Rajasthan Destinations

Rajasthan is the size of a large European country, and its cities are genuinely different from one another — not variations on a theme. You cannot do them all in one trip, and trying is the most common way to ruin a first visit. Start by deciding which two or three actually match what you want, then stitch them together with an itinerary.

How the cities differ

Jaipur is the grand opening act — monumental forts, a pink-washed old city, and bazaars that have traded gems for three centuries. It's also the busiest and most touristed; two days is right.

Udaipur runs at a completely different speed. Where the others are cities with sights, Udaipur is a mood with a lake in the middle — best absorbed slowly from a rooftop at dusk. Most travellers' favourite, and the best place to end a trip.

Jodhpur is the most dramatic single image in the state: Mehrangarh, arguably Rajasthan's finest fort, rising sheer above the indigo lanes of the Blue City. Compact enough for one intense day.

Jaisalmer asks the most of you — it's deep in the Thar, far from everything — and repays it with a living medieval fort and a night on the dunes. Never worth less than two days plus a desert night.

Pushkar is a sacred lake town with a bohemian second life, and an easy break on the Jaipur–Jodhpur road. Mount Abu, the state's only hill station, is green and cool and holds the Dilwara temples — the finest marble carving in India.

If you only have a few days

Pick Jaipur plus Udaipur. They're the most different from each other, both have good flight connections, and together they show you the two faces of Rajasthan — martial and romantic — without a punishing drive between them.