As 2020 kicks off, we list out five good reasons why you and your biking buddies should sign up for the Rajasthan cycling tour that has a special trip to the Taj Mahal thrown in for good measure.
Rajasthan, the ‘Land of Royals’, is an excellent introduction to India for foreigners who are drawn towards oriental exotica, but do not know where to begin their Indian travel adventure. This incredible region that makes the western snout of India is part desert, part hills, part royalty, part rural idyll. A long history of kingdoms and wars have left a rich heritage here in the form of many opulent royal palaces and strategically built military forts that continue to awe and intrigue to this very day.
In sharp contrast is Rajasthan’s rural Cycling experience. A biking trip into the hinterland lays bare a new world altogether – a world of colourful attires, soulful music, nomadic tribes, snake charmers, camel herders, shepherds, folk singers, farmers, water carriers, and a whole bunch of simple, friendly, fascinating, and welcoming people who eke out a living through meagre means.
For an immersive holiday trip of Rajasthan, you need a smartly designed Rajasthan biking tour that, apart from ticking off the popular tourist destinations, takes you deep into the countryside and lets you discover this extraordinary land, its people, and their culture at close quarters and leisurely pace.
Here are the five reasons why any biking buff looking to explore India ought to hit the Cycling trails of Rajasthan.
1. MYSTIQUE OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
The past stares at you from nooks and crannies of Rajasthan’s cities, towns and even villages. Major cities such as Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, and Chittorgarh boast centuries old palaces and forts and each one has some intriguing aspect to it. Take the Kumbhalgarh fort, for instance. It sits atop a high hill and has a perimeter wall that is 36 km long, making it the second longest continuous wall after the Great Wall Of China. Or take the Hawa Mahal of Jaipur, which has the fa�ade of 953 windows set in a honeycomb pattern. Royal ladies of yore used to sit by these windows and watch the festivities on the outside. A biking tour of Rajasthan that starts from Udaipur in the south and winds its way north towards Jaipur puts you in the path of many of these historical monuments.
2. BEWITCHING LANDSCAPE
Hills older than the Himalayas cut Rajasthan diagonally to create an astounding variety of landscapes. In the west of the state, you find the slippery sands of the Great Thar Desert. In the south, the surreal city of Udaipur lies submerged in a number of lakes, evoking the image of Venice. To the east and north are fertile plains, rolling hills, scrubland and forests – all making for an excellent and ever-changing landscape for recreational cycling in Rajasthan. In fact, so quickly does the landscape change at some places that a few kilometres of biking can take you from, say, lakes to hillocks, or from arid plains to lush forests. For the most part, Rajasthan biking trails are easy on your body. Some roads may be rough and a trail or two weaving uphill may pose a challenge, but it is not something biking buffs with a bit of adventurous streak would beef about.
3. RURAL IDYLL OF RAJASTHAN
The real Rajasthan lives in its villages, and no Rajasthan holiday trip can be called complete without an experience of its rural idyll. While the popular tourist hotspots of Rajasthan give you a peek into its royal past, a Rajasthan rural biking trip unveils a fascinating rustic world you won’t forget in a long time. Biking through Rajasthan’s villages, it is not uncommon to get waylaid by a herd of sheep or camels. You come upon water-fetching wheels in the farms and ancient water reservoirs called baolis in the villages. The village folk themselves are fascinating, to say the least. One particular village, for instance, may have women wearing black headscarves and heavy brass earrings. Another may have them dressed in colourful saris. You get to sample their distinct music with melancholy rhythms and husky vocals. You may even try your hand at cooking the village staple, which is bajra roti on an upturned griddle.
4. AN ENCOUNTER WITH TIGERS
Sighting the big cat is high on the bucket list of anyone wanting bang for their buck out of a Rajasthan vacation. And Ranthambore National Park in the east of Rajasthan is the natural habitat of Bengal Tigers and your best bet to see these beautiful and ferocious creatures at safe proximity. Jeep safaris take you deep into the wilderness and pretty close to the stomping grounds of animals like the Indian Leopard, striped Hyena, nilgai, sloth bear, mugger crocodile and – the most captivating of all – the tiger. This is the wilderness where the Maharajas of old used to hunt. Here, you can still find the 10th century Ranthambore Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you may also drop by at the oldest temple of Lord Ganesha in Rajasthan.
5. THE TAJ MAHAL
One of the seven modern wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal attracts millions of tourists every year. It was built in the 17th century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his dead wife Mumtaz Mahal, and it epitomizes the sublime art and architecture of the Mughal empire. The majestic layout of the monument and the works of intricate carving and stonemasonry on the tiles, panels, apses, domes, windows and vaults are of the highest imagination and quality ever seen. The beauty of this monument of love is best appreciated in early mornings or on a full-moon evening. Though it is situated not in Rajasthan but in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal is ideally located for a cycling trip weaving its way northward from Rajasthan to the national capital Delhi. Coming at the end of the Rajasthan biking trip, the Taj Mahal befittingly crowns your Indian holiday experience.
