Tours and Treks Report: Rajasthan, Grade VII

“If there is one place on the face of Earth where all the dreams of living men and women have found a home, from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India”
— Romaine Rolland (Nobel Laureate)

Day 1, Oct 3, 2018
Five teachers, along with forty-two students of Grade VII boarded the respective flights from Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore for Jaipur, Rajasthan, for the Annual Tours and Treks programme of the school. We began our journey in two batches. We landed in Jaipur, the pink city and after checking into our hotel, Crimson Park, had our breakfast and were ready for the day.

We first visited Jantar Mantar, an ancient scientific astronomical observatory which functions on the movement of the Sun and other heavenly bodies to predict time and prepare astronomical calendars and lunar charts. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, this world heritage site consists of instruments which were used by the then royal astrologers and time-keepers. We even checked the accuracy of these ancient instruments by comparing the time depicted by them with our digital watches. To our amazement, we found it to be correct to the last minute. The precision with which these instruments have been made is incredible, and reflects the advancement of ancient Indian civilisation. All of us felt proud of our national heritage and scientific innovation.

Our next destination was the City palace the royal residence of the Maharaja of the erstwhile State of Jaipur. It also had loads of surprises to offer us. We were impressed by the huge pitcher in which the Maharaja carried water from the River Ganga; when on a holiday to London. Post lunch, we headed to the Block Printing and Blue Pottery Factory which was very artistic. In the evening, the students shopped for their family members, had dinner, and retired for the day.

Day 2, Oct 4, 2018
We started the day with a visit to Amer fort; located on the outskirts of Jaipur. Made of red sandstone and marble and popularly known as Amer Palace, this attractive and opulent citadel is laid out on four levels, each with a courtyard. The students were excited and a bit tired after a long tour through the palace. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for a quick photo session in front of the picturesque Jal Mahal which is a beautiful palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake.

In the evening, we went to dine at the Chokhi Dhani an ethnic five-star village resort that lets you experience the culture of Rajasthan under one roof and a must-visit destination on every traveller’s bucket list. Be it traditional Rajasthani entertainment, architecture, or authentic Rajasthani food, everything is just perfectly available at Chokhi Dhani. It is a quintessential village that gives the visitors some respite from the monotonous urban life.  We spent considerable time playing traditional games and relishing the Rajasthani delicacies. 

Day 3, Oct 5, 2018
We travelled to Jodhpur and checked into Nirali Dhani resort. Soon after, we visited the five hundred year-old city of Jodhpur. The indigo tinge to its white washed houses has earned it the nickname of ‘Blue City’, across the globe. Never in its history, was Jodhpur successfully besieged by an invader. The students learnt that the fort was also built to protect some of the most stunning palaces in the whole of Rajasthan.

Day 4, Oct 6, 2018
We left Jodhpur in the morning for Jaisalmer Desert Camp. On our way, we visited Jaisalmer fort. We reached the Sam Desert Camp and witnessed the glorious sunset in the deserted sand dunes. We went for an enjoyable Jeep Safari and camel ride. Both were enjoyable and incredible experiences. At night, we witnessed local cultural programmes and had a great time joining the artistes in their enviable dance moves.

Day 5, Oct 7, 2018
We checked out from the camp to visit Patwon Ki Haweli, Salim Singh Ki Haweli and Gadi Sagar Lake. All these sites were enthralling and very beautiful. Post lunch we proceeded to Nirali Dhani, Jodhpur.

Day 6, Oct 8, 2018
We visited Umaid‘s palace, garden and museum. We were taken aback by Mehrangarh fort’s breath-taking architecture. It is a sight of magnificence and glory. The students loved Jaswant Thada. We celebrated Master Abeer’s birthday with lot of fun and frolic. We were happy that we were able to make his birthday special. A special cake was ordered for the birthday boy.

Day 7, Oct 9, 2018
We checked out of Nirali Dhani resort immediately after breakfast, and boarded a flight to Mumbai, where we took a connecting flight to Bangalore. On our way to the school from the airport, we bought dinner from McDonald’s. We reached SBA safely.

Amazing Holidaysis an absolutely amazing host. We appreciate the hardwork and sincerity of Mr. Terrence and Mr. Usman. They are professionals who treat their customers very well. On the whole, the food/hotels/facilities/transport and other amenities that were provided were really excellent. All the children and the teachers enjoyed the trip. It was very well-planned and executed. Thumbs up to Amazing Holidays Team!

On behalf of all the teacher escorts, we appreciate the opportunity provided to us and Grade VII children to visit the amazing state of Rajasthan. It was a mesmerising experience. We thank our principal, Mr. Santanu Das; our Headmaster, Mr. Felix Sanctis; our CFO, Mrs. Vani Pratap, and the school management for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Teacher Escorts:
Mr. Bijoy K Jha, Mrs. Josephine Nirmala, Mr. Ashish Sen, Mrs. Latha H B and
Mr. Vinish Vincent