Dates: 13 Nov - 22 Nov 2010 Min sponsorship: £2500 Registration fee: £250 Contact:ndcschallenges@ndcs.org.uk
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Itinerary
Day 1
London - Delhi
Overnight flight London to Delhi.
Day 2
Delhi - Agra
Mid morning arrival at Delhi airport. Bus transfer to Agra (5 hours), lunch and bike fitting. Time relax after the journey, before an early dinner, where we find out more about the challenge ahead.
Day 3
Agra - Fatehpur Sikri – camp site near Bashawar
80km cycling
Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Early coach transfer from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri (35km). A holy man will bless our journey by conducting a Puja ceremony before we set off from outside the site and cycle through the colourful Rajasthan countryside. The whole of the day’s ride is on secondary roads full of pot holes through villages and past temples. Overnight camp near the village of Bashawar.
Day 4
Camp site near Bashawar – Bhandarej
99km cycling
We start today on the main Agra-Jaipur highway which is busy but not over-congested with traffic. The second part of the day is on quieter secondary roads. After lunch we cycle through probably the most scenic section of the whole trip - Rajasthan rural life at its best. After a long day’s cycling we reach Bhandarej village where we spend the night at the atmospheric Bhadrawadi Palace.
Day 5
Bhandarej – Doela Campsite
70km cycling
The terrain today is less exotic and more arid. However, the village life is still as interesting and varied. Certain parts of the secondary roads are in a very bad condition. The last few kilometres of the day are spectacular as we approach the most picturesque campsite of the week. It is situated in a dry river bed surrounded by sand dunes on one side and mountains with two ancient forts on the other.
Day 6
Doela Campsite – Jaipur
53km cycling
An early start for the shortest cycling day of the week. We retrace our steps for the first 15km towards the Ramgahr Lake where we stop for a break. From there we head on to Jaipur generally known as the “Pink City” due to the salmon coloured facades of its older buildings. We finish cycling and enjoy lunch at the Lake Palace gardens. Afterwards we transfer to the hotel. After checking in the afternoon is free to explore independently or take part in an optional tour.
Day 7
Jaipur – Sambhar Lake
105km cycling
As we head west from Jaipur the landscape becomes more desert-like and villages are less common. The area is known for its hilltop forts and painted havelis (merchant houses). After 105km – our longest day of cycling - we reach the camp site in open terrain near to Sambhar Lake.
Day 8
Sambhar Lake – Pushkar
73km cycling
The final day of this amazing journey. The countryside changes again from dry and arid this morning to more lush and green as we approach Pushkar. The flat terrain becomes slightly undulating and the road conditions improve - they are wider with less potholes. We finish cycling at the overnight campsite which is beautifully situated in sand dunes 2km approx. from Pushkar. Tonight we enjoy an celebratory meal in this atmospheric setting and afterwards sleep in upgraded tents with en-suite facilities.
Day 9
Puskhar - Delhi
Today is free to explore India’s greatest camel fair. To get the best vantage point over this spectacle we recommend travelling to and from the fair by camel. This evening we board the overnight sleeper train to Delhi.
