The Palace on Wheels reaches Udaipur this morning where we take
a city tour by coach. We have lunch at a local hotel before
cruising on the serene waters of Lake Pichola, an artificial lake
created in 1362 AD. On our return to Udaipur, we rejoin the
train.
On Day 12, we arrive in Jaisalmer, a historic
walled town in the Thar Desert. We take a city tour, exploring the
beautiful merchants' houses with intricately-carved sandstone
façades. This afternoon, we enjoy a drive on a camel cart,
traversing the sandy desert. We stop to admire the sun setting
beyond the sand dunes, while sipping our afternoon tea. Later, we
enjoy dinner and a cultural performance at a local hotel before the
train sets out for Jodhpur.
On Day 13, we arrive in the 'Blue City' itself,
enjoying a tour that includes, the grand Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant
Thada, an ornate cenotaph of a Rajput king, and Umaid Bhawan Palace
Museum. After soaking up the atmosphere and architecture
reminiscent of stately Indian court life, we enjoy lunch in a local
hotel. Later, we re-board the train for the journey to Agra.