A three-week excursion to the wondrous country of India. With a population of a billion people, India is a land of geographical, social, and religious diversity.
Rough Guide to India writes: "Walk the streets of any Indian city and you'll rub shoulders with representatives of several of the world's great faiths, a multitude of castes and outcastes...You'll also encounter temple rituals since the Egyptian pharaohs, onion-domed mosques, erected centuries before the Taj Mahal was ever dreamt of, and quirky echoes of the British Raj on virtually every corner."
Travel will be primarily in the colorful state of Rajasthan, but you will fly into Delhi, where we will visit the old walled city, the Red Fort, the mosques and markets, and the famous Gandhi memorial. From Delhi, we will travel to the city of Jaiselmer in the state of Rajasthan. In Jaiselmer, we will see the 800-year old fairytale golden sandstone fort that sits on a triangular hill above the city. The fort, with its intricate alleyways, mosques and temples, seems like something out of the Tales of the Arabian Nights. One of the highlights of the trip will be a camel safari into the Great Thar Desert, where you will visit rural villages and camp out in the dunes.
From Jaiselmer, you will visit Pushcar, an important pilgrimage center for Hindus on the enchanting Pushcar Lake. The next stop will be Udaipur, another historic city on a lake, full of temples, palaces, an historic fort, and ornate buildings. You will spend one night on a ranch and visit rural villages on horseback. On the route back to Delhi, we will stop in Agra to see India's most famous building, the Taj Mahal.
Learning Objectives : The travel experience will undoubtedly spark a fascination with India's rich and diverse culture. You will gain an appreciation of the heritage as well as an understanding of the aspects of contemporary life. In addition, you will experience a variety of modes of travel: train, rickshaw, bus, camel, and horse.