Journal · Rajasthan · India
Rajasthan by bicycle: Karauli to Jodhpur through the Aravallis
This route crosses Rajasthan from east to west on back roads, much of it by bicycle. It is not a ride from end to end: a vehicle covers the long and busy stretches, and the cycling is saved for the quiet country between. Tiger safaris, forts and two cities break up the riding.
How does a cycling trip with a vehicle work?
Each travelling day is split in two. The vehicle carries riders and bicycles over the main roads, and the bicycles come out where the lanes are quiet: village tracks, a dry riverbed, the edge of a sanctuary. The luggage always goes by road, so nobody rides with bags.
That makes it a trip that needs an operator, or at least a driver and a mechanic who know the roads. It is not a route to follow alone from a map.
Where does the route go?
- The east. By train from Delhi, then to Karauli and the hilltop fort at Ramathra, in farming country few visitors reach.
- Ranthambore. Two nights off the bicycle for jeep safaris in the tiger reserve, under the ruins of its fort.
- The middle. Shahpura, a small town with a village to walk, on the way south to Udaipur.
- The west. From Udaipur towards Kumbhalgarh and down to Jawai, then Chanod and Jodhpur, and a flight back to Delhi.
What breaks up the riding?
Rest days are built in at the places with most to see. Ranthambore is for tigers. Udaipur is for the City Palace and a boat on Lake Pichola at sunset. Jawai is for leopards and the Rabari villages, and Jodhpur for Mehrangarh Fort and the blue city.
How fit do you need to be?
Fit enough to ride for a few hours on several days running, on uneven surfaces and with some climbing in the Aravalli hills. The vehicle is always near, so a rider can stop at any point, which makes the route more forgiving than its length suggests.
Heat is the real limit. The riding is best done in the cool of the morning, which is one more reason this is a route for the winter months.
Quick answers
Do you cycle the whole way across Rajasthan on this route?
No. A vehicle covers the long and busy roads, and the cycling is on quiet back roads for part of most travelling days.
Can you do this route without a support vehicle?
It is not planned that way. The days assume a vehicle for the main roads and for the luggage, so riding it unsupported would mean a different route.
Are there days off the bicycle?
Yes. Ranthambore, Udaipur, Jawai and Jodhpur each have a day or more for safaris and sightseeing rather than riding.
Before you book: check the whole trip at once
Nine stays, and a journey between each that is part road and part bicycle, make this the kind of plan where one night or one transfer quietly goes missing.
Trips by Manr.ai puts your hotels and transport on one timeline and checks for gaps, overlaps and missing legs. Type a booking in, drop in the PDF, or paste the confirmation email. With an account and sync switched on, you can also forward confirmations to trips@manr.ai from the address you signed in with. Nothing joins your trip until you have seen it and added it.