Jaipur is love. This is the city where we both met and holds a very special place in our hearts. From beautiful historical buildings to exceptionally delicious food, this city is a must visit for everyone who is planning to visit India. Allow us to share our Complete Jaipur Tour Guide to tempt you to visit this Pink city.
WHAT’S IN THIS COMPLETE JAIPUR TOUR GUIDE ?
JAIPUR- THE PINK CITY
HOW TO REACH JAIPUR FROM DELHI ?
9 TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN JAIPUR CITY
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT JAIPUR ?
7 TIPS IF YOU ARE TRAVELING SOLO TO JAIPUR
TOP HOTELS IN JAIPUR
TOP 5 RESTAURANTS AND STREET FOOD JOINTS
OUR LOVE FOR JAIPUR
JAIPUR – THE PINK CITY
The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is 292 years old city from India. It was founded by the brave Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh who was the king of Amber Kingdom, named Jaipur after his own name.
Capital of the biggest state of India, Jaipur is one of the fastest growing cities of India. Jaipur breathes royal culture along with the new age Indian city vibes. From the pink historical sites , to every little corner that has hand paintings, like on the new flyovers or the metro graffitis.
Jaipur is one of the most famous cities of India. And why shouldn’t it be? Jaipur is home to 2 world famous UNESCO HERITAGE SITES, Jantar Mantar and Amer Fort.
Ever wondered why this epitome of royalty, Jaipur is known as Pink City?
Since pink color denotes the color of hospitality. Then, Maharaja Ram Singh, king of Jaipur painted the whole city pink. To welcome the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria when they were visiting India in 1876. It was then that Lord Albert exclaimed Jaipur to be called ‘Pink City‘. And ever since then the city became famous worldwide with this name.
HOW TO REACH JAIPUR FROM DELHI?
The best part about Jaipur is, it is very close to the Capital of India, New Delhi. It is roughly around 285 Kms from Delhi by road.
Jaipur, Delhi, Agra forms the Golden Triangle. Because all the 3 touristic cities form a triangle on the map. You can reach Jaipur from Delhi via three modes of transportation, by road, by rail, and by air.
BY BUS or Taxi- There are several buses to Jaipur throughout the day. From regular cheap buses to comfortable A.C sleeper or seater buses, there are various options available for you. And, you can book and compare the tickets on these website/apps Paytm, Red Bus.
Please note you would need an Indian phone number and Internationally accepted credit card to buy tickets using these platforms. But you can check the timings and availability of buses without signing up.
You can also take a taxi from Delhi Airport to Jaipur or the vice versa for 2500-3500 INR. All you need to do is look from them online. By road, it roughly takes 4-6 hours to reach Jaipur. It depends on highway traffic and stoppage points.
BY TRAIN- This is the best way to travel from Delhi to Jaipur. There are several trains on the Jaipur-Delhi Route. You can check this on the Railways website.
The one which we recommend to everyone is Jaipur Delhi Double Decker train, it leaves from Starting point in Delhi by 5:30 pm and arrives in Jaipur around 10 pm. The train is fully air-conditioned and is very well maintained.
BY AIR- You can also take a direct flight from Delhi Airport to Jaipur. Usually the flight is for an hour or so. We do not recommend this mode as it is almost 2-3 compared to the other modes in price. If you are on a budget, this can really be more expensive and would save only 1-2 hours compared to other modes.
Also, Jaipur is almost the same distance from Agra, so it’s convenient for all the tourists who are on a short trip to visit these places easily.
9 TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN JAIPUR CITY
CITY PALACE- It is the Royal Palace of Jaipur where the royal family still resides. This palace in itself is an enriching experience of royalty.
Located in the heart of the city, the Palace was the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur until 1949.
The main structures which are visited by the tourists are the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple, and the City Palace Museum.
There are some really beautiful Gates inside the City Palace , which are very popular among bloggers, and social media influencers. Reason being, these gates are hand painted and decorated with really beautiful carvings.
JANTAR MANTAR- It is one of the most exquisite monuments of Jaipur.
The Jantar Mantar is an equinoctial sundial, consisting of a gigantic triangular gnomon with the hypotenuse parallel to the Earth’s axis. On both sides of the gnomon is a quadrant of a circle, parallel to the plane of the equator.
The instrument is intended to measure the time of day, correct to half a second and declination of the Sun and the other heavenly bodies.
Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar is the biggest of the five Jantar Mantar across India
This astronomical observatory is located at the heart of the city and is walking distance from the City Palace.
If you are a foreigner you can visit Jantar Mantar for a ticket of 200 INR.
AMBER FORT- The other UNESCO Heritage site, Amber Fort in Jaipur is one of the most popular tourist spots in Jaipur. It is located near Jaipur in the region called Amer. Because of which it is also called Amer Fort or Amer Palace.
Because of it’s location on the Hills, the fort looks magnificent when you are looking from the street down the hill. It’s a beautiful , opulent Palace built with red sandstone and marble.
Amber fort has various beautiful courtyards. Ganesh Pol, or the Ganesh Gate, named after the Hindu god Lord Ganesha, is the entry into the private palaces of the Maharajas.
Amber fort has beautiful structures and museum and a famous Sila Devi Temple, which is visited by several Jaipurites throughout the year.
Inside Amber fort, there is a very beautiful place called Sheesh Mahal built by King Man Singh during the 16th Century. Mosaic of shining colorful glasses and mirrors makes this place like a dream come true.
MONKEY TEMPLE- This temple is a very popular among tourists. It is known as Galta ji Temple to Indians. Located around 10 kms in the east from Jaipur, this temple is surrounded with a natural spring that has been channeled to fill seven large pools.
Reason why it is called Monkey temple is, the playful monkeys which you will find around the area playing in the pools, jumping here and there for food. The monkeys are of two breeds rhesus macaque and langur monkeys and both of them are completely unalarmed by tourists, so you can feed them but with precautions.
PANNA MEENA KUND- This stepwell was not a very popular destination in Jaipur until few years. Also popular as Panna Mian Ki
The Kund has a stunning pattern of symmetrical stairs which makes you stunned. It is a beautiful place for all those people who love taking pictures in heritage places.
HAWA MAHAL- This is one of the most iconic places of Jaipur, is located very close to Jantar Mantar and City Palace.
This palace is also known as Wind Palace as Hawa in Hindi means Wind.
Hawa Mahal back view is very majestic and uniquely beautiful. Most
This beautiful Palace was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. He was so inspired by the unique structure of Khetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace.
Near Hawa Mahal, you can find several souvenirs shops and a lot of Indian handicraft shops. Leticia absolutely loves to shop from there. And now that she goes with me, she loves how I bargain on behalf of
BIRLA MANDIR- This white marble masterpiece is famously known as Laxminarayan Temple. Also, across India there are more temples which were built by business tycoon ,Birla Group of Industries.
This temple is surrounded by lush green gardens. And every day it receives hundreds of tourists from other states as well as foreign tourists. Also, the temple has magnificent marble carvings on the walls as well as the roof.
You can visit this temple in certain time of the day. Visiting Hours – 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM ;3:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
ALBERT HALL MUSEUM- From the name itself you can guess when it was constructed? It was constructed during the British rule. It is the oldest state Museum in Rajasthan. The beautiful architecture and historical artifacts and weapons make this place a must visit.
Albert Hall is also located within 1km radius from the centre of Jaipur. It is located in Ram Niwas garden which is a popular picnic or relaxing spot for locals.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL ?
Before we
Do you like to travel in off-season time or during the high season touristic time?
I asked this question because I and Leticia prefer to travel during the off-season because it not only saves extra bucks but also you enjoy places less crowded .
In case of Jaipur, weather also plays an important role in deciding your trip. Do not plan your trip in summer season which is May- July. The days during this time are very hot and extremely dry. We hate to go out in these hours of the days.
In Winters
If you are planning a trip in Indian winters go in January-February. Which is one of the best time to travel because of the pleasant weather and also you can enjoy the Pushkar Festival or the famous Jaipur Literature Festival.
But do understand this is peak season for Jaipur. So everything will be expensive and may be the touristic spots will be crowded too.
Recommended Time
According to us, we will recommend traveling to Jaipur in September- October. This is just after monsoons so it is not as hot as summers and perfect in terms of weather and season. This is when the off-season ends.
According to us, we will recommend traveling to Jaipur in September- October. This is just after monsoons so it is not as hot as summers and perfect in terms of weather and season. This is when the off-season ends.
7 TIPS IF YOU ARE TRAVELING SOLO
DON’T FALL FOR TOUR SCAMS– Like any other place, Jaipur also has some tour-related scams and many people fall for it, as they talk real sweet and polite and sometimes in your native language. Try to follow some audio guides and ask your hostel people to help you with this.
USE UBER/ OLA CABS – I
PREPARE FOR INDIA– Check out our complete guide on India, as it will help you to prepare better and learn certain facts and cultural things about India.
KEEP WATER BOTTLE WITH YOU – Jaipur can be extremely hot for you if you are not used to high temperatures. Also, here it’s very dry, therefore whenever you are doing sightseeing or walking too much, make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated.
ALWAYS BARGAIN! ALWAYS– Oh my God! this is very very important. Just follow this as a rule in Jaipur, be it shopping, or be it taking tuk-tuks or be it buying souvenirs or anything that you want to take back from Jaipur. Please Bargain everywhere and be shameless.
CARRY SUNGLASSES AND WEAR COTTON CLOTHES- Because Jaipur has high temperatures, and visiting forts could be really tiresome. Especially during the day, always wear sunglasses and chose cotton pants and shirts/t-shirts so you don’t feel sick during the day.
AVOID LOCAL BUSES AND LIFTS FROM LOCALS- Although Jaipur people are very humble and helpful. To avoid any mishaps, try not to use local buses ( they are very crowded and you might see a lot of people staring at you.) Lifts are also discouraged.
TOP HOTELS IN JAIPUR
Jaipur being the land of Maharajas, there are several amazing Heritage hotels to choose from. If you are traveling for 3 days or so, depending on your budget you can find many options.
Top 4 Seven/Five Star Star Hotels according to us in Jaipur.
1. Fairmont Hotel– Fairmont Jaipur is an ode to the pink city through its awe-inspiring architecture and decor inspired by the Mughal dynasty and Royal Rajputs of yore. Fairmont Hotel is one of the best in Jaipur when it comes to displaying of Rajasthani culture with modern amenities.
2. Taj Rambagh Palace– This amazing 7 Star Hotel 78 stunningly restored grand luxury rooms and suites which were the chambers of the former Maharaja. Staying at this hotel is like living a dream, Maharaja Style.
3. Sujan Rajmahal Palace– It is one of the oldest and fabulous palaces in the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. Only the City Palace and the royal family’s private forts hold are of the same stature. Once home of Maharaja of Jaipur, this exquisite royal palace is located at the heart of Rajasthan’s bustling capital, Jaipur.
4. Trident Jaipur – It is located en route to the famous Amber Fort, this luxury hotel offers stunning views of the Mansagar Lake and Jal Mahal.
This hotel is newly built but surely will leave you speechless with
TOP BUDGET HOSTELS
Booking.comTOP 5 RESTAURANTS AND STREET FOOD JOINTS
When it comes to food, I and Leticia just can’t resist certain places in Jaipur. It’s like when we are traveling away from Jaipur, food is one of the things which we miss about Jaipur.
From Desserts to evening snacks, from lunch to dinner, we will tell you about all the best places in Jaipur.
FOR BREAKFAST
CAFE BAE- This place has the best breakfast buffet in Jaipur. The price is very reasonable and the flavors and variety to pick are widely big. From intercontinental to Indian, from vegetarian to non-vegetarian. Everything is very delicious.
Only down side for their buffet
ON THE HOUSE a.k.a O.T.H– This is our personal favorite. Leticia and I go to this cafe for our breakfast dates. They have some delicious smoothies and shakes, perfect for Indian summer.
It’s super famous among tourists because their menu has some really good international dishes to try from.
OKRA by MARRIOT– Okay! This place might be a little expensive to have a breakfast/brunch. But if you really want to experience the Great Indian Fat Breakfast Buffet, this is the place.
From Indian menu to intercontinental, from snacks to bakery items, you name it, they have it in their menu. If you are planning to have a long day outside, and you don’t know if you will have time to take lunch, you must eat here and satisfy your hunger until the evening.
FOR LUNCH AND DINNER
BARBEQUE NATION– As the name suggests, this place is a heaven for those who love barbecue food. Their service is phenomenal and so is the food. It’s a live barbecue where you can choose between the different types of food from their menu and have as much as you want to.
In Jaipur, there are two of these. One on M.I road and other on the Tonk road.
RJ 14- It is not so old. It has really good ambiance and is located on Ajmer highway road. RJ14 has really delicious food. And this place is popular among the youth of Jaipur.
It is not very expensive and has a good range of Indian cuisine. You must try their Kadhai Paneer with some butter naan or tandoori roti.
THE GRAND PEACOCK RESTAURANT– Beautiful rooftop restaurant with an amazing view to the city. They are very very popular among foreign tourists who are visiting Jaipur.
Their Rogan Josh, a Mughlai dish made with lamb is extremely popular and mouthwatering.
STREET FOOD AND SNACKS
- Rawat Pyaaz Kachori with Lassi– This is one of my favorite combos of snack in Jaipur. I just love this. Pyaaz Kachori is like a fried bread stuffed with some onion stuffing mixed with masala. Lassi has churned yogurt with cream on top of it. It is appetizingly yummy.
- Sethi’s Paneer Tikka– This is Leticia’s favorite. It’s a grilled Paneer or cottage cheese with some amazing seasoning done on it along with the mint sauce. It is so tempting that sometimes we end up ordering 3-4 plates of it for the 2 of us.
- Pandit Pav Bhaji- Located near Birla Mandir, there are several food stalls of pav bhaji, but the pav bhaji from the original one is mouthwatering.
- Mahaveer Rabri Wala- If you really love to try some Indian Desserts, this is the place for it. Rabri is made from thickening the milk and adding some dry fruits like pistachio, cashew, and nuts.
Apart from this, if you are still looking for more options you can use Zomato app for checking the menu and location of different places in the city for food.
OUR LOVE FOR JAIPUR
Jaipur is not only my hometown but one of the best cities I have lived in. The city is developing real fast and is right now becoming a perfect amalgamation of modern amenities with heritage.
Leticia came to this city 5 years ago and her love for the city has only grown over the years. It surprises us with the elephants that we eventually see on the streets, some days with some colorful weddings happening also on the streets.
Jaipur has some of the world’s most beautiful Palaces and hotels which are hidden gems which we want you all to discover after reading this.
Rajasthan’s majestic capital exhales heritage and royal-ness. Jaipur is truly a mesmerising experience.
2 Comments
Review: Samode Haveli, a peaceful oasis in the middle of old Jaipur
June 28, 2020 at 10:08 pm[…] over 175 years ago, within the walls of Jaipur, the Samode Haveli was once the manor house for the royal family. The style, elegance and […]
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July 3, 2020 at 3:32 pmThanks for sharing about Samode Haveli.
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