The much-awaited tie-up between the Abu Dhabi private jet operator Royal Jet and the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent has culminated in the inaugural Regal Rajasthan tour.
Abercrombie & Kent, which this year opened an office in Abu Dhabi, offers bespoke travel arrangements anywhere in the world.
The week-long trip to Rajasthan, from December 11 to 17, is priced at Dh190,000 per person, based on two sharing. For those travelling solo, the package costs Dh240,000. The experience is limited to just 18 guests, who will fly in one of Royal Jet's fleet of Boeing Business Jets.
As with such tours in the past, the itinerary has been put together by Geoffrey Kent, the founder and chief executive of Abercrombie & Kent. Mr Kent is known for his attention to detail, having pioneered the sector more than 50 years ago.
“Our first odyssey to Rajasthan promises to be an enchanting experience that encapsulates the ultimate in private travel,” said Mr Kent.
The Regal Rajasthan tour will take clients to Jaipur, the state capital, for an elephant safari before jetting on to Agra for an exclusive viewing of the Taj Mahal before the gates are opened to the public.
Guests will then head to Jodhpur for a game of polo hosted by Gaj Singh, the maharaja of Jodhpur, followed by a stop in Udaipur for a private tour of Mewar, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. The tour ends with dinner at the palace.
q & a: Rich history and wonderful wildlife
Why is Rajasthan such a popular tourist draw?
The northwestern Indian state, which was home to several kingdoms, during and before British rule in India, is scattered with beautiful palaces and forts. The forts in Chittorgarh, Amber, Gagron, Jaisalmer, Kumbhalgarh and Ranthambore have Unesco World Heritage status. There are also many nature reserves, including Ranthambore and Sariska, which are said to be among the best places in India to spot tigers. A large part of Rajasthan, mostly towards the west, is covered by the Thar Desert, making it the driest state in India.
If it’s so dry, what is the weather like then?
Temperatures in the summer can top 45 degrees Celsius and in winter it can drop to below freezing in certain parts. But there are patches of dry thorny forests that increase in density and greenery in areas with more rainfall. Rajasthan, which means the land of kings, is now the largest state in India after Uttar Pradesh, which was split in 2000 to form another state called Uttarakhand. Rajasthan’s area is nearly equal to that of Norway or Italy.
When is the best time to visit?
After the monsoon (June to September), when temperatures are cooler, marking the onset of many fairs and festivals, including Puskhar fair, one of the world’s largest camel and livestock gathering, usually held between October and November.
Anything else to see?
During any stay in Rajasthan's Udaipur, a must-see is the Taj Lake Palace, a luxury hotel set on four acres of rock in Lake Pichola. The hotel featured in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy, as the home of titular character Octopussy.
siyer@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
Ramez Gab Min El Akher
Creator: Ramez Galal
Starring: Ramez Galal
Streaming on: MBC Shahid
Rating: 2.5/5
Illegal shipments intercepted in Gulf region
The Royal Navy raid is the latest in a series of successful interceptions of drugs and arms in the Gulf
May 11: US coastguard recovers $80 million heroin haul from fishing vessel in Gulf of Oman
May 8: US coastguard vessel USCGC Glen Harris seizes heroin and meth worth more than $30 million from a fishing boat
March 2: Anti-tank guided missiles and missile components seized by HMS Lancaster from a small boat travelling from Iran
October 9, 2022: Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose recovers drugs worth $17.8 million from a dhow in Arabian Sea
September 27, 2022: US Naval Forces Central Command reports a find of 2.4 tonnes of heroin on board fishing boat in Gulf of Oman
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final, first leg:
Liverpool 5
Salah (35', 45+1'), Mane (56'), Firmino (61', 68')
Roma 2
Dzeko (81'), Perotti (85' pen)
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
MATCH RESULT
Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
BELGIUM SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels
Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Zeno Debast, Arthur Theate, Wout Faes
Midfielders: Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thorgan Hazard, Timothy Castagne, Thomas Meunier
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Loïs Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Eden Hazard, Jeremy Doku, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
Results
Elite men
1. Amare Hailemichael Samson (ERI) 2:07:10
2. Leornard Barsoton (KEN) 2:09:37
3. Ilham Ozbilan (TUR) 2:10:16
4. Gideon Chepkonga (KEN) 2:11:17
5. Isaac Timoi (KEN) 2:11:34
Elite women
1. Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:19:15
2. Hawi Feysa Gejia (ETH) 2:24:03
3. Sintayehu Dessi (ETH) 2:25:36
4. Aurelia Kiptui (KEN) 2:28:59
5. Emily Kipchumba (KEN) 2:29:52
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000