Price
2027
12 nights– £4,185 per person, sharing
Dates & Prices
INDIA
The Holi Festival Ride
Overview
Ride a Marwari through rural Rajasthan, search for wild leopards and celebrate India’s Festival of Colours with the people who have welcomed you along the way.
This special departure combines the Leopard Trail and Palace to Palace routes, taking you from the lakeside city of Udaipur to the blue city of Jodhpur. In between, there are wooded hills, village trails, lakeside camps and characterful heritage stays, with nine days riding through a wonderfully varied landscape.
Your hosts are Ajeet and Caroline, whose shared love of Marwari horses is at the heart of the holiday. Ajeet leads the ride, sharing his knowledge of the horses and countryside, while Caroline looks after the planning and logistics. A team of grooms and camp staff supports the journey, taking care of the horses and making sure you’re well looked after.
The first part of your adventure follows forest paths and open plains towards Jawai, where a jeep safari takes you in search of leopards among the granite hills. You then continue towards Ranakpur, Ghanerao and the horses’ home at Jodha Stud, staying in heritage properties along the way.
The Holi celebrations are a real highlight. Join your hosts, their family, staff and local friends for an evening of traditional food, music and a decorated horse display, followed by an afternoon of colourful fun at the stud. White clothes are provided — although they certainly won’t stay white for long!
Highlights
- Ride native Marwari horses through their Rajasthan homeland.
- Combine the Leopard Trail and Palace to Palace routes in one adventure.
- Celebrate Holi with your hosts, their family and local friends at Jodha Stud.
- Enjoy a special dinner, traditional music and a decorated horse display.
- Search for wild leopards on a jeep safari at Jawai.
- Stay in safari camps, a historic castle and characterful heritage hotels.
- Explore Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranakpur’s Jain Temple and Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort.
Location
Rajasthan, India
Airport
Arrive Udaipur and depart Jodhpur
Duration
12 nights
When to go
March
Riding level
Intermediate to Advanced
Weight
90 kg / 14 stone / 198 lbs
Group size
2 - 12
Accommodation
Hotels and tented camps
Included
All riding, full board accommodation, drinks, a limited selection of alcoholic drinks, transfers, sightseeing tickets, Jeep safari at Jawai as described and Holi celebrations at Jodha Stud, including the special dinner and white clothes for the colour celebrations.
Extras
Single supplement – £600
Excluded
Flights, drinks at hotels and tips.
Price guarantee
All our riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book with us and will refund the difference should you find the same riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
Exchange rate
Rates are subject to daily exchange rate fluctuations, please refer to our Terms and Conditions for full details.
Transfers
The team will meet and transfer you to your hotel on the first night in Udaipur.
Departure dates
2027
12 - 24 March
Riding & Itinerary
Horses – A beautiful selection of mostly Marwari riding horses, bred and sourced by Ajeet and indigenous to Rajasthan. They have the unusual characteristic of curly ears which can turn 180 degrees, they are usually 15hh to 16hh but as with most breeds today, they are increasing in size up to 17hh. They have a high, arched head carriage, they are extremely strong and fast paced, especially over the desert terrain. In addition to the normal gaits of the horse, they can also travel at great speed on a smooth gait called the Revall.
Level of riding and pace – There are nine days riding, generally with four to six hours in the saddle on full riding days, alongside shorter rides and time for sightseeing.
The route includes wooded paths, village tracks, farmland, open plains and rocky countryside. The pace changes with the terrain and the group, with opportunities for faster riding where suitable.
This holiday is best suited to intermediate riders and above who are confident cantering in open country and comfortable spending consecutive days in the saddle.
Day 1
Arrive in Udaipur
Arrive in Udaipur and settle into your hotel. A late afternoon boat trip on Lake Pichola introduces you to the city’s waterfront palaces and the wooded hills beyond.
Overnight: Hotel in Udaipur.
Day 2
Explore Udaipur and Travel to Kumbhalgarh
Enjoy a guided morning exploring Udaipur, including the City Palace overlooking Lake Pichola.
After lunch, travel north by road to Kumbhalgarh, a journey of approximately two hours.
Overnight: Hotel in Kumbhalgarh.
Day 3
Kumbhalgarh Fort and Your First Ride
Visit Kumbhalgarh Fort before meeting the horses and beginning your safari.
Follow old paths through Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary and Ghanerao Forest, descending through woodland and crossing small rivers. There’s a picnic lunch along the way before reaching camp beside Muthana Lake.
Overnight: Safari camp.
Day 4
Ride to Dantiwara Lake
A full day riding takes you through villages and across the plains beneath the Aravalli Hills.
Stop for a picnic lunch before continuing to your lakeside camp at Dantiwara.
Overnight: Safari camp.
Day 5
Ride to Perwa
Continue south-west through the Bali Forest area towards Perwa, passing farmsteads, villages and smooth rock formations.
Enjoy a leisurely picnic in the shade. Near the village, there may be an opportunity to stop and look for leopards before reaching camp.
Overnight: Safari camp.
Day 6
Ride to Jawai Bandh
Ride onwards to Jawai Bandh, where granite hills, caves, scrub and sandy riverbeds create a striking backdrop.
This is the landscape of Rajasthan’s wild leopards, and your camp here will be home for the next two nights.
Overnight: Safari camp at Jawai.
Day 7
Jawai Riding and Leopard Safari
Spend the morning riding around the lake and surrounding countryside, keeping an eye out for wildlife.
In the evening, head out by jeep in search of leopards among the rocky hills before returning to camp.
Overnight: Safari camp at Jawai.
Day 8
Morning Ride and Ranakpur
Enjoy a morning ride before transferring to Ranakpur.
In the afternoon, visit its Jain Temple, known for its intricate marble carving, before settling into your hotel.
Overnight: Hotel in Ranakpur.
Day 9
Ride to Ghanerao
Spend the day riding towards Ghanerao, where your overnight stay is in the village’s historic castle.
Built from marble and red sandstone, Ghanerao Castle remains a family home, with rooms and verandas that reflect its long history.
Overnight: Ghanerao Castle.
Day 10
Ride to Jodha Stud and Holika Dahan Celebrations
Follow the foothills towards Shobhawas and Jodha Stud, the horses’ home. Pass villages and farmland, stopping for a picnic before arriving at the stud beside a riverbed.
In the evening, join your hosts for a special Holika Dahan dinner and bonfire ceremony. Traditional music, food and a display of decorated horses mark the start of the Holi celebrations.
Overnight: Jodha Stud.
Day 11
Riding and the Festival of Colours
Enjoy a morning ride before returning to Jodha Stud for lunch.
Then it’s time for Rangwali Holi, the Festival of Colours. Join the family, staff and local friends for an afternoon of colourful celebrations within the farm. White clothes are provided, ready to be covered in colour!
After a wash and change, say goodbye to the horses and transfer to nearby Rawla Narlai.
Overnight: Rawla Narlai.
Day 12
Jodhpur and Mehrangarh Fort
Travel by road to Jodhpur in the morning.
Spend the afternoon visiting Mehrangarh Fort, rising above the city’s blue-painted buildings, before enjoying the final evening of your Rajasthan adventure.
Overnight: Balsamand Lake Palace, Jodhpur.
Day 13
Departure
After breakfast, depart for your onward journey.
*The itinerary and accommodation may change to suit local conditions. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.*
Please ask about
India is such an interesting place to experience, and we can easily arrange and recommend additional cultural highlights, like tours of Delhi and Mumbai and the beautiful monument of the Taj Mahal and the Amber fort in Jaipur.
Horses
Marwari
Riding level
Intermediate to Advanced
Type of riding
Progressive trail ride, pace varies from walk to long canters. Need to be fit to ride 5-6 hours in the heat
Tack
Mostly snaffles bridles and cavalry style saddles
Weight limit
90 kg / 14 stone / 198 lbs
Group size
2 - 12
Accommodation & Meals
The accommodation is part of the adventure, combining five nights in safari camps with seven nights in hotels, heritage properties and at Jodha Stud.
During the camping section, the team moves the camp along the route. Tents have proper beds, bed linen and attached bathrooms, so you can enjoy these rural settings with the practical arrangements taken care of.
The itinerary also includes Ghanerao Castle, a historic family home, and Rawla Narlai, a former royal hunting lodge now run as a characterful boutique hotel. Rooms at these heritage properties vary in size and style, reflecting the buildings themselves.
Your final night is planned at Balsamand Lake Palace in Jodhpur.
*Named accommodation is subject to availability and may be replaced with an alternative.*
The holiday is fully catered, with Indian meals, picnic lunches along the trail and dinners at your hotels and camps.
Riding days are broken up with a relaxed lunch stop, often in the shade, before continuing to your next overnight stay.
At Jodha Stud, a special dinner forms part of the Holi celebrations, bringing together traditional food, music and the horses.
Mineral water and a small selection of alcoholic drinks are included during the ride. Please let us know about dietary requirements when enquiring so we can check these with your hosts.
Accommodation
Hotels and tented camps
Single Supplement
Single supplement applies
Meals
Inform us about food allergies and intolerances
Drinks
Soft drinks and a limited selection of alcohol included. Drinks payable at hotels
The Destination
Rajasthan is a state in Northern India. It covers 342,239 square kilometres or 10% of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. Visitors are often fascinated by the vibrant colors, the majestic forts, the beautiful palaces, and the unique culture of the region. They also appreciate the hospitality of the people and the delicious cuisine.
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