Let me introduce myself: my name is Sonya, I’m a new member of the Vintage Rides team and had the honor to go to “the Land of Maharajas” tour. Vintage Rides invited me to a an incentive tour in order to get a image of our product and get to know first-hand how our riders perceive our tour.
The tour in summary; 2 weeks drive on Royal Enfield Classic Bikes in Rajasthan, visiting 11 cities and staying at historical havelis. The itinerary was Mandawa, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Thar Desert, Jodhpur, Ghanerao, Udaipur, Jojawar, Pushkar, Jaipur and finally Alwar. As a surprise, a grand finale: Celebrate the Holi festival in Pushkar. What more could you wish for?
But let’s start from the beginning! Our Tour Group
I was part of a 10-member group, majority of French, living in Switzerland. Vintage Rides provided all participants their own Royal Enfield, 2 drivers had taken their wives as passengers with them. Besides our Royal Enfield rider, was a mechanic, van driver and tour leader with in the game.
Dancing Jaisalmer Rajasthan India
Thanks to the van, we were able to store our luggage safely and comfortably and we could also move around in the cities by it. The travelers had the option to travel by van if they are sick or tired feeling. Reality was that this was never the case, the van was used for the most part for our luggage since the bikers didn’t want to miss any rides on the Royal Enfield. Desert city – Jaisalmer
One of my favorite experiences of the trip was the night in the Thar Desert and the stay in the desert city, Jaisalmer. What was so special about Jaisalmer, you wonder?
The city had a magic for me which is not to describe in words. You must see with your own eyes what I mean with this magic of Jaisalmer to can imagine. School Jaiselmer Rajasthan India visiting photo
For example Jaisalmer Fort, I found it fascinating. It was built in BC 1156 and was one of the largest forts in the world. An interesting fact is that at Jaisalmer Fort there are still people living inside. It is therefore not just an ordinary sight. You can actually visit your friends and family there. The fact is that our Vintage Rides tour group visited a family who lives in the Fort. The hostess led us through her house and invited us to Masala Chai. After the visit to the fort, we went to a local carpet designer who makes carpets and sells them.
Finally we had free time to explore the desert city on our own feet. We split into small groups and walked through markets and bazaars in Jaisalmer and it was beautiful! We got to know the locals, happened to meet market traders and teenager who were playing on the street. We got a feeling for the city life which quite overwhelmed us with its richness of culture. Night at the Thar Desert
The following day, Thar Desert was in the schedule. For many in the group, including me, it was a unique experience as we were for the first time in the desert. Arriving in the Thar Desert, I was amazed by the beautiful desert dunes. They were golden brown and not ending – you could see nothing but golden sand.
Riding camel Thar desert Rajasthan India photo
In light of the bonfire we had dinner and were telling stories of our past and teenage times. Following we watched the sun vanishing behind the dunes, which left an outstanding view of stars.
The hotel where we were staying had given us camping tents, countless quilts, pillows, etc. However, because we expected a relatively warm night, we slept on mattresses and had therefore a clear view of the enchanting sky of stars. Holi Festival in Pushkar
Next day, we woke up early to not miss the sunrise. It was an experience to witness how the sun came crawling out from the dunes and its rays warmed the sand. After breakfast in the desert, we drove in a jeep back to our Royal Enfields and continued our journey to Jodhpur, the blue city. Other highlights, as already mentioned above, were the Holi festival in Pushkar.
We were lucky to be able to experience the unique Holi festival. The event is celebrated annually and especially Rajasthan is known for its outstanding Holi celebrations. While driving from Jojawar to Pushkar we were invited to celebrate countless times Holi with locals. Our Royal Enfields were completely drunk in bright colors. It was so much fun! Especially our view in the mirror when we arrived at the hotel, was a reason to smile. An Unforgettable Adventure
For me personally, this trip was an unforgettable adventure.
I learned that traveling on Royal Enfield bikes is a unique experience and is not to be compared with similar ways of travelling. On motorcycles you see and feel cities, not just through a window. You develop a feel for each city in which you drive, taking the smell and ambiance of each of them. In addition to that you are flexible, you can spontaneously and individually stop at a sight, and take yourself time for example, taking pictures.
Moreover, to travel on Royal Enfields is a special experience. Royal Enfield’s is a top-seller and big brand in India. Therefore they get a lot of attention when one travels around with them in India. Motorcycle enthusiasts blindly differentiate between the sound of the engine a Royal Enfields and any other brand. They are unique in their production and follow a 120-year tradition!
Royal Enfield motorcycle riding in Rajasthan India Vintage Rides photo The combination of the trip to Royal Enfields and the charm of Rajasthan, made this trip memorable and highly recommended!
And if you wanted to experience the wonders of Rajasthan by yourself, you can find more information about Land of Maharajas tour here!
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