India - Alternative Rajasthan / Pushkar Photo Tour.

The Tour.

Join us on a photographic journey through Rajasthan's lesser-travelled paths, where ancient forts crown hilltops and traditional life continues unchanged in rural villages. Our adventure begins in Udaipur, from where we journey to the magnificent Chittorgarh Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose massive walls and towers tell tales of Rajput valor stretching back to the 7th century. The fort's grand palaces, temples, and the famous Vijay Stambh (Tower of Victory) provide stunning photographic opportunities in the golden light of late afternoon.

We then venture to the enchanting town of Bundi, a photographer's paradise of blue-washed houses nestled beneath an imposing palace. Here we'll capture the stunning architecture of the Bundi Palace, famous for its intricate murals and frescoes, and explore the impressive Taragarh Fort commanding views over the old town. We'll photograph the magnificent Raniji ki Baori, one of India's most beautiful step wells, and document scenes of daily life around the serene Nawal Sagar Lake with its island temple. The bustling local market offers endless opportunities to capture authentic moments of traditional life.

Our photographic adventure continues to the heritage property of Pachewar Garh Fort, where we'll immerse ourselves in rural Rajasthan. We'll photograph traditional pottery making, venture into local villages to capture authentic moments of daily life, and explore nearby lakes teeming with birdlife. The fort itself, with its grand architecture and intricately designed courtyards, provides endless compositional possibilities, especially during the golden hours. Here, we'll have the opportunity to document age-old crafts and farming traditions that have remained unchanged for generations.

The culmination of our tour brings us to the spectacular Pushkar Camel Fair, one of India's most colourful and photogenic festivals. Over three full days, we'll document this extraordinary gathering where thousands of camels and cattle traders converge amid swirling dust and golden light. The first two days focus on the preparations for the fair, where we'll capture the vibrant atmosphere of camel traders arriving from afar and setting up their campsites and fireplaces, making exceptional sunrise and sunset scenes. These pre-fair days offer unparallelled opportunities to photograph both the grand spectacle of massed camels against the desert landscape and intimate portraits of traders and pilgrims.

On our last full day, we spend the morning witnessing the first day of the fair itself, after which we spend the afternoon exploring the town of Pushkar and enjoying the evening lakeside ceremony. The lighting of the ghats on the fair's opening day is truly special, and the sight of women in traditional attire lighting the stone staircases around Pushkar Lake, with their reflections shimmering in the water, is magical.

Throughout the journey, we’ll focus not just on the grand architecture and festivals, but on intimate moments of daily life that make Rajasthan uniquely photogenic: local artisans at work in ancient marketplaces, villagers tending their fields, and the timeless rhythms of life in rural India. This is a rare opportunity to build a portfolio of images that captures both the grandeur and intimate details of India's most colourful state.

The adventure will be led by guest photographer Ashfaq Rah, an Indian national who is not only a seasoned photographer but also a second-generation tour operator with a deep understanding of the culture, history, and traditions of the region. The 10D9N adventure is a perfect opportunity to discover the lesser-known parts of this colourful Indian state.

Tuition.

On any of our tours, our primary objective is for you to go home with a collection of images that anyone would be proud of. In fact, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.

Ash’s teaching approach, like Nathan’s, is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.

We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.

If this is your first tour with us, you can also join Ash’s pre-tour workshop, designed to equip you with essential skills for travel photography. Covering technical competence, creative observation, and ethical responsibility with a focus on people and culture, this workshop is perfect if you’re new to travel photography or need a refresher. The workshop runs on the first day of the tour from around 2-5pm. Enhance your photography skills and capture breathtaking moments to treasure forever. Apply via our tour request form and prepare to take your photography skills to the next level.