Cycle Rajasthan

Route: Jaipur airport → Jaipur hotel; short ride in the late afternoon

Your cycling guide meets you at arrivals with a name board and takes you to the hotel. The mechanic has the bikes ready. If you are coming from Delhi, the guide can meet you off the flight or at the Jaipur station, and the Delhi to Jaipur leg is not included.

In the late afternoon each rider is fitted to a bike: saddle height, reach, brakes and gears, with your own pedals or saddle if you bring them. A short ride of about 15 km on quiet roads checks the fit, and the guide explains the hand signals, the order of riding and the rules for the next fourteen days. A briefing over dinner covers the route, the daily timetable and the van.

Experience of the Day

–  Airport meeting with your cycling guide

–  Bike fitting by the mechanic

–  Short shake-down ride

–  Route briefing over dinner

Food

Recommended:

–  A group dinner at the hotel, with bottled water

Activities to Do

–  Choose a bike and check the fit

–  Learn the hand signals and the order of riding

–  Save the guide’s number in your phone

Route: Jaipur hotel → Amber Fort → Hawa Mahal → City Palace → Jantar Mantar

A full rest day before the first long ride. Amber Fort comes first, built in the late 1500s on a ridge above Maota Lake. The group goes up by private jeep. Elephant rides here have drawn well-documented welfare criticism, including a PETA India campaign and a government committee’s recommendation to use electric vehicles.

Hawa Mahal follows, built in 1799 with 953 small windows, so the women of the court could watch the street below without being seen. After lunch the group visits the City Palace and Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO World Heritage observatory built between 1728 and 1734, whose Samrat Yantra sundial tells time to within about two seconds.

Experience of the Day

–  Amber Fort by private jeep

–  Hawa Mahal

–  City Palace

–  Jantar Mantar instruments

Food

Recommended:

–  Lunch at a local restaurant near the City Palace

Must-Try:

–  Pyaaz kachori

–  Dal baati churma

–  Ghewar, the honeycomb sweet of Rajasthan

Activities to Do

–  Find the mirrored ceiling in the Sheesh Mahal

–  Count the windows of Hawa Mahal

–  Stretch and rest your legs in the afternoon

Route: Jaipur → Kishangarh (~55 km ridden)

The van carries the group past Jaipur’s busiest roads to a quiet point on the highway’s edge. From there you ride about 55 km to Kishangarh on flat to gently rolling farm country, with a total climb of about 300 m. The road is paved, with village lanes where the highway is busy.

The guide rides at the back, and the van waits every 15 to 20 km with water, snacks and a picnic lunch. You reach Kishangarh by early afternoon. The town was the seat of a small kingdom, and its artists developed the Bani Thani style of miniature painting in the 18th century.

Note on Ride day: Start time, distance and the van stops are the same every riding day. Any rider can stop and ride in the van at any point, and the guide decides if the road, the traffic or the heat is too much.

Experience of the Day

–  Ride out of Jaipur’s edge on farm roads

–  Picnic lunch from the van

–  Arrival at a heritage hotel in Kishangarh

Food

Recommended:

–  A picnic lunch from the van, with fruit and water

–  Dinner at the hotel

Must-Try:

–  Fresh sugarcane juice at a roadside stall, served with a clean cup, if the guide approves it

–  Kachori and tea at a village stop

Activities to Do

–  Check your gears on the first long stretch

–  Watch for cattle and carts on the village lanes

–  Stretch at the van stops

Route: Kishangarh → Pushkar (~45 km ridden)

A short riding day. The morning begins with a visit to the Kishangarh Fort and a look at Bani Thani paintings, a style known for long-necked figures and lotus eyes. The ride to Pushkar is about 45 km on paved road through arid farmland, with a climb of about 250 m.

You arrive at Pushkar around midday, a small town beside a holy lake with 52 bathing ghats and one of the few temples in India dedicated to Brahma. Pushkar is a vegetarian town, and alcohol and meat are not sold near the lake. In the late afternoon the group walks to the ghats, with shoulders and knees covered, shoes off at the water’s edge, and no photographs of people bathing.

Experience of the Day

–  Kishangarh Fort and miniature paintings

–  Ride to Pushkar

–  Walk to the ghats at sunset

Food

Recommended:

–  Lunch at a rooftop café with a lake view, vegetarian

Must-Try:

–  Malpua, a fried sweet pancake, a local treat

–  Rose lassi

Shopping — Where & What to Buy

–  Silver jewellery and cotton clothes in the main bazaar

Activities to Do

–  Roll into Pushkar and put the bikes away with the mechanic

–  Light a small lamp at the ghat at dusk

–  Browse the bazaar

Route: Pushkar hotel → Savitri Temple hill → free day; optional ride

A rest day for the legs. The group climbs the steps to Savitri Temple on the hill above the town for sunrise. The climb takes about 40 to 60 minutes, and the ropeway is there for anyone who prefers it. From the top you see the lake, the town and the desert beyond.

The rest of the day is free. Riders who want a gentle spin join an optional ride of about 25 km through the farm villages around Pushkar, with the guide. Others rest, shop or read in a café. The mechanic checks every bike, cleans chains and fixes anything that needs it before the hard days ahead.

Experience of the Day

–  Sunrise at Savitri Temple

–  Free day in Pushkar

–  Optional village ride of about 25 km

–  Bike service by the mechanic

Food

Recommended:

–  Breakfast at a rooftop café after the climb

–  Dinner together, vegetarian

Must-Try:

–  Fresh fruit lassi

–  A thali at a rooftop café, freshly made

Shopping — Where & What to Buy

–  Handmade notebooks and cotton clothes in the bazaar

Activities to Do

–  Climb the steps to Savitri Temple at dawn

–  Ride the optional village loop

–  Wash and dry your cycling kit

Route: Pushkar → Khejarla (~80 km ridden)

The first big day. The road leaves Pushkar and rolls through low foothills, with a climb of about 330 m and a longer descent of about 480 m. It is paved and the traffic is light, with desert scrub and small villages on both sides. Heat builds after 11 a.m. from October and March, and the guide sets the pace to finish before it does.

The van carries a picnic lunch to the halfway point. A rider who is tired can load the bike and ride in the van for any part of the day. The stop at night is a small fort hotel in the desert, where the evening is spent resting, with a swim if there is a pool.

Experience of the Day

–  Foothill road in the early morning

–  Picnic lunch at the halfway point

–  Arrival at a fort hotel

Food

Recommended:

–  A picnic lunch from the van, with fruit, water and salt tablets on offer

–  Dinner at the fort hotel

Must-Try:

–  Bajra roti with ghee, a village staple

–  Fresh buttermilk, if offered by a trusted stop

Activities to Do

–  Keep a steady pace on the foothills

–  Drink at every van stop

–  Rest at the fort hotel in the afternoon

Route: Khejarla → Jodhpur (~80 km ridden)

A flat day of about 80 km with a climb of about 130 m. The road crosses desert-edge farmland with few turns, and a headwind is common in the afternoon. A steady pace and the van’s water stops keep the group together, and the guide rides with whoever is last.

The first view of Mehrangarh Fort comes at the edge of Jodhpur, standing on a rock high above the old town. The traffic in the city is heavy, so the van takes the group for the last few kilometres to the hotel. In the evening the group walks to a rooftop restaurant in the old city, with the fort lit up overhead.

Experience of the Day

–  Flat desert ride

–  First view of Mehrangarh Fort

–  Rooftop dinner under the lit fort

Food

Recommended:

–  Picnic lunch from the van

–  Dinner at a rooftop restaurant with a fort view

Must-Try:

–  Mirchi bada, a fried chilli fritter, mild on request

–  Mawa kachori

Activities to Do

–  Ride in a tight group on the flat stretch

–  Sit on a rooftop and look up at the fort

–  Soak your legs in the hotel pool

Route: Jodhpur hotel → Mehrangarh Fort → Jaswant Thada → blue lanes → Sardar Market

A full rest day. Mehrangarh Fort stands on a rock about 125 metres above the city. Rao Jodha founded it in 1459. The audio guide leads you through the palace rooms, which hold painted ceilings, howdahs and palanquins. Jaswant Thada, a white marble memorial built in 1899, is a short walk away.

In the afternoon the group walks the blue-painted lanes of the old city below the fort and ends in Sardar Market by the clock tower. The mechanic services every bike, checks tyres and brakes and gets ready for the climbs ahead.

Experience of the Day

–  Mehrangarh Fort and its palace rooms

–  Jaswant Thada

–  Blue lanes of the old city

–  Sardar Market at dusk

Food

Recommended:

–  Lunch at a vetted rooftop café near the fort

Must-Try:

–  Makhaniya lassi, thick and sweet

–  Gulab jamun at the market

Shopping — Where & What to Buy

–  Lac bangles, tie-dye scarves and spices in Sardar Market

Activities to Do

–  Listen to the audio guide in the palace rooms

–  Photograph the blue doors in the old lanes

–  Rest and stretch in the evening

Optional Nearby Excursions

–  The zip-line across Mehrangarh’s walls, an optional extra with its own ticket

Route: Jodhpur → Bhenswara (~65 km ridden)

The van takes the group out of Jodhpur’s traffic to a quiet point. From there you ride about 65 km on paved and mixed road through farm fields, with a climb of about 200 m and no long hills. The road passes small villages, and children often run beside the group.

The stop for the night is a village heritage hotel. The afternoon is for a swim, a rest, and a short walk through the village at sunset with the guide.

Experience of the Day

–  Farm roads out of Jodhpur

–  Village stops on the way

–  Arrival at a village heritage hotel

Food

Recommended:

–  Picnic lunch from the van

–  Dinner at the heritage hotel

Must-Try:

–  Dal and chapati cooked by the hotel’s kitchen

–  Masala chai at a village tea stall, if the guide approves

Activities to Do

–  Wave back to the village children

–  Walk through the village at dusk

–  Check tyre pressure with the mechanic

Route: Bhenswara → Ranakpur (~60 km ridden)

The land rises as the road enters the Aravalli foothills. The surface is paved and mixed, and the climbing is steady, with a total climb of about 700 m on our estimate. Use low gears early and keep drinking. The van waits every 10 to 15 km, and the guide can move any rider ahead by van to the next stop.

You reach Ranakpur in the late afternoon. In the evening you visit the Jain temple, built in the 15th century, with about 1,444 carved marble pillars and no two alike. Women and men cover shoulders and knees, and the temple has its own dress and photography rules, which the guide explains at the gate.

Experience of the Day

–  First climbs into the Aravalli foothills

–  Ranakpur Jain temple in the evening light

–  Hill guesthouse in a forest valley

Food

Recommended:

–  Picnic lunch from the van

–  Dinner at the hotel, vegetarian

Must-Try:

–  Dal bati churma

–  Fresh lime soda made with bottled water, on request

Activities to Do

–  Climb in low gear and keep a steady cadence

–  Count the carved pillars at the temple

–  Rest in the forest valley after the ride

Route: Ranakpur → Kumbhalgarh (~50 km ridden)

The hardest ride of the trip, on hill roads with a climb of about 700 m on our estimate. The distance is short, and the effort is real. Riders take the climb in their own time, and the van stops often with water and fruit. Anyone who needs to can ride in the van for the steepest part and rejoin at the top.

Kumbhalgarh Fort was built in the 15th century by Rana Kumbha, and its wall runs for about 36 km around the hills. In the afternoon the group walks part of the wall and the fort’s courtyards. You sleep in the hills for two nights.

Note on Hard day: Day 11 is steep. Riders who are not sure they can finish ride the van for part of it, and nobody is asked to push past what feels safe. The guide decides at the start if heat, wind or traffic make the day too hard.

Experience of the Day

–  Hill roads and the main climb

–  Kumbhalgarh Fort and its long wall

–  Evening in the hills

Food

Recommended:

–  Picnic lunch from the van, with extra fruit and water

–  Dinner at the hotel

Must-Try:

–  Dal baati churma with ghee

–  Hot masala chai after the climb

Activities to Do

–  Climb in low gear and enjoy the view of the Aravalli ridges

–  Walk a section of the fort wall at sunset

–  Stretch and rest early

Route: Kumbhalgarh hotel → fort wall → forest sanctuary; optional ride

A free day in the hills. The group can walk another stretch of the fort wall, visit the temples inside the fort, or take a jeep drive through the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, where leopards, wolves and sloth bears live and are hard to see. A sighting is never guaranteed.

Riders who want a gentle spin join an optional ride of about 20 km on quiet hill roads and village lanes. The mechanic does a full service for the final two days, and the afternoon is free.

Experience of the Day

–  Fort wall and temples

–  Optional jeep drive in the sanctuary

–  Optional ride of about 20 km

–  Bike service

Food

Recommended:

–  Lunch at a vetted restaurant near the fort

–  Dinner at the hotel

Must-Try:

–  Rajasthani thali with fresh vegetables

–  Makki ki roti with greens, in winter

Activities to Do

–  Walk the wall at sunrise

–  Look for birds and langurs in the sanctuary

–  Rest and write postcards

Route: Kumbhalgarh → Udaipur (~70 km ridden)

The last ride. The road runs along a ridge and then drops through valleys toward Udaipur, with a climb of about 500 m and a descent of about 780 m on published route data. The descent is long, and brakes need care on the bends. You ride about 70 km, and the van carries the group through the city’s outer roads where the traffic is heavy.

The finish is on the lakeside beside Lake Pichola, where the group stops for a photograph with the bikes and a cold drink. In the evening there is a celebration dinner.

Experience of the Day

–  Ridge and valley descent

–  Lakeside finish and group photograph

–  Celebration dinner

Food

Recommended:

–  Picnic lunch from the van

–  Celebration dinner at a lakeside restaurant

Must-Try:

–  Dal bati churma

–  Mawa kachori

–  Fresh lassi

Activities to Do

–  Brake early on the bends of the descent

–  Pose for a group photograph with the bikes at the lake

–  Share the best ride of the trip over dinner

Udaipur hotel → City Palace → Jagdish Temple → Lake Pichola boat

The City Palace complex on the lake’s eastern shore was begun in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II, and later rulers added to it for nearly 400 years. The group walks the courtyards, peacock mosaics and balconies with a guide. Jagdish Temple, built in 1651, stands near the palace gate.

Late in the afternoon the group boards a boat on Lake Pichola for the sunset, passing the island palaces. In the evening the group has a farewell dinner, and the mechanic packs the bikes.

Experience of the Day

–  City Palace courtyards and museum

–  Jagdish Temple

–  Sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola

–  Farewell dinner

Food

Recommended:

–  Lunch at a vetted lakeside restaurant

–  Farewell dinner at a lake-view restaurant

Must-Try:

–  Dal bati churma with ghee

–  Kulfi after dinner

Shopping — Where & What to Buy

–  Miniature paintings and silver in the old-city lanes, only if you want them

Activities to Do

–  Climb to a City Palace balcony for the lake view

–  Watch the sunset from the boat

–  Swap contact details with the group

Route: Udaipur hotel → Udaipur airport (~25 km / ~45 min)

Check out after breakfast and transfer to Udaipur airport with your guide and driver. Udaipur has direct flights to Delhi and Mumbai. Please book your onward or international flight from Udaipur or Delhi with enough connection time, and share your flight details with us early.

Experience of the Day

–  Private transfer to the airport

Food

Recommended:

–  Breakfast at the hotel before check-out

Activities to Do

–  Say goodbye to your guide, mechanic and group