SHAHPURA BAGH

This is a home stay with former nobility-high points are the outdoor activities, great food, and relaxed fun.  It is an ideal rest-stop for tourists on a whistle-stop tour of Rajasthan.  It should also be a great weekend destination for people wondering where to take/send their tired relatives.  The things to see and do are row on Khirsagar lake and look at birds and flowering lotuses.  Cycle along the Nahar Sagar reservoir embankment and picnic at the farm.  Visit the Joshi family in Shahpura, acclaimed painters of phad (epic scrolls).  Ramble through the kitchen garden identifying vegetables and herbs (for a pair of neurotic pair of geesel).  Wander through the Shahpura bazaar and buy a pair of mojaris (Rajasthani shoes).  Sit in the sun with chai or a beer and a good book and find youself snoozing.  Soak in the bathtub with the bath salts provided and a glass of wine on hand.

GETTING THERE by road Shahpura is 220 km from Jaipur or Udaipur about four hours on excellent uncongested roads.  If you are driving from Delhi, turn off NH79 just short of Ajmer, at Nasirabad.  Drive on and again turn of the highway at Gulabpura for the last 40 Km.  You could drive the full eight hours straight from Delhi.  By train Ajmer (120km) is the nearest station.  CONTACT:  Sat Singh 9828122012, Maya Singh 9828122013, www.shahpurabagh.com

Trek Along Kumbhalgarh

Much of Rajasthan is pretty, almost ephemeral in its dependence on light and hue for its attraction. The massive 600-year-old ramparts of Kumbalgarh Fort offer altogether more immense substance. The sheer size of it makes one want to believe the local legend that the fortress was impregnable, though it was actually taken once, by a powerful army of Emperor Akbar's Mughal-Rajput alliance. Its walls snake over the rolling Aravalli hills for 36km, like some gargatuan shone python. Its one of teh longest walls anywhere on earth outside China's Great Wall, and if you are feeling adventurous, try hiking along the periphery. It's a two-day trek, and the only places you can stay the night are in some of the many temples along your route. you won't need a guide, but the men selling entry tickets at the fort entrance will find you someone who can cook and lug your load for you, at about Rs 300-400 a day. You will need to haggle, of course. But what price the awesome beauty of that rugged landscape?

Kumbhalgarh is 84km north of Udaipur.

Alwar

Alwar is not the most tourist-friendly destination, which is likely a good thing for those seeking classic Rajasthani attractions without the classic Rajasthani tourist hordes. Once the northern entryway to the region, Alwar's strategic location meant that it saw plenty of warfare in its time, until the 17th century when the Rajputs seized it from the jats. Today, Alwar's many palaces and forts reveal its Mughal and Rajput history, and its cuisine and hospitality characterise the best of Rajasthan. The main attraction is Bal Quila, a towering fort that affords a 300m-high view of its surrounds. Just below lies Sagar tank and the City Palace, worth visiting particularly for its museum, which contains a fine array of courtly memorabilia, weaponry, and Arabic and Sanskrit manuscripts. For the dose of Mughal culture, the gold-leaf decoratons and elegant balaconies of Vinay Vilas Palace are nice. Alwar is also the access point to Sariska National Park.

Alwar is 2hr30min from Delhi: Tourist Reception Centre: 0144-2347348.