Christophe Leservoisier riding a Marwari horse in India

Princes of Marwar

Ride 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 Kumbalgarh fortress to the semi arid countryside.
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Trail Riding
9 days / 7 days riding
From £2,525
  • Two riders in India riding in a field in Rajasthan
    Enjoy a riding adventure across India
  • Accommodation on our Rajasthan riding holidays, India
    Accommodation on our Rajasthan riding holidays, India

Itinerary

Highlights

- Ride one of the most beautiful horses in the world, the spirited Marwaris of Rajasthan.
- Stay in splendid Maharajas countryside palaces.
- Experience true rural Indian life riding through coloured Bishnoi villages on horseback.
- Visit Kumbalgarh, the last Rajput resistance stronghold.
- Explore a stunning historic capital of Mewar and its palaces.
  • Day 1 1: ARRIVAL IN JODHPUR - No riding

    On arrival at Jodhpur around 12pm (midday), you will be welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel.

    In the afternoon, there is time for some sightseeing in Jodhpur, also known as 'the Blue City'. Top sights include the 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort, the Jaswant Thada cenotaph, and the bustling Sardar Market. The fort is one of the largest in India. Built around 1460 by Rao Jodha, it is enclosed by imposing thick walls. Inside its boundaries there are several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards.

    Lunch and dinner are not included today. You will stay overnight at Balsamand Lake Palace.
  • Day 2 2: JODHPUR - KHANDI - 2 hours riding

    Khandi Camp
    After breakfast, you will be transferred from Jodhpur to the Khandi Wilderness Camp and have some time to settle in before lunch.

    In the afternoon, your horse riding adventure begins. You will get to meet your guide and the Marwari horses, and head out on your first introductory ride for around 2 hours.

    You will stay overnight at the Khandi Wilderness Camp.
  • Day 3 3: KHANDI - ROHET - 2 hours riding

    Rohet Garh
    After a delicious breakfast, this morning you will head out on a trail from Khandi to the village of Rohet, a ride of around 3-4 hours.

    The afternoon is left free for you to rest and relax, take a walk and/or to explore the village and discover the local crafts. You will stay overnight in the heritage hotel Rohet Garh - a beautiful countryside palace.
  • Day 4 4: ROHET - SARDAR SAMAND - 5-6 hours riding

    SARDAR SAMAND PALACE
    Today you will ride over open semi-desert terrain and farmland, via Bishnoi villages, where Chinkara gazelles and blackbucks roam free. You will eventually arrive at Sardar Samand - a man-made lake named after the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Marwar, Sardar Singh.

    This evening you will stay at the beautiful Sardar Samand Lake Palace (the palace of the Maharaja of Jodhpur) and in the afternoon you will be free to relax and walk around the palace grounds.
  • Day 5 5: SADAR SAMAND - MAHARANI BAGH - 1-2 hours riding

    Maharani Bagh Orchard retreat
    This morning you be driven to visit the famous 15th-century Ranakpur Jain Temple - a beautiful architectural monument. You will then have lunch at the Maharani Bagh Orchard, followed by a short evening ride.

    Tonight you will stay at the Maharani Bagh Orchard Retreat -- a cottage property of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, set within a mango orchard.
  • Day 6 6: MAHARANI BAGH - NARLAI - 5-6 hours riding

    Rawla Narlai
    This morning you will ride out past open scrubland and farms, to reach a horse farm, where you will have lunch. You will then ride on to reach the the picturesque village of Narlai - home to ancient temples and step wells.

    There is an option to enjoy a step well dinner (for an extra fee charged by the hotel). You will sleep overnight at Rawla Narlai - a 17th-century heritage hotel, with courtyards and lamp-lit terraces.
  • Day 7 7: NARLAI - GHANERAO - 4 hours riding

    Today's ride will be around 4 hours along the Aravalli foothills, and will take you to the Ghanerao Jungle Lodge - which was built for the royal family of Ghanerao and their guests a century ago.

    In the afternoon, you will have the option of going on a leopard safari (for an extra fee, charged by the hotel).

    You will spend the night at the Ghanerao Jungle Lodge.
  • Day 8 8: GHANERAO - KUMBHALGARH - 4 hours riding

    You will ride into the Aravalli hills today and enter Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. You will take a steep trail through the park, climbing 2000ft, before enjoying a hotel lunch.

    In the afternoon you will get chance to visit the Kumbhalgarh Fortress, which has an impressive 35km-long fortification construction, on which eight horses can be ridden side by side.

    You will stay overnight at the Fateh Safari Resort. 

    (Please note: There is an option to drive to Udaipur straight after the fort visit and stay in a hotel in the city).
  • Day 9 9: UDAIPUR - DEPARTURE - No riding

    For those who spent the night Fateh Safari Resort, you will depart early for Udaipur.

    In Udaipur, there will be time to do some sightseeing in this beautiful city and then transfer to the airport in time for your flight to Delhi. Connecting flight to Europe late in the evening.

Dates & prices

Price details

- International flights are not included, but we can quote for these upon request - please contact us.

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

- Groups are composed of a minimum of 4 riders and a maximum of 12 riders.

- There is a single supplement of 25% payable if you end up in your own room. This will be refunded to you if a sharer is found.

- Entrances fees and an audio guide at Mehrangarh Fort, Ranakpur Temple and Kumbhalgarh Fort are not included in the price and are payable locally.

- It is possible to enjoy a leopard safari in Ghanerao and a step well dinner in Narlai, these come at an extra fee, and are charged by the hotel.

- Please note there is a rider weight limit of 85kgs / 187lbs / 13.3st.

- 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

Vehicle transfers during the ride
Transfer from Jodhpur Airport (on arrival) and to Udaipur (for departure)

Accomodation

Double or triple room in hotel, guesthouse or palace in the countryside

Meals

Bottled water during the ride

Additional equipment

saddle bags
First aid kit

Price doesn't include

Meals

Beverages at hotels (including bottled water) and personal extras

Transports

International flights to Jodhpur and from Udaipur
Visa fees

Extra

Tips to local team
Entry fees and audio guide at Mehrangarh Fort, Ranakpur Temple and Kumbhalgarh Fort

Insurance

Cancellation and travel insurance is 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 supplement
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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. Please note there is a rider weight limit of 85kgs / 187lbs / 13.3st.

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 should be at ease at all 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 withers 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

You will stay in luxurious or more simple countryside palaces which belong to Jodhpur or Udaipu Maharajas families or to a local civil servant. Some of the palaces offer swimming pool facilities which are very pleasant when it's hot. You will stay overnight in a double room with private bathroom.

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.

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, as being overly generous can affect the general standard of living and destabilise 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 that baggage allowance on Air India (domestic flights) is 25kgs in checked bags and 7 kgs for carry-ons.

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

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. MAX LOAD is 15kg.
- 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.
- Tall riders may benefit from taking a pair of long stirrup leathers with them (the local stirrups are adjustable but are sometimes limited in length)

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

Miscellaneous
- 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
- You may wish to take some photographs or postcards of your home with you to show your hosts. You may also wish to take some crayons, colouring books etc for the children
- If you prefer travelling in a "light way" please choose a biodegradable soap or washing powder/liquid.

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.