Pushkar Camel Festival

Arrive in Delhi at any time.

Travelling in India by trains is an experience that one should engage in at least once. Today we catch an overnight train to Ajmer then transfer to Pushkar, one of Hinduisms holiest towns and an essential pilgrim destination.

Thousands of people from rural India flock to Pushkar during this annual fair to partake in everything from livestock trading to religious festivities. A true sight to see is the first half of the festival during the camel and cattle trading fair, when the Indians spruce up their camels with fur and colourful adornments hoping to get the best sale. Throughout the fair around 50,000 camels are sold, decorated, shaved and raced. The religious activities dominate the later half, culminating when thousands of devotees take a dip in the holy lake on the full moon signalling the end of the fair.

It's a slow but interesting journey to Castle Bijaipur, a fortified mansion still run by the Rao, the local landlord and his family. There are plenty of optional activites to enjoy here, otherwise just relax by the pool!

We travel to the legendary fort at Chittor, which is reputed to be one of the largest forts in the world. The ‘Mother of all Forts’ was built in the 7th century and is famous for its impregnability and tales of courage, romance and valour.