As under are 3 Itineraries that I have put together for exploring Jaipur. I feel a minimum of 3 nights is Ideal to enjoy and explore any city and the same goes for Jaipur. But with our fast paced lives and busy schedules such luxury isn’t a possibility always. Here are 3 itineraries that will definitely help you make the most of your time while in Jaipur.
a) Exploring Jaipur in a Day
b) Exploring Jaipur in 2 Days
c) Exploring Jaipur in 3 Days
EXPLORING JAIPUR in 1 DAY
Well, if you have decided to just stop by for a day and cover this city, ALL THE BEST! There is a lot to do in Jaipur, so doing it all in a day is absolutely impossible. If you plan on spending just a single Day, make sure its NOT a SUNDAY. Most markets are CLOSED on SUNDAY. Here is a Suggested Itinerary that is not too tiring yet gives you a bit of a sense of this city of myriad heritage!
SUGGESTED ITINERARY:
IF YOU JUST A DAY AND REACH EARLY MORNING 8:00 A.M.
Check into the hotel, have something light to eat and start off for your exploration session by 9:30/10:00 a.m.
Start at the Amber Fort. Here you can enjoy an Elephant ride. Leave your transport at the lower parking and take an elephant up to The Amber Fort. The ride will cost you approx INR 1000 for one Elephant (2 persons can fit in one Elephant) and those are the one way charges i.e. just to go up, to come back you will have to shell out the same amount. Amber Fort was built by Maharaja Man Singh in the 17th century.
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| Elephant Ride to Amber Fort |
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| The Amber Fort |
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From Amber leave for The Jaigarh Fort- The fort, rugged and similar in structural design to the Amber Fort, is also known as Victory Fort and houses the largest canon on Wheels in the world- Jaibaan. You can finish these 2 Forts in approx 3 hours.
Post this drive to the Jal Mahal- "Water Palace" is a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber. For more on Jal Mahal, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jal_Mahal
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| THE JAL MAHAL PALACE |
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Fourth Stop: The City palace of jaipur & the S.M.S.II Museum. The City palace is an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthani & Mughal Architecture. The vast palace complex occupies one seventh of the walled city of Jaipur. While in the City Palace, you can see the textile and costume museum, arms and armour museum, art gallery and hall of public and private audience. The City Palace and S.M.S II Museum. Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. * CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. Apart from the entry Fee, these are some more charges you have to keep in mind for going into The City Palce- Parking 50 Rs., Still Cam/mobile cam-50 Rs, Movie cam-100 Rs, handy cam 200 Rs. * Subject to change. Earlier it used be closed only on holi and diwali but once or twice I know of guests who faced the issue on sunday.
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| THE CITY PALACE JAIPUR |
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By the time you finish seeing City Palace it will be time for lunch. So I recommend you go to johri bazaar by a bicycle rickshaw or Auto rickshaw. On way you will see the HAWA MAHAL’s facade. HAWA MAHAL- Palace of Winds, has become the Symbol of Jaipur and is an architectural marvel. For more on Hawa Mahal read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Mahal Click your shots and then proceed for a traditional Rajasthani Lunch at LMB restaurant. Its nothing fancy and is a vegetarian restaurant but serves some nice rajasthani dishes. Yes its not fancy but price wise it is not cheap. Try the world famous Ghewar when at LMB- mind you its extremely sweet and made with a lot of clarified butter. Diabetics, watch out!!!
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| HAWA MAHAL |
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By the time you have had your lunch its already evening. If you are exhausted, post lunch take a nap and then by evening have dinner at one of the many options recommended a few paragraphs down the article.
If you still have the enthusiasm and energy left then straight after lunch, leave for some retail therapy. Go to Bapu Bazar, very close to Johri Bazaar for knick-knacks, souvenirs, mojaries (the typical rajasthni footwear), quilts, bangles, cotton kurtis, cheap jewellery, puppets, handicraft items etc etc. Make sure you bargain to get the best deal!
The shops here are open till about 8:30p.m/ 9:00p.m. You can also find henna artistes sitting by the road and can get a tattoo done on one hand for approximately 100 Rupees.
If you want more shopping go to Saraogi Mansion at the entry of Bapu Bazar and you have the big Saree Emporiums- Nikhaar fashions, Pratapsons, Utsav and my favourite Parineeta. You can also find the Bnaraswala store here for exclusive hand weaves of bananras/ Varanasi. At the basement of Saraogi Mansion are many stores selling beautiful footwear, handbags, bangles and cosmetics.
Post Shopping go back to the hotel, relax for a bit and then in the evening, say by 8:00p.m. leave for dinner. You can explore one of the many restaurants of M.I. Road for Dinner. Some of M.I. Road restaurants:
Moti Mahal Deluxe- non veg Indian cuisine,
Dasaprakasa- Vegetarian- Specialty South Indian restaurant,
Niros- Non veg- Indian & continental cuisine,
Surya Mahal- Vegetarian- Indian cuisine
Natraj-Vegetarian- Indian cuisine,
Handi non veg- Rjasthani & North Indian cuisine
We also have KFC & McDonalds at M.I. road. For fine dining, go to the end of M.I. road towards Khasa Kothi circle- to the Country Inn & Suites- and try one of the 4 restaurants there- Chinese: dragon House/ Indian: Indian Spice/ Multicuisine: coffee shop or The Lebanese: Kasbah Lounge.
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Weekend in Jaipur (with Family)
2 Days is too short to cover a place as gorgeous and full of Heritage as JAIPUR but sometimes when you are travelling and wanting to cover a country as diverse and huge as India that is the maximum you can spend at one location. So here are some suggestions to make the most of your time.
When travelling with the family, picking the right location to stay is very important. M.I. Road, Hathroi Fort, Bunny Park are a few areas that lie right at the heart of the city and very close to most of the sight-seeing. That said Raja Park and Moti Doongri area are very central too. Pick from one of the many hotels in these areas so sightseeing becomes very convenient.
For your packing needs, you may want to check my previous posts on this blog:
SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR 2 DAYS IN JAIPUR:
DAY1: Check into the hotel, Change and go around the hotel property to explore the hotel so you can decide what all parts of the hotel you would like to spend time in. Further go to the Walled City and see The HAWA MAHAL- it is the most recognizable monument of Jaipur and for many it has become the symbol of JAIPUR. Post Hawa Mahal, visit The JANTAR MANTAR- an 18th century Observatory. Please not both these monuments are open between 10:00 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.
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| HAWA MAHAL |
Following this you can go to johri bazaar by a bicycle rickshaw or Auto rickshaw and have a traditional Rajasthani Lunch at LMB restaurant. Its nothing fancy and is a vegetarian restaurant but serves some nice rajasthani dishes (a lot of people want to try typical rajasthani food and this place has exactly that to offer). Try the world famous Ghewar when at LMB- as mentioned earlier, its extremely sweet and made with a lot of clarified butter. Health conscious, watch out!!!
If you are not interested in a vegetarian Rajasthani meal then go to The PALACE CAFE at the City palace of Jaipur. This is a multi cuisine restaurant and you will get burgers and fries to pastas as well. I used to particularly love the Spaghetti Bolognese but its been over a year since I have gone to the palace cafe, so cannot comment much about the taste. Post Lunch if you still have some time in hand- try to see The City Palace and S.M.S II Museum. Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. *CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. *Subject to change: Earlier it opened through the year and shut only on Holi and Diwali, but recently a few of my guests faced the issue on Sunday. Please check with City Palace Jaipur at: +91-141-2609196. or Email: ctpalace@sify.com
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| THE PALACE CAFE @ THE CITY PALACE JAIPUR |
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Post lunch take a nap and then early evening (5:00 p.m.) leave for some retail therapy. Since most MARKETS ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY- it is better to finish shopping on Saturday. Go to Bapu Bazar for knick-knacks, souvenirs, mojaries (the typical rajasthni footwear), quilts, bangles, cotton kurtis, cheap jewellery, puppets, handicraft items etc etc. Make sure you bargain to get the best deal!
The shops here are open till about 8:30p.m/ 9:00p.m. You can also find henna artistes sitting by the road and can get a tattoo done on one hand for approximately 100 Rupees.
If you want more shopping go to Saraogi Mansion at the entry of Bapu Bazar and you have the big Saree Emporiums- Nikhaar fashions, Pratapsons, Utsav and my favourite Parineeta. You can also find the Bnaraswala store here for exclusive hand weaves of bananras/ Varanasi. At the basement of Saraogi Mansion are many stores selling beautiful footwear, handbags, bangles and cosmetics.
Post Shopping, you can explore one of the many restaurants of M.I. Road for Dinner. Some of my personal favourites: Moti Mahal Deluxe, Dasaprakasa, Niros, Surya Mahal, Natraj, Handi and for the non experimental types we also have KFC & McDonalds at M.I. road. For fine dining, go to the end of M.I. road to Country Inn & Suites- and try one of the 4 restaurants there- Chinese/ Indian/ multicuisine coffee shop or The Lebanese Lounge.
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| THE AMBER FORT |
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| THE AMBER FORT |
DAY 2: Start early at the Amber Fort. Post Amber Fort go to Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort. Then a drive and photo session at Jal Mahal and from there proceed to The Albert hall- The Central Museum-Jaipur- open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm. Post Albert Hall proceed to the famous LASSIWALA at M.I. Road have some Lassi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi) and then further for Lunch, choose from one of the many restaurants at M.I. road. Post Lunch go and visit the Birla Mandir also known as the Laxmi Narayan temple. If too tired, after lunch retire to the hotel for a nap!
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| THE JAIVAAN at THE JAIGARH FORT |
On your last evening in Jaipur, I recommend, you to go to the Light & Sound show at Amber. The show is an attempt to revive the pride of Amber, bring forth the traditions that moulded the lives of its people, the pomp and show that once existed in its fullest form. It brings forth The spirit of Amber. This musical extravaganza has highlighted the local legends, folklore, and a connoisseur of folk music that continues to give Rajasthan its unique identity. The show has been set in a very exotic location with the panoramic view of the Amber Fort & Palace Complex in the front, the rising Jaigarh on the left, the hills at the back and the gallery itself in the Kesar Kiyari Complex of Maota lake. The Show runs on daily basis at 6:30 pm (Hindi Language ) and in English at 07:30 pm This show is for 50 minutes. And approx Tariff for the Indian National is Rs.100 and Foreign natioanls Rs.200.
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| THE LIGHT & SHOW @ AMBER |
Another Great option for wonderful Rajasthani Food at a dhaba ambiance (very non pretentious) is HANDI, Maya Mansion- M.I. road. For more about Handi, visit-
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EXPLORING JAIPUR IN 3 DAYS
Jaipur- The capital of Rajasthan, is popularly known as the ‘pink city’, it was founded in the year 1727.
Day 1 – Detailed Itinerary
Assuming you are coming from Delhi to Jaipur:
Early morning from the New Delhi railway station take the Shatabdi Express train to Jaipur – air conditioned chair class. Arrive Jaipur and check into your hotel.
Enjoy a sightseeing tour in the afternoon covering the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar mantar and the Museum.
Start at the Walled city as known as old city or “Shehar” in hindi (pronounced as ‘shay-her’). First visit the HAWA MAHAL- Palace of Winds, which remains only a façade today. For more on Hawa Mahal read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Mahal
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| HAWA MAHAL |
Second Stop, The Jantar Mantar (Observatory). Jantar Mantar was built between 1728 and 1734. Each of the instruments that you see here serves a particular function and each gives an accurate reading. For more on Jantar mantar read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jantar_Mantar_%28Jaipur%29
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| JANTAR MANTAR |
Third Stop: The City palace of jaipur & the S.M.S.II Museum. The City palace is an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthani & Mughal Architecture. The vast palace complex occupies one seventh of the walled city of jaipur. While in the City Palace, you can see the textile and costume museum, arms and armour museum, art gallery and hall of public and private audience. The City Palace and S.M.S II Museum. Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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| THE CITY PALACE |
Following this you can go to johri bazaar by a bicycle rickshaw or Auto rickshaw and have a traditional Rajasthani Lunch at LMB restaurant. Its nothing fancy and is a vegetarian restaurant but serves some nice rajasthani dishes. Try the world famous Ghewar when at LMB- mind you its extremely sweet and made with a lot of clarified butter. If you are not interested in a vegetarian Rajasthani meal then go to The PALACE CAFE at the City palace of Jaipur. This is a multi cuisine restaurant and you will get burgers and fries to pastas as well.
Post lunch take a nap and then early evening (5:00 p.m.) leave for some retail therapy. Go to Bapu Bazar for knick-knacks, souvenirs, mojaries (the typical rajasthni footwear), quilts, bangles, cotton kurtis, cheap jewellery, puppets, handicraft items etc etc. Make sure you bargain to get the best deal!
The shops here are open till about 8:30p.m/ 9:00p.m. You can also find henna artistes sitting by the road and can get a tattoo done on one hand for approximately 100 Rupees.
If you want more shopping go to Saraogi Mansion at the entry of Bapu Bazar and you have the big Saree Emporiums- Nikhaar fashions, Pratapsons, Utsav and my favourite Parineeta. You can also find the Bnaraswala store here for exclusive hand weaves of bananras/ Varanasi. At the basement of Saraogi Mansion are many stores selling beautiful footwear, handbags, bangles and cosmetics.
Post Shopping, you can explore one of the many restaurants across Jaipur. For more on food read my post: http://thejaipurguide.blogspot.com/2011/09/foodlovers-guide-to-jaipur.html
Day 2 - Detailed Itinerary
Start early. After breakfast head out first, to the Amber Fort. Here you can enjoy an elephant ride. You can leave your transport at the lower parking and take an elephant up to The Amber Fort. Amber Fort was built by Maharaja Man Singh, embodies the Rajput belief that the fort symbolizes the strength of the King in the 17th century. From Amber leave for The Jaigarh Fort- The fort, rugged and similar in structural design to the Amber Fort, is also known as Victory Fort and houses the largest canon on Wheels in the world- Jaibaan. Very close to The Jaigarh Fort is The Nahargarh Fort- was built mainly in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, it is partially in ruins. If you want to do one more fort, then you can go and spend some time here.
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| TAKE an ELEPHANT to THE AMBER FORT |
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| AMBER FORT |
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| JAL MAHAL |
From Jal Mahal proceed to The Albert hall- The Central Museum-Jaipur- open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm. Post Albert Hall proceed to the famous LASSIWALA at M.I. Road have some Lassi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi) and then further for Lunch, choose from one of the many restaurants at M.I. road.
Well that has been a long day so after lunch retire to the hotel for a nap!
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| Albert Hall by Night |
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| ALBERT HALL |
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For the evening if you are a bit adventurous and off the beaten path kinds, a visit to Chokhi Dhani. Chokhi Dhani is modelled on a typical village fair of Rajasthan. For all the foreign tourists who expect a village in rajasthan to be like one in Europe- please do not go there!! It is more of a cultural experience, great for those who have an open mind.
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| Dinner with Family @ CHOKHI DHANI |
For those who do not want to go to chokhi Dhani, go for dinner at one of the many restaurants in Jaipur. The Taj Rambagh Palace is strongly recommended. Expensive but totally worth it! A 2 course meal with one drink/cocktail each will approximately cost Rupees 5000.
Day 3 - Detailed Itinerary
Post breakfast leave for SANGANER, just 16 Kms from Jaipur, Sanganer is a centre of hand blockprinted textile and handmade paper. You will enter Sanganer through the ruins of two Tripolia. The town is an important centre for handicraft industry and produces some of the finest hand printed textiles from numerous units of block and screen printers. Touring the Sanganer can be a great experience.
Or a DAY TRIP to ABHANERI VILLAGE. Abhaneri lies 95 kms from Jaipur, On Jaipur-Agra Road and is a 1.5 hr drive. The place is popular for the gorgeous 'Baoris' (step wells) and Harshat Mata Temple. The village was established by the King Raja Chand. Originally Abhaneri was named as Abha Nagri, which means the city of brightness, but due to mispronunciation of the term, it is changed to the present name.
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| ABHANERI BAORI |
After SANGANER/ ABHANERI visit the Birla Mandir also known as the Laxmi Narayan temple- beautiful and hand carved. If too tired, go to the hotel for a nap!
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| BIRLA MANDIR also known as THE LAXMI NARAYAN TEMPLE |
On your last evening in Jaipur, I recommend, you to go to the Light & Sound show at Amber. The show is an attempt to revive the pride of Amber, bring forth the traditions that moulded the lives of its people, the pomp and show that once existed in its fullest form. It brings forth The spirit of Amber. This musical extravaganza has highlighted the local legends, folklore, and a connoisseur of folk music that continues to give Rajasthan its unique identity. The show has been set in a very exotic location with the panoramic view of the Amber Fort & Palace Complex in the front, the rising Jaigarh on the left, the hills at the back and the gallery itself in the Kesar Kiyari Complex of Maota lake. The Show runs on daily basis at 6:30 pm (Hindi Language ) and in English at 07:30 pm This show is for 50 minutes. And approx Tariff for the Indian National is Rs.100 and Foreign natioanls Rs.200.
Another Great option for wonderful Rajasthani Food at a dhaba ambiance (very non pretentious) is HANDI, Maya Mansion- M.I. road. For more about Handi, visit-
You can also go to 2 of my favourite Indian Restaurants in town: Spice at The country Inn & Suites OR Saffron at The Marriot, Jaipur. Read my reviews to decide:
