Rajasthan Adventure

Rajasthan Adventure is an 11-day raid with 8 riding days, rated Sustained: from Delhi to Jaisalmer via Jaipur, Pushkar, the Aravalli hills and the Thar Desert, with about 195 miles (310 km) of track and some sand. You fly back to Delhi on a domestic flight. The Land of the Maharajas is a 13-day discovery tour rated Intermediate, focused on forts and palaces, and open to pillions.

The level is Sustained: this raid is for experienced riders who are at ease on tracks and in sand. Of roughly 870 miles (1,400 km), 195 miles (310 km) are on tracks, up to 40% of the stage between Ghanerao and Jalore, the toughest one. The sand in the Thar Desert can be deep. Medical help is far away and the phone signal patchy, so the support vehicle stays with the group.

Between 100 and 135 miles (160 to 220 km) a day for 7 days, then 40 miles (65 km) on the last stage into Jaisalmer. With the tracks, each stage fills a proper day in the saddle, including photo stops and lunch.

A Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, comfortable on tracks and serviced by our mechanic, who travels with the group and carries spare parts. If your height gives you second thoughts, have a word with your travel advisor before you book.

We strongly advise against it: the tracks, the sand and the length of the stages make this raid hard going for a pillion. To discover Rajasthan two-up, choose The Land of the Maharajas. If you are unsure, your travel advisor will help you decide.

Your English-speaking tour leader opens the road on a motorcycle. Behind the group, the support vehicle carries a mechanic, the spare parts and your bags, with its own driver. There are never more than 10 motorcycles on the raid.

The tour costs £2,190 (€2,490) per rider. It covers the motorcycle, fuel, third-party motorcycle insurance, transfers, the domestic flight from Jaisalmer to Delhi, the tour leader and team, the support vehicle, accommodation, breakfast and dinner on riding days, then breakfast on the last two days.

Still to budget for: international flights, the visa, the international driving permit, lunches, two dinners, drinks, entrance fees, tips and a €600 security deposit per motorcycle, refunded after the tour.

The tour starts in Delhi, where we meet you at the airport, and your room is ready from midday. On day 10, an included domestic flight takes you from Jaisalmer back to Delhi, with 20 kg of checked luggage. On the last day, your transfer to the airport is timed to your flight. To arrive earlier or stay on, talk to your travel advisor.

India requires a visa. The simplest option is the tourist e-Visa, which you apply for yourself on the Indian government website indianvisaonline.gov.in. Processing times, the conditions for your nationality and the e-Arrival Card, due within 72 hours before you land, are covered in our guide to documents for India.

Bring your motorcycle licence and an international driving permit: both are compulsory. On vaccinations and precautions, read our India health advice.

The season runs from October to March, the dry season; open dates are shown on this page, and other dates are possible on request through your travel advisor. The days are sunny, but the nights are cool, especially in the desert: pack a warm layer. We stay in simple hotels and guesthouses, plus one night in a camp in the Thar Desert.