Jane Shoebridge, owner of Salawas Indian Treasures

Gujarat and Rajasthan

31st October - 18th November 2008
18 day tour

Programme

Bhuj, in the heart of Kutch

Fly from London Heathrow to Mumbai with Jet Airways, transfer to internal flight direct to Bhuj. Book into hotel for a well deserved rest. Spend four nights in Bhuj visiting local tribal communities where the beautiful and intricate crafts of Kutch can be seen. Bhuj suffered devastation in the 2001 earthquake, however, residents are determined to rebuild their lives and welcome visitors.

Wankaner/Rajkot
Travel by coach for a one night stay in Wankaner, visiting Rajkot, the home of Mahatma Gandhi. In recent years Rajkot has been promoted as a Patola sari weaving centre, this type of weaving has been simplified by only dyeing the weft instead of the warp and weft, therefore making the fabrics more affordable

Ahmadabad/Udaipur
By coach to Ahmadabad for a one night stay, visiting the world famous Calico Museum before moving on to Udaipur for a three night stay. Here we visit the City Palace with its lavish mosaics, take an evening car ride to Monsoon Palace to watch the sun set, and a boat trip across Pichola Lake to Jagniwas Island. Have a rickshaw ride round the spice market and bazaars seeing basket weavers, potters, jewellers etc. at work. Visit the Art School with its remarkable collection of miniature paintings and where you can try your hand at this skilled work. And for those that wish to try some authentic Indian cooking, a half day course can be arranged.

Jodphur
Leaving Udaipur we continue our journey north to Rohet on the outskirts of Jodphur for a two night stay. From Rohet we travel by jeep into the desert, having lunch with the Bishnoi tribal people and visiting potters, embrioderers and carpet weavers in their homes. From Rohet we travel east to Roopangarh Fort or Pushkar where a village safari can be arranged.

Jaipur
Travelling east we stop at Bagru to see hand block printing and indigo dyeing before we reach Jaipur. Jaipur has a wealth of places to see and things to do, so we will fit in as many as possible; the City Palace Museum of Textiles, the remarkable Janta Manta Observatory, Palace of the Winds, Jaipur Blue Pottery, a carpet factory, an elephant ride up to Amber Fort. We will wander the bustling streets of the old city and of course, shop. Jaipur is a shopper’s paradise, famous for fabric, jewellery, precious metals and stones. We will also visit Sanganer, home of hand made paper making. And before we fly back home spend one night in the wonderful Neemrana Fort or Patoudi Palace

An Unforgettable Journey

Everywhere is a visual feast, you will take back glittering memories and of course, renew those creative energies.

Please Note. These tours are not suitable for people with walking difficulties or who are not able to climb steep steps and ramps.

For a full itinerary and prices, please contact Jane Shoebridge.
Tel. 01404 841498 email janejohn100@hotmail.co.uk