The City Palace of Udaipur stretched along the shore of Lake Pichola

Rajasthan, India · 26.91° N, 75.79° E

Rajasthan

Pink Jaipur, blue Jodhpur, golden Jaisalmer and lake-bound Udaipur — the state that invented the Indian road trip.

Best time
October to March
Ideal length
8–12 days
Region
North India
Journeys from
₹86,000

Rajasthan is the most photographed part of India and still manages to surprise. The trick is timing: the Amber Fort at opening, Jodhpur's blue lanes before the heat, a dune camp far enough from Sam that you hear nothing after dark.

We favour heritage havelis and palace hotels run by families rather than chains — places where the owner might join you for a drink on the terrace and tell you which ancestor built the stepwell.

It is also the best introduction to India for families. Distances are manageable, the stories are vivid and there are elephants, camels, puppets and forts with secret passages at almost every stop.

(02)When to go

October to March

Evenings in the desert can drop to single digits in December and January. The Pushkar camel fair is in November; Holi in March is spectacular in Udaipur.

  1. January: recommended
  2. February: recommended
  3. March: recommended
  4. April: not recommended
  5. May: not recommended
  6. June: not recommended
  7. July: not recommended
  8. August: not recommended
  9. September: not recommended
  10. October: recommended
  11. November: recommended
  12. December: recommended

(03)Don't miss

The moments worth the journey.

A camel and its handler silhouetted against an orange sunset on the Jaisalmer dunes
Photo Sumit Kr Saurav / Unsplash
  1. 01

    Udaipur's lakes

    Take the boat across Pichola at sunset, then dinner on a rooftop facing the City Palace.

  2. 02

    Jaisalmer fort

    One of the few living forts in the world — about a quarter of the old city still lives inside the walls.

  3. 03

    The Thar by night

    A private camp beyond the tourist dunes, folk musicians from a nearby village and a sky full of stars.

  4. 04

    Jaipur mornings

    The Hawa Mahal before nine, then chai and kachori in the old bazaar with our guide Ramesh.

(04)From the road

Rajasthan in pictures

  • The honeycomb pink façade of the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur against a pale sky
    The honeycomb pink façade of the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur against a pale sky
  • Sandstone cenotaphs standing in the water of Gadisar Lake, Jaisalmer
    Sandstone cenotaphs standing in the water of Gadisar Lake, Jaisalmer
  • Two riders on painted white horses passing the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur
    Two riders on painted white horses passing the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur
  • Stars over the lit walls of Jaisalmer fort
    Stars over the lit walls of Jaisalmer fort
  • The lake palaces of Udaipur lit up on Lake Pichola at night
    The lake palaces of Udaipur lit up on Lake Pichola at night
  • The full five-storey front of the Hawa Mahal under a blue sky
    The full five-storey front of the Hawa Mahal under a blue sky

(05)Journeys

Ways to travel Rajasthan

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