Our adventure begins in Delhi, India’s largest metropolis, where past and future, tradition and progress, compete to shape a present influenced by immense political, social, and cultural forces. For two days we’ll walk along the fault line between these two worlds, among the tombs of emperors and Sufi saints, vast markets, and sacred places belonging to four different religions.

Palaces, forts, gardens, and havelis make Jaipur one of the most architecturally fascinating cities in India, set in a harsh landscape that already hints at the nearby desert. But it is in the alleys of its markets, inside artisans’ workshops, that we discover the true spirit of this city: art in all its forms, from painting to jewelry, from crafts to fashion.

On our second day in Jaipur, we’ll dive into the textile world: we’ll visit a workshop where fabrics are still hand-printed using the ancient block print technique, which we’ll try ourselves in a hands-on workshop.

In Pushkar, the sacred city around Brahma’s lake, Leli and Elizabeth will become our dance teachers for a few days! We’ll learn and practice with them, as well as with local teachers, trying out different styles of Indian dance. We’ll also play the nagara, the traditional drums of the region, and spend an evening with the women of the Kalbelia tribe.

The last stop of our journey will be Jodhpur, the Blue City at the foot of Mehrangarh Fort, the most
impressive and spectacular in all of India. Here too, in this city of art, we’ll explore the world of crafts, painting, and dance.

• To join the trip, it is necessary to travel with a backpack, not a suitcase. For this style of travel, a backpack is much more practical and manageable than a suitcase. Of course, you won’t be carrying it around all the time!

• Flights must be booked independently. If you prefer to book through an agency, you can contact our partner Sharewood, who will help you choose the best option. If you want to book them yourself, we recommend using Skyscanner. For this trip, the best option is to fly round-trip to Delhi and purchase a separate domestic flight from Jodhpur to Delhi to save on the final cost. Please ensure that there is at least a 3.5-hour layover between the domestic flight (Jodhpur–Delhi) and the international flight (Delhi–abroad). The first activity of the tour is lunch in Delhi on March 1st, and the last one is breakfast in Jodhpur on March 12th. Ideally, you should arrive in Delhi on the morning of March 1st and depart from Jodhpur on the morning of March 12th. If you can’t find flights that match this schedule, don’t worry! If you arrive a day earlier and/or leave a day later, we can book hotels for the extra nights. And if you arrive after the start of the tour, we can still arrange an airport pick-up.

• Although this tour has been carefully designed in every detail, the activities and times mentioned in the program may be subject to changes due to adverse weather conditions, natural events, or other circumstances beyond our control. Trains, in particular, can sometimes be delayed for several hours: unfortunately, this is also something we cannot influence.

• Arrival in Delhi, where a driver will meet you at the airport. Ideally, arrival should be in the morning, by lunchtime, so we can start our activities in the afternoon.

• Group lunch followed by a pre-departure briefing to share useful information. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the historic neighborhood of Paharganj, a huge open-air market with Mughal-era mosques, relics of the Prophet Muhammad, silver shops, sacred trees, and hidden bookshops.

• If you plan to arrive in Delhi a few days earlier, we’ll be happy to help with hotel bookings, guides, and suggestions on what to do or see in the meantime.

• Today we’ll visit Old Delhi, also known as Shahjahanabad, named after the Mughal emperor who built this part of the capital in the 1600s. In its maze of narrow streets, we’ll visit places of worship of four different religions: Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism (with its bird hospital!), and Islam. We’ll also explore a street famous for its food stalls, visit the tomb of the only female ruler of Islamic India, shop in Asia’s largest spice market, and search for the mausoleum of a mysterious Sufi saint who lived more than 800 years ago!

• Early morning train from Delhi to Jaipur (about 4 hours, in air-conditioned class), arriving late morning.

• In the afternoon, after lunch, we’ll first visit the Jantar Mantar, the astronomical observatory designed about 300 years ago by Jai Singh II, the King of Amber. Among its instruments are the samrat yantra, a giant sundial with incredible precision; the digamsa yantra, for calculating celestial azimuths; and the nadivalaya yantra, used to determine equinoxes.

• From here we’ll continue to explore Jaipur’s Pink City, a huge open-air market where each block specializes in products like jewelry, gems, and textiles. After coffee in front of Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: after dinner, an introduction to Indian dance and the contemporary influences that gave rise to Indian Fusion style, followed by pranayama and meditation practice.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: Yoga – awakening practice to balance body and breath. Dance techniques – practical introduction to the technical foundations we will develop throughout the tour.

• This morning we’ll visit Amber Fort, the most spectacular and grandiose of the city, perched on the hills north of Jaipur.

• In the afternoon, after lunch, we’ll join a block print workshop in a factory just outside Jaipur. Each of us will get a white cotton shopping bag to print using the blocks and colors provided.

• After the workshop, we’ll stop at a fabric shop where we can take our time. Depending on availability, there will also be the chance to choose a garment from the showroom and have it customized with the fabrics on display.

• Morning free in Jaipur, to explore the markets and shops (with or without our company), or visit
  monuments not included in the tour, such as Galta Ji. In the afternoon, train to Ajmer, then rickshaw or taxi to Pushkar (about 3 hours total, air-conditioned class).

• In Pushkar we’ll stay at a hotel on the banks of the sacred lake. Pushkar is a sacred Hindu town built around a lake said to have been created by Shiva’s tears after the death of his wife Sati. Here Hindus scatter the ashes of the deceased. The old town is closed to cars, while cows, monkeys, langurs, and stray dogs roam freely.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: The Art of Storytelling, Mudra & Expression; discovering the symbolic language of hand gestures and facial expressions to convey emotions and tell stories through dance.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: Indian Fusion, combinations; learning sequences that merge classical Indian dances with modern influences.

• After lunch, we’ll visit some of Pushkar’s most beautiful and unique temples, along the
  sacred lake and among the havelis of the old town.

• In the late afternoon, we’ll head to the Kalbelia tribe’s camp, snake charmers from the Thar Desert. We’ll spend the evening with Moira, a woman of the tribe, who will teach us their traditional dance steps. After a floor-seated dinner, she will perform a Kalbelia dance, inspired by the movements of snakes, accompanied by traditional instruments like the poongi, the snake charmers’ flute.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: Indian Fusion, refinement; a session dedicated to deepening technique and movement quality, expanding expressive possibilities. 

• In the afternoon, shopping time for textiles, silver, jewelry, incense, and more. Alternatively, as an optional activity, you can join a Bollywood dance or Indian cooking class.

• At sunset, by Pushkar’s sacred lake, you’ll learn to play the nagara, one of India’s oldest drums, with a master from the Solanki family.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: Indian Fusion, consolidation; final practice in Pushkar, creative experimentation and shared creation. 

• In the afternoon, we’ll go to Ajmer to visit India’s most important Sufi dargah, the shrine of Garib Nawaz, a center for spiritual practices such as Qawwali music and possession rituals. Alternatively, you can hike up to the Savitri temple on a hill overlooking Pushkar for panoramic views of forests and hills.

• Morning free.

• After lunch, train to Jodhpur (about 5 hours, arriving around dinner). Jodhpur, like Jaipur
  and Pushkar, is a city of art, famous for its furniture: old doors from forts and temples are transformed into cabinets and cupboards.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: evening introduction to Rajasthan’s folk dances.

• With Leli and Elizabeth: final dance class, reviewing techniques learned during the tour, combining breath, yoga, and dance in one integrated session.

• Late morning visit to Mehrangarh Fort, perched on a sandstone hill above the city, one of the most spectacular moments of India. Inside is a vast collection of Rajput miniature paintings. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the blue city’s alleys, among stepwells, Jain temples, and havelis.

• This morning we’ll visit Asha Sapera, a renowned Kalbelia dancer, who will teach us some dance
  movements and traditional songs, opening a window into the stories and legends behind them.

• In the afternoon, optional activity: miniature painting lesson in the Rajasthan style. Otherwise, free time.

• After our final breakfast together, we’ll arrange your transfer to the airport.