Rajasthan is one of those seemingly postcard-perfect destinations—the candy-colored forts, glimmering lake palaces with strutting peacocks, and sunbaked desert towns tracked by camels—that sets it apart from much of the subcontinent’s hyper-reality. And in many respects, it is different from the rest of India, says our friend Rymn Massand, a New York-based creative director who was born and raised in New Delhi, and who helped us as a kind of guest editor on this Travel Planner. “One thing that sets Rajasthan apart is the beauty of its topography, which can go from the wild hills of the Aravalli Mountains to lakes to forests where tigers reside, to the lunar landscapes of leopard country, to the desert.” Another is that the history of Rajasthan is incredibly rich. “I grew up on a steady diet of the valor and the glory of the rulers of Rajasthan—they fought against the Mughals, they built beautiful forts and palaces, which are architectural marvels,” she continues. “And of course some of the best jewelry design has come from Rajasthan and its royal families for centuries, along with some of the most beautiful painting, craft and printing techniques, like block printing and embroidery. And lastly is the fact that many of the Rajasthani Maharanas and Maharajas, the kings and queens, studied abroad and grew up with refined palates; they brought the richness of their culture abroad and brought back influences that shaped their tastes at home. So there is a massive amount of sophistication imbuing this traditional idea of Rajasthan.”
Given how close Rajasthan is to New Delhi, or just a short flight from Mumbai, the region makes a perfect first stop on a longer India itinerary. But it also is layered enough to be a destination in itself, whether you have one week or three. In addition to its color-coded cities—Jaipur (the Pink City), Jodhpur (Blue), Udaipur (White) and Jaisalmer (Gold)—there are so many opportunities to digress, ideally by car (though one of our contributors took trains!) to more rural corners of the state that are more off the tourist circuit, to really experience the flavors and textures of the countryside. “There are these communities of conservationists, of goat herders, of traditional artist communities who carry on crafts and arts that have been going on for generations,” Rymn says. “So what might come as a surprise is that the common everydayness of Rajasthan is just as rich and layered as the pomp and pageantry of the palaces.”
In the interest of mapping out the perfect itinerary—to tick as much as possible off in a week, or slow-travel to Rajasthan’s less-visited pockets, to figure out the best stops/hotels for exploring with kids, or for those who want to chase tigers or leopards, and of course for serious shoppers—we took on Rajasthan as our next Travel Planner, responding to your questions (and our own). Rymn helped connect us with friends who call Rajasthan home, or who have been going for years. We also reached out to many of our own network who have longtime associations with Rajasthan, to get their favorite addresses and travel game-plans. We hope you learn as much as we did! —Team Yolo
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Abhishek Honawar is founder of the Honar Group, with multiple bars and restaurants in Bombay; together with his wife, Naina, they have designed and run one of the prettiest hotels in Jaipur, The Johri.
Aisha Bennett is a director at Bird Travel PR, a global creative travel communications agency in London. Having visited India numerous times for the past 12 years on a quest to reconnect with her heritage, Rajasthan floats to the top of the list each time.
Alex Wix is the Morocco-based co-founder of Wix Squared, a travel company that always takes a tasteful and insidery approach to organizing bespoke itineraries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East (we previously profiled her as a Navigator).
Anjali Singh is the co-founder and creative director of Suján hotels, the beloved conservation-focused luxury tented camp brand that nearly everyone on our list name-checked as a favorite.
Elizabeth Morrison is the founder and creative director of From Jaipur With Love, a rug brand made by local artisans inspired by her travels in India.
Ishita Parikh is the founder and curator of Bougainvillea Gallery in Ahmedabad, which has showcased Indian artisans and designers for the past decade. She is a native of Ahmedabad and deeply connected to its cultural, design and art scenes.
James Jayasandera is the founder and managing director of Ampersand Travel, raised in Italy by his Sri Lankan diplomat father and English mother. James’ itineraries in Asia and Africa invariably emphasize deep cultural immersion.
K. Mohanchandran was previously the GM of the iconic Taj Lake Palace Udaipur and is now the area director of the entire Northeast of India for the Taj Hotel Group.
Katie McClure is the co-founder of Mirth, a clothing and accessories brand. She lives in Houston, TX, but travels to India at least three times a year to meet with her team and check on upcoming collections.
Laura McGowan is the global brand director at Suján, where she works with Anjali Singh on their conservation initiatives and partnerships.
Marthinus Johannes Coetzee is the cofounder of Oryx photo tours and an award-winning wildlife photographer who has visited India 23 times in 14 years, from the backwaters of Kerala to the trans-Himalayas at Hemi’s National Park.
Mona Singh is the director of guest experiences at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. A native of Udaipur, she’s been sending guests to Rajasthan for decades.
Nikhilendra Singh is the cofounder of RAAS, Jodhpur, who transformed a traditional haveli mansion into a beloved boutique hotel and has influenced the revitalization of several surrounding historical sites.
Puja and Kunal Shah are jewelry designers and entrepreneurs who returned to India from the US 20 years ago and now live in Ahmedabad. They launched two fine jewelry brands, Aurus and Moi, and during their travels throughout India, have discovered lots of places off-the-beaten path and boutique hotels run by founders who are passionate about travel, food and discovery.
Raghavendra Rathore – Lifestyle designer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, hotelier and member of the Jodhpur royal family, for 30 years he has been at the forefront of the Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur (RRJ) bespoke brand of menswear.
Rymn Massand is the founder and creative director of PLUSRYMN, a creative agency that works between NYC and India and everywhere in between. Born and raised in India and living in NYC, she designs for and works with magazines, publishing houses, hotels, lifestyle and beauty brands. She gave us a big hand pulling together this Travel Planner!
Sai Pradhan is an Indian-American writer and artist living in Hong Kong. Her writing has been published in The Iowa Review, Prairie Schooner, Hong Kong Free Press, and her art appears in gallery exhibits. She used to review hotels for The Particular Rover, where she now curates her favorite travel finds.
Tarang Arora is the CEO and creative director of Amrapali Jewels; he was born into a family with deep roots in Indian jewelry and focuses on heritage-inspired designs with a modern twist.
Thierry Colson is a French fashion designer who draws inspiration from India’s vibrant textiles, cultures and heritage who travels frequently to Rajasthan to partner with local textile artisans.
Vanessa Boz specializes in creating sustainably luxurious itineraries for families anywhere in the world, with a particular love for Rajasthan. She launched BozAround Private Travel five years ago after writing about travel and design for magazines and her travel blog, BozAround.
Vishal Tholia is a legacy jeweler and creative head of Tholia’s Kuber jewelers in Jaipur.
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