India: Pushkar Camel Fair & the Taj Mahal
Oct 19 - Nov 3, 2009 with Photojournalist Karl Grobl

The Pushkar Fair is, in itself, enough to justify an expedition, but on this trip we will also be visiting other fascinating destinations such as Delhi, Jaisalmer, Jaipur and Jodhpur. To top off our adventure we will also visit and photograph the Taj Mahal. We'll begin in Delhi, the heartbeat of Northern India, where we'll have time to explore ancient forts, wander the markets, and experience the history surrounding both the old and new sections of the city.

Jaisalmer, rising out of the heart of the Great Indian Desert is the quintessential India of your dreams. With the oldest living fort in the world, the city is a mass of intricately carved buildings, facades and elaborate balconies. It's temple , fort , and palaces are all built of beautiful yellow stone. Exploring this fascinating city could be a photo destination in and of itself. Jaipur is known as the Pink City because of the extensive use of the locally abundant pink stone, painted in honor of the visit of the royal consort of Queen Victoria. Jaipur thrills the soul with its massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples, and lush gardens.

Sitting at the edge of the Thar desert, Jodhpur is dominated by a massive fort, topping a sheer ridge right in the middle of town. Jodhpur is affectionately referred to as the "Blue City" because of the indigo-colored house lining the fascinating winding streets of the old town. These can be seen from the ramparts of the mighty Mehrangarh Fort, which looms high above the buzzing city.

Located far from the cities and paved roads, our luxury encampment at Manvar allows us to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Indian desert, while being in close proximity to fabulous photo opportunities. In the evening, after a dusty hard day's jeep safari we retreat to Manvar to enjoy delicious Indian cuisine and a wonderful culture and dance performances under the stars. Luni is a feudal town where centuries old traditions still permeate the local lifestyle. Like looking through a window into history, Luni and the surrounding Bishnoi villages provide yet more fascinating, photogenic locations.

To top off this experience of a lifetime, we'll visit and photograph the incredible Taj Mahal, the brilliant white marble jewel of India. Built by Shah Jahan, taking 22 years to comlete, the Taj is a marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen. We'll have the opportunity to photograph the Taj from unique angles and perspectives, including from across the Yamuna River at sunrise.

To see Karl's video slide show of the 2008 tour click here

To watch Karl's slide show video of the 2007 tour click here . . . . .

To watch Karl's slide show video of the 2006 tour click here

To view some of Karl's India images click here

Itinerary . . . .

Day one (Oct 19):  Arrive from your flight to Delhi. You will be transported from the airport to our hotel in downtown Delhi.
We'll spend the night in Delhi.

Day Two: After breakfast we proceed on a guided tour of New Delhi, visiting such sights as the Qutab Minar - 237 feet high and one of
the most perfect towers in the Persian world. In the afternoon cross over to Old Delhi to photograph interesting mosques, monuments
and forts relating to its chequered history as the capital of Muslim India between the 17th and 19th centuries. The tour includes a visit to
the Jamma Mosque, built in 1650. During the tour you'll have the opportunity to ride on cycle rickshaws. This is a great way to explore
and photograph the hustle and bustle as well as the color of the narrow winding streets bursting with people and pavement shops selling
all description of goods. We'll spend the night in Delhi. . . . . . . . . . . . Dag

Day Three: In the morning board our flight to the Blue City of Jodhpur. Upon arrival we'll check into the legendery Ajit Bhawan Hotel.
Built exclusively for Majaraja ir Ajit Sing, it is vibrantly alive with the personalized hospitality provided by the late Maharaja's family who

still lives there. In the afternoon we'll have a guided tour of the Blue City of Jodhpur. We'll visit the massive fort, royal palaces, the armory
and Jaswant Thada - the Royal Crematorium. We'll spend the night in Jodhpur.

Day Four: In the morning we'll have a sunrise shoot of the amazing Blue City. After some free time, in the afternoon we'll photograph
and explore another part of the city. We'll spend the night in Jodhpur.

Day Five: In the morning we'll drive through desert country to Jaisalmer. We'll have free time in the afternoon to explore Jaisalmer, including the Jaisalmer Fort, with its exquisite carving on yellow sandstone. The Golden City of Jaisalmer is a testimony of a by-gone era . We'll photogaph sunset at the nearby Cenataphs. We'll spend the night in Jaisalmer.

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Day Six: In the morning we'll have a sunrise shoot of the Jaisalmer Fort, then tour the residential portions of the fort where one third
of the population of the old city lives. The design of the houses and the lifestyles of the people occupying them remain as they were a
couple of centuries back. We'll also witness the ornate havelis of this ancient citadel. In the afternoon we'll have free time to explore
some more, and then an optional sunset shoot of Jaisalmer. We'll spend the night in Jaisalmer.

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Day Seven: Today we wake up early to photograph sunrise over Gadisar Lake. Later in the day we go on an excursion to the
fascinating desert village dunes of Khuri. The friendly locals will invite us into their simple mud homes with earthen floors and no
electricity or running water. Here the women walk two kilometers to the well and carry the water home on their heads. Then in the
evening we'll explore the desert on camel back. We'll photograph silhouettes of the camels in the desert with the backdrop of the setting
sun. The stillness of the desert, the clear sky, local Rajasthani music and the general atmosphere make the place a very romantic
experience. We'll spend the night in Jaisalmer.

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Day Eight: After breakfast we drive to Manvar . Upon arrival check into the Manvar Resort, located right in the heart of the Great Indian
Thar Desert. It offers a rare opportunity to enjoy Rajasthan's desert life, culture, wildlife and beauty. Built in the style of a traditional
desert village, the resort is spread over 5 acres. We'll be treated to a sunset jeep safari and then a fireside cultural performance. We'll
spend the night at Manvar Desert Resort (Tented Camp).

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Day Nine: A leisurely day is spent in the desert. We'll enjoy a camel or jeep safari to local villages in the middle of the desert. We'll
also have some time for photography discussions and rest. In the evening we'll be treated to yet another memorable cultural
performance of dance and music under the stars. We'll spend the night at Manvar.

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Day Ten: After breakfast we'll drive to visit the Bishnoi Village, where centuries old traditions still permeate the feudal lifestyles. We'll

witness an opium ceremony, a ritual by which guests are welcomed. Colorfully attired men and women carry on their chores and traditions

in their mud-floored village huts. In the afternoon we'll continue on to Pali , where we'll spend the night at the Sardar Samand Palace.

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Day Eleven: In the morning we'll drive to Pushkar where we'll check into our Swiss Tents (with hot water provided in buckets, flush
toilets, and several hours of electricity each evening). We'll have two days here to witness the amazing spectacle called Pushkar. There
will be plenty to photograph - the countless camels ambling their way across the golden sands of Rajasthan, horses marching towards
the site of the fair with their masters and an assemblage of numerous cows and sheeps, men with large colorful turbans, women
wrapped in exquisite jewelry from head to toe and children dressed in their colorful traditional attire. We'll spend the night in Pushkar.

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Day Twelve: We'll have the whole day to wander and photograph Pushkar. The fair is initially devoted to the trade of camels, sheep,

horses and cows. Their owners, dressed in colorful attire use all of their persuasive skills to sell them at the most competitive prices.
The festival also offers the women an opportunity to purchase a huge variety of jewelry items. There are also stalls where colorful
clothing is sold as well as tattoo shops, jugglers and fire dancers. As the fair nears its climax, various competitive events are held, such
as camel races, musical chairs, and beauty contests. All in all it makes for a photographer's delight. We'll spend the night in Pushkar.

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Day Thirteen: After a leisurely breakfast we'll make the three hour drive to the city of Jaipur. The people here are known to
be dynamic and colorful, and a walk through the lanes here is a walk through history. Here pink turbans jostle with saffron odhinis
(ladies' scarves), and camel buggies and elephants are as commonly found as cars and buses. In the afternoon we'll go for a walking
tour of Jaipur and its colorful bazaars. We'll spend the night in Jaipur.

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Day Fourteen: In the morning we'll visit and photograph Amber Fort, the hilltop fortress / palace 7 miles north of Jaipur, which was
the former capital of the royal Jaipur. We'll also visit the Hwa Mahal or Palace of the Winds, a five-story structure of pink sandstone with
delicately honeycombed windows overlooking the main street of the old city. In the afternoon we'll go on a tour of the Observatory and
photograph the fascinating structures. We'll spend the night in Jaipur.

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Day Fifteen: After breakfast we'll drive to Agra . No matter how many pictures you have seen, the Taj never lets you down - the
unparalleled glory and beauty of the building surpasses beyond all human imagination. In the afternoon we'll cross over the Yamuna River
and drive through traditional Muslim neiborhoods to the seldom visited, western side of the Taj Mahal. Here we'll photograph the
magnificent structure, illuminated by the setting sun, and explore the many photographic possibilities of this unique perspective,
including reflections of the Taj Mahal in the Yamuna River. We'll spend the night in Agra.

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Day Sixteen (Nov 3 ): We'll witness a once-in-a-lifetime event - a dawn visit to the fabled Taj Mahal to photograph the magical
effects caused by the reflections of the changing colors of the rising sun on this brilliant white marble building. We'll have the
opportunity to photograph the Taj from unique angles and perspectives.
Following the tour we'll drive to Delhi where you'll tr ansfer to the international airport for your flights home.
Those who have flights out the following day will have the option to stay an extra night in Delhi.

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Or..............

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Varanasi is possibly the world's oldest living city, dating back to the 6th century B.C. Said to be founded by Shiva, Varanasi is
revered by Hindus, Buddhists and Jain alike. As a result, more Indians make a pilgrimage here than any other place.

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Day Sixteen ( Nov 3): After our early morning visit to the Taj, we'll have the rest of the day to visit the magnificent massive Agra Fort, and
then in the afternoon another chance to photograph the Taj at sunset. We'll spend the night in Agra.

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Day Seventeen: In the morning we'll drive to Delhi to catch our flight to Varanasi. Upon arrival we'll transfer to our rooms at the

Rashmi Guest House. After time to refresh we will visit the fascinating 18th century Durga Temple, one of the most important temples in
Varanasi. Built by a Bengali maharani, this temple has Nagara style, known for its bright red color and the playful monkeys that run
amok on its grounds. In the evening we'll enjoy a special cruise on the Ganges where we'll witness the Hindu devotees performing the
"Puja" with lighted lamps. The view is mesmerizing and the ambience is spectacular, with the backdrop of beating cymbals and bells
as well as the incessant chantings. We'll spend the night in Varanasi.

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Day Eighteen: At dawn we visit and photograph sunrise on the sacred Ganges river and enjoy a serene morning boat ride past the
endless chain of stone steps which stretch from one end to the other. These "ghats" form an impressive and integral part of the
religious landscape of this ancient city. Proceeding slowly downstream, we'll photograph the people who come to bathe in the sacred
waters, as well as many significant temples and buildings. Following the boat ride, we set off on foot to explore the inner city. Through a
twisted maze of narrow alleys, home to numerous shrines and pilgrim shops, it is though we are walking back centuries in time.

We'll spend the night in Varanasi.

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Day Nineteen (Nov 6 ): Morning is at leisure, or head out again to shoot sunrise and absorb more of the religious spirit of
Varanasi, and the endless photo opportunities which are available to us. In the afternoon transfer to the airport to board your flight to
Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi, transfer to the international airport for your flights home. Those who have flights out the following day will
have the option to stay an extra night in Delhi.

"If there is one place on the face of the earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very
earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India" -Romain Rolland-

To reserve a space on this tour click here

To see Karl's video slide show of the 2008 tour click here

To watch Karl's slide show video of the 2007 tour click here

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