A family tour of Rajasthan by train
The 'cacophonous, kaleidoscopic' cities of India are fascinating to explore

I had reservations about taking my two children, aged eight and nine, on a rail tour of Rajasthan. Their most adventurous holiday until then had been a fortnight on a Greek beach. But as it turned out, I needn't have worried, said Kate Maxwell in the Financial Times.
They found India's "cacophonous, kaleidoscopic" cities and pristine wilds "magical"; and I had no use for the Imodium I had packed in case of stomach upsets. In fact, the only real health hazard we faced was a rampaging bull that interrupted our rickshaw tour of Delhi, soon after our arrival. I was glad that we'd elected to travel on ordinary trains, which allowed for lots of conversations with local people, and we enjoyed further social encounters during the "bespoke" activities organised by our tour operator, Original Travel, including a game of cricket at a school near Jaipur.
From Delhi, we headed for Agra and the Taj Mahal (which was "spellbinding" in the rosy light of dawn). Next came the Ranthambore National Park, where we failed to spot a tiger, but did see mongoose, sambar deer and wild peacocks. The nearby hotel where we stayed, Six Senses Fort Barwara, occupies an "exquisite" 14th-century fort, and our digs in Jaipur – the Samode Haveli – were no less distinguished (we even met the aristocratic Samode family's dachshunds on their daily spin around the grounds). We were amazed by the many kites "swinging high" above Jaipur's rooftops (in preparation for the city's kite festival), and our daughter loved taking part in a fabric-printing session in the nearby town of Bagru.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur had "the best arsenal" of the trip ("Arms & Weapons" signs turn out to be "catnip" to eight-year-olds) – but still more fearsome sights awaited at our last stop, Suján Jawai. Thanks to rewilding efforts around this "spectacularly beautiful" camp, the local leopard population has flourished, and we enjoyed close-up sightings of the magnificent beasts on both of the days we spent there.
The 11-night trip costs from £4,495pp, excluding flights (originaltravel.co.uk).
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What led to Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4 and where could it lead?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION After a Russian drone blitz, Warsaw’s rare move to invoke the important NATO statute has potentially moved Europe closer to continent-wide warfare
-
Africa could become the next frontier for space programs
The Explainer China and the US are both working on space applications for Africa
-
Video games to curl up with this fall, including Ghost of Yotei and LEGO Party
The Week Recommends Several highly anticipated video games are coming this fall
-
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – a ‘comfort’ watch for fans
The Week Recommends The final film of the franchise gives viewers a chance to say goodbye
-
The Paper: new show, same 'warmth and goofiness'
The Week Recommends This spin-off of the American version of The Office is ‘comfortingly and wearyingly familiar’
-
Rachel Jones: Gated Canyons – ‘riotously colourful’ works from an ‘exhilarating’ painter
The Week Recommends The 34-year-old is the first artist to take over Dulwich Picture Gallery’s main space
-
Born With Teeth: ‘mischievously provocative’ play starring Ncuti Gatwa
The Week Recommends ‘Sprightly’ production from Liz Duffy Adams imagines the relationship between Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Feature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Baldwin: A Love Story' and 'The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces'
Feature A loving James Baldwin biography and the drug crimes of two special ops veterans
-
Rigatoni with 'no-vodka sauce' recipe
The Week Recommends Comfort food meets a clever alcohol-free twist on a classic