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 – Intermediate riders. The pace varies from walk through the villages to plenty of long canters in the sand later in the week. It is not fast riding, but the horses are sensitive and highly strung, so you need to be a confident rider and fit as you are riding 5-6 hours in the heat.

Day 1
Arrive at Jodhpur. Transfer to hotel. Afternoon sightseeing to Mehrangarh Fort. Mehrangarh Fort stands a hundred feet in splendour on a perpendicular cliff, four hundred feet above the skyline of Jodhpur. Burnished red sandstone, imposing, invincible and yet with a strange haunting beauty that beckons. Much has been written about the Citadel of the Sun, for truly, it is one of the most impressive in all Rajasthan.

So colossal are its proportions that Rudyard Kipling called it “the work of giants”. Today, it is acknowledged as one of the best-preserved forts in India. We will also visit Jodhpur market and the central clock tower area of the city. Overnight: Jodhpur Hotel.

Day 2
Morning: short road transfer to our tented camp at Mathania, and to meet your Marwari horses, lunch in camp and afternoon trial ride around the surrounding countryside. All tents have en suite bathrooms and come fully equipped with all furniture, linen and towels. Overnight: Tented Camp.

Day 3
Full day ride Mathania to Osian. Today we ride Northwest, making our way over the dunes, passing small mud huts and hamlets, taking in the vistas from the edge of the Great Thar Desert of Rajasthan. We stop for a picnic lunch and little siesta, before heading off again to reach our next camp on the outskirts of Osian.

Osian is an historic town, an oasis in the Thar Desert, and has been known as the Khajuraho of Rajasthan for its temples. Osian is famous as home to the cluster of ruined Brahmanical and Jain temples dating from the 8th to 11th centuries. The city was a major religious centre of the kingdom of Marwar. Of the 18 shrines in the group, the Surya or Sun Temple and the later Kali temple, Sachiya Mata Temple and the main Jain temple dedicated to Mahavira stands out in their grace and architecture. Overnight: Tented Camp.

Day 4
Full day ride Osian to Hacra. Today we start to head deeper into the dunes. You will see the local huts with thatched roofs as well as the scrub of desert vegetation, acacia bushes etc. We may encounter wild Nilgai and black buck, as well as other flora and fauna local to this desert environment. We arrive at our tented camp close to the community hamlet of Hacra. In the evening we will visit a local desert guide at his farm, who will tell the history of the area you have been riding in. Overnight: Tented Camp.

Day 5
Full Day ride Hacra to Cullu. Today we ride North, the sand is deeper, but your trusted Marwari have a stamina not known in other breeds; they are desert horses, and you are riding in the heart of their Marwari district, from where their name derives. Overnight: Tented Camp.

Day 6
Full day ride Cullu to Khichan. Our final day riding. By now you will have built up a partnership with your horse and we can take full advantage of the open sands! We arrive at Khichan, famous for the Demoiselle cranes that visit during the winter season October to March. The birds migrate here from the Mongolian steppes and at the peak in December - February, the numbers reach over 10,000 which is a sight to see! Khichan village also has more than 100 havelis (decorated merchants houses) and many of them are beautifully carved. Overnight: Khichan.

Day 7
After breakfast a very sad farewell to your Mawari horse and your India hosts Ajeet and Caroline. Transfer by road to Jodhpur for departure and your onward destination.

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.