Udaipur
City Palace (2-3 hours)
The gem of the city is this sprawling palace that continued to expand in size over 30 generations to the massive spectacle seen today. Now with a large welcoming courtyard and tourist gift shops, there is no surprise this is the most popular tourist attraction in the city. Considering the importance, we decided to hire a private tour guide who helped teach us a lot about the history of the city and the specifics of what we observed throughout the palace.
A few of the facts we learned on our tour stood out. Throughout Rajasthan, they designed their palaces and forts to have narrow hallways and short doorways so only one invader could enter at a time. When an enemy walked through a doorway their neck would be down and exposed making it easier for a surprise decapitation. We also learned about the entertainment of elephant fighting in the front courtyard where two elephants would play tug of war, and the losing elephant would be the first to make any contact with the central barrier.
There was also a beautiful room full of hand paintings where they claimed one man spent 5 years painting. The room was still well preserved so we could appreciate the fine details in the work.
Monsoon Palace (1-2 hours)
The far-off Palace overlooking the city is the Monsoon Palace, previously used for the royal family to stay during the summer seasons since the higher elevation helps keep it cool. The white marble and secluded location with incredible views make it another popular tourist attraction. We started our day here and enjoyed wandering the campus with limited crowds. When you arrive at the main gate you will be required to take a taxi to the top. Our experience in the provided taxi was pretty hilarious. They fit eight people into a car meant for six maximum. Strangers were sitting on each other laps, and the driver drove like a madman on the tight switchback roads. Everyone was young and seemed to enjoy the ridiculous situation we were all put in. The views once you are at the top are beautiful and make this site worth the extra travel time to the top. We highly recommend getting there early to beat the crowds. Before we left, Allison managed to get attacked by a monkey, so this location has a bit of everything….
Bagore Ki Haveli (1-2 hours)
Built by the prime minister of Mewar in the mid-1700s, this Haveli was occupied by the Mewar State until 1947. This palace has hundreds of rooms offering a history of how the Mewar statespeople lived. We enjoyed the rooftop which provided nice views of the surrounding area and Lake Pichola. This was where we first got introduced to the Mewar Miniature painting, which is very popular in this region. There is a distinct style to these Mewar-specific portraits including the large mustaches and profile poses of everyone in the paintings. You can also expect to see the living quarters, a weapon display of the various old-style weapons, and even a turban room which we can only assume houses the world’s largest turban.
Gangaur Ghat (30 minutes max)
Just outside of the Bagore Ki Haveli is a popular tourist spot called Gangaur Ghat. A ghat represents an area with steps leading to a body of water. This location offers a nice view of the sunset and does become very crowded. During the day, this is a popular spot for locals to hang out near the water while others enjoy playing with the large number of pigeons.
Sunset Cruise (1.5 hours)
We were able to join the sunset cruise hosted by the Taj water palace since we stayed there one night for our post-wedding photos. There are other sunset cruise options as well. Our tour allowed us to stop at Jagmandir, the other island, for a quick lake garden tour to take pictures.
Badi Lake for Sunset (1.5 hours)
A surprisingly beautiful view of Badi Lake with the surrounding peaks can be found after driving around 25 minutes outside of the main city. Make sure to get there early to give yourself time to hike to the peak and enjoy a relaxing sunset. To get to the trailhead for the best views you want to travel towards Bahubali Hills and park at the parking location just north. The hike takes about 10-15 minutes and is worth the effort. Bring some snacks or drinks and enjoy!
Royal Car Museum (30 min)
If you enjoy vintage and classic cars from the 1900s you will enjoy the collection of cars at the Royal Car Museum. Our favorite part was walking up to an area labeled Phantom II (Rolls-Royce) without a car on display. We laughed at how much we loved the invisible car dispaly only to realize the Phantom II had moved.
Ambrai Ghat for sunrise (1 hour)
We missed peak sunrise since the gates opened at 8 am, but when we entered we were still the only tourists this early. Everyone else that was there was a local either taking a morning bath in the lake or washing clothes. This is another insanely popular location for sunset so we wanted to come here for sunrise to avoid the crowd. The Ambrai restaurant is located next to this area, so if you would prefer to see the sunset at the comfort of a dining table make sure to make reservations ahead of time.
Saheliyon-Ki-Bari Garden (1 hour)
We learned this Garden was built by a king for his wife. The king’s wife would enjoy the quiet garden with her friends. The irony was that Allison went to this garden without Grant. The garden contains ponds and fountains and is separated into 4 separate gardens for each Season; monsoon, summer, winter, and spring.
Fateh Sagar Lake
This is the second most popular lake just North of Lake Pichola. We didn’t spend much time here since Lake Pichola kept us entertained for our whole trip, but we would have visited Nehru Garden in the middle of the lake had we had more time. You will be able to find boat rides on this lake as well.
Doodh Talai Lake
There is no shortage of lakes in Udaipur. Located next to Lake Pichola and often overlooked, Doodh Talai can offer a beautiful view of the sunset without the typical tourist crowds.
Jagdish Temple (30 min)
Near the entrance to the Royal Palace, you will find this Hindu Temple. We stumbled in up the massive stairway just after finishing our tour of the Royal Palace. We heard an ongoing prayer ceremony around 11 am which made the visit unique. After seeing many Hindu temples throughout India we felt this one was smaller than expected but still had very intricate engravings.
Lake Pichola Hotel
We made our way to Upre, the rooftop restaurant part of the Lake Pichola Hotel. Upre was recommended by a local, so we went there for our first lunch. Not only was Upre probably the best meal we had in Udaipur, but the rooftop location was also beautiful, and the Lake Pichola Hotel was no exception. We spent time during and after lunch taking photos at the rooftop restaurant, and the hotel even had some nice gazebos on the ground floor next to the lake where we relaxed after our meal. Upre was booked days out for dinner, but we luckily went for lunch without an issue.
Shopping
We went shopping around the Hathipole Bazar to see the scene and review the souvenirs. This area is tightly packed with all the shopping options you can possibly want.
Food
Ambrai
The popular sunset spot is well worth the hype. If you are visiting Udaipur it’s assumed you spend one evening eating at Ambrai. We went on Valentine’s Day and booked the Private Gazeebo Dinner, which is in a completely separate area from the restaurant. We ate like a King and Queen and had a wonderful meal. We had some wine and enjoyed the sunset before the meal as well.
Bloom Boutique Hotel Rooftop
We stayed at this hotel, but our first meal upon arrival at 1030pm was at their rooftop restaurant, and we loved the food. We ordered two portions of the veg Manchurian. We also liked that it was all Vegetarian since we are trying to reduce our meat consumption.
Upre
See the section on the Lake Pichola Hotel above to learn more about how much we loved Upre. As for the food, we ordered butter chicken and Lal Maas with pineapple Rata (Allison’s favorite Indian dish). We ate ourselves into a coma and can’t say enough about this place.
Lodging
Taj Lake Palace
We spent a night here to splurge on some post-wedding India-themed photos in the city of Love. This was probably the most expensive hotel we have stayed at in India and one night was perfect. The campus is gorgeous with a Lilly garden, scenic rooftops with gazebos, and outdoor seating. They offer sunset cruises every night and include a cultural performance with snacks afterward.
We spent over 2 hours taking post-wedding photos around campus in traditional Indian wardrobe as well as traditional American/Western outfits. These photos do a great job of capturing the beauty of the hotel (and of us…. 😉 ). We had a lovely time and enjoyed treating ourselves to something nice.
Bloom Boutique Hotel
This cutely decorated hotel was in a great location so we could walk almost everywhere we wanted. The restaurant was great, the ambiance was relaxing and ornate, and they offered water refill stations.
Can’t Miss
Miniature Paintings
Outside the Bagore Ki Haveli, we had our first introduction to miniature painting. This style of painting is unique to this area, and we bought a few different miniature paintings due to their colors and meaning. They are all hand-painted with extreme precision using brushes made of squirrel hairs. The colors are produced from naturally occurring stones and take almost a day to create after mixing. There are a few key elements in most of these paintings including images of a Horse, Elephant, and Camel which represent Power, Luck, and Love respectively. We bought a painting with these three symbols located in Udaipur, Jaipur, and Jaisalmer to perfectly highlight our trip.
Jodhpur
Jaswant Thada (1 hour)
This burial monument is built with sheets of marble, and is surrounded by a lake and a small garden at the main staircase. We are continuously amazed at how much work and effort goes into erecting shrines for royal family members long after they have passed away. Just outside the main structure near the parking lot is a statue of Rao Jodha Ji, the 15th-century founder of Jodhpur, on a horse.
Rao Jodha Desert Park (1-2 hours)
Surrounding Mehrangarh Fort and sprawling around the city is a well-maintained Park meant to preserve the natural beauty of the desert and the unique rocks. We entered the main entrance and then realized how large this Park was. We decided to only hike the yellow trail about 1km since it became too hot at 11 am for desert hiking. The view of the Fort from the remote and private hike was stunning, and it was nice to be outside amongst nature in such a large city.
Clock Tower Market (1 hour)
Surrounding the Clock Tower is a large market where locals and travelers come to buy whatever they need. Most of the stalls serve fresh produce, but you can find a variety of souvenirs. We spent some time wandering around the market, and bought a unique India beanbag with vibrant colors and tassels.
Mehrangarh Fort (2 – 3 hours)
An eye-opening fort atop a hilltop that demands attention, the Mehrangarh Fort is the first landmark you will notice as you enter Jodhpur. We took a guided tour for about 1.5 hours and enjoyed seeing the beauty and hearing about the history. A lot of the themes were recurring from our time in Udaipur since the major impacts in history were during the Mewar state rule. Just outside the main building there are courtyards and even a temple within the fort walls. The fort is another attraction that gets crowded later in the day, so try to get there early to beat the crowds.
Umaid Heritage Art School (1 hour)
A short walk from the clock tower market, this art school became one of our favorite hidden gems of the trip. Vijay, the professor of the school, goes by the name Lentil man for his famous ability to paint and draw on a single piece of lentil. He was excited to show us his precision and steady hand as he wrote our names on a small lentil and gifted this as a souvenir. After hearing all about his school and enjoying his shop full of miniature paintings and other more traditional paintings we decided to get a miniature painting commissioned of the two of us in the traditional miniature format and style. After detailing our vision, Vijay proceeded to paint an incredible piece unique to us, which took over two months. Once completed, he shipped it to us in Bangalore, and it is one of our favorite and most unique souvenirs in all our travels. If you are interested in buying a miniature painting, we highly recommend reviewing the collection at this shop which includes student paintings.
Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum (1 hour)
A remarkably beautiful palace with gorgeous and well-maintained grounds, this is now a combination of Taj Hotel and Museum. While the museum is relatively unremarkable, there were a few massive murals we enjoyed, and it was informative to learn how these massive palaces were constructed. We didn’t have a chance to walk through the Taj, which accounts for probably 95% of the grounds, to see the beauty of the inside since there was a private wedding the same day we visited, but there is no doubt that would be worth a quick walk through while you are here.
Cooking Class (3-6 hours)
Allison was insistent that we take a Rajasthani-style cooking class so she can continue to enhance her knowledge of cuisines. We met a local who directed us to Aastha, who runs a cooking class out of her home. We had a lot of fun learning from Aastha, and she let us decide on each dish we would be cooking the day before. After six hours, we cooked Laal Maas, Pineapple Raita, Palak Paneer, Dal Bati, Aloo Gobi Fry, Aloo Paratha, Palak Puri, and Saffron Lassi.
This was the best meal I had eaten in my time in India and would recommend her class to anyone interested. We liked it so much, that we left a review on TripAdvisor (We never do this) to support Aastha’s rebound after the pandemic.
City Tour (Half Day)
At the time of our trip, tour guides had been out of work due to the Pandemic. Finding a tour guide became easy since everyone was willing to help us find someone to give a tour. We had a great time walking through the city on foot learning about the architecture, understanding the history and use of the Havelis, and of course learning why the city was Blue. Towards the end of the tour, we made our way up to the outside of the Mehrangarh Fort to see the blue city from a higher vantage point.
Mandore Gardens (1-2 hours)
The entire park is fairly large and requires some time to walk through if you want to enjoy peace and quiet. Our main destination within the park was the Centotaphs, although there are other sites including the Hall of Heroes and a museum.
The Centotaphs blew us away with their size and intricate detailing and are truly a sight to behold. We arrived at 9 am to beat the rush and were the only ones there.
Toorji Ka Jhalra (Or Jodhpur Stepwell)
Stepwells are a local watering hole where locals used to collect water and gather. Sometimes the stepwell would act as the main watering source with channels extending out into other parts of the city. Stepwells can get very deep and without as much water nowadays they become a unique site for tourists and locals to gather and sit within the well. We stopped by and enjoyed watching locals jumping into the water from the street. It would have been close to a 30-foot drop which made it exciting for something we were not expecting. Overall, the water is still dirty so it’s unclear how sanitary it is and whether playing in the water is a good idea. The site is amongst the city and not as well maintained as other tourist sites, so this would not be a top attraction if you have limited time in town.
Food
Indique Rooftop
Indiqu had great food and a unique perspective of the city from the rooftop with sunset views of the fort. Allison ordered the Rajasthan Special Thali to try a variety of local foods and was very satisfied.
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer Fort (1 full day)
Currently, housing 5000 residents, this city center built on a hill is the main attraction of the city. Walking through the various gates through the narrow path to the city center was a little intimidating. With such a gap in tourism due to the pandemic the whole city is buzzing with tourism back on the rise. Even amongst the chaos and excitement, it is easy to appreciate the golden sandstone beauty and unique hand-sculpted architecture throughout the city and the fort. We were inside the fort at least once every day of our stay in Jaisalmer. We wandered through the city before 7 am multiple mornings to avoid the crowds and have a better chance to appreciate the beauty.
Within the Fort, there are a few major attractions
Raj Mahal Palace (1-2 hours)
An elaborate and informative visit to the Raj Mahal Palace within the Fort is a must. There were some beautiful views of the surrounding city, especially from the rooftop, which appeared to be the highest point within the fort. The Palace is the most popular attraction within the Fort, and likely the entire city of Jaisalmer, so ensure you get there when it opens to avoid a massive crowd. We had arrived at 830am, and when we left by 945am you could barely walk through without bumping into someone.
Jain Temples (1-2 hours)
There are 7 Jain temples within one city block within the Fort. Regardless of when you show up, you will have the option to find a freelance tour guide to help guide you through all the temples and share some of the background, history, and meaning behind the architecture and art. We felt getting a tour guide helped us navigate the labyrinth of tightly confined temples and help us learn more about what we were seeing.
Cannon Point(s) (1-hour maximum)
There are two fort wall cannons with views of the surrounding landscape nearby one another. As you enter the main fort city center, take a left and keep walking until you hit a dead end. We arrived at sunrise to get a few hassle-free photos and enjoy the calm morning. We then sat at the restaurant next door to have coffee and enjoy the quiet view. We also met another ambitious traveler who woke up early for photos at this spot, and she joined us for breakfast. She had started her own travel company and was living in Chennai, so we had a lot to talk through to help us plan future trips in India.
Outside the Fort, there are additional attractions worth exploring
Gatisar Lake (1-hour minimum)
Outside the fort, we found ourselves at Gatisar Lake frequently. A short walk and even shorter auto will get you to the Lake from the city center. We went to the lake to enjoy another Sunrise and beat the crowds. Another popular attraction at the Lake is the evening water and light show. This was something we had only learned about from a few locals and we could not find any information about this online. When we arrived it felt like the whole town was there to see this show. The show officially started at 715pm, but the crowd started forming by 645pm. The show is unique as they project footage and a short film on a wall of water being shot up from the lake. The language of the film was in Hindi so we were unable to understand what was happening and ended up leaving early. This felt like more of a local movie night than it did a tourist attraction.
Cultural Center Puppet Show (1 hour)
Across the main street from the Lake is the Cultural center. They perform nightly puppet shows at 630pm and 730pm. They perform live songs with clappers and use a variety of well-decorated puppets. We had never seen anything like this before, but we were well entertained.
Vyas Chhatri (for Sunset) (1 hour)
Numerous Cenotaph structures all in one location on an elevated hill make this unique to catch sunrise and sunset. We came for sunset and had the whole area to ourselves.
Salam Singh Haveli (1 hour)
We came for a tour early in the morning and had an hour-long tour from 820am to 920am. We appeared to be the first ones who had arrived that day and there were no other tourists while we were there so we had a private tour. During our tour, we learned quite a bit more about the Haveli than we had during other Haveli tours on this trip. One of the main learnings from this tour was that Haveli is meant to mean “the wind and natural light building” to highlight that the building has insulation and is designed to keep it cool with the wind. The walls were hollow in some spots so the tenants could hear if an enemy was moving through the Haveli. Because sound traveled so easily, there was no privacy throughout the building. Even the Prime minister couldn’t talk with 1 of his 7 wives during the daytime since everyone would be able to hear them, so they could only talk at night.
The building was built in the early 1800s without the use of concrete, so the sandstones were built with male and female pieces like legos and even twisted into locked positions to combine larger stones. From the outside, the top tower consists of surrounding balconies that all have unique designs from each other. Many unique peacock sculptures also surround the base of this tower with the rock lotus flowers hanging upside down from the tower. From the inside of the main tower, you can see the highlight of the Haveli which was the dancing room. A once beautiful disco-ball type room with lights, gems, lamps, and mirrors, the dancing room is where performances would happen at the backdrop of a simple fountain to keep the room cool with running water and crosswind. The remains make you wish you could transform 200 years in the past to see it in its peak form.
The basement includes a collection of remade antiques for purchase. These antiques included incense holders and opium storage containers that can be used for makeup.
Other Havelis that can be toured include Patawon Ki Haveli and Nathmal Ki Haveli. All Havelis by definition are beautiful marvels highlighting the wealth and prestige of the past.
Bhang Shop
Fun fact: The Bhang Shop of Jaisalmer can be seen on the Wikipedia page for Bhang. Yes, we also had to figure out what Bhang was exactly since it seemed to be a popular destination. Since it is just the leaves of a cannabis plant, bhang is technically not illegal in some locations in India, including Jaisalmer. They incorporate the Bhang in a variety of sweets including lassis and cookies. If you are comfortable trying this on your vacation you can make a trip to the Bhang shop and see for yourself.
Desert Camps (Recommend 1 night minimum)
Before leaving Jaisalmer, make sure to spend at least one night in the desert! We stayed for two nights at Kafila Desert Camp, but one night is more than enough. We spent the days relaxing inside having lunch or taking naps since it was too hot. Early evening and early morning were the best times to explore. We took photos and drone footage at the dunes, enjoyed a sunset at the dunes with coffee, had a sunset camel ride in the dunes, and woke up at 4 am to get star photos of the Milky Way. The cherry on top of the Kafila Desert camp was the cultural show from 730-915pm. The almost 2-hour show is performed every night while they serve you drinks and snacks. Amazing dinner followed as the night cap in the desert.
Food
Café+ on main Fort Road
We ate here for dinner one night and returned for a quick lunch the following day. We ordered a variety of food including Chowmein, Veg Manchurian, Banana Shake, Veg Fried Rice, Tomato Coriander Soup, Greek Salad, Butter chicken, and Veg Dumplings Steamed. Cool vibe and ambiance with nice decorations and very friendly staff.
Desert Boys Guest House (Within the fort)
We spend every morning within the fort so we had a chance to try a few restaurants within the fort for breakfast. We were surprised to see crepes (called pancakes on the menu) and ordered an omelet with some toast to get some western food. This location has great views of the east side of the fort wall and city as well as the main walking path coming into the fort.
Sunset Palace (Within the fort)
Another restaurant we frequented within the fort on the western side. They had incredible oatmeal/porridge and puri bhaji.
1st Gate Fusion
This restaurant within a boutique hotel is just outside the fort entrance. With a pizza oven and amazing pasta, we were very pleased with the food. They also had wifi so we started working while eating a late lunch here with great views and no crowd.
Desert Boy’s Dhani
We heard about this place from the owner of the Desert Boys Guest House while we were having breakfast as this is also owned by the same group. Although the 8 pm to 10 pm nightly dance and Rajasthani Music were not available while we were there they ended up having a few young boys play live music which was a nice touch. The nice courtyard-style seating gave each table privacy in the evening and the food was delicious at a great price.