DAY FIVE
What to do?
If you’re finding a need to separate the kids (and the adults), today’s a good day to do it. During our stay, my 14-year-old son and my husband remained at Rajvilas to enjoy the resort’s amenities, while my 17-year-old son and I went sightseeing in Jaipur.
The major attraction is Amer Fort (also known as Amber Fort or Amber Palace), located in the village of Amer about 7 miles outside of Jaipur. If you’re only going to see one fort in India, I’d choose this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hotel can arrange for a knowledgable guide. Four-hour guide cost: $25, though it’s really only about a 1-1/2 to 2-hour visit. Admission cost: Student about $2; Adult about $8; audio guides are available if you’re not touring with a guide.
KidTripster Tip: Skip the elephant ride at the fort. It’s a tourist trap.
KidTripster Tip: Skip going to the other tourist sites of Hawa Mahal and City Palace.
For more on Amer Fort, click here.
Back at the hotel, my husband and son made full use of the pool, putting green, tennis courts, and badminton court but skipped the morning yoga class.
The Oberoi Rajvillas has a large selection of complimentary experiences – many specially designed for kids. My sons spent part of the afternoon in the Young Hotelier’s Programme. The staff gave them a behind-the-scenes tour of the inner workings of the resort. Their favorite part? No surprise here, the kitchen!
Other complimentary activities include an astrology reading, Rajasthan history lesson, and demonstrations of in-lay wood technique, miniature painting, and bangle making. Little ones will enjoy the kite decorating and flying, pottery making, and a treasure hunt around the property. Other offerings are fee-based: kids’ cooking class, puppet show, magic show, and Indian wine tasting.
DAY SIX
Getting there
As difficult as it is to tear yourself away from The Oberoi Rajvillas, it’s time to hit the road again for your 6-hour drive to Jodhpur. One of the most picturesque cities in the state of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is known as the Blue City because of the countless doors, roofs, and homes painted a distinct azure. Best to get an early start on this drive.
Where to stay?
RAAS Jodhpur is a hard-to-find haven in the center of the old city. Formerly a haveli (manison), the property is a perfect blend of old Rajput architecture and modern design, set in a leafy green courtyard with a seductive pool. But it’s the stunning view of Mehrangarh Fort that looms on the hill above the city that’s the real star. Rooms start at $149/night online with a 60-day advance reservation.
KidTripster Tip: For a view of the fort from your bed, request of Luxury Room on an upper floor.
For a full review of RAAS Jodhpur, click here.
What to do and where to eat?
After a quick dip in the pool, head to the kitchen of the hotel’s signature restaurant Darikhana for a family cooking demonstration with Chef Vishal Gautum. He’ll show you how to make a number of local Rajasthani dishes that will be served for dinner later that night. Go hungry, like skip-lunch hungry, as there’s much sampling. And make your dinner reservation for late in the evening, so you’ll have room for more! Cooking class and dinner cost: $55 per person.
Be sure to dine al fresco at Darikhana. In the evening, it’s truly a magical setting with the candlelit courtyard below and the illuminated fort above.
DAY SEVEN
What to do?
Instead of touring a 15th-century fort on foot with your kids, why not zip through it? Ok, technically you’re ziplining around the outside of Mehrangarh Fort, but my teenaged sons still much preferred the 1-1/2-hour course with Flying Fox to a traditional tour. Cost: Youth about $16; Adult about $21; there’s no minimum age, but participants need to be at least 4-feet, 7-inches tall and not more than 254 pounds. Kids under 16 must be supervised by an adult on the tour.
KidTripster Tip: Book one of the first two tours of the day; they’re discounted.
For more on the Flying Fox Jodhpur zipline tour, click here.
Where to eat?
Before leaving Jodhpur, grab lunch at Step Well Cafe, overlooking the city’s actual stepwell, Toorji Ka Jhalra. Ask at the hotel desk for the location of the secret door that leads to the cafe without entering the street.
KidTripster Tip: Don’t order a to-go lunch from the hotel restaurant Baradari. Few options travel well, and the cheese sandwiches that did weren’t good.
Getting there
Make the 4-1/2-hour drive from Jodhpur to the village of Delwara about 45 minutes outside of Udaipur.
KidTripster Tip: On our trip, we made the long 5-hour journey from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer and then the even longer, 9-hour journey from Jaisalmer to Delwara. I was captivated with the idea of staying inside the walled city, but now I would say not to do it. While I enjoyed our stay at Hotel Garh Jaisal Haveli, the kids really missed having a pool, and the fort city itself wasn’t all that interesting. Plus our desert safari on camels was a bust. We wish that we’d have done what I’m suggesting to you: skip Jaisalmer and spend that extra day at RAAS Devigarh.
Where to stay?
Here’s your chance to stay at a heritage property – the beautifully-restored RAAS Devigarh in the hillside village of Delwara. This 18th-century palace is a destination in it’s own right. Each Palace Suite here is unique and stunning – and larger than most New York City apartments. The family-friendly amenities and attentive service is just what your family needs after a long road trip through Rajasthan (or if you’ve done the itinerary in reverse, it’s a reprieve from the chaos of Mumbai.). Online rates in low season start at $173/night.
For a full review of RAAS Devigarh, click here.
