If your trip to India is first-time, you probably will spend some time on Rajasthan Trip. Given its simple access from Delhi, the amazing cultural attractions on offer, and, of course, the great cuisine, this would be a quite decent decision. Where all your attention is focused on seeing the real places instead of navigating often great distances between them.
How Should The Ultimate Rajasthan Road Trip Be Planned?
Agra
Alright, before you go Googling “Is Agra in Rajasthan?” (which it isn’t), if you’re on the way there from Delhi you really shouldn’t miss the chance to view the crowning beauty of the city — the Taj Mahal – in all its marble over-the-top magnificence. Particularly when the travel simply takes three hours.
Actually, there are two more reasons for visiting. One is the mausoleum of Itmad-ud-Daula (also known as “Baby Taj”), constructed five years before the well-known older brother and allegedly inspired the later. And the other is Agra Fort, home to Mughal Dynasty monarchs till 1638.
Most cities would provide enough justification for visiting on their own. Agra, however, is no typical city. Rising from the scrubland around the famous Taj Mahal, the white marble dome almost serves as an antidote to the grinding ugliness of the city itself.
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Jaipur
Our first point of call in Rajasthan proper four hours from Agra is Jaipur. Because of the color of its buildings, the state capital is known as The Pink City. We enjoyed it here especially with our regular rickshaw driver, Gopal, who whisked us around his city, which will always be etched in our minds. If you have time to spend a day or two, find him and let him demonstrate what genuine Indian hospitality is all about. What therefore ought to be seen? The Maharaja of Jaipur resides at the City Palace, nevertheless. Then there is Hawa Mahal, also referred to as the “Palace of Winds,” or “Palace of Breeze,” a magnificent multi-storeyed pink front with a startling 900 windows designed only to let royal family members see celebrations in the street below without being visible. Clearly, curtains were not something they considered back then.
The great Amer Fort, some 11km outside of town and majestically placed on top of a hill gazing down the valley below, is maybe the greatest of all. You could very well be the only non-Indian there, but you will definitely not be alone.
Bundi
Bundi, a three-hour journey south of Jaipur and not one of the main tourist attractions in Rajasthan, is the next stop. However, we believe you should not miss it not just because it comes without many of the inconveniences you may run into in some of its bigger, brasher neighbors.
The tempo here is as sluggish as it gets. This seems to be a section of Rajasthan that hasn’t suffered from the spread of urban sprawl damaging many other areas of the state. As a result, it still feels to be a little market town. For the guest, too, it is all the better.
From its centerpiece emerald lake, little lanes lined with vibrant, sometimes dilapidated houses lead up to the hilltop Palace – which now is essentially a shell but nonetheless an interesting visit. Kipling indeed said that it was “the work of goblins rather than of men.”
Pushkar
The journey back north to the historic pilgrimage destination of Pushkar then takes four hours. It also has a lake, like Bundi. Consequently, the city has a varied mix of residents, Hindu pilgrims and backpacking visitors drawn here to experience the mysticism. That and sometimes the bhang lassi.
Udaipur
Called the City of Lakes as well, the city is surrounded by manmade lakes. The biggest royal complex in Rajasthan, the City royal is its main draw. And it’s such a beautiful spot to just stroll around. Should we be obliged to suggest one Rajasitan palace for viewing? This one.
Not one of the classic Bond flicks, but James Bond himself (in the form of Roger Moore) resided here for a few months shooting “Octopussy,” including a well-known chase sequence on Lake Pichola.
Still, the most often seen picture of Udaipur is that of Jag Mandir, the Lake Garden Palace perched on an island halfway across Lake Pichola. Designed in the sixteenth century, it was a royal summer vacation; now it is a luxury hotel. If you want a treat, like The Taj Lake Palace, Leela Palace Udaipur, or the Oberoi Udaivillas, the city really has some of the most famous and costly hotels in the nation.
Ranakpur
You will then be approaching the Blue City of Jodhpur from north. But you really HAVE to stop two amazing spots along the route before you arrive.
First is in Ranakpur, an otherwise uninteresting town. One visits primarily for the magnificent Jain temple with its around 1400-plus well carved marble pillars. Though we’re not really architectural enthusiasts, they are a very amazing sight and none two pillars are the same. To appreciate too are the magnificent statues and the great craftsmanship on the ceilings.
It is only available to foreigners between 12 noon and 5 pm; shoes are not permitted within the shrine, hence pack socks. You receive an audio tour for a 200 rupee admission ticket (plus 100 rupees for a camera), which also discourages the guys in there who would approach you and want further “donations”.
Kumbhalgarh
One of the fantastic under-visited locations in Rajasthan, the magnificent Kumbhalgarh Fort, is only one hour’s drive from Ranakpur. At this point, you may be excused for seeing Rajasthan as just one unending parade of palaces, temples, and fortifications. And it’s true that you may easily be experiencing cultural burn out by this time if you are meandering about in 40-degree heat gawking at old structures and your imagination is not fired. But just hang on if you can; you are going to see maybe our favorite spot in Rajasthan.
Apart from being a Unesco World Heritage site, Kumbhalgarh ranks as the second biggest fort in Rajasthan. At the summit, the views of the surrounding Aravalli Range and the boundary walls slithering 36km (22 miles) into the Thar Desert are breathtaking. Once you have seen the fort itself, don’t miss the chance to go around the wall ramparts and see the Jain temple (to the right of the complex entrance).
Kumbhalgarh is not particularly on the Golden Triangle must-see list for tourists, perhaps because of its location; hence you are not likely to see many non-Indian visitors.
Jodhpur
Second biggest city in Rajasthan, Jodhpur is four hours’ journey from Kumbhalgarh. Like Bundi, it has several blue-painted homes to help residents stay cool in the intense desert heat.
Like other Rajasthan towns, it has a magnificent fort but also features a historic center dotted with bazaars and little mediaeval lanes. Therefore, this is maybe the ideal location if you really want to take a culture-free day off. Just be advised, however, it’s really simple to get lost!
Conclusion
Combining trains, buses, and local taxis for Rajasthan Trip will allow one to go very reasonably inexpensively between the many attractions. This is great if you have lots of free time and are not bothered by the headaches involved with this approach. Like us, however, if you’re traveling in April when the temps routinely reach 40 degrees Celsius, you may like to choose something a little cosier.
