Travel Agents & Tours in Rajasthan and Gujarat

Alternative Travels organizes terrific stays in artisan villages; trips focusing on music and dance; treks; and bike, jeep, horse, and camel safaris. The Rajasthan Mounted Sports Association gives riding and polo lessons in Jaipur; runs elephant, horse, and camel day trips in Shekhawati; and leads horse and jeep safaris, which may include stays at palaces and forts. Rajasthan Safaris and Treks offers less luxurious but more authentic camel, camel-cart, and jeep safaris out of Bikaner. Food (traditional desert food) and water are provided, but you're on your own when it comes to toilet facilities.

Roop Nivas Safaris leads a Shekhawati Brigade Horse Safari around the colorful painted towns of this region, and offers longer safaris from Nawalgarh to Pushkar or Bikaner. You'll be sleeping in tents with bathroom facilities or at palace and fort hotels. Royal Safari administers treks, camel safaris, and nights in the desert around Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer, as well as visits to traditional villages, craftspeople's homes, little-known fairs, and ashrams.

Karwan Tours in Jaipur and TGS Tours and Travels (an American Express representative) in Jaipur and Udaipur can also help with general travel arrangements, including a hired car with driver to any location in Rajasthan. Le Passage to India offers custom tours as well as reliable cars and drivers in all major Rajasthan towns. Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation also leads tours.

Twice daily, at 9 am and 1:30 pm, the Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service offers tours of the city in English for Rs. 75. The tour departs from the local bus stand at Lal Darwaja and lasts four hours.

Contacts

Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (0 Number Bus Platform, opposite State Bank of India, Lal Darwaja, Ahmedabad. 79/255-7739. www.amts.in/html/tourist.html). Alka Travel Service (Ashish Complex, C. G. Rd., near Swastik Cross Rd., Ahmedabad. 79/2642-1197 or 79/2643-1700. alkatravel.com). Alternative Travels (Shekhawati, Nawalgarh. 1594/222-129). Green Channel Travel Services (576 Sun Complex, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad. 79/656-8457). Karwan Tours (Bissau Palace Hotel, outside Chand Pol, Jaipur. 141/230-8103. karwantours@usa.net). Le Passage to India (Ganpati Plaza, M.I. Rd., Jaipur. 141/511-5415 or 982/905-1387. www.lepassagetoindia.com. Quality Inn, Vishnu Priya, Udaipur. 294/510-0075 Gandhi Chowk, Jaisalmer. 2992/252-722 Ghoomar RTDC, High Court Rd., Jodhpur. 291/255-4934). Meera Tours and Travels (14 Badu Ji, Udaipur. 0294/241-5249). Parul Tours and Travels (32, Lal Ghat, Udaipur. 0294/2421697. www.rajasthantravelbycab.com). Rajasthan Mounted Sports Association (c/o Dundlod House, Hawa Sarak, Civil Lines, Jaipur. 0141/221-1276). Rajasthan Safaris and Treks (Birendra Singh Tanwar, Bassai House, Purani Ginani, Bikaner. 0151/228-557). Rajasthan Tours (Garden Hotel, Udaipur. 294/252-5777. Airport Rd., Jodhpur. 0291/236-942 or 0291/262-8265). Roop Nivas Safaris (c/o Roop Nivas Palace, Jhunjhunu district, Shekhawati, Nawalgarh. 01594/222-008). Royal Safari (Royal Safari, Box 23, Nachna Haveli, Gandhi Chowk, Jaisalmer. 02992/252-538 or 02992/253-202). Sana Travels (Nehru Nagar, Hasanpura C, Plot No. 607, behind Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur. 098/2801-7814. sanatravels@mail.com). TGS Tours and Travels (Tholia Circle, Mirza Ismail Rd., Jaipur. 0141/236-7735. Chetak Circle, Udaipur. 0294/229-661). Travel Corporation of India (Ashram Rd., behind Handloom House, Ahmedabad. 79/2642-1981 79/2644-6001).