A stunning horse riding vacation on Marwari horses out of Dundlod Fort through Rajasthan. Cantering over swathes of sandy tracks and experiencing local Indian villages. ย The destination is the beautiful and regal Alsisar Mahal Heritage Hotel
Why I love this horseback safari route
This is a really fantastic itinerary for a horse riding holiday. There is excellent riding terrain and beautiful heritage hotels. This horse trek doesnโt stray too far from Dundlod, so if you are a rider looking to stay in the vicinity around Dundlod Fort, then this is a great choice. If youโre looking to go off the beaten track and explore more of Rajasthan, then the Jaisalmer Marwari Trail is ideal for that.
Arrival at Dundlod Fort
We started at Dundlod Fort, the most magical horse-filled haven in Rajasthan.
Built in 1750, the fort is the ancestral home of Bonnie Dundlod. Bonnie pioneered horseback safaris and horse riding holidays in Rajasthan all the way back in 1985. He made Rajasthan a desirable horseback riding holiday destination for adventurous equestrians. Bonnie blazed a trail for the other riding providers who since followed suit.
This itinerary spends two nights at Dundlod. The first day when you arrive there is no riding because many guests tend to arrive after a long journey from Delhi or Jaipur. Instead, we visit the stables to visit the horses, see some of the local Dundlod sights and get to know each other over gin and tonics on the Dundlod Fort terrace.
Meeting the Marwari horses
The next day is the initiation ride, where everyone meets their horses for the week. This gives you the opportunity to see how you get along with your horse and to change if you wish to. This first ride is about 3 hours long, hacking around the sandy farmlands of Dundlod.
Itโs after this first ride that everyoneโs seat savers make an appearance, after riders realise how hard the traditional cavalry saddles are, haha.
Then itโs back to the fort for chai, gin and tonics and to talk about the days ride.
Starting the horse holiday trail
The next day we ride to the Vivaana Culture Hotel, a beautifully restored 19th century haveli (mansion). After a day in the saddle we arrive at the hotel at around 5pm just in time for chai in their lovely green gardens.
The Marwari is a desi horse of the desert, and many riders are surprised at their stamina and endurance. They are perpetually forward going with enthusiastic paces. Riders do need to be able to quite literally hold their horses especially during the group canters which can be long and fast.
As we weave our way through Rajasthanโs vast open desert landscapes the days pass quickly. India keeps riders alert, as do the Marwari horses with their sensitive attentiveness and energy.
Wildlife on the horse holiday
You see lots of lovely wildlife on the rides, including chinkara (deer), black bucks and blue bulls, which are massive and canter like a horse, desert foxes (and desert rats, lol) and antelopes. You will see lots of camels, the โships of the desertโ, as they are still used extensively for farming and transport. Thereโs lots of goats as well with their nomadic goat herders.
On this particular ride we saw a snake slither right in front of us. It was an Indian Sand Boa, which arenโt venomous. The horses instinctively knew it as they weren’t scared in the slightest. The local name for the snake is ‘Dhumbi’ (not sure on the correct spelling) which means ‘Double Headed,’ as the snakes head and tail look similar.
Rajasthani heritage hotels
This evening we arrived at one of my most favourite hotels on this route, the Malji Ka Kamra. The hotel is spacious, authentic and feels like a paradise after a hot long day in the saddle. Riding here covered in sand and dust for chai on terrace then later on gin and tonics in the garden is simply perfect.
Routine on the horse holiday
Covering around 15 or so miles per day, the rides are fast paced. The days adopt a routine of up to 4 hours of riding in the morning before stopping for a 2 or 3 hour lunch break in the heat of the day when the horses can be fed, watered and rested. Then about 2 hours riding in the afternoon.
Lunch is always a fabulous picnic outside under the shade of a tree. Shubash is the Dundlod chef and has been catering to tourists for about 15 years. His food is divine and gives you a real taste of homestyle Rajasthani cooking.
Camping under the desert stars
One of the highlights of the safaris is sitting around the campfire chatting away whilst drinking the ever flowing gin and tonics, sharing stories and of course inevitably talking about horses.
The Marwari horses donโt tire quickly and they are as forward going on the last day of the ride as they are on the first. In fact, you donโt really need to ask for a โforward goingโ Marwari horse, as they generally all are.
A towering Rajput Fort
The evening is spent at a colossal Rajput fort still owned by the same family. The Narayan Niwas Mehansar Castle is very authentic (as in donโt expect modern luxuries and be happy to wash from a bucket of boiled water with a mug which is actually lots of fun) hailing from 1768.
The fort has 14 guest rooms of varying sizes and decoration. Having stayed there twice now, one room I had was right up the very top of the tower. It was honestly as high as a mid size skyscraper up some vertical stairs. If youโre scared of heights then itโs best to avoid that room! It has a great view, though.
The ride continues the next day through villages, across farmlands and cantering along sandy tracks across rolling sand dunes. You pass local farmers, nomadic camel and goat herders, children, and ladies at work in the fields lighting up the landscape in their shimmering, glinting sariโs.
Arrival at the Alsisar Heritage Hotel
The last day we spend riding towards the final destination, the incredible Alsisar Mahal Heritage Palace Hotel. This is honestly my favourite place in Rajasthan.
This is such a beautiful hotel. Itโs incredible to ride right up to the entrance on the horses. The courtyard is up a slope and the tiles can be slippery for the horses shod hooves, so we all go up in a line slowly.
Riding right up here really fills you with a sense of achievement. Alsisar provides the best end to an incredible week spent in the saddle seeing rural Rajasthan from the back of an indigenous Marwari horse.
There is plenty of time for photos with the horses upon arrival at the Alsisar Mahal. Itโs such a spectacular setting and the hotel has been beautifully restored.
The dining hall of Alsisar is an explosion of turquoise and peacock feathers.
For riders who have had their fill of local Indian food, there are Western options and even a pasta station, but the Indian food here is divine so I wouldnโt miss out on it.
Alsisar has a fabulous pool and an open courtyard where we all congregate in the evening for sundowners.
There is usually a local dance with folksong and we all celebrate the end of an amazing ride together gathered outside in the courtyard. With a drink in hand, you are filled with what are already wonderful memories of a weeks horse holiday ride with Dundlod Safariโs.
The horses are loaded into the lorry and driven home that evening, so you do need to say goodbye to them soon after dismounting. They return home to Dundlod Fort for a well earned rest.
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