Bundi – the land of step-wells & palaces

Bundi, a sleepy little charming town has graciously retained the magic of the centuries past. It’s located in the Indian state of Rajasthan, in a narrow valley within Aravalli Hills. The mesmerizing step-wells, miniature gold paintings, serene lakes, beautiful temples, colorful bazaars, vintage-style shops, smiling people, blue houses, and the chaos, is the essence of Bundi.

Rajasthan

Starts: from Delhi

Ends: at Delhi

Group Type: Mixed Gender

Dates

Start: 10:30 PM, Aug 11 2023

End: 7:00 AM, Aug 15 2023

16300

About the Tour

Bundi – if you haven’t visited this town before, means you are going to experience a hidden gem of Rajasthan. It’s going to surprise you with the amazing architecture, colorful lanes, beautiful cafes, spicy chai, and delicious food.

Did you know that Bundi is also known as the blue city of eastern Rajasthan?

Bundi is not just an offbeat travel destination, but home to the rich history and mind-blowing artwork. As a matter of fact, Rudyard Kipling has described Bundi Palace to be “the work of goblins rather than of men”. Kipling was very fond of Bundi as he stayed there, while he was writing his novel “Kim”.

The intricate architectural work showcased by step-wells and Bundi palace speaks for itself. The miniature art paintings of Bundi are some of the best in the world. Tourist’s way of indulging with Bundi’s miniature paintings is by embracing this art on their nails, and buying painted postcards.

Located at a distance of a few kilometers from Bundi, is the town of Kota.

Kota, located on the banks of the Chambal river, has an unexplored and breathtaking beauty. Did you know that Rajasthan proudly boasts about Kota in its latest tourism ad campaign? Beyond coaching institutions, students, and hostels, Kota is a city dotted with palaces, museums, lakes, and gardens which are proof of its prosperous past.

Do we now have enough motivation to set ourselves on an exploration adventure to Bundi and Kota?

Trip Highlights

1. Raniji ki Baori

Raniji ki Baori is a picturesque stepwell located in Bundi. It’s a multi-storeyed structure, with a depth of 46 meters, a high arched gate, and a beautiful entrance marked by four pillars. Did you know that many parts of the step-well has intricate stone carvings that make Raniji ki Baori a spellbinding place to visit?
It was built in the 17th century by Rani Nathavati Ji who was the younger queen of the ruling King of Bundi named Rao Raja Anirudh Singh. Doesn’t it justify the name of this step-well because in English Raniji translates to “Queen” and Baori translates to “stepwell”?

2. Bhimlat Falls & Mahadev Temple

Bhimlat Waterfalls are the most spectacular falls of the region, located at a distance of a few km from Bundi. It’s a cascading waterfall, with a height of 60 meters. As per mythology, Bhimlat falls were created by Bhim to quench the thirst of Pandavas during their exile. However, as per the historical facts, these falls were formed as a result of an 8th century earthquake. We will also visit Mahadev temple near Bhimlat Falls.
Doesn’t it sound like a much-needed place to visit to soothe our eyes and calm the soul?

3. Bundi Chitrashala

Bundi Chitrashala has a very important contribution to the Rajasthani style of Indian miniature painting from the 17th to 19th century. Entering Bundi Chitrashala makes one feel as if they have entered a fairy palace. Every single inch of Bundi Chitrashala is adorned by mesmerizing miniature paintings depicting the life of Lord Krishna, court scenes, festivals, processions, hunting, etc. The shades of blue and green dominate and even the minutest details are done well in the paintings. These paintings are unquestionably some of the best in the world.

4. Jait Sagar Lake

Jait Sagar Lake, located at a distance of 3 km from Bundi, is a picturesque lake located right next to Sukh Mahal. The lake is nestled between Aravalli hills and tall walls with four entry points to the lake. Did you know that in monsoon months, the beauty of the lake is enhanced by blooming lotus flowers?

5. Bundi Palace

Bundi Palace was constructed by Rao Raja Ratan Singh Hada in the early 17th century. It’s easily recognizable by the elephants built at its entrance which is also known as Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate. The most fascinating thing about Bundi Palace are gold-painting murals, beautiful doors enhanced by local art, and a wonderful ceiling inspired by Chinese art.

6. 84 Pillared Cenotaph

84 Pillared Cenotaph, built by the king of Bundi Rao Raja Anirudh Singh, is an umbrella-like double-storied structure adorned with artistic figures exhibiting the art which was prevalent in the 17th century. At the upper level, the main chhatri (umbrella) is supported by 16 pillars, and corners are complemented by the other four small chhatris. At the lower level, a Shiva Lingam is placed in the center below a beautiful roof which is supported by 84 pillars. Hence, the name of the monument is 84-pillared cenotaph. It’s truly an architectural marvel and a paradise for portrait photography.

7. Dhabhai Kund

Dhabhai Kund, constructed by Prithvi Raj Chauhan, is another beautiful step-well located in the town of Bundi. The spectacular carvings on staircases and the symmetrical geometrical pattern of every step leaves the visitors spellbound. Dhabhai Kund can also be viewed as a smaller version of Chand Baori, located in Dausa district of Rajasthan, because of the strong architectural resemblance.

8. Sukh Mahal

Sukh Mahal, as the name suggests, was constructed to be used for leisure activities by the royal prince. It’s lies by the lake Jait Sagar and hence the visitors get an illusion of being submerged in water. The mountain in the background of Sukh Mahal makes it a postcard-perfect location.

Sukh Mahal hosted Rudyard Kipling during his stay in Bundi, in the 19th century, while he was working on his novel “Kim”. Local people also refer to Sukh Mahal as Kipling Palace. A few years ago, Sukh Mahal was converted into a museum that houses beautiful Bundi miniature paintings, statues, and weapons.

9. Bundi Market

Imagine yourself walking through a beautifully chaotic market dotted with vintage-style small shops, street hawkers, streets so narrow that you can actually exchange smiles with shop-owners while strolling through the market! If you stay in Bundi for over a day, every shop owner will recognize you by face. A visit to Bundi market is incomplete without relishing a cup of tea made from freshly ground spices at Krishna Chai, buying some postcard miniature paintings, and getting some nail art done.

10. Bundi Nail Art & Miniature Paintings

As mentioned before, the miniature paintings of Bundi are some of the best in the world. However, in the modern world, it has become extremely tough to keep the art alive and hence local artists have developed a way to manifest those miniature paintings in the form of nail art or postcards. It also becomes a very interesting way for tourists to embrace this beautiful art.

11. Meals at a local home

For some of the meals, we will visit the home of a local family in Bundi. What can be better than relishing authentic local flavors cooked by the lady of the house with utmost love and excitement? They always welcome us with big smile inside their small home. Moreover, the money paid to the family for these meals acts as a big financial support for them.

12. Garadia Mahadev Temple & Chambal Gorge

If there is a paradise around Kota, it’s this! Imagine two 500 feet high gigantic cliffs running parallel to each other, but separated by a river (Chambal), surrounded by a lot of greenery and frequently embraced by high tides of wind. On the top of one cliff, there is Garadia Mahadev Temple releasing the loud chants of Shiva in the air, making it even more captivating. It’s a perfect place to sit on the cliff overlooking the river, get some solitude, and catch some beautiful sights.

13. Kishore Sagar & Jag Mandir

Kishore Sagar, a true marvel of beauty and a man-made lake, spans an area of 550 acres. The calm waters of Kishore Sagar are a perfect haven for nature enthusiasts. In the middle of this haven, stands the magnificent Jag Mandir, a palace built on an island in the center of the lake.
Jag Mandir is a splendid architectural marvel, built in red sandstone and marble, and is said to have been inspired by the grandeur of the palaces of Mughal Emperor Akbar. The palace has intricate carvings, beautiful arches, and a stunning dome that make it a sight to behold.

14. Unforgettable social experience

Our small group size ensure a personal touch, and our group leaders make sure to bond the entire group like long-lost friends. Hence, along with an amazing travel experience, you are in for a great of great social bonding.

Your Itinerary

Day 1: Start from Delhi/ Overnight journey to Bundi

Meet the entire group and group leader for introduction and orientation in Delhi. We will board a vehicle exclusively booked for our group for our overnight journey to Bundi, starting at 10:30 PM.
There will be three pickup points:

a. 10:30 PM: Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport (near Mahipalpur)
b. 11:00 PM: Iffco Chowk Metro Station in Gurgaon
c. (between 3-4 AM on August 12): Lalit Hotel, Jaipur

If you are an outstation participant, please land latest by 8:30 PM in Delhi on Day 1 and by 1:30 AM in Jaipur.

Day 2: Explore Bundi

Arrival in Bundi
Freshen-up & have breakfast
Relax
Lunch
Raniji ki Baori
Dhabhai Kund
84 pillared cenotaph
Sukh Mahal
Jait Sagar Lake
Dinner in a local home
Group Activity

Day 3: Explore Bundi

Bhimlater Falls & Mahadev Temple (only for August trip)
Breakfast
Bundi Chitrashala
Bundi Palace
Lunch
Market Visit (Krishna Chai, Nail Art, Bundi Miniature Paintings)
Dinner
Group Activity

Day 4: Explore Kota

Breakfast
Checkout & leave for Kota
Visit Garadia Mahadev Temple
Lunch
Kishore Sagar & Jagmandir Palace
Kota Kachori Shop Visit
Leave for Delhi
Dinner (on the way)

Day 5: Arrival in Delhi and Goodbye

We are supposed to reach Jaipur (Hotel Lalit) latest by 2 AM, IFFCO Chowk Gurgaon by 7 AM, and Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport by 7:30 AM as per the schedule. Still keep, some good buffer time in hand if you have an onward journey on the same day.
We will drop off the participants as per the respective pick-up points, and exchange warm hugs, and goodbyes until we meet again.

Trip Ends

If you are an outstation participant, please book a flight that departs after 1 PM from Delhi on Day 5 or 6 AM from Jaipur.

Important Information

Ex-Delhi (add 5% GST to the applicable tariff):

16300 INR per person (regular tariff)

15300 INR per person if you book from the first five seats

After the first 5 seats,

15700 INR if you book the slot number between 6-10

16000 INR per person for two or more people traveling together

16000 INR per person if you are solo but have already traveled with us 🙂

Else, 16300 INR per person

Please note that 5% GST would be added to the final applicable cost.

To make a booking, please send:
WhatsApp/ Call : 9999749677
Email: chandni@transformingtravels.com

Note:

Please note that if Transforming Travels isn’t able to execute the trip because of any covid regulations that directly affect the itinerary, then we will either reschedule the trip, refund, or give you the credit for the amount you paid, but your money won’t be lost at all. As it’s subjective to the situation, we will also take a call as per the situation.

All transport from Delhi to Delhi in an Innova/ Tempo Traveler/ Minibus depending on group size
Stay in a pretty Haveli-style cute hotel for two nights on a twin-sharing and same-gender basis for solo travelers (co-travelers/couples will be given private rooms if informed during booking time)
Cost of local guides
Day 1: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 2: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 3: Breakfast
All entry tickets to places mentioned in the itinerary
Boating in Kishore Sagar
Friendly and knowledgeable group leader throughout the tour

All the meals not listed in Inclusions. We pay for what we eat.
Any amount spent on shopping, nail art, etc during market visits
Any expense on any items/services which are personal such as driver tips, medicines, toiletries, sun protection creams, snacks, laundry, STD calls, etc
Any extra expenses incurred due to delays arising from bad weather conditions or any unanticipated or uncontrollable conditions
Any medical expenses
Any other expenses of any nature not included in the INCLUSIONS section

The group size will be limited to a maximum of 21 people: 20 participants + 1 group leader and a minimum of 6 people: 5 participants + 1 group leader.
Participants are requested to arrive 15 min prior to the pickup time.
We don’t distribute any packed water during this trip. Hence, we recommend everyone to get water bottles that can be refilled. Why add non-biodegradable waste to the environment if we can easily manage it without doing so?
Hotel stay in Bundi would be in a heritage haveli. Since it’s a heritage property, rooms differ each from in terms of size and layout but are priced the same for us. Hence, we expect participants to accept whatever room allotment they are given by the group leader. Generally, we use a first come first serve basis system for the allotment. Hence, book your slot with soon.

Sanitizer & Masks (please carry a backup mask too in case you lose one)
Summer clothes
Very light jacket for early morning/ late evening time (not required for monsoon trip)
A small day bag
Snacks
Refillable Water Bottle
Sunglasses/ Hat/ Headgear
Comfortable walking shoes
Sunscreen
Power Banks
Neck Pillow for road journey
Shawl for the overnight journey
Raincoat/umbrella/poncho (for monsoon trip)
Bluetooth Speaker – if you are an entertainment enthusiast
ID Proof (Aadhar/ Passport/Driving License)
Any prescribed medication
POSITIVE ENERGY & ENTHUSIASM!

60 days before the trip: 90% refund
60-41 days before the trip: 70% refund
40-21 days before the trip: 40% refund
20-16 days before the trip: 20% refund
Less than 15 days before the trip: No Refund

Participants will be respectful to their fellow guests, organizers, and the hosts
Participants have to show a little degree of flexibility during the tour
It’s the duty of participants to assess whether they are physically fit or not for the tour before joining it
Please note that neither we assign any seats in the vehicle nor do we take any special requests for that. Be it a first seat, window seat, or the last seat, we expect participants to be flexible with their choice considering the fact that it’s a group tour. Although, we encourage participants to shuffle seats with each other during the journey to support each other.
Transforming Travels reserves the right to modify the place of stay or the itinerary without any prior notice.
Every participant should be wearing a mask at all public places. Also, expected to carry a backup mask in case you lose one.
Every participant should carry a personal sanitizer and keep sanitizing their hands at regular intervals.
At the backend, we would also be conducting the temperature check of our driver, group leader, and guide.
Our accommodation partners sanitize the rooms and attached bathrooms before check-in. Common areas are sanitized on regular basis.
Temperature check is conducted for housekeeping and kitchen staff members every day by our accommodation partners.
The laws and customs of the areas we visit can be very different from those we are used to. Be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend, especially if you are visiting religious areas. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with and respect local laws and customs. If you fail to do so, we will have no liability to you for any cost, loss, or damage you suffer nor will we refund you the cost of any unused portion of your travel arrangements.
Please note that if a Government rule asks for a negative RT PCR test report for any places that are a part of our itinerary, then it’s your responsibility to get that test done & bring the report.
Outstation participants are advised to keep a good amount of buffer time while booking their flights. Please keep as much buffer time as you can. Still, if someone misses their flight because of any unpredictable circumstances then Transforming Travels won’t be liable.

Important Information

Cost

Ex-Delhi (add 5% GST to the applicable tariff):

16300 INR per person (regular tariff)

15300 INR per person if you book from the first five seats

After the first 5 seats,

15700 INR if you book the slot number between 6-10

16000 INR per person for two or more people traveling together

16000 INR per person if you are solo but have already traveled with us 🙂

Else, 16300 INR per person

Please note that 5% GST would be added to the final applicable cost.

To make a booking, please send:
WhatsApp/ Call: 9999749677
Email: chandni@transformingtravels.com

Note:

Inclusions

All transport from Delhi to Delhi in an Innova/ Tempo Traveler/ Minibus depending on group size
Stay in a pretty Haveli-style cute hotel for two nights on a twin-sharing and same-gender basis for solo travelers (co-travelers/couples will be given private rooms if informed during booking time)
Cost of local guides
Day 1: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 2: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 3: Breakfast
All entry tickets to places mentioned in the itinerary
Boating in Kishore Sagar
Friendly and knowledgeable group leader throughout the tour

Exclusions

All the meals not listed in Inclusions. We pay for what we eat.
Any amount spent on shopping, nail art, etc during market visits
Any expense on any items/services which are personal such as driver tips, medicines, toiletries, sun protection creams, snacks, laundry, STD calls, etc
Any extra expenses incurred due to delays arising from bad weather conditions or any unanticipated or uncontrollable conditions
Any medical expenses
Any other expenses of any nature not included in the INCLUSIONS section

Basic Info

The group size will be limited to a maximum of 21 people: 20 participants + 1 group leader and a minimum of 6 people: 5 participants + 1 group leader.
Participants are requested to arrive 15 min prior to the pickup time.
We don’t distribute any packed water during this trip. Hence, we recommend everyone to get water bottles that can be refilled. Why add non-biodegradable waste to the environment if we can easily manage it without doing so?
Hotel stay in Bundi would be in a heritage haveli. Since it’s a heritage property, rooms differ each from in terms of size and layout but are priced the same for us. Hence, we expect participants to accept whatever room allotment they are given by the group leader. Generally, we use a first come first serve basis system for the allotment. Hence, book your slot with soon.

Packing List

Sanitizer & Masks (please carry a backup mask too in case you lose one)
Summer clothes
Very light jacket for early morning/ late evening time (not required for monsoon trip)
A small day bag
Snacks
Refillable Water Bottle
Sunglasses/ Hat/ Headgear
Comfortable walking shoes
Sunscreen
Power Banks
Neck Pillow for road journey
Shawl for the overnight journey
Raincoat/umbrella/poncho (for monsoon trip)
Bluetooth Speaker – if you are an entertainment enthusiast
ID Proof (Aadhar/ Passport/Driving License)
Any prescribed medication
POSITIVE ENERGY & ENTHUSIASM!

Cancellation Policy

60 days before the trip: 90% refund
60-41 days before the trip: 70% refund
40-21 days before the trip: 40% refund
20-16 days before the trip: 20% refund
Less than 15 days before the trip: No Refund

Terms and Conditions

Participants will be respectful to their fellow guests, organizers, and the hosts
Participants have to show a little degree of flexibility during the tour
It’s the duty of participants to assess whether they are physically fit or not for the tour before joining it
Please note that neither we assign any seats in the vehicle nor do we take any special requests for that. Be it a first seat, window seat, or the last seat, we expect participants to be flexible with their choice considering the fact that it’s a group tour. Although, we encourage participants to shuffle seats with each other during the journey to support each other.
Transforming Travels reserves the right to modify the place of stay or the itinerary without any prior notice.
Every participant should be wearing a mask at all public places. Also, expected to carry a backup mask in case you lose one.
Every participant should carry a personal sanitizer and keep sanitizing their hands at regular intervals.
At the backend, we would also be conducting the temperature check of our driver, group leader, and guide.
Our accommodation partners sanitize the rooms and attached bathrooms before check-in. Common areas are sanitized on regular basis.
Temperature check is conducted for housekeeping and kitchen staff members every day by our accommodation partners.
The laws and customs of the areas we visit can be very different from those we are used to. Be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend, especially if you are visiting religious areas. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with and respect local laws and customs. If you fail to do so, we will have no liability to you for any cost, loss, or damage you suffer nor will we refund you the cost of any unused portion of your travel arrangements.
Please note that if a Government rule asks for a negative RT PCR test report for any places that are a part of our itinerary, then it’s your responsibility to get that test done & bring the report.
Outstation participants are advised to keep a good amount of buffer time while booking their flights. Please keep as much buffer time as you can. Still, if someone misses their flight because of any unpredictable circumstances then Transforming Travels won’t be liable.

Booking/ Query

To book this trip, please Call/ WhatsApp/ Email using the below-mentioned details.

If you have any questions or concerns, then please feel free to contact us using the below-mentioned details. Alternatively, fill this form and our team will get back to you at their earliest.