Your introduction to rural Rajasthan begins with a drive through the countryside to a village that’s home to gifted, female weavers who belong to the inspirational Jaipur Rugs Foundation.  

The Foundation empowers women across the region, supports them to develop their skills and provides them with a sustainable livelihood. So far, we have created over 40,000 jobs for artisans  whose skills were in danger of being overtaken by less creative mechanical processes. 

Traditional crafts have come to be a powerful symbol of cultural identity across India and our mission is to preserve these as much as possible. And the best thing? 100% of your tour fee goes back to the Foundation. Plus each booking offers an additional source of income for the female artisans, who will be paid for their guiding services. Find out more about the work of the foundation here. 

We will meet these local craftspeople in their own home where their working looms are located, and learn about their craft as well as what led them into this line of work. 

You will have an opportunity to find out more about the traditional weaving techniques they use and have a go yourself. All the rugs in the Artisan Originals Collection are one-of-a-kind, as the ladies are encouraged to use their creativity to design unique and wonderful patterns inspired by their rural surroundings and lifestyle.  

The village that we visit will depend on the ladies’ work schedules for the day, so no two experiences will be the same. Here is an example of a typical experience in the charming village of Manpura:  

Manpura is a small village in the lap of the Aravalli mountains. You will enjoy a traditional welcome from your hosts, who will tie a colourful safa on your head. Together we’ll explore the ruins of ancient Meena architecture in the village onboard a camel cart and we’ll stroll by the pretty carved houses of the Rajputs. 

Then we’ll watch the Raigars hand-crafting mojaris (hand-crafted shoes) with colourful turbans on their head and hookahs in hand, before having a go at hand-weaving majestic carpets, with the help of the local craftswomen, reciting folk rhymes as they work. As you weave, you can glance over at other handy women making beautiful baskets made of mulberry stems and kooncha grass. 

An unforgettable lunch is next on the agenda, cooked by our multi-talented hosts on mud stoves using traditional utensils and cutlery. As you tuck into some delicious local food, maybe some of the village’s talented artists will perform traditional folk music and dance, if you're lucky, encouraging you to tap your feet to the beats of the dhaap, manjiri and tanpura. 

After a memorable day, you will be escorted back to your hotel. 

Please note: there may be small itinerary and schedule changes depending on which village we visit.