Your guide to all the must see places, attractions when you're a first time traveller to Udaipur city in Rajasthan.
Nestled between the Aravalli hills and surrounded by lakes beside which the intricate lanes of culture, history, religion and tourism thrive is the city of Udaipur. The air of this city has a very calming, charming and romantic vibe to it. Having deep rooted history of maharajas and royalty in their blood the city is adorned heritage hotels and palace hotels which showcasing their heritage, old customs & food traditions, dances and their hospitality.
Named after Maharaja Udai Singh II in 1553, the city of Udaipur (also fondly called city of lakes) is a must pit stop for people who enjoy a walk through history, romance, heritage and local artisinal work.
Best time to travel
It is ideal to skip the monsoon season, however some people do enjoy the rains from the beautiful palace hotels which is idyllic. You may travel between July to September to enjoy monsoons.
Else, the best time would be in winters from October to March which is when I travelled when the weather is cooler, drier and much easier for one to walk around as well.
Getting to Udaipur
There are direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai airports to Maharana Pratap Airport (around 45-50 mins drive to any hotel located near Lake Pichola).
Udaipur is well connected for those planning to drive as well from major scenic highways driving from Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Agra etc and other major cities.
Getting around the city
Auto rickshaws are quite popular if you need to go to places which are close by or within walking disctance. If you're visiting in good weather just walk through the intricate lanes to absorb the bustle and shop touristy things along the way.
My preferred mode of transport would be a cab. You can ask your hotels to pre book one for the duration of your visit/ use a local taxi service/ prebook in advance through car rental companies. Your hotel should be able to give you options as well before you arrive.
Ideal Trip Duration
To fully enjoy Udaipur and see a few places I would recommend at least 5 days excluding flight/travel time. Distances for some places can be far away and to enjoy a relaxing holiday this would be ideal.
A minimum of 3 days excluding flight/travel time is if you're in a rush mode and want to cover only selected attractions.
I was staying at a budget friendly hotel overlooking Lake Pichola called Jaiwana Haveli. It had good food, amazing views, clean rooms and very friendly service (and a very cute beagle to cuddle). You can read my separate blog on hotels to stay in Udaipur.
Here is a my list of tourist attractions I would recommend first timers to visit, when in Udaipur (they are worth your time)-
1. Bagore Ki Haveli & Gangor Ghat
Bagore Ki Haveli is located on the banks of Lake Pichola near Gangor Ghat which is easily a walking distance from any heritage hotel if you are staying near Lake Pichola (you can always check on Google Maps) and accordingly make your way.
Built in the 18th century the palace has glass & mirror work interiors with over 100 rooms of intricate and exquisite work.
In the evenings Bagore Ki Haveli has a courtyard called Neem Chowk that also does traditional shows of Rajasthani folk dances, puppet show telling folk tales, small skits etc.
The Dharodhar Dance Show is from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm & the show tickets available from 6:15 pm and prices to attend the show are as below-
₹90 per person for adults & ₹45 per person for Children
₹150 per person for Foreign Adult & ₹75 per person for Foreign Child
₹150 for Any Camera
Location:
Gangaur Ghat Marg, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
Every day -9:30 am to 5:30 pm varying on public holidays and festivals
Entry Fee to Haveli:
₹60 per person for Adult & ₹30 per person for Children (Age between 5 to 12)
₹100 per person for Foreign Adult & ₹50 per person for Foreign Child
₹50 for Camera / Video
2. City Palace
Right next to Lake Pichola is the magnificent City Palace that lights up the night during evenings. Equally magnificent to marvel at night and spend the day roaming the many rooms, smaller palaces, balconies, turrets etc; the city palace is a must visit. You'll easily spend half a day here at leisure and will need a guide to walk you through the various sections of the palace.
The palace has the current lineage of royals residing in a smaller section while the major portion of the palace is not preserved as a museum for people to view. It has breathtaking views from all directions of Udaipur city, Lake Pichola and Aravalli ranges. The palace itself houses curios, paintings, artifacts, intricately designed rooms and balconies.
They have a Silverware Gallery, Paintings Gallery, a whole setup of the royal weddings done in pure silver ware to view, armoury, textiles and even palanquins. I recommend visiting all if you have the time to do so. Outside the comples as well there are various shops that house artifacts and showcase some gorgeous mainature art paintings, I would recommend to hold off all shopping for Shilpgram as these tend to be pricier than normal.
Location:
City Palace Complex, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
Every day -9:30 am to 5:30 pm varying on public holidays and festivals
Entry Fee:
₹30 per person for Adults
₹15 per person for Children
₹200 for Camera Fee
3. Lake Pichola
Probably the most visited and romantic place to spend time in Udaipur. Whether you spend time walking along the ghats, or take a boat ride around the lake during sunset. Watching the lights of the palaces around the lake at night it's like jewels shining in the night sky. Reflections of these lights on the lake are a true spectacle not to be missed.
Mesmerising with its charm and enchanting beauty, Lake Pichola is an artificial lake built in the year of 1362 AD and was built by a Banjara tribal person. Today it has several islands, palaces, temples, and ghats on its surroundings which came up over a period of time, making it even more attractive.
Location:
Rameshwar Ghat, City Palace Complex, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
All days from 9:00 AM- 6:00 PM
Entry Fee:
No Entry Fee but boat rides will cost you as below-
Boat Ride: ₹400 per person for Adults & ₹200 per person for Children
Sunset Boat Ride: ₹700 per person for Adults & ₹400 per person for Children
4. Saheliyon ki Bari
Saheliyon ki Bari (in english called Garden of the Maidens) was particularly built for women of the Mewar Kingdom in yester years. These are lush gardens surrounding a central pool with intricately designed marble pavilions on 4 corners and 1 at the center with marble birds that have water fountains from their beaks.
As you walk through the gardens you will go through various fountains, marble work depicting flowers and animals, lush lawns, flowering and non flowering plants and trees of various kinds. The lotus pools fill the air with a pleasant frangrance transcending you away to the time when women must come to gather, play and spend time in these lawns in the olden era. The garden was built to offer the Queen of Rana Sanga of Mewar and her friends a quick getaway. It is uniquely designed to create a recreational spot for the king, queen & her friends time together and cherishing the exquisite beauty of nature.
Location:
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, Lake City, Near Science Museum, Panchwati, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
All days from 9:00 AM- 7:00 PM
Entry Fee:
₹10 per person for Indians
₹50 per person for Foreigners
5. Sajjangarh (Monsoon) Palace
Situated on top of Bansdara hills, Monsoon Palace was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh. The Palace overlooks a breathtaking view of the Lake Pichola, Lake Fateh Sagar, City Palace, and Chittorgarh and surrounding hills. Most people prefer early mornings or late evening visits to Sajjangarh to catch the sunset over the hills and palace.
The palace is made of marble with motifs of flowers and leaves carved all over it. The palace walls are plastered with lime mortar. Typical to the Rajasthani palace architecture is has staircases, domes, central courtyard, jharokhas (windows).
Location:
Kodiyat, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
All days from 8:00 AM- 6:00 PM
Entry Fee:
₹10 per person for Indians
₹80 per person for Foreigner
₹20 per person for Video Camera
6. Shilpgram
Shilpgram was one of my favourite places to visit. It's situated appox 3 Km from the city. Shilpgram is spread around across acres of undulating mud terrain in a rural village kind of setup which makes the entire experience unique and memorable.
There are small huts built using mud and natural building material showcasing the actual living ways of rural artisans arouns the western areas of India. Several artisans do love in these huts and sell their products to tourists at decent prices. There is an open-air amphitheater where shows are conducted at regular intervals. The special tribal and folk dances, skits and various arts which you should try to catch when there.
The Shilpgram festival around the year end, is an age-old tradition (this I missed). The artisans and performers flock here their talent, art, culture and high spirits. You can walk around alot here and interact with artisans and see them showcasing some of their work from pottery, to clothes, to tribal jewellery, miniature paintings, beadwork etc. I myself picked up a simple miniature painting for my living room done on fake tusk shell with a very minute paint brush made of squirrel hair.
Location:
Shilpgram, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
All days from 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Entry Fee:
₹30 per person for Indian Adults
₹15 per person for Indian Children
₹50 per person for Foreigner
7. Jagmandir Palace
The palace looks like a floating island perched in between Lake Pichola also called Jag Palace. The construction of Jag Mandir was started in 1551 by Maharana Amar Singh and was succeeded by his son Maharana Karan Singh and completed by Maharana Jagat Singh I during the period of 1650s, and hence named after him as Jagat Mandir.
In yester years it served as a refuge to Khurram son of Jahangir who rebelled against his father to occupy the throne.
Within the Jagmandir palace there is dome shaped Gul Mahal made of yellow sandstone, Jag Mandir, Garden courtyard and entry point for jetty's. Today Jagmandir also serves as a luxury hotel and hosts elite weddings and parties. It also has a museum which showcases its Mewar's history.
We went to Darikhana their restaurant which faces the lake and makes you feel as if you're floating while dining. We had lip smacking Rajasthani cuisineto celebrate our anniversary. Jagmandir palace can only be reached via boat ride from Bansi Ghat jetty. There are private boats and cruise rides available to reach the palace.
Location:
Pichola, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
Timings:
All days from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Entry Fee:
No Entry Fee
Boat ride price to Jag mandir is Rs. 450 per person from City palace.
After 3:00 pm, the ticket price for boat ride is Rs. 700 per person.
All in all, Udaipur is a city in Rajasthan state and western India that toursits must take out the time to visit. It's rich culture background, surroundings, history, natural beauty is enthralling and captivating. Not only does it offer splendid natural sights but also transcends visitiors beyond looking at the place as another tourist spot captivativating you to feel and breathe its history.
Extremely comprehensive account of everything which one wants to know before planning a trip to Udaipur. Enjoyed reading it and am tempted to visit Udaipur once again