A Maharaja state of mind

Rajasthan is a land of fairytale palaces, mighty forts and buzzing bazaars – the perfect backdrop to a celebratory circuit. Legends of Rajput warrior clans prevail in the palaces and forts, which stand as a living memory of the lavish lifestyles and battles fought to protect bewitching landscapes of desert, dunes and rolling wilderness. Villages bustle with colour and life, especially at Godhuli bela, or cow dust hour, when shafts of golden sunlight catch the dust kicked up by village cows being herded home by women in vivid saris and men sporting colourful turbans and finely-sculpted moustaches.

On arrival in Delhi, it’s best to head off cross-country with your private driver, straight to the “open-air art gallery” that is Shekhawati. Tucked in an almost forgotten corner of Rajasthan, Shekhawati is home to a profusion of lavish mansions and ornate caravanserais, built by wealthy merchants during the region’s heyday as a lucrative trade route for camel caravans. I stayed recently at the divine Deeppura Garh, run by Milanese jewellery designer Maria Grazia Baldan, who has applied her impeccable taste to restore a rambling 200-year-old fort into a stylish blend of Italian chic and Rajasthani antiquity. Deeppura Garh’s 10 guest suites, peaceful courtyards and intimate dining areas makes it perfect for a takeover, and provides a useful base for excursions to the showstopper painted haveli towns nearby. Next stop is the coral-pink city of Jaipur. On my recent visit, I was led by horse-drawn carriage from the gates of the Rajmahal Palace. Dating back to 1729, the property has 13 suites, manicured lawns, vast pools and drawing rooms of ornate chandeliers and tree-print wallpaper. Recreating the opulence once reserved for the royal guests of a Maharaja, the entire hotel feels ready-made for celebrations, with a blend of palatial Indian style, art deco flapper fun and contemporary chic. Its central location also makes it perfect for access to the hilltop splendour of Amber Fort, where private, after-hours dinners can be organised in the courtyard, complete with musicians and dancers.

Sundowners at SUJÁN Jawai Leopard Camp

From here I headed for the calm of the Aravalli Hills for an authentic taste of rural Rajasthan, staying in the luxury vintage tents of Raas Chhatrasagar, set up along the wall of a beautiful monsoon reservoir. This perfect pitstop offers jeep safaris to local villages, driving past herds of grazing wild Nilgai antelopes and skittish wild boar.

From here, it’s on to the regal splendour of Umaid Bhawan Palace. Built on a hill outside the cobalt-blue city of Jodhpur, and with views of the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, this is part of the Maharaja’s own home, whose family lives in one wing. Group activities here include fun-filled polo sessions, private fort access, and exclusive parties lit by butterlamps, where revellers are entertained by local dancers.

Rajmahal Palace and an ornate bedroom; Umaid Bhawan; Jawai lake; Umaid Bhawan; the Rabari tribe at SUJÁN Jawai; leopard-spotting; Umaid Bhawan

For the ultimate experience of rural wilderness, head next to SUJÁN Jawai Leopard Camp. Set in a landscape of weather-worn granite koppies and ancient cave temples, this is a triumph of comfort-meets-conservation, engaging seamlessly with its environment and the semi-nomadic Rabari herdsmen who share it with a healthy population of leopards. Perfect for a buyout, Jawai virtually guarantees sightings of leopards with its expert guides, as well as celebratory, firelit meals beneath the stars.

I spent my last night on the way to Udaipur in RAAS Devigarh, an 18th-century palace found at the southern end of the Aravalli range. This makes for a relaxing end to a group trip, with walks around the local Delwara village and visits to stone-carved temples – a colourful conclusion to a Rajasthani adventure.