Our recent blog post (& the comment it generated) made us realise that the Alwar District was a wholesome getaway. It has the advantage of being close to Delhi NCR (4.5 hours from ISBT) & enough to see & do for more than a weekend!

We dug through our emails, photographs, and memories, & compiled an itinerary of the Milk Cake City.

Day 1 – Drive to Sariska Tiger Reserve

1. Drive to the Sariska Tiger Reserve & reach by lunchtime. The evening safari takes place at 3 PM. Unlike other tiger reserves, Sariska isn’t too crowded. The probability of getting entry tickets, vehicle & guide at the ticket counter itself is quite high.

The best part about the Sariska Tiger Reserve is the Dhok Tree. Well, apart from the big cat! The evening safari ends at 6 PM.

• Return to your accommodation & rest.

Day 2 – Sariska Tiger Reserve & Bhangarh Fort

1. Return to the Sariska Tiger Reserve for the morning safari the next day at 6 AM. At different tiger reserves, we’ve taken both the morning & evening safaris & they’ve always turned out to be different experiences! The morning safari ends at 9 AM.
2. Return to your accommodation, partake a hearty breakfast, & head to Bhangarh (~45 minutes).
3. If you’re a lover of all things paranormal, the Bhangarh Fort will leave you elated. If you’re not, you can still enjoy the climb & walk through the fort, and listen to the haunted stories.

The Bhangarh Fort is believed to be haunted. There are countless tales that augment its mystery. One legend goes that the saint who approved the fort construction did so on the condition that the shadow of the king’s palace wouldn’t fall on his retreat. But when this condition wasn’t honoured, by the saint’s anger, Bhangarh transformed into a cursed city.

Another legend attributes it to Princess Ratnavati’s beauty. A sorcerer adopted to entice her with his magic. However, the Princess saw through his trickery. His magical oil morphed into a rock, rolled towards him & crushed him. Before dying, he cursed Bhangarh.

Ensure you engage a guide. Our guide claimed to have heard women crying in the fort! As it’s believed a person can’t come out of the Fort after sunset, the Archaeological Survey of India has prohibited entry after dusk. Irrespective of these fables, do go there & ascertain for yourself if the Bhangarh Fort is really haunted.

The Bhangarh Fort is best visited from November to February. We’d scaled the Fort on a January afternoon & it was still quite warm then.

• Drive back to your accommodation to call it a day.

Day 3 – Alwar

1. Check out from your accommodation & head to Alwar (~1.25 hours).
2. Check in to your Alwar accommodation.
3. Freshen up, have lunch, & head to Lake Siliserh for watching a first-class sunset. Make yourself comfortable on the terrace of Siliserh Palace or choose one of the many spots around the Lake. Soak in the beauty of the Aravali Hills, the Lake & the hues of dusk.

(To read more about Lake Siliserh & Siliserh Palace, head to our last blog post by clicking here.)

• Return to hotel & spend the night at leisure.

Day 4 – Alwar City Attractions

1. After breakfast, check out from your accommodation & make your way to the Vinay Vilas Mahal complex.
2. Start with Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri. Head inside the Vinay Vilas Mahal then & proceed to the Government Museum in the end. (To read more about these three attractions, head to our last blog post.)
3. Have lunch at one of the many restaurants in Alwar & start your drive to Neemrana (~2.25 hours).
4. Check in to Neemrana Fort Palace. The evening is available to you for leisure.

Day 5 – Neemrana Fort Palace & Back to Base

1. The last day of a trip is a sad one, isn’t it? Ending it at the Neemrana Fort Palace should lessen some of that sadness. The Fort Palace is an absolute delight to view. Though, we must add, a fair bit of climbing up & down is needed.

Nonetheless, the Palace is sure to immerse you in its centuries of grandeur!

• Check out post breakfast & head home.

While we like to maximize our trips with as much sightseeing as we can, we don’t believe in overdoing it. We recommend the same – don’t treat sightseeing as a competition or a checklist.

So, even if you don’t manage to see a few of the above, it’s okay. It’s more important to enjoy yourself. Happy sightseeing!