Horse riding holiday in India Aravalli hills and Pushkar

Aravalli Hills

An horseback trail between Jodhpur and Udaipur travelling through the coloured Vishnoi village on your beautiful Marwari horse . You overnight in some beautiful renovated country side ancient Maharajas palaces. Mounted upon beautiful Marwari horses whilst being guided by accomplished horseman Khem Singh Rathore this horse riding holiday leads you through historically rich regions from the Kumbhalgarh fortress to the semi arid country side.
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Trail Riding
10 days / 5 days riding -
From £0

From the horse’s mouth

  • Aravalli Hills
    October 2022 Rebecca aged 52
    Our trip was absolutely incredible & very well organised. An absolute must! The length was tailored to our needs as we combined it with another trip to India & Bhutan. The Marwari horses are such beautiful unique creatures and scenery was utterly amazing - the horses are loved and very well looked after, beautiful yet... Read all
  • Trail riding in Rajasthan, with riders on Marwari horses
    Ride one of the most beautiful horses in the world, the spirited Marwaris of Rajasthan
  • Aravalli Hills trail riding holiday
    Ride across the Aravalli Hills in Rajasthan
  • Marwari horse at a local Rajasthan event
    Discover the colours and sounds of Rajasthan on a riding holiday
  • Camels at the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan
    Experience the Pushkar horse and camel fair in Rajasthan
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    A riding holiday in Rajasthan for intermediate and experienced riders
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  • Vishnoi villages as seen on a horseback holiday in Rajasthan
    Experience true rural Indian life riding through Vishnoi villages on horseback
  • Shepherd driving sheep seen on a trail riding holiday
    A horseback holiday in rural Rajasthan
  • Group of riders in Rajasthan, India
    Trail riding holiday in Rajasthan, India
  • Horseback rider in Rajasthan
    There is no better way to enjoy Rajasthan than in the saddle

Itinerary

Highlights

- Ride one of the most beautiful horses in the world, the spirited Marwaris of Rajasthan
- Stay in splendid Maharajas country side palaces.
- Experience true rural Indian life riding through coloured Vishnoi villages on horseback
- Visit Kumbalgarh, the last Rajput resistance stronghold.
- Your guide is Khem Singh, a direct descendant of the House of Ghanerao.
  • Day 1 1 : EUROPE - JODHPUR

    Fly from Europe - you will arrive in Jodhpur the following day (Day 2), most likely after connecting in Delhi.

    Flights are not included but can be booked on request.
  • Day 2 2 : ARRIVE IN JODHPUR

    BALSAMAND GARDEN RETREAT
    On arrival at Jodhpur, you are welcomed by your guide and transferred to the hotel, likely Balsamand Lake Hotel or similar.

    Note - should your flight take you to Jodhpur early in the morning, you will visit the Mehrangarh Fortress today. This is one of the largest forts in India. Built around 1460 by Rao Jodha, the fort is enclosed by thick walls. Inside its boundaries there are several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards. The fortress is home to a magnificent collection of howdah (a type of basket carried on the backs of elephants) and richly decorated palanquins. Once inside the fortress, you will make your way through a succession of rooms - each more spectacular than the last. The most spectacular room is the Phul Mahalm which was the ruler's salon where he could listen to music and watch dancing.
  • Day 3 3 : JODHPUR - RAWLA NARLAI - KOTRI - 2 hrs drive, 1-2 hrs riding

    Rawla Narlai
    After having being transferred by car to Rawla Narlai (2hrs drive), you meet your guide and the Marwari horses. In the afternoon you have a short introductory ride to Rawla Narlai, a 200 year old castle with modern amenities.
  • Day 4 4 : KOTRI - NARLAI - 3h riding

    Rawla Narlai
    Your ride either through irrigated or semi arid areas. The first one is dedicated to farming, the second to animals breeding.

    Free afternoon in the surroundings of Narlai. Visit the picturesque city and its temples. You can see cenotaphs, an "empty tomb" or monument erected in honour of a person or a group of people buried elsewhere.

    Overnight at Rawla Narlai.
  • Day 5 5 : NARLAI - MAHARANI BAGH - 3 hours riding

    Maharani Bagh Orchard retreat
    Today the ride leads you through some small stones villages. They are farming cotton plant, rapeseed and wheat and you may see people harvesting. You will soon arrive at a lake where we transfer to Jeeps and reach Maharani Bagh for lunch.

    In the afternoon, afternoon at your leisure to discover the Ranakpur Jain Temples.

  • Day 6 6: MAHARANI - GHANERAO - 3 hrs riding

    Ghanerao Castle
    Meet your horses at the lake and then ride through open scrub towards the Aravalli hills where we arrive into Ghanerao for a leisurely lunch. There is time in the afternoon to walk around the town with its stepwells, cenotaphs and bazaar.

    Overnight Ghanerao Castle / Jungle Lodge Ghanerao.
  • Day 7 7 : GHANERAO - KUMBHALGARH - 4 hours riding

    Aodhi hotel
    Ride out into the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary past tribal garacia villages and farms along the Aravalli. Ride up a steep trail through the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary climbing 2000ft to the The Aodhi.

    You reach Kumbhalgarh fortress which is the end of the ride.
    Kumbhalgarh has very impressive 35km long fortification construction on which 8 horses can be riden side by side.
    You overnight in a pleasant hotel in Aodhi located at 2 km of the fortress.

    Overnight at the Aodhi Hotel.
  • Day 8 8 : GHANERAO - UDAIPUR - No riding

    Depart for Udaipur and an afternoon of sightseeing to discover this beautiful city.

    Overnight at Hotel Amet Haveli/Udai Kothi or similar
  • Day 9 9: DEPARTURE FROM UDAIPUR

    In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to Delhi. Connecting flight to Europe late in the evening.
  • Day 10 10: ARRIVAL IN EUROPE

    Arrive in Europe.

Dates & prices

Price details

No departure for this destination. Please contact our travel advisers for more information.
- International flights to Jodhpur and from Udaipur are not included

- Rates are per person, based on two riders sharing a twin or double room.

- Groups are usually composed of a minimum of 5 riders and a maximum of 12 international riders.

- Please note: the ride will also confirm for 2-4 riders on payment of a supplement of c. £120/€180/$200 per person (2 riders). Once the group has reached 5 people, we will remove this supplement from your invoice and refund you if you have already paid it.

- There is a single supplement payable if you end up in your own room. The supplement is c. £430/500/$520 and will be refunded to you if a sharer is found.

- Please note rider's weight limit: 85 kilos, 187 lbs, 13.3 st.

- A visa is required to enter India and is your responsibility.
Please Note
The itinerary may be modified at anytime for security reasons, meteorological or events beyond our control such as blocked roads, rivers in flood, drought, strikes and local holidays. Equus Journeys, our local partners and their local guides will always strive to find the best solution and will alter the itinerary as needed.
The names of the hotels and accommodation are given for information only and depending on availability, they may be modified without notice and replaced by another of a similar standard.

Price includes

Support Team

1 support vehicle for logistics
1 horse equipped with saddle and bridle per rider
1 team in charge of the horses

Inland transports

Airport transfers
All land transfers described in the itinerary

Accomodation

2 person tents with beds, comfortable mattress and bedding supplied
Double or triple room in hotel, guesthouse or palace in the countryside
Double room in hotel standard 3*/4*

Meals

Full board during the ride
1 bottle of mineral water per day during the ride

Additional equipment

saddle bags
First aid kit

Price doesn't include

Meals

Lunch and dinner in cities (Jodhpur/Udaipur)
Beverage and personal extra

Transports

International flights to Jodhpur and from Udaipur
Visa fees

Extra

Tips to local team
Single room supplement if we are not finding somebody to share

Insurance

Cancellation and travel insurances are not included. Please note that insurance is mandatory. We recommend to take out an insurance policy as soon as your travel is booked in case of cancellation.

Optional

Accommodation

Single room and tent supplement
We are currently updating our dates and prices they will be online soon. If you want details of this holiday, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Equestrian info

Horses

The horses are mostly pure bred Marwari horses. They vary in size from 14.2 to 16 hands. They are warm bloods and need to be ridden more with the seat. We do not ride on the mouth as one would ride a thoroughbred. We sit deep almost western style and use the reins very lightly. The horses generally have a soft mouth. The Marwari's extraordinary beauty, arched ears and fiery look adds to their charm.

Guide & local team

Who better to lead you than a direct descendant of the House of Ghanerao, a man who can give you the history with anecdotes of the country , offering an experience that is highly personalized and specialized. His passion for nature and conservation of the environment gives a lot of material for exciting stories.
Khem is personally known and related to most of your hosts at the heritage hotels ensuring you are well looked after. He is also a keen naturalist, and can help you identify various species of flora, fauna and avifauna that you may encounter.
A keen sportsman and excellent rider - he has helped to train horses for Polo and now plays golf between Safaris. Khem - a committed bachelor, is a well travelled man and a world citizen, greatly committed to the conservation of the fragile ecology of our planet. All in all, the man most qualified to lead you on your adventure from the plains of Marwar to the hills of Mewar.

Minimum riding ability

Minimum riding ability

You need to be a competent rider, capable and in control in all paces in open spaces. You must be able to rise to the trot and canter in a forward seat.

Weight limit: 85 kilos, 187 lbs, 13.3 st.

Pace

There are long periods of walking, some fast and regular trots and numerous gallops when the terrain allows it.

Tacking ability and participation

A team of grooms will feed, care for and saddle your horses. You can help with untacking if you wish, but this is not expected.

Trip conditions and Requested experience

You shoul be at ease at the 3 paces. Having previous experience of a trail ride of several days would be an advantage but it is not compulsory. It is of particular importance to ensure you are comfortable and balanced when riding at speed across rough and open spaces.
Visiting a new country offers the opportunity to meet other cultures with different mentalities, therefore it is important to accept these differences and respect the local way of life.

Equestrian equipment

The saddles are steel arch cavalry. They are made of leather fitted on a steel frame and the advantage is that they do not sit on the withered of the horse. This way you ride a natural deep seat and it is beneficial for the horse on long rides.
We recommend a seat saver be taken with you and the grooms will happily put it in place.
We recommend our riders to wear a helmet to the correct standard and you should bring your own to ensure a proper fit.

Travel info

Comfort

This the core point of this ride. You stay in luxurious or more simple country side palaces which belongs to Jodhpur or Udaipu Maharajas families or a local civil servant. Some of the palaces offer swimming pool facilities which is very pleasant during hot season.

Meals

Hotels: On most hotel nights a choice of meals will be available, with wine and spirits also available. Breakfast will be a choice of various fruits, cereals, toast and some cooked items too.

Contrary to popular belief, all Hindus are not vegetarians and strict vegetarianism is limited to the south. However, you are unlikely to be served beef steak as the cow is sacred. You can expect to eat either goat or chicken.
Water:
Take care and do not drink water unless it out of a bottle. It is better to buy mineral water when staying in the towns. The water you will be offered along the trail will be treated.
There will be limited alcohol to purchase and a variety of soft drinks.

Climate

Rajasthan has a hot dry climate. The monsoon is from June to September during which it is particularly hot. Rain outside the monsoon months is unlikely.
The rides are scheduled for the cooler months and at this time the maximum temperature would be around 24°C during the day. Please be mindful that evenings can be cool (c. 5°C) and you should bring a warm sweater and be prepared for a chilly morning just in case there is a snow fall in the Himalayas as the temperature does drop suddenly at times. When camping, the nights can be cold are felt much more and you are advised to bring warm clothes for sleeping.

Tips

Tipping is popular in India and it is customary to tip not only your team (guide, cook etc) but also staff in hotels and restaurants. You may find it useful to create a communal tipping "pool" at the start of the trip so that the group tip as a whole. Budget for c. £40-50 per person in total. However, tipping is not an obligation and so this is left to your discretion.

Be careful not to tip too much - being overly generous can affect the general standard of living and destablise the local economy. If children earn more money than their fathers by begging or asking for money for photos then this can create major distortions within the family.

Packing list

Please pack in accordance with local religious and traditional cultures - it is important to keep your shoulders and knees covered when meeting local populations. Please do not wear shorts or strappy tops in towns and villages. You will also require some smart casual clothes for your hotel nights.

Please note luggage allowance:
Air India: 25 kgs checked bags, 7 kgs cabin bags
Indigo Airlines: 15 kgs checked bags, 7 kg cabin bags.

Head
- Equus Journeys strongly recommend that you wear a riding helmet and that you take your own to ensure a correct fit. There are many lightweight options available nowadays
- Sunhat for when not riding
- Sunglasses - with a cord attached so they don't fly off when riding
- Wooly hat
- Buff or Bandana to protect against sand, sun and dust

Upper body
- Long sleeved shirts provide protection from the sun and are an extra layer
- T-shirts
- Lightweight fleece or jumper
- A light waterproof jacket

Legs
- Lightweight, comfortable riding trousers or jodhpurs - we recommend riding in them at home before taking them on holiday to ensure they don't rub
- Casual trousers for the evenings.
- Swimsuit to enjoy the swimming pool of the hotels

Hands and Feet
- Comfortable riding boots. We recommend short boots with half chaps. We don't recommend taking your favourite long leather boots in case they get damaged
- Trainers or equivalent light shoes for the evenings
- Socks
- Gloves - your hands are particularly exposed to the sun

Other useful items
- Towels - camping ones will both dry and pack more easily
- Small backpack 25-30 liters
- Camera and high capacity memory card. Spare battery
- Bumbag for carrying your camera and small items whilst riding
- Headtorch or small torch for moving around camp at night - bring spare batteries and bulbs
- Water bottle (2 litres or 2 x 1 litre)
- Swiss army knife
- Wet Wipes or equivalent (for when washing facilities aren't available)
- Toilet paper and a lighter to burn it with
- Small plastic bags for rubbish
- Ear plugs (for light sleepers)

In your hold luggage
- Any liquids, such as shampoo, moisturiser, deodorant unless they are less than 100ml and all bottles can fit in a small, clear, plastic ziplock bag. We recommend biodegradable washing products where possible.
- Swiss army knife (or equivalent)

In your hand luggage
- Any valuables, such as your camera, ipod, ipad etc.
- Travelling in your riding boots and carrying your hat and some riding clothes is highly recommended - then if your luggage goes astray you are still able to ride!

Medical kit
- Any medication you regularly take
- Sunscreen and lip balm - should be high factor
- Insect repellent, preferably containing deet
- Blister plasters in case of any rubs
- Antiseptic cream, plasters, aspirin, anti-histamine, insect-bite salve etc...
- Spare prescription glasses/contact lenses
- Eye drops
- Imodium or similar anti-diarrhoea medication
- Re-hydration sachets
- Water purification tablets
- Antiseptic wipes
- Handwash gel

Our Recommendations
- Please don't take a hard sided suitcase. Your luggage should be soft sided with a capacity of about 80 litres. We recommend taking a backpack or similar.
- Backpacks cannot be worn whilst riding.
- We recommend a small bumbag or a coat with pockets so that you can carry small items with you during the day (camera, sunscreen, lipbalm etc) and whilst riding.
- We recommend travelling in your riding boots and carrying your hat and some riding clothes in your hand luggage - then if your luggage goes astray you are still able to ride.
- We recommend taking a copy of your passport and insurance documents with you in case you lose your originals
- Please take your rubbish home with you. There are no recycling facilities in Rajasthan, so take your used batteries, aerosols etc back home and dispose of them appropriately. Try to leave excess packaging material at home before travelling

Sustainable tourism

  1. Travel light. It's a little known fact, but the lighter you pack, the better for the environment as heavy bags will produce higher emissions (when flying a plane or driving a car!).
  2. Reduce plastic waste. Take your favorite reusable bottle with you. Avoid single-use bags, cups, or straws.
  3. Preserve nature. Always take your rubbish with you during the ride and recycle them. Leave all the flowers or plants as you found them, and never get too close when observing wildlife. Make sure to use eco-friendly products such as body wash or laundry detergent (if camping) to protect both your skin and the environment.
  4. Choose your experiences carefully. Respect animal life by not participating in any activities that abuse wild animals (shows, elephant rides, etc.).
  5. Support local populations. Buy local handicrafts, be respectful of customs, and learn about the culture of local communities.
  6. Share! Raise awareness among your family and friends about sustainable tourism.

For more information please see this page.

Did you know?

Did you know?

The Pushkar Fair also known as the Pushkar Camel Fair is a colorful and vibrant display of unique exhibitions, competitions and events. The Fair takes place every year between the months of October and November in the town of Pushkar. The festivities last as long as seven days and it is known as one of the world's largest cattle fairs. The fair brings together more than 200.000 visitors from all over the world. The crowds gather around the banks of the Pushkar Lake where men trade livestock like camels, horses, cows, sheep and goats.

Even though the Pushkar fair is primarily held to showcase the camels and livestock, the event in itself is an entire experience. And what better way than to experience it all during your riding holiday in Rajasthan! Itstarts off with a camel race followed up by songs, music and more exhibitions. Many events showcase Marwari decorated with beautiful ornaments and color pads while they dance to some traditional music.

Customer reviews

Customer reviews

All of our reviews are real, honest opinions from riders who have recently travelled with us. Upon their return, our riders will receive an email inviting them to share their experiences from their trip. Good or bad, each review will be published on our website, provided that they respect our editorial guidelines.
  • Rebecca aged 52 WOOLLAHRA 1 trip
    October 2022
    Our trip was absolutely incredible & very well organised. An absolute must! The length was tailored to our needs as we combined it with another trip to India & Bhutan. The Marwari horses are such beautiful unique creatures and scenery was utterly amazing - the horses are loved and very well looked after, beautiful yet... Read all
    • Horses
    • Programme
    • Accommodation
    • Local guide