India: Magical Rajasthan a la Carte

India is worthy of a lifetime of travel. This vast country with its varied geography and peoples, profound history and spirituality, is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations as well as several of the world's religions. Exploring it could indeed seem daunting… In this itinerary the task is made simple by focusing on the "Golden Triangle" in India's north—a region that distills the country's diversity of landscapes, ethnic groups, natural habitats, cuisine, and history. The area of focus is Delhi and the state of Rajasthan, home of the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and the fascinating cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur. In addition to legendary palaces and forts, you visit two national parks, wildlife ecosystems where endangered Bengal tigers and Siberian cranes are protected. In the cooler months of October through March that are suitable for walking and travel, the Keoladeo National Park and bird sanctuary is the winter home of thousands of migrating birds that return year after year from Asia's most northerly reaches. Walking à la Carte tours include a world of options—additional cultural and regional opportunities—along with plenty of walking. The choice is always yours.
    The itinerary takes you through both urban and rural settings, and maximizes walking opportunities at both well-known sites and places where fewer travelers venture, through villages and exotic landscapes. You are immersed in color and texture throughout the walks, drives, and guided tours of cities or landmarks. In daily life Indians are surrounded by color; vivid saris and turbans, heaped fruit and mounds of spices in market stalls. And in majestic forts, palaces, and monuments, hues range from pastel marble to sandstone of striking ochre or yellow. The richness of color and flavor is expressed in Indian food with its myriad curries, vegetarian platters and rice dishes, fresh baked breads, cooling yogurt raitas, and spiced chutneys.
    Accommodations along the journey are a highlight and consistently worthy of superlatives. Heritage hotels are properties of historic significance; either renovated mansions, palaces, and forts, and in some cases inhabited by descendents of the same aristocratic families who constructed them centuries before. Stunning locations and architectural details are matched by the warmth of the hospitality found within their walls.