Dace from our sales team recently embarked on our NEW Heritage Trails of Rajasthan adventure - a wonderful two week walking holiday exploring a landscape of magnificent forts, palaces and temples, including the iconic Taj Mahal, as well as unforgettable game drives in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Dace had a spectacular couple of weeks and on her return we tasked her with the impossible - to narrow down her top few highlights to share!

Read on to find out some of Dace's favourite moments. 

India is one of the world’s most fascinating countries. It will certainly not leave you feeling indifferent, I loved it! If you haven’t been to India before and would like to go and see it yourself, the Heritage Trails of Rajasthan holiday is a great introductory trip to this fantastic country. It was my first time in India and during 15 days I saw and experienced a huge amount.

When I chatted with other travellers from my group about the highlights of the holiday, we realised that there were many highlights each day. It’s not just about seeing the famous places in India, it’s about having amazing experiences there too.

Delhi

My first thoughts about this bustling city were ‘What’s going on here?!’ It feels like complete madness at first with all the traffic, noises and smells. However, it definitely grows on you! The best thing is that you are travelling with a group and you have a tour leader who guides you through this experience. One of my group’s highlights (and one of my personal highlights) in Delhi was definitely a visit to the Sikh Gurdwara of Bangla Sahib. Here we helped in the Sikh temple's kitchen, baking chapattis for the devotees and visitors. We found out that an estimated 10,000-15,000 people receive a free daily meal from the temple - it was a totally unforgettable experience.

I also have to mention Tuk Tuk rides. I found myself simultaneously laughing and screaming during these rides. They are so fast and go from left to right and from right to left. I hadn't experienced anything like this before. There are no rules but somehow everyone gets to the destination. My heart says that I want to relive it but my mind says ‘No way!’

Forts and Palaces

Rajasthan is famous for its historic havelis, forts and palaces. During this holiday you will see some magnificent forts and witness some truly breathtaking sunsets from them. The palaces were incredible! They were so beautiful and a reminder of the rich history of this country. I was amazed at the intricacies and tiny details of every palace. My favourite was Amber Fort located not very far from Jaipur. The Fort is an extensive palace complex that has been built with white marble and pale yellow and pink sandstone. Here, you will find beautiful frescoed arches, carved marble and a stunning multi mirrored ceiling.

Temples

You will visit many different temples that represent magnificent architectural achievements. A few of these temples were built centuries ago and give you a sneak peak into ancient religious architecture. One of my favourite temples was the white marble Ranakpur Jain Temple. The construction of the temple began in 1439 and it took around 50 years to complete! The temple is wholly constructed from light-coloured marble and covers an area of 4,460 square metres.

Trekking through the Aravalli Mountains

I loved that this holiday offered not only sightseeing in towns and cities but also trekking. Not many people who have been to Rajasthan can say that they have trekked in the Aravalli Mountains and walked through hamlets inhabited by local tribes, interacted with them and witnessed a little bit of their daily life. This experience is so unique to this trip and was a very special highlight for all of us. The peacefulness compared to the busy cities was incomparable! 

Wildlife

During the trek through the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and game drives in Ranthambore National Park we saw many beautiful birds and fascinating animals - monkeys, antelopes, deer, a crocodile, frogs and the fresh footprints of a leopard. One of our group did actually spot the leopard in the bushes! It was in Ranthambore National Park where we were all blown away as we saw India's greatest creature... a tiger. We couldn't believe our eyes - what a unforgettable memory.

Both of these places are blessed with a variety of flora and fauna too, including a number of luscious and interesting trees and plants to discover. 

Safari drives

It was my first safari game drive and I enjoyed the whole experience of it – an early start, a drive in an open 4x4 jeep, stopping to spot different animals and birds in the park, the wind in my hair and the excitement of seeing the fresh footprints of a tiger. Ranthambore National Park and Tiger Reserve offer some of the finest opportunities for sighting the magnificent tiger in the wild. There's no guarantee that you will see a tiger during your drives but there are plenty of other animals to spot too. During the morning drive we were lucky enough to spot a tiger (a female, 17-18 years old) and we followed her for an incredible 30 minutes. I will never forget this experience! 

Food

My taste buds were very happy. The food in India, as you can imagine, was amazing. The group had lunch and dinner at different places every day. Most restaurants attempted to cover all the options with popular North Indian curries as well as pizza or pasta and a few Chinese dishes for those who didn't want to experiment that day. Milk, paneer (an Indian mild cheese), ghee (clarified butter) and yogurt are all used regularly in Northern dishes which I enjoyed most days. The vegetarian dishes Dal or Paneer Makhani were popular with our group too. Food could be spicy or mild depending on your preference and there were plenty of options to choose from, which I loved!

If you would like to know more about Dace's adventure or any other KE holiday, speak to our friendly sales team on +44 (0) 17687 73966 or USA/Canada toll-free 1888 630 4415 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Ask to speak to Dace for any questions you have about this trip! 

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