Adventure AsiaAI-assisted
India15 days

Rajasthan Festival Circuit — 15 Days

Pushkar Camel Fair, Bundi Utsav, and desert palaces across five states

This 15-day itinerary traces two major festivals across Rajasthan's desert heartland: the Pushkar Camel Fair (typically October–November) and the Bundi Utsav (typically December–January). The route moves between Delhi, the pilgrimage town of Pushkar, the fortress cities of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, the camel-breeding centre of Bikaner, the palace capital of Jaipur, the stepwell town of Bundi, and the lake palaces of Udaipur. The itinerary combines festival attendance with visits to Mughal and Rajput architecture, rural villages, and regional craft traditions. Note: this itinerary is designed for two separate seasonal windows; travellers should confirm festival dates and book accordingly, as both fairs cannot occur within a single 15-day window.

Highlights

  • Pushkar Camel Fair: attendance of up to 9,000 camels, pilgrims, traders, and performers on the Pushkar dunes
  • Meharangadh Fort, Jodhpur: 15th-century Rajput fortress overlooking the blue-painted city
  • Jaisalmer Fort: sandstone fortress city, still inhabited, with intricately carved havelis and Jain temples
  • Camel safari across Thar Desert sand dunes with sunset viewing
  • Bundi Utsav Festival: regional craft fair, classical music and dance, and folk performances in the historic town
  • Taragarh Fort and Chitrashala miniature paintings, Bundi
  • Amber Fort, Jaipur: hilltop palace complex with elephant ascent option
  • Jantar Mantar, Jaipur: UNESCO World Heritage astronomical observation site
  • Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Jaipur: five-storey pink sandstone structure
  • City Palace and Lake Pichola sunset boat ride, Udaipur
  • Stepwells and water architecture of Bundi
  • Indian home cooking session in Jaipur
  • Brahma Temple and holy lake pilgrimage, Pushkar

Day by day

1Arrival in DelhiDelhi airport or railway station · Hotel
Arrival at Delhi airport or railway station. Hotel check-in and remainder of day at leisure.
2Delhi to Pushkar via Ajmer — Pushkar Camel FairPushkar · Pushkar Camel Fair · New Delhi railway station · hotel
Early departure from New Delhi railway station for the day train to Ajmer. On arrival, transfer by road to Pushkar (30 minutes) and check in at your hotel. After brief leisure, visit the Pushkar Camel Fair, one of the last great tribal melas. Rabari herders converge on the dunes with up to 9,000 camels, while pilgrims throng the many temples around the holy lake. The fair grounds pulse with rural bazaars, horses, traders, sadhus, musicians, magicians, and dancers—endless colour and movement. Early dates of the fair are optimal for photography. In the evening, retreat to your hotel to experience authentic desert music and folk dance performed by local artists.
3Pushkar Camel Fair — Festival Grounds and Temple CircuitPushkar Camel Fair grounds · Brahma Temple · Pushkar Lake · hotel
Full day at the Pushkar Camel Fair grounds. Morning and afternoon spent observing livestock trading, camel competitions, and cultural activities. Evening: guided visit to Brahma Temple (one of the few temples in India dedicated to Brahma) and circumambulation of Pushkar Lake. Return to hotel for evening folk performance by local artists.
4Jodhpur — Meharangadh Fort and Clock Tower MarketsMeharangadh Fort · Clock Tower Markets · Jaswant Thada · Umaid Bhawan Palace
Hotel check-in. Guided sightseeing tour includes Meharangadh Fort, a 15th-century Rajput fortress with panoramic views over the blue-painted old city, and Jaswant Thada, a white marble cenotaph. Late afternoon: optional independent exploration of the centuries-old markets around the Clock Tower. Evening: optional dinner at Umaid Bhawan Palace (a working palace hotel).
5Jaisalmer — Golden Fort and Desert SunsetJaisalmer · sand dunes
Drive to Jaisalmer, the Golden City, whose sandstone fortress once thrived on Thar Desert trade routes. The stone takes on a luminous golden glow in afternoon light. After check-in, ride camels across the sand dunes at sunset, watching the desert light fade.
6Jaisalmer — Fort, Havelis, and Jain TemplesJaisalmer Fort · Patwon Ki Havelis · Nathmal Ji Ki Havelis
Guided sightseeing tour of Jaisalmer Fort, the only inhabited Indian fort, featuring intricately carved stone houses and a Jain temple within its walls. Visit to Patwon Ki Havelis and Nathmal Ji Ki Havelis, notable for their fine stone carving. Remainder of day at leisure. Overnight at hotel.
7Bikaner — Junagarh Fort and Camel Breeding CentreJunagarh Fort · Khichan village · Bikaner Camel Research and Breeding Centre
En route: optional stop at Khichan village to observe demoiselle cranes (migratory birds protected and fed by villagers, typically November–February). Hotel check-in. Guided visit to Junagarh Fort, a 15th-century sandstone fortress, and the Bikaner Camel Research and Breeding Centre.
8Jaipur — Markets and Home Cookingold walled city · the hotel
Hotel check-in and afternoon leisure. Optional independent exploration of markets in the old walled city. Evening: optional Indian home cooking session with a local host at the hotel.
9Jaipur — Amber Fort, City Palace, and Jantar MantarAmber Fort · City Palace · Jantar Mantar · Mahout's Colony · Hawa Mahal · Swarna Mahal Restaurant, Rambagh Palace
Guided excursion to Amber Fort, a hilltop palace complex Ascent by elephant or vehicle (elephant rides available as optional activity). Optional visit to the Mahout's Colony to observe elephant care. Afternoon: guided tour of City Palace, Jantar Mantar (an astronomical observation site and UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Hawa Mahal Evening: optional dinner at Swarna Mahal Restaurant, Rambagh Palace.
10Bundi — Bundi Utsav Festival ArrivalBundi · old market · Jait Sagar Lake
Bundi Utsav, held in December–January, is a regional festival featuring craft fairs, classical music and dance performances, and folk artists from surrounding rural areas. Hotel check-in at a heritage property in the town centre. Afternoon and evening: attendance at festival grounds. Optional evening walk through the old market or visit to Jait Sagar Lake.
11Bundi — Fort, Miniature Paintings, and StepwellsBundi · Taragarh Fort · Chitrashala · Keshorai Patan · tribal villages
Guided tour of Taragarh Fort and the palace complex, which houses the Chitrashala with miniature paintings Visit to the nearby temple village of Keshorai Patan for the Deep Daan ceremony (women float oil lamps on the river while chanting prayers; timing varies by lunar calendar). Evening: optional independent exploration of Bundi's stepwells and water architecture, or visit to nearby tribal villages.
12Udaipur — Lake Pichola and Jagdish TempleLake Pichola · Jagdish Temple · a heritage property
Hotel check-in at a heritage property. Evening: sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola. Optional evening stroll through bazaars around Jagdish Temple.
13Udaipur — City Palace, Museums, and Craft VillageCity Palace · Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum · Shilpgram craft village · Fateh Prakash Palace
Guided sightseeing tour includes City Palace (still partially inhabited), Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum (housing regional dress, musical instruments, puppets, and paintings), and Shilpgram craft village. Evening: optional dinner at Fateh Prakash Palace, featuring views over Lake Pichola.
14Udaipur to Delhi — Return and ShoppingDelhi · Udaipur airport · Connaught Place · Dilli Haat
Morning transfer to Udaipur airport for flight to Delhi (approximately 1 hour flight time). Hotel check-in. Afternoon: optional independent shopping at Connaught Place (including the state-run craft Emporium) or cultural exploration at Dilli Haat, an open-air market showcasing regional crafts and food from across India.
15Departure from Delhiyour hotel · Delhi International Airport
Check out from your hotel at the appropriate time and transfer to Delhi International Airport for your onward flight. Your Adventure Asia tour concludes here.

Where you go

Map: Rajasthan Festival Circuit — 15 Days route
Numbers follow the itinerary order. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap
  1. 1hotel
  2. 2Pushkar
  3. 3hotel
  4. 4Brahma Temple
  5. 5hotel
  6. 6Jaswant Thada
  7. 7Jaisalmer
  8. 8Jaisalmer Fort
  9. 9Junagarh Fort
  10. 10Amber Fort
  11. 11City Palace
  12. 12Jantar Mantar
  13. 13Hawa Mahal
  14. 14Bundi
  15. 15Lake Pichola
  16. 16Jagdish Temple
  17. 17City Palace
  18. 18Delhi
  19. 19Delhi International Airport
Customise this tripAsk an advisor