Rajasthan Grand Circuit — 12 Days, Six Cities

An easy first day on the new expressway, arriving in Jaipur in time for lunch and a gentle start to Rajasthan.

• Morning: Pick-up from your Delhi hotel or the airport at about 8 a.m.
• Drive: Delhi to Jaipur is about 270 km, 4½–5 hours with a tea stop.
• Afternoon: Check in and rest. At about 4:30 p.m. drive up to Nahargarh Fort on the ridge for sunset over the Pink City; stay for a drink at the fort café as the city lights come on.
• Tickets: Nahargarh Fort about ₹200 (approx. 2026 prices for foreign visitors; Indian citizens pay much less). City Palace about ₹700 if visited today.
• Eat: Lunch at Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar (LMB) in Johari Bazaar, a Jaipur institution for generations, or Rawat for the famous pyaaz kachori.
• Tip: Jaipur's old city is walled and pink by law. Your driver knows where to park, so you never have to walk far in the heat.
• Overnight: Jaipur

A full day in the Pink City, planned to beat the heat and the queues: the hill fort first thing, the old city in the middle of the day, and the bazaars when the light softens.

• 8:00 a.m.: Amber Fort as the gates open, before the tour buses. Allow 2–2½ hours for the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), the Ganesh Pol gate and the zenana courtyards. A licensed guide is worth hiring here.
• On the way down: Panna Meena ka Kund, a geometric stepwell 5 minutes from the fort, and a photo stop at Jal Mahal, the palace in the lake.
• Midday: The City Palace (still home to the royal family) and next door Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century astronomical observatory, now a UNESCO site. About 2½ hours for both.
• Afternoon: The Hawa Mahal, the 'Palace of the Winds', best seen from the cafés on the rooftop opposite; go inside if you want to look out through the latticed windows.
• Evening: Sunset at Nahargarh Fort on the ridge, or an evening in Johari and Bapu bazaars for textiles, block prints and silver.
• Tickets: Amber Fort about ₹500, City Palace about ₹700, Jantar Mantar about ₹200, Hawa Mahal about ₹200 (approx. 2026 prices for foreign visitors; Indian citizens pay much less). A composite ticket covers several state monuments for two days.
• Eat: Lunch: dal baati churma or a Rajasthani thali near the City Palace. Evening: lassi at Lassiwala on MI Road, or a full village-style dinner at Chokhi Dhani outside the city.
• Tip: Please avoid the elephant ride at Amber; your driver takes you up by car or jeep. In the shops, prices are always negotiable, and your driver earns no commission from us: shop only where you want.
• Overnight: Jaipur

North-west into the desert. The country opens up and thins out as you go.

• Morning: Check-out at 8 a.m.
• Drive: Jaipur to Bikaner is about 330 km, 5½–6 hours via Salasar or Sikar.
• Evening: The old city of Bikaner, its merchant havelis and a bhujia shop for the famous snack.
• Eat: Dinner at a heritage hotel such as the Laxmi Niwas Palace.
• Overnight: Bikaner

The best-preserved fort in Rajasthan and the famous rat temple.

• 9:30 a.m.: Junagarh Fort, never conquered, with gold-leaf and mirror rooms; about 2 hours with a guide.
• Afternoon: Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke (30 km), with thousands of revered rats, then the National Research Centre on Camel, open in the afternoon.
• Tickets: Junagarh Fort a few hundred rupees; Karni Mata free; camel centre about ₹100–200.
• Tip: Take socks you can throw away for the barefoot temple visit.
• Overnight: Bikaner

Across increasingly empty desert to the golden city.

• Morning: Check-out at 8:30 a.m.
• Drive: Bikaner to Jaisalmer is about 330 km, 5½–6 hours via Pokaran.
• Sunset: Vyas Chhatri for the fort glowing gold.
• Overnight: Jaisalmer

A day in the only living fort in India, where 3,000 people still live within the 12th-century walls.

• 9:00 a.m.: Into Sonar Qila while it is cool: the royal palace museum with its audio guide and the carved Jain temples (open to visitors until about noon). About 2½ hours.
• Late morning: Patwon ki Haveli, five merchant houses of lace-like carved sandstone, then Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli.
• Afternoon: Rest at the hotel.
• Sunset: Gadisar Lake with its carved gateway and chhatris on the water.
• Tickets: Entry to the fort is free; the palace museum and each haveli have their own modest tickets.
• Eat: Lunch at a rooftop café inside the fort. Try ker sangri and the sweet ghotua.
• Tip: Wear shoes you can slip off; you will be in and out of temples all morning.
• Overnight: Jaisalmer

The desert around Jaisalmer: royal cenotaphs, a village abandoned overnight 200 years ago, and the dunes at sunset.

• 8:30 a.m.: Bada Bagh, the hill of royal cenotaphs with windmills behind (30 minutes).
• Late morning: Kuldhara (18 km), the abandoned Paliwal village with its legend of a curse, about 45 minutes.
• Afternoon: Rest, then leave at about 3 p.m. for the Sam dunes (42 km, 1 hour).
• Sunset: A camel ride of about one hour onto the dunes. A jeep ride over the dunes is optional.
• Evening: Folk music and dinner at a desert camp, then back to Jaisalmer, or stay the night in the camp if you prefer (ask us).
• Tickets: Kuldhara has a small entry and parking fee. The camel ride is paid on the spot or included in a camp booking.
• Tip: Bring a scarf for the wind and a warm layer: desert evenings are cold from November to February.
• Overnight: Jaisalmer

Back east across the Thar to the blue city.

• Morning: Check-out at about 8:30 a.m.
• Drive: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur is about 285 km, 5–5½ hours with a tea stop at Pokaran.
• Afternoon: Jaswant Thada, the white marble cenotaph below the fort, then a walk through the blue Brahmpuri lanes.
• Evening: The Clock Tower and Sardar Market, then a rooftop dinner facing the lit fort.
• Eat: Makhaniya lassi at Shri Mishrilal and mirchi vada at Janta Sweet Home.
• Overnight: Jodhpur

A day in the city ruled from one of India's mightiest forts, standing 125 metres above the blue houses.

• 9:00 a.m.: Mehrangarh Fort at opening. The included audio guide is one of the best in India; allow 2½–3 hours for the palaces, the armoury, the howdah and palanquin galleries and the ramparts with their cannons.
• Late morning: Jaswant Thada, the white marble royal cenotaph below the fort, 5 minutes away, and the Rao Jodha desert rock park next to it for a short walk.
• Afternoon: The Umaid Bhawan Palace museum, part of one of the world's largest private residences (1943), still home to the royal family. Or a free afternoon in the old city markets.
• Evening: Sunset from a rooftop in the old city looking up at the lit-up fort.
• Tickets: Mehrangarh about ₹600 including the audio guide; Jaswant Thada and the Umaid Bhawan museum have small separate tickets (approx. 2026 prices for foreign visitors; Indian citizens pay much less).
• Eat: Lunch at the café inside Mehrangarh. Try Jodhpur's makhaniya lassi and laal maas (spicy mutton curry) for dinner.
• Tip: The fort is steep; a lift near the main gate saves the climb for a small fee.
• Overnight: Jodhpur

A beautiful drive through the green Aravalli hills, broken by one of the great buildings of India: the 15th-century marble temple at Ranakpur with its 1,444 carved pillars, no two alike.

• Morning: Check-out at about 8:30 a.m.
• Drive: Jodhpur to Ranakpur is about 165 km, 3–3½ hours. Ranakpur to Udaipur is about 95 km, 2–2½ hours through the hills.
• 12:00–5:00 p.m.: Ranakpur temple opens to non-Jain visitors at noon. Allow 1–1½ hours. The audio guide is excellent.
• Evening: Arrive in Udaipur at about 5–6 p.m. Dinner by the lake.
• Tickets: Ranakpur about ₹200 including the audio guide; a small camera fee applies.
• Eat: Lunch at the temple's canteen (simple vegetarian thali) or a hotel restaurant nearby.
• Tip: No leather (belts, wallets, bags) inside, and shoulders and knees must be covered. Leave leather items with your driver in the car.
• Overnight: Udaipur

The most romantic city in India, planned so you see the palace in the cool of the morning and the lake at its golden best.

• 9:30 a.m.: The City Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, built over four centuries; allow 2½–3 hours. Do not miss the Mor Chowk peacock courtyard and the crystal gallery (separate ticket).
• Late morning: Jagdish Temple (1651), a few minutes' walk away, then the old city lanes for miniature painting studios and silver.
• Afternoon: Rest at the hotel in the heat of the day, or visit Saheliyon ki Bari, the garden of the maidens, with its fountains.
• Sunset: A boat on Lake Pichola from the City Palace jetty, with a stop at Jag Mandir island, about one hour. Book the 5 p.m. boat in winter.
• Evening: The Dharohar folk dance show at Bagore ki Haveli, 7 p.m., about one hour: puppets, and the famous dance with pots balanced on the head.
• Tickets: City Palace, crystal gallery, the boat and the dance show each have their own ticket, bought on the spot; together expect roughly ₹2,000–3,000 per person. Your driver points you to the right counters.
• Eat: Lunch with a lake view at Ambrai or Upre. Try gatte ki sabzi and ker sangri, Mewari specialities.
• Tip: Arrive at Bagore ki Haveli by 6:15 p.m. for a good seat.
• Overnight: Udaipur

The long way home, broken at Pushkar. Or fly from Udaipur instead.

• Option 1: Udaipur airport drop (25 km) for a flight to Delhi, about 1¼ hours.
• Option 2: Drive about 280 km (4½–5 hours) to Pushkar for the lake and Brahma temple, then about 400 km (6–7 hours) to Delhi. We strongly suggest adding one night in Pushkar so no day is longer than 7 hours.
• Tip: Most guests choose the flight. Tell us when booking and we adjust the price.
• Overnight: Delhi, Pushkar, or your flight home