Snow fall at Shimla Kufri on New Year eve

Hotel Willow Banks on the Mall road, Shimla

 31st Dec 2010- Shimla gets it's first snow fall of the season. Kufri got a heavy snowfall and is totally covered in a white cover right now. It's been more than 15 years since Shimla turned white on New Year eve. More snow is forecast by the Met department in the forthcoming days. Manali too has been having regular snowfall for the last few days. People can be seen playing with snow at Kufri and even Mall road has a good sprinkling of snow.
Lucky ones are already there in Shimla and Kufri to enjoy this beautiful spectacle, also with most of the schools being closed for winters people are heading for the Shimla hills to spend their holidays.
Plan your snow holidays with us at Around Delhi- Call us for your Shimla hotels booking or Stay at Kufri resorts. Choose from Hotels on Mall Road Shimla like Hotel Willow Banks Shimla or other hotels in Shimla.
As I write this blog news is that it is again snowing at Kufri, so head for the hills friends asap. The Shimla city witnessed intermittent snowfall during the day, while it received about 15 to 20 cm of snow last night. The road to Kufri was blocked for some time due to heavy snow. The NY festivities have started at most places in Shimla with music, live band and bon fires at many places. Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, joined the festive crowd by taking a stroll of the The Mall Shimla, greeting local people and tourists for the New Year.

Dont' worry if you were not there on NY eve, catch a train or take out you car and head towards Shimla or Kufri to view this beautiful spectacle. 

Manali area is having almost continuous rain and snow since last evening. 

For bookings call us at 09811193634/09891458220 or email us at arounddelhi@gmail.com
R.Anand 

Jaisalmer-Sam-Khuri-sand-dunes-tour

Camps at Sam

                        After staying at Jaisalmer I planned to visit the famous and popular dunes of Sam and Khuri the next day of my Rajasthan desert safari trip. One can find desert sand dunes on two sides of Jaisalmer at Khuri and Sam, both about 40k. Both are in opposite directions and you can go to either of them. I planned to stay at luxury tents at Sam overnite and visit the Khuri dunes next morning just to compare the two.

Started from Jaisalmer after lunch in a Jeep, the road was fantastic as it is used by the Army to cover the Indo-Pakistan border areas. The first view of the dunes was totally mesmerising as it brought back memories of the desert as seen in Bollywood movies. The place was really abuzz with tourists, transferred to a Camel for a safari and seeing the sunset from a vantage point in the desert. The sunset was truly amazing as one could clearly see the ball of fire disappear all the way below the horizon. After the safari reached my abode for the night, the deluxe tents where I planned to stay the night. The tent was quiet spacious with two bed,chairs,table and still some space to move around. It also had electricity and an attached bathroom and English toilet with running water. Most important, the tents and the whole area was quiet clean inspite of a lot of sand around. After some light snacks and tea there were some great traditional Rajasthani songs and dances, the local artists were just amazing reminding me of Swaroop of Indian idol. The night was cold in the desert but the tents were quiet cosy. I really had a good night's sleep and planned to do another Camel Safari as it was much quieter now and very less people. The morning freshness of the dunes set the tone of the day. The tents had a small bathroom where hot water was also provided,didn't feel like we were in middle of a desert. After a hearty breakfast it was time to move on back to Jasialmer. 

                     After reaching Jaisalmer the next stop was the dunes of Khuri as I wanted to compare Khuri and Sam dunes as I had to leave post lunch from Jaisalmer. The dunes of Khuri are located next to the Desert National Park which is know for the endangered Great Indian Bustard, a magnificent bird found in relatively fair numbers here. The Desert National Park also has a collection of fossils of animals and plants of 180 million years old. Some fossils of Dinosaurs of 6 million years old have been found in the area. Khuri is a small village of Hindu settlers with fairly good dunes nearby. Khuri has developed later than Sam so it is less crowded here, also one of the camps I visited is away from the village and the dunes are almost to your own even in the evening, that was the best part about these camps near Khuri. The tents are simillar with attached toilets and bathroom. I concluded that though Sam dunes were bigger but you can have less crowded dunes at Khuri.

I hurried back to Jaisalmer to have lunch and then catch my train to Jodhpur for my next leg of the journey.
Next- Jodhpur
Dr. R.Anand

  Also see Bikaner trip, Jaisalmer Attractions , Udaipur Devigarh.

Delhi-Jaipur-trip-with-adventure-activities

Reached  Rajasthan today.Am at Jaipur with a group. Stay was at Gold Palace.
Here is the itinerary for Jaipur corporate trip  

Reached Gold Palace at 7 AM
Breakfast at the resort 
Moved to camps nearby by bus for adventure activities.

The total group of about 60 people enjoyed a fun day with lot of activities like 
Spider net crawling, tyre wall climbing, Burma and triangular bridge crossing,
artificial river crossing, obstacle courses, Tarzan swing and climbing on Fiber glass wall. 
After a hearty lunch at the camp the group had a game of cricket in the lush green lawns.
On the way back some of the group members visited Amber fort which is closeby, 
                                  
                                Returned to the resort and in the evening and everybody enjoyed Evening DJ with cocktail snacks and drinks in the lawns. After a late dinner the group hit the bed to wake up to a hearty and refreshing breakfast. People took a dip in the pool or went for a walk in the lawns, some of them enjoyed TT,snooker and group games in the lawns.After some official meeting in the Conference hall the group departed to Delhi after a satisfying and fun stay.

While the group returned to Delhi, I prepared for the next leg of my Rajasthan Desert safari trip covering Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Follow my Rajasthan trip.

Dr. R.Anand

Please contact us for a simillar itinerary for Jaipur, Rajasthan including adventure activities and other fun activities or even a conference. Call us at 9811193634/9891458220 or email us at  arounddelhi@gmail.com
For other options around Delhi and Jaipur click here.

Delhi-Bikaner-Jaisalmer-trip

                                           Continuing my trip of Rajasthan (See Jaipur-Bikaner trip) I caught a night train to Jaisalmer to reach early morning at the station. The only problem was that there is no A/c class available and one can only travel in 2nd Sleeper. One can also do Bikaner-Jaisalmer by road and a distance of about 240k can be covered in around 4 hours. I was booked at Hotel Jaisalgarh and was fortunate to get a room early in the morning. 
                                         

Jasialmer Fort

Nathmal Haveli

                                            Jaisalgarh is a nice modern hotel with lawns, swimming pool and nice clean rooms. It is about 2 km from Jaisalmer Fort or the Sonar Quilla as it is called, the second oldest fort in Rajasthan. Two hundred and fifty feet tall and reinforced by imposing crenellated sandstone wall 30 feet high; it has 99 bastions, 92 of which were built between 1633 and 1647. Wells within the fort still provide a regular source of water. Even today, you will find that nearly one fourth of the old city's population resides within the fort. The fort imposes upon the whole of Jaisalmer and definitely worth a visit. Jasialmer city as a whole gives you that golden look with a lot of buildings using the local yellow stone at the facade and even the floors etc. It is a small city easily covered even on an auto. The old city is quiet crowded and apart from the Fort one can see the various Havelis like  Salim ji ki haveli, Patwon ki haveli and Nathmal ji ki haveli. The havelis are known for it's minute carvings, murals and gold and silver embroidery.

                                         Other places one can visit around Jaisalmer are Gadsisar lake,a famous picnic spot in the sandy city,  is among the most beautiful tourist attractions in Jaisalmer. It attracts hundreds of migratory birds during the winter season. An evening spend near the lake around Sunset time is really enchanting. About 15 km from Jaisalmer is the Akal Wood Fossil Park,where stood a forest 180 millions years ago. Then the area submersed in to the sea and the tree trunks got preserved in the form of fossils. Covering about 10 sq. Km of bare hillside, the Fossil Park contains 25 petrified trunks, in total.One can also visit  Lodurwa, the ancient Jain temples or Kuldara village an architectural wonder of the medieval times. Jaisalmer town needs at least one full day to have a good look at it's tourist attractions. I have specifically not mentioned the sand dunes of Sam and Khuri, the major tourist attraction near Jaisalmer as I will be covering them in my next write up. 
Dr. R.Anand 
 For booking of Rajasthan itinerary including Jaisalmer Call us at 9811193634/9891458220 or email us at arounddelhi@gmail.com . You can also book Jaisalmer Hotels and Camps with us.
Also see Jaisalmer-Jodhpur leg and Udaipur trip.

Rajasthan-train-road-trip-Delhi-Jaipur-Bikaner

                                             I had been planning to take a trip to Rajasthan for a long time, but Anaesthesia and AroundDelhi had me in their grip and did not let go. Finally post Diwali mid Nov 2010 I was able to make it and started with a train trip from Jaipur to Bikaner, took train no 0234 at to reach Bikaner early morning. You can also reach Bikaner directly from Delhi via Rajasthan Sampark Kranti overnite journey(10 hrs), via road one can reach Bikaner via Mandawa, Jhunjhunu. I was to catch a train to Jaisalmer in the night so I knew it was going to be a hectic day, I took up a retiring room to save time and was ready in time to have a tour of Bikaner and see some accommodation options  too. The first stop was the Junagarh fort, this fort was built by Raja Rai Singhji, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, who ruled form 1571 to 1612 AD. Raja Rai Singhji could Marshal the revenues of a Kingdom increased by the conquest of half Marwar and grant of half Gujrat and made use of ample funds from Jodhpur and Western Deccan for the construction of this fort. 

Junagarh Fort

Map of Bikaner                                                                     The important portions of the old palaces in a sequence of visit are Harmandir, Tetis Crore Devi-Devtaon-Ka-Mandir (in this tepmple nearly 700 precious Bronze idols are stored that were brought by the tenth rules Maharaja Anup Singhji from Deccan), Mina Deodhi, Karan Mahal and its Courtyard , Kunwar Pada Mahal, Anup Mahal Courtyard, Phool Mahal ki Sal, Chander Mahal, Rai Niwas Katchery, Anup Mahal, Sardar Niwas (Badal Mahal), Sur Mandir Chaubara, Gaj Mandir Courtyard, Gaj Mandir, Chattar Niwas, Dungar Niwas, Lal Niwas, Ganga Niwas Mahal and Ganga Niwas Durbar Hall, Maharaja Ganga Sinhgji's study room and Vikram Vilas Durbar hall. 

Karni Mata Mandir

                    Next stop was the Karni Mata Temple, it is 30 Km south from Bikaner on the road of Jodhpur, at Deshnok  who is worshiped as an incarnation of Goddess Durga. The temple is unique as the rats called Kabas, are venerated here and the shrine is a sanctuary for them. It is believed that these Kabas carry souls of future Charans/bards (children of the goddess)  who inhabit the town of Deshnok. The temple has fascinating huge silver gates and marble carvings. The most attractive feature of temple are the rodents who scamper freely within the premises and if one touches your feet its considered auspicious. They are regarded  sacred and devotees buy prasad (feeding) to offer to them.

Gajner Palace

         Also about 30 km from Bikaner on the way to Jaisalmer is Gajner wild life sanctuary.The lush foliage of the woods here have a number of neelgais(blue bull), waterfowls, chinkara (black buck), particularly flocks of imperial sandgrouse and wild boar living here.It is considered as the prettiest place in the region, with a lake, a palace, wooded hills and gardens. The lake at Gajner attracts water birds in thousands, the imperial sand grouse from Siberia being the most important of these. Large herds of deers can be seen here grazing freely. One can stay at Gajner Palace right at the sanctuary. Though I could not see the Camel breeding farm near Bikaner but it is definitely worth a visit. There are also sand dunes near Bikaner,like Jaisalmer and one can spend an evening at the dunes with a camel Safari or stay overnite at the camps.

So Bikaner is definitely worth including in your Rajasthan Itinerary.

Contact us at Around Delhi Holidays for planning a trip to Bikaner and Rajasthan. Bikaner itinerary Bikaner Hotels

Call us at 9811193634/9891458220 or email us at arounddelhi@gmail.com

Dr.R.Anand 

    (Coming next- Jaisalmer trip with Sam and Khuri dunes.)

Goa Pacakges with Airfare Delhi Goa Delhi

Dear Friends,

Around Delhi Holidays presents best rates for Monsoon Packages Goa Resorts and Hotel packages for 2013 ranging from 3 to 5 star properties. The links to the Goa Resorts give you info about the resort location in Goa and the facilities etc. We also present Air fare packages for Delhi-Goa-Delhi and also Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai.

Goa boasts of a long coast line and rightfully so, a vast number of serene white sand beaches dot the coasts of Goa making the life line of tourism in Goa. Except for the Monsoons Goa beaches and quiet and smooth, not rough as at some other coasts in South India. During Season October to March these beaches get dotted by various shacks selling all kinds of stuff from beer to sea food to traditional costumes etc. Some beaches are more popular with the tourists depending on the attractions they offer while some Goa beaches may still be quiet and lonesome even at height of tourist activity, so you may take your pick depending on what kind of holiday you are looking at. During Monsoon Goa gives a different picture with every thing turning green and the weather is wet and pleasant. One also gets to enjoy the special rates of various hotels due to off season. (water sports though are not available during Monsoon). These package are available from Delhi with Thursday departure and Sunday Return.

Airfare Packages -GOA 3N/4D per person 

Hotel Name	Validity	Meal Plan	Ex. Delhi	Ex. Mumbai
Majorda Goa  (5*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	22000	20000
Holiday Inn  (5*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	24900	22700
Baywatch Resort (4*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	19500	16300
Taj Fort Aguada (5*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	22500	15000
Holiday Inn Goa (5*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	23999	21500
Resort DeCorcao  (3*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	19500	17500
Jewel Inn Resort & Spa (3*)	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	18999	17500
Varca Palms Resort	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	18999	16500
COUNTRY INN & SUITES BY CARLSON	Till 30th Septembr 2013	AP	21499	18999

Common Inclusions
: # Return airfare including airport taxes.
# Airport / respective railway station transfers. 
# AP-Meals Bf,lunch,dinner. 
# 01 day sightseeing followed by boat cruise on river Mandovi  (except Leela).
Rates are Per person (Service tax extra)

(Additonal inclusions available depending on the resort chosen)

Note: Other hotels and resorts are also available from time to time. 


Also available packages without airfare or with only room and bfast.

Also See- Beaches of Goa, Goa Attractions

 For queries call Anand 9811193634/Seema 9891458220 or 

send us an email - arounddelhi@gmail.com

R.Anand

Honeymoon Destinations India

                      India offers a plethora of honeymoon destinations  & spots and the newly wed honeymoon couples may find it confusing to choose from various options of honeymoon places in India. In an effort to help you choose a top and favourite honeymoon destination, we have tried to breakup the options into various categories and give the pros and cons of each honeymoon destinations. Here are some great ideas for an enjoyable honeymoon in North, South or any where in India.


Hills Honeymoon Spots India- Hills with their natural beauty, cool weather and great choice of accommodation options makes for a great place to spend the honeymoon for the newly wed couple. Another factor going for the hills is that you can get great deals in the off season period. Some of the top Honeymoon Hill Stations are   

Shimla Manali 

Shimla Region including Chail,Kasauli,Kufri

Uttranchal Tour covering Nainital, Ranikhet, Binsar etc.

Kashmir Honymoon Tour

Dalhousie Dharamshala Honeymoon Tour

Ooty Honeymoon Trip

Best time to go- Any time of the year

India Beach Honeymoon options- White Sands, blue seas, romantic setup by the beach and lovely cool sea breeze in your hail, what can be better than a honeymoon at the beach.

Goa Beach Holidays

Kerala Beach, House boat and the backwaters.

Best time to go- October to March

Rajasthan Royal Honeymoon Options Having your wedding during winters adds another destination for your Honeymoon trip-Havelis and Palaces of Rajasthan. Spend the first few days of your blissful marriage like royalty-King and Queen of an empire. Explore the Pink City Jaipur, or the sand dunes of Jaisalmer, lakes of Udaipur or the fort of Jodhpur or temples of Bikaner, Eklingi or Mount Abu.

Best time to go- October to March

Indian Wildlife Honeymoon options Couples trying to have a different experience on their honeymoon trip can try a Wild Life destination and share the thrills of watching some great wildlife together. Some of the best options are 

Corbett

Sariska

Ranthambhore

Kanha

Gir

Kaziranga

Religious Honeymoon Options in India A very popular option with most Indian newly weds the first trip of the new couple is to take the blessings of the God to a famous religious shrine. Usually this is combined with another popular destination mentioned above.

Favourite Religious Destinations for Honeymooners

Vaishnodevi Katra

Amritsar

Puri

Shirdi

Tirupati

Some tips before you choose your Honeymoon destination

The couple should discuss the honeymoon destination before marriage possible and come to a consensus for the place they plan to visit. 

Also discuss the budget you are planning to spend and the kind of hotels/resorts you plan to stay.

Always research and book your trip in advance because can not take the risk of searching for place to stay at your destination. 

If you are not travelling by your own vehicle book the train/air tickets in advance and also book the required vehicle for pickup/sightseeing etc. in advance.

Don't make it too hectic by lot of travelling, remember you have come here for relaxing and understanding each other on the honeymoon.

You can book your Honeymoon trip  in India through Around Delhi Holidays.Call Anand 09811193634/Seema 09891458220 or mail us at arounddelhi@gmail.com

R.Anand,

Editor 

Leh Ladakh Packages Delhi-Leh air fare packages

Leh Ladhakh is emerging as a new off beat destination during Summers for Indian tourists. One can travel by road via Manali or Srinagar or take a flight from Delhi to reach Leh. Around Delhi Holidays fixed departures and customised itineraries to Leh Ladhakh from Delhi by Air or by road via Srinagar and Manali.

Suggestive Itinerary for Leh Ladakh Tour.(2013)  Delhi-Leh-Delhi with airfare.
Price- Rs 29,999/- per person.

Route: Delhi - Leh – Alchi – Lamayuru – Chang La – Pangong Tso - Khardung La - Nubra Valley – Leh -

Delhi

Duration: 07 days

Day 1: Delhi - Leh

On arrival at the Leh Airport, you will be received by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Complete day at your own leisure. In the evening, visit Namgyal Palace & Shanti Stupa. Later, you may want

to take a stroll around the Main Bazaar. O/N Leh

Day 2: Leh – Alchi – Lamayuru – Alchi

After breakfast, depart for the beautiful village of Alchi. Enroute visit Pathar Sahib Gurudwara and Hall of

Fame Museum. On arrival, check in to your hotel for lunch. Post lunch, drive to Lamayuru and visit the old

monastery and return back to Alchi. O/N Alchi

Day 3: Alchi – Leh

After breakfast, time for optional rafting at extra cost. Depart for Leh, check in to your hotel and relax for

the evening. Option to take a stroll around the town. O/N Leh

Day 4: Leh – Pangong Tso - Leh

After breakfast, leave for Pangong Lake at 14, 500 ft. via Chang La (17,350 ft. third highest motorable road

in the world.) Reach Pangong Lake, the highest salt water lake in the world, shared by two countries:

India (25%) and China (75%). Enjoy the beauty of the lake while appreciating the changing colours of its

fascinating waters. Post Lunch, leave for Leh. Evening at your own leisure. O/N Leh

Day 5: Leh – Khardung La - Nubra Valley

After breakfast, drive for Khardung La (the world’s highest motorable road at 18380 ft.) Drive further to the

high altitude desert with sand dunes in Nubra Valley. O/N Nubra (Sumur / Hunder)

Day 6: Nubra Valley – Leh

After breakfast, enjoy the double hump camel ride in the sand dunes! Depart back for Leh via Diskit

Monastery. Visit monasteries like Shey, Thiksey, Hemis and return to Leh. Evening at your own leisure. O/N

Leh

Day 7: Leh – Delhi

After breakfast, board the flight back to Delhi. Trip ends

Price Includes:
- Delhi – Leh – Delhi return airfare!
- Accommodation on twin sharing Basis as per Package Selected
- Meals (Breakfast, Dinner) on MAP Basis as mentioned
- To & Fro Airport Transfers
- Exclusive Chauffeured Vehicle (for min 6 persons)
- Inner line Permits
- All other required permits

Price Does Not Include:
- 3.09% Service Tax
- Any Kind of Personal Expenses or Optional Tours / Extra Meals Ordered
- Rafting Charges
- Any entry fees
- Any transit in Delhi
- Anything not specifically mentioned under the head “Price includes”
- Tips, Insurance, Laundry, Phone Calls
- Any Kind of Drinks (Alcoholic, Mineral, Aerated)
- Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary / stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather,
ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control

Also available 5n/6d with above inclusions without airfare  at Rs 16,999/- per person (min 6 pax travelling) (2013-14 season)

Customised packages for higher or lower nights also available. Accommodation also available in 4 star  5 star Hotel Grand Dragon.

For queries call Anand 9811193634/Seema 9891458220 or end us an email @ arounddelhi@gmail.com. 

R.Anand

Holi Weekend 2010 near Delhi

                                Holi is celebrated in India since time immemorial but the popularity of Holi celebrations seems to be rising with every passing year and so is the level of hoo-ha. As no other festival gives so much liberty to the people to let their hair loose and enjoy their hidden crazy self. Planning to celebrate a quiet weekend near or around Delhi as Holi is falling on a Monday and you can start on Saturday or Sunday and be back on Monday in the evening. Here are the options where rooms are still available.

Sariska-Sariska Palace, 4 hrs drive from Delhi, a heritage property based in 100

acres right next to Sariska Tiger Sanctuary. 

WillowBanks, Shimla, situated on the Mall Road, this beautiful hotel is
conveniently located on the Shimla Mall road and offers 4 star facilities.

CorbettRiverView and Ramganga Corbett is just 6 hrs drive from Delhi and all year round
destination plus a great place to watch the wildlife. Also available are
convenient 2/3/4 BR cottages.

 Jaipur is fun with it's colourful bazaars, variety of cuisines and various old forts and
havelis. Stay at  the KK Royal next to Amberfort or the Pride Amber Vilas, a new
resort in Jaipur based on a Rajasthani village, right opposite the Chokhi Dhani.

Situated near Shimla, Oakwood Shoghi is a great place for some adventure activities in natural surroundings.

Claridges Nabha is a lovely 4 star resort near Mussooire in beautiful and quiet surroundings.

HotelSilver Rock at Mussoorie on the Mall Road Mussoorie,

ResortCountry Club, Gurgaon, a beautiful resort 50 km from Delhi.

Fort Unchagaon, 130 km from Delhi in an Village setting is a heritage resort, 7km from the river Ganges.

For other options log on to www.AroundDelhi.com  

For bookings nd queries call Seema @ 9891458220/ Anand 9811193634

R.Anand 

Kikar Lodge near Chandigarh

                                    Did a conference for a client at Kikar Lodge near Chandigarh(70k, 300k from Delhi). We started on Wednesday night on a Volvo having fears of the North India fog in our hearts. The journey was quiet smooth till Ambala and we made good time, after that a stretch of about 10k brought our heart in our mouth. On that day I realized what is "zero" visibility in actual terms, nothing was visible, not even the white lines in the middle of the road till you were on them. And the outside temperature must be close to 2-3 deg C, slowly we crawled at 10-15k speed and heaved  a sigh of relief as it cleared up. Still we were ahead of time and reached Chandigarh in about 4 hrs, Volvo does make good time on the road and the journey is jerk free. Kikar Lodge is a jungle resort beyond Ropar away from all habitation, we reached in about 2 hrs from Chandigarh. One has to make it's way first though a small village and then a kucha track to reach Kikar Lodge. The first impression if of beautiful cottages in a green setup with small hills all around, the set up is just perfect and you can smell the freshness in the air. The resort gives you a jungle feel at the same time giving you comfortable and luxurious stay. As it is not big, only 30 tents and cottages, it can never get too crowded. After a hearty breakfast the group went into the conference we planned to explore the resort and the surrounding areas. 

                            There is a lot you can do at Kikar Lodge, go for the spa treatment by trained staff, sauna and steam treatment, dip in any of the two big sized pools, read some thing in the quaint little library or play a game of ping pong or pool. For adventure seekers there are soft treks all around, trek to the famous Kikar tree, a small trek up the hill and you are rewarded with a beautiful view a the top. Go for quad biking or rock climbing or obstacle course, there is also a night safari in the surrounding jungle area. For foodies there are ample amount of thing available in the buffet or order ala carte plus of course a well stocker bar. Kikar Lodge  turns out to be a perfect place for conferences as it is quiet, has a good conference hall and even lawns can be used for a discussion. Similarly, it is also suitable for training programmes and all with great outdoors. For young couples and families it is quiet, luxurious, close to nature and offers a lot to do, plus it is not too far, you can easily make it in about 6 hrs from Delhi. Last day of the stay, the group planned to prepare a jungle lunch on their own with a little help from us at Around Delhi and the resort. In the end it turned out to be a great outing for the group which I am sure they will cherish for a long tome to come.

For bookings call us at Around Delhi Holidays @9811193634/9891458220 or log onto our website www.AroundDelhi.com.

R.Anand 

Other holiday options around Chandigarh

Delhi Jaipur Conference Tour

On a foggy Thursday morning in Janauray 2010 we started in two 45 seaters Volvo for Jaipur for a conference of about 100 people, some people were directly flying to Jaipur. The programme was already running late by an hour because of the dense fog and huge traffic on the NH8-the Delhi Jaipur Highway when we reached the new resort called Park Ridge at Rewari. This new resort on Delhi-Jaipur highway has got about 40 rooms with a swimming pool,lawns,bowling alley,pool table and a conference hall, ideal for a leisure or training programme or also for a short weekend getaway. After a quick breakfast we were off again, it was almost 12 noon, but still no sign of the sun as of now. As we entered Rajasthan, the Surya Devta made the first appearance of the day and soon it was bright sunshine, a reminder that we were in the vibrant Rajasthan. Rest of the trip to Jaipur was also not very smooth as the highway is being expanded to 6-8 lanes and there was a traffic jam at Behror and Kotputli.

                                                         We were staying at two resorts just before Jaipur(due to non availability of rooms at one place), Gold Palace and KK Royal. Both of these are good resorts with a lot of open green lawns and good accommodation, Gold Palace is 3 star while KK Royal is a 4 star resort. Both have a conference hall, deluxe rooms,bar,swimming pool,gym and more. The conference was at Gold Palace with a big hall that could easily take 100 people in round table. Sadly it was a dry day at Jaipur cos of Panchayat elections so no cocktail party for the group. Instead we took them to Chokhi Dhani for the evening village programme and Rajasthani Dinner. Chokhi Dhani has become a must see for most visitors to Jaipur for it's recreation of a complete Rajasthani village with the choupal, village well,camel rides,folk dances, magic shows,astrologer and so on and culminating into a Rasjasthani dinner where you can not come before you have your tummy full upto the throat.

                                                        Next day again it was a hectic conference day and in the evening we took the guest to see the Amer fort just next to the KK Royal. Like the entire fort complex, Amber Fort is also constructed of white and red sandstone. Amber Fort is located in Amber (Jaipur), which used to be the capital of the Kachhwaha clan, till Jaipur was made the official capital in 1727. The Amber Fort looks stunning, all-built in white marble and red     sandstone.The Fort is unique in that its 

outside, an imposing and rugged defensive structure, is markedly different from its inside, an ornate, lavish interior influenced by both Hindu and Muslim (Mughal) styles of ornamentation. The walls of the interior of the fort are covered with murals, frescoes, and paintings depicting various scenes from daily life. Other walls are covered with intricate carvings, mosaic, and minute mirror work. The fort is definitely worth a visit if you are in Jaipur. The weather too was just perfect and sunny in the day and cool in the evenings. A new son-et-lumière(Sound & Light show has been launched at Amber Fort, Jaipur. Through this Son-et- lumière spectacle, an attempt has been made to revive the pride of Amber, bring forth the traditions that coloured the lives of its people, the pomp that once existed in its fullest form and to end the silence that had long fallen. The spirit of Amber is eternal. This musical extravaganza has highlighted the local legends, folklore, and a connoisseur of folk music that continues to give Rajasthan its unique identity. The show has been set in a very exotic location, with the giant panoramic view of the Amber Fort & Palace Complex in the front, the rising Jaigarh on the left, the hills at the back and the gallery itself in the Kesar Kiyari Complex. The show starts at 6:30 PM in Hindi and 7:30PM in Hindi daily and is really worth a dekho.

Last day it was all fun with some cricket, tambola and group games in the sun, started back for Delhi after lunch and reached Delhi by 10:30PM. Jaipur is perfect destination for a Conference,  leisure trip or a family trip in winters being easily accessible. 

For bookings call us at Around Delhi Holidays @9811193634/9891458220 or log onto our website www.AroundDelhi.com

R.Anand