be available on other tours. Up close and personal, that's the particularity of our expeditions!
And tracking the Bengal tiger will complete a fabulous experience of Rajasthan.
Embark with us for the trip of a lifetime!

Friday, March 09: Delhi (1 night - B) ; and Udaipur (2 nights - D)
Arrival of participants in Delhi during the night of March 08th to March 09th. Transfer from airport to hotel and check-in.
Morning at leisure.
Early afternoon flight from Delhi to Udaipur, known as the City of Lakes.
Check into hotel. Beautiful Rajasthani dance performances in the evening at Museum Bagore Ki Haveli. Dances are traditional Rajasthani dances, beautiful and photogenic.

Saturday, March 10: Udaipur - B,L,D
With its marble palaces, beautiful gardens and lakes, Udaipur is one of the most romantic cities in India.
We'll explore the City Palace and walk the narrow lanes of the Old City lined up with whitewashed buildings and wander through the bazaars.
Afternoon boat ride on Lake Pichola around the white marble Lake Palace standing in the middle of it (and which was the setting for the movie Octopussy).

Sunday , March 11 and Monday, March 12: Bijapur Castle - 2 nights - B,L,D
We drive to Bijapur and check into 16th century Bijapur Castle, set in rural India.
Half-day excursions will take us:
- through the local village of Bijapur in the company of a villager;
- to the muslim village of Bassi, known for its wooden crafts artisans and friendly residents;
- to the ruins of the Chittorgarh Fort, the largest of India;
Many options are offered besides photography: lounging by the swimming pool, leisurely strolls through the village, and, not included in cost, horse-back riding, Ayurvedic body massage, yoga, early morning bird-watching tour.
Castle Bijapur provides the perfect atmosphere in a rural landscape to enjoy some quiet time away from the Indian bustle, and delicious Indian cuisine.

Tuesday, March 13: Bundi - 2 nights - B,L,D
After breakfast we leave for the small rustic town of Bundi. Short stop at the colorful Bijolia market on the way.
The City of Springs, as Bundi was named in the past for its dozens intricately carved stepwells, is like walking back in time to the medieval era. A traditional small town, it offers to the photographic eye its old streets lined with blue buildings, its many murals, street scenes and bazaars.
Check into Heritage hotel.
Bundi is the place that gave Rudyard Kipling, who lived there, his inspiration for his novel "Kim".
Afternoon excursion on foot to the 14th century Taragarh Fort overlooking the city. Abandoned, it fell into disrepair but provides plenty of Indiana Jones atmosphere and photo ops. A great place to explore and spend a couple of hours shooting.

Wednesday, March 14: Bundi - B,L,D
Early morning exploration of the awakening town. Turbaned milkmen on their motorcycles sell milk by the cup from big brass containers. Bundi residents are proud of their city, very friendly and easy to talk to.
Rest of morning at leisure.
Option: a visit to the City Palace on your own. Adjacent to the Taragarh Fort, this palace has been renovated and is notable for its murals and frescoes.
Afternoon excursion to the prehistoric cave paintings dating 15,000 years back.

Thursday, March 15: Ranthambhore Tiger Park - 3 nights (safari tents) - B,L,D
Morning spent on the outskirts of Bundi, to explore the rural countryside (rustic village life, ruins, temples, stepwells, the choice is ours).
In the afternoon, we drive to Sawai Madhopur and Ranthambhore National Park.
Ranthambhore with its varied and beautiful landscapes, excellent light and relatively easy tiger sightings is one of the best parks for photography in India. Until the mid 20th century, the National park was a private hunting ground for the Maharaja of Jaipur, but was nationalized soon after India gained independence. In 1972, when the Project Tiger was launched, Ranthambhore became one of the original nine parks to be earmarked for tiger conservation, under the Project Tiger. Today about 40 tigers roam the reserve.
We stay at Ranthambhore Bagh resort in luxury safari tents with attached bathrooms, owned and run by a local photographer and his wife.

Friday, March 16: Ranthambhore - B,L,D
Early morning Safari to the National Park to track the royal Bengal tigers by open jeep (2 or 3 participants per jeep). We may also see jackals, monkeys, wild boars, a variety of deers, as well as woodland and water birds.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon safari to the National Park by open jeep. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Saturday, March 17: Ranthambhore - B,L,D
Early morning excursion to Surwal Lake for bird watching.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon safari to the National Park by open jeep. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Sunday, March 18: Agra - 1 night - B,L,D
Early morning Safari to the National Park. We get another chance at tracking the royal Bengal tiger by open jeep (2 or 3 participants per jeep). Return to the lodge for breakfast.
Afterwards we leave for Agra in Uttar Pradesh.
Check into hotel in Agra. This medieval city located on the banks of the river Yamuna was founded in 1504 by Sultan Sikandar Lodi.
Photograph the Taj Mahal in late afternoon from across the Yamuna river.
The Taj is a mausoleum built by ruler Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India's most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewellers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Fantastic inlay works using semi-precious stones decorate the interiors.

Monday, March 19: Jaipur - 3 nights - B,L,D
Visit and photograph the Taj Mahal at dawn and watch the sun rise over this monument of love.
Return to hotel for breakfast. Check-out.
Drive to Jaipur.
Rest of day at leisure for sightseeing, shopping or relaxing. Dinner.

Tuesday, March 20: Jaipur - B,L,D
Amber Fort visit in the morning.
Afternoon is spent at the Gangaur Festival. The Gangaur Festival is the most important local festival in Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour and devotion by womenfolk worshipping Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva. Great photo ops of colorful tribal people.
We partake in the festivities and photograph the grand procession: the beautifully decorated gold and silver palanquin of Gauri, thirty caparisoned elephants, camels, horses, dancers, drummers and joyous children, all going through the streets of Jaipur.

Wednesday, March 21: Jaipur - B,L,D
Morning at leisure in the Pink City as the walled city of Jaipur is called. You may want to visit the City Palace built by the Rajput Maharaja Jai Singh II and admire the famous facade of Hawa Mahal or Palace of the winds, built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh whose original intention was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen.
In the afternoon, more festivities of the Gangaur Festival await us. Get behind the scene and photograph elephants and participants getting ready for the parade.
Farewell dinner.

Thursday, March 22: Delhi - night departure - B,L,D
Morning flight from Jaipur to Delhi.
Check into B&B for lunch.
Rest of afternoon at leisure to relax before flight back home.
Transfer to Delhi International airport.

NOTE: This itinerary is subject to slight changes as necessary and flexibility is appreciated from all participants. There is no pressure on anyone to visit all the sites mentioned as we certainly don't want you to get a Fort indigestion, and participants who wish to take time off or rest may do so whenever we stop at a destination. However no refund will be given on excursions or services not taken.
Our meals will be taken either at our hotels restaurants, at local restaurants or at roadside restaurant stops when en route.

Expedition Cost: $5,375 (land arrangements only, based on double occupancy). If you are a single person who cannot be paired with a roomate, the cost is $5,850.
Reservations: A $1,000 per person deposit is required to secure a place on this expedition which can be paid via Paypal (with 3% fees) or by certified check. The balance is due 120 days prior to departure date.
Group Size: minimum 2, maximum 6.
Under 4 sign-ups, a small-group supplement of $400 p.p. will be requested.

Expedition Cost includes:
Hotel accommodations: B&B in Delhi, Heritage havelis and fort, Swiss tents in Ranthambhore, to give participants a feel for Indian culture and traditions. All accommodations are with attached cold and hot water bathrooms.
Chauffeured transportation by Innova car (2 or 3 participants) or Tempo minibus (for bigger group - with a window for each passenger); airport transfers from and to Delhi airport; economy flights from Delhi to Udaipur and from Jaipur to Delhi; all meals as indicated (beverages not included); occasional chai (Indian tea) at road stops; entrance fees at Amber Palace, Udaipur City Palace, Taj Mahal; boat ride in Udaipur; tiger safari open jeep; camera fees (for one still camera); tips to hotel porters (maximum 2 pieces per person); services of chauffeur and expedition leader.

Cost does NOT include:
Airfare to/from your home city and Delhi, taxis or public transportation taken on your own, meal beverages, meals taken on your own (no refund given on meals included in itinerary not taken), snacks en route, room service, items of personal nature and incidentals, telephone charges, entrance fees not mentioned above, videocamera fees, tips to local guides if hired at monuments, mandatory travel insurance, passport and Indian visa fees, gratuities to chauffeur/accompanying guide.

NOTE: A tourist visa is needed to enter India. The Indian Government has activated an official website to apply for tourist visas through their Visa on Arrival programme. You will need to apply online 4 to 30 days before your India arrival date. Go to Indian Visa Online for complete details.

Once you are registered, we will send you additional information necessary for your visa application and for your trip.
Please let us know if you have questions.

For complete details, see our General Information page.

To register for this expedition go to the Registration page.