Royalty is completely different than celebrity. Royalty has a magic all its own.
-Philip Treacy
You know this quote holds truth when you enter the Jaipur city. Also known as The Pink City (as the historical buildings & walls are painted in pastel shades of pink), this city has everything to offer from heritage forts to mesmerizing palaces; from the regal cuisines to colorful boho markets.
4 day itinerary
Mode of travel – Flights (from Mumbai). If you have enough time on you for your holiday, you can also opt for budget friendly train journey. We planned this holiday just a week before our travel so the entire expense of our trip was 20k(includes entry fees & miscellaneous). However a little prior booking can help you wrap up the trip in 15k approx (by flights) & 11k approx (by train).
Inter-city travel – Ola rentals
Hotels – We opted for Air Bnb (hotel Shahar Palace), perks being you get the experience of staying at heritage properties at pocket friendly rates.
Day1- Patrika gate, Jal Mahal, Amer Palace
Day2 - City Palace, Galtaji temple, Gaitore ki Chatriyan
Day3 - Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort
Day 4 – Hawa Mahal, Shopping
Details:
Day 1- Patrika Gate (Jawahar garden circle)
About 5 mins drive from the Airport, this gorgeous gate comprising of hand painted pillars at the entry of Jawahar garden circle makes a picture perfect spot before you enter the dazzling Pink city.
Entry : Free
Day 1- Jal Mahal
This water Palace right in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake falls on your way to the Amer fort.The entry to Jal Mahal is now banned, but the bustling market around the lake with palace view is definitely a plan not to be missed.
Entry: Free
Day 1- Amer Palace
Also known as Amber Palace is located in the Amer town. It’s one of the prime tourist attractions in Jaipur. This extensive ancient complex has multiple pretty corners to feel like Royal.
Entry: Rs. 100 (for Indians), Rs. 500($7 approximately for foreigners)
Areas adjoining Amer fort – a few meters away from the Amer palace you find these steps that lead upstairs, all the way to the mountaintop giving a panoramic view of the stunning cityscapes on one side & the Amer palace on the other. Perks – this spot is mostly deserted with very few or none visitors.
Entry: Free
Day 2 – City Palace
We started this day with the 2nd most sought after location in Jaipur - the City Palace. This stunning complex has many things to cover like Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Mukut Mahal, Maharani's Palace, Shri Govind Dev ji Temple and the City Palace Museum. Though the Chandra Mahal is the most beautiful spot in the palace, the entry for this particular section only is Rs.2500 ($36 approx) excluding the entry fee. You won’t find a corner you don’t like here either!
Entry: Rs. 230 (for Indians including museum), Rs. 900($13 approximately for foreigners)
Day 2 – Galtaji Temple
Also known as the monkey temple, this is a pre-historic pilgrimage site located approximately 10km from the city. We were a little disappointed here as the temple itself was closed when we reached there & the water in the kunds had also dried off. We would still recommend this place, only do a little bit of research with the locals before reaching here.
Entry: Free
Day 2 – Gaitore ki Chhatriyan
The final resting place for Rajasthani royals, this place is known for it’s numerous cenotaphs. The cenotaphs are shaped like umbrellas (chhatris) and hence the place is called Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan. This is not a very popular place amongst tourists, but we highly recommend this. Must watch for sunsets!
Entry: Rs. 30 (for Indians), Rs. 100($1.4 approximately for foreigners)
Day 3 - Jantar Mantar
We kick-started this day with the epitome of Indian intelligence. This place features the world's largest stone sundial, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Jantar Mantar has a collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments built by the late Sawai Jai Singh II.
Entry: Rs. 50 (for Indians), Rs. 200($2.8 approximately for foreigners)
Day 3- Panna Meena ka Kund
This intricate step well structure is located in the Amer town. Much to our disappointment, the entry to the stairs down was prohibited. Most people miss this & only end up checking out only the forts in this area.
Entry: Free
Day 3 - Nahargarh Fort
Overlooking the city of Jaipur, this fort stands tall at the edge of the Aravalli Hills. The architectural beauty of this place makes it a must have on your Instagram. This fort is located 6km outside the Jaipur city so the best way to go here is to hire a cab. They say this fort is a must for sunrises or sunsets as the entire Jaipur city is seen from here. You can also try out either of the restaurants- 'Padao' OR 'Once upon a Time in Nahargarh' which give the gorgeous city views while offering the local cuisines.
Entry: Rs. 50 (for Indians), Rs. 200($2.8 approximately for foreigners)
Day 3- Jaigarh Fort
Sitting at a much higher level than the Amer Fort, this fort is more rugged & intimidating. It’s known for the place where royal treasury was kept and even acted as the defense system of Amer. If you have hired a car, you can take it right till inside of the fort or opt to trail along, admiring the huge walls of this fort.
Entry: Rs. 70(for Indians), Rs. 150($2 approximately for foreigners)
Day 4 – Hawa Mahal
Our Fav! This palace of Winds built out of red & pink sandstone, stands tall right in heart of the Pink city. The honeycomb look & the colorful windows used to make this airy structure a cool summer place of the royal ladies back then. The Wind view or the Tattoo cafe bang opposite this structure gives you that right frame for your Instagram picture.
Entry: Rs. 50 (for Indians), Rs. 200($2.8 approximately for foreigners)
Recommended restaurants
Breakfast: Rawat, Peacock Cafe
Lunch/Dinner: Samode Haveli restaurant, Cafe Palladio, LMB, Once upon a time in Nahargarh.
Samode Haveli restaurant: A lot of foreigners prefer staying at the Samode Palace(the haveli is converted into a hotel), but its slightly heavy on the pocket. To get an experience, we decided to relish one of our meals here. (PS: the butter chicken here is to die for)
Cafe Palladio: Amidst your fort & palace tours, this fancy little cafe is pleasant treat to not only to your eyes but also your tummy. The pretty interiors are sure to make you feel dreamy mixed with the local city vibes.
Once upon a time at Nahargarh: Imagine lunching or dining like a royal amongst hand painted walls gazing at the city views, relishing the local cuisines. That’s exactly you should expect at this restaurant.
LMB: The local thali comprising of Gatte ki sabzi, Ker Sangri & Daal bati churma is definitely a must try of you haven’t got the time to head to Choki Dhaani
Shopping: The narrow cobbled lanes of Johari bazaar & Bapu bazaar are a shopper’s delight. You can find anything under the sun, from colorful block printed kurtis to quilts, from pretty jewelry to mojdis, home decor & much more. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t forget to try the ‘doodh ke ladoo’ at LMB & ‘gajak’ at Narayanji gajakwale.
Tips:
# A lot of places are located near each other and can be covered the same day. For e.g. City Palace, Hawa Mahal & Jantar Mantar are right next to each other. Or the Amer palace & Panna Meena are pretty close by. We had not covered these places on the same day to avoid crowds. We chose to go to all prime locations first thing in the morning. You can modify the itinerary as per your convenience.
# While purchasing entry tickets for various sites, you also get combined tickets for multiple places at cheaper fares.
The hospitality & warmth of this palace definitely makes you realize why the phrase “Padharo Maare Des” is so apt.
Any further queries & we would love to answer.
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