Jaipur

Also known as the pink city, Jaipur the capital of Rajasthan is a beautiful place to spend a weekend in because it is simply brims over with grandeur and beauty of royalty. The uniformly coloured pink buidings are a breathtaking sight to experience while the magnificent palaces and forts add a touch of majesty.

Jaipur is not only about old world charms but it is a modern city in every aspect. Wide open roads decorated with picturesque statues and tree-lined avenues testifying the transition the city has made to fit into the modern stencil, while still upholding its heritage. This beautiful city will find its way to your heart and make you eager to come back whenever you can.

The Standing tall on the outskirts of Jaipur, these stern forts are a heritage from Jaipur’s militaristic past. The panoramic views of the sprawling city and its environs that these forts command are magnificent as is the history that lies buried within them.

How To Reach

By Train:

Jaipur Station (JP) is well connected to all major cities of India by train. If you are not able to find direct trains then make stop over in New Delhi, as from New Delhi there are multiple trains coming to Jaipur throughout the day. A typical train ride takes around 5 hours from New Delhi to Jaipur.

By Road:

Jaipur is located approximately 260 KM(160 miles) southwest of Delhi. Travel time by road is about four hours. Bus services are available to and from many destinations.

By Flight:

Jaipur Airport is also well connected to the rest of India, where flights from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata are frequent.

Where to stay in Jaipur

Best area to stay in Jaipur is near Bani Park or MI Road. There are lots of hotels and lodges in these areas. The market is nearby and a lot of restaurants are also present in that area. Try to book one in advance either by directly calling the hotel or through Make my trip.

What to do in Jaipur

Visit the mighty Amber Fort:

Accessible for differently able people:	No. People who are not comfortable walking, avoid this place.
Skip-able if time doesn’t permit:	No. This is the true marvel of Rajput architecture, not to be missed.

Amber fort is located high on a hill, and is known for its artistic style, blending both Mughal and Rajput elements. With its large ramparts, series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks the Maota Lake, at its forefront.
Amber Fort is open every day from 8:00 until 17:30 and the entrance fee is Rs 200. It lies 12 km to the north of Jaipur and a single taxi fare will cost Rs200-250. Jaipur has good coverage of taxi aggregators like Ola and Uber, so one can book those as well. Alternatively, you can book a car for full day and club a few places together. Usually people club Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort and Jal Mahal on the same day.

Hawa Mahal:

Accessible for differently able people:	Yes, but only ground level. Pone can marvel at the Mahal from outside. Insides don’t have much to offer.
Skip-able if time doesn’t permit:	No. This is bang in the center of the city. Very difficult to miss.

Hawa Mahal is a five-storey building, whose windows are decorated with intricate latticework, designed in a unique honeycomb shape. The latticework on the windows allows a passage to the royal ladies to observe life outside the palace, restricting outsiders to have a glimpse of them. Situated in the heart of the city, it is a part of the City Palace.

The palace is built in red and pink sandstone and it is a fine example of the lively fusion of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles. The desing of the windows allow cool breeze into the main courtyard and the rooms within the palace. There are Fountains in front of the palace which enhance this cooling effect.

The insides however are not nearly as larger than life as the exterior. So if one is not comfortable climbing the 5 floors of the palace, it is fine, as just experiencing the exteriors is good enough.

City Palace:

Accessible for differently able people:	Yes. Electric Vehicles are available in plenty which can be hired to tour the city palace.
Skip-able if time doesn’t permit:	No.

City Palace is a remarkable example of the combination of Mughal and Rajput architecture. Remnants of European architecture can also be found. Entry to city palace is quite affordable and remarkable as well. Entry ticket costs Rs 100 for Indians and Rs 500 for foreigners.

Being a more recent addition to Jaipur’s rich heritage, the City Palace still serves as a residence for the Jaipur Royals. Some of the most sought after attractions withn the City Palace are Pitam Niwas Chowk, Sarvato Bhadra, Sabha Niwas and Mubarak Mahal.

Jantar Mantar, the astronomical observatory is also a part of the City Palace complex. City Palace is a not-to-be-missed palace in the Jaipur Travel Guide and a major landmark of Jaipur with a rich historical heritage.

Jal Mahal:

Accessible for differently able people:	Yes.
Skip-able if time doesn’t permit:	Yes.

Jal Mahal is off limits to tourists, you cannot go inside the palace. You can’t even go near that structure. You have to satisfy yourself by standing on the banks of the lake and watching the Palace. there is a small park that has come up on the banks of the river where you can stay for a few minutes and marvel at the palace. The park is just besides the road so no need to walk. The place falls on route to Amber Palace, so you can club both places together.

Jaigarh Fort:

Accessible for differently able people:	No.
Skip-able if time doesn’t permit:	No.

Jaigarh Fort a.k.a ‘Fort of Victory’, is located on a rocky plain of the Aravalli range. Huge impounding walls and watchtowers guards Jaigarh Fort. The architectural layout of this fort is quite similar to Amber Fort and it was constructed to tighten the security of the royal families. There exists some tunnels between the Amber Fort and Jaigarh fort, which is believed to be used when retreating to safety during attacks on either of the forts.

This fort has also served as one of the major cannon foundries to the Rajput and the Mughal kings. Availability of iron ore around this fort made it a major destination to produce arms and ammunition.

This fort now houses a museum, which highlights some of the primary cannons and other weapons used by the kings. Jaivana Cannon, the world’s largest cannon on wheels was manufactured in the foundries of this fort. The cannon is now on display in the museum.

Nahargarh Fort:

Accessible for differently able people:	No.
Skip-able if time doesn’t permit:	No.

Typical Jaipur Itinerary

If you can speed up your tour you can actually complete a Jaipur tour in under 3 days, howvever you will have to book a car for this. If you are going to rely on the public transport this is going to extend one extra day.

Day-1 :

Typically one arrives in the afternoon in Jaipur, in which case you have the option of visiting Laxminarayan Temple (Birla Mandir) and Chokhi Dhani – An Ethnic Village Resort.).

Day-2

Start a full day sightseeing tour starting with a photo stop at Jal mahal, followed by Amber fort. Take a 2 hour tour of Amber fort and move to Jaigarh fort which is nearby. Jaigarh fort tour typically would take 1.5 hours to complete. Take lunch once you leave Jaigarh and proceed to Nahargarh fort. Its a bit far and thus takes some travel time. Spend a couple of hours in Nahargarh and come to Jaipur city and take rest.

Alternatively you can stop at Amber fort while returning from Nahargarh to enjoy the light and sound show if time and energy permits.

Day-3

Visit the city palace and Jantar Mantar. Visit the famed Hawa Mahal and climb to the top level to get the best view of the city. In the evening, visit LMB (a 300+ year old restaurant) to dine an authentic Rajasthani thali.