Rajasthan Highlights
The essential Rajasthan in 7 days. Four cities, four colors.
Highlights
Logistics
Fly into Jaipur, out of Udaipur. Train/drive between cities.
Day by Day
Arrive Jaipur. Amber Fort (go straight from airport, morning light is best). Afternoon: City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar. Evening: Nahargarh Fort sunset. Johari Bazaar for dinner.
Morning drive to Jodhpur (5-6hrs). Arrive by lunch. Afternoon: Mehrangarh Fort β genuinely one of the best forts in India. Walk through the Blue City lanes below the fort. Toorji ka Jhalra stepwell. Overnight Jodhpur.
Drive to Jaisalmer (5hrs through the Thar). Arrive afternoon. Jaisalmer Fort β unlike other forts, people live inside this one. Walk the lanes, find the Jain temples (intricate carvings), Patwon ki Haveli. Sunset from the fort walls.
Morning: Gadisar Lake. Afternoon: Sam Sand Dunes (42km from town). Camel safari into the dunes. Watch the sunset. Stay for desert camping under the stars β the Milky Way is absurd out here.
The long haul. Jaisalmer to Udaipur is a full day drive (9-10hrs). Start early. Stop at Barmer or Pali for lunch. Arrive Udaipur by evening. This is the one hard day β but the alternative (backtracking to Jodhpur) isn't shorter. Check into a Lake Pichola-facing hotel. Rooftop dinner.
City Palace (massive, allow 2-3hrs). Jag Mandir boat ride on Lake Pichola. Fateh Sagar Lake. Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) sunset β the drive up is scenic. Saheliyon ki Bari garden if you have kids. Evening: walk Gangaur Ghat.
Morning free: revisit the lake, last shopping (Udaipur miniature paintings, silver jewellery). Depart from Udaipur airport.