Jaipur- Pink city of Rajasthan rich in culture, heritages & majestic architecture of Royals.
Being an avid wanderer, Jaipur was always on my list. As we had planned to visit Ajmer dargah, we executed Jaipur trip too. J
We went via Shatabdi from Delhi- Ajmer 6am & reached the destination on time. We had already booked hotels online for Ajmer & Jaipur as its always hassle free & money saving. We stayed for a day & left next day for Jaipur via train.
Jaipur has many things to show & a day is indeed less but considering the diverse cities & places of India, a day is pretty much. We had booked Hotel Mansing tower which is located in the core of the city, so everything we found was near & within circle.
We had booked one day cab which took us to all the forts, heritages, shopping, eateries.
Cost 1750Rs from 8-5pm( if extra, money depends upon the kms)
- Before exploring the places, kindly search out the opening timings of each fort or heritages as it will give you the clear view to visit the forts accordingly. I will share the timings here but it can vary depend upon the season, year or any festivals( timings easily available on google)
1) AMER FORT- The magnificient Amer fort is situated 11kms from the city. This is the main tourist attraction & without this visit, Jaipur tour is incomplete. Beautiful heritage presentation of Rajput & Muslim architecture. You can hire guide/ audio guide here as this place deserves to know about its history. Really the emperor & its assembly royal life glimpse take you back to their times. Minimum 1-2 hours required to see the palace.
Suggestion- If going by cab, kindly tell the driver to drop till vehicle is allowed up because reaching the top from the start esp in hot weather will make you exhausted & the excitement will fade away.
Opening time - 8am with 100Rs entry fee. If you are a student, carry your ID for less fee.
So, make Amer fort your first visit as it opens early compared to all other forts.
2) NAHARGARH FORT- This fort is on the edges of the Aravalli hills & near to Amer fort. Both, Jaigarh & Nahargarh fort are nearby. We went till the gate of Jaigarh & turned back towards Nahargarh, as this fort was suggested more to visit. Indeed, the fort was worth visiting. The architectures, gates, wall art is mesmerising. The rooftop of the fort gives a breathtaking view of Jaipur city. Made me wonder how the Maharajas rule their city through this view.
Suggestion- Make this visit soon after Amer fort or before scorching heat begins because then only one can enjoy the rooftop view.
Opening time- 10am with 50Rs entry fee. If you are a student, carry your ID for less fee.
3) City Palace- The Royal City palace is situated in the core of Pink city. It depicts the royal life of the Maharajas. There is durbar inside where all the important meetings used to be done & musuem where one can see the clothes, pictures & many things of ancient times. Apart, the beautiful architecture & cultural artwork makes one fascinated.
Jantar Mantar is right across the Jaipur palace. Since we had got exhausted & have Jantar Mantar in Delhi too, so we skipped it.
Opening time- 9am with 130Rs entry fee. If you are a student, carry your ID for less fee.
4) Hawa Mahal- It is situated near to City Palace & on the main market road, making it difficult to get a perfect click. Hawa Mahal glimpse makes you feel happy because of its pink colour & architecture. It has many windows from where all the Royal women of families would see the festivals, occasions & daily life without being seen from outside.
We clicked outside & went as suggested by many.
5) Jal Mahal- Located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. We had some snacks, photos & went.
6) Albert Hall Musuem- This musuem is the oldest musuem of the state & situated in the heart of the city, near to famous local bazaars & railway station. As we were exhausted, we clicked the pics from outside & went. If you have keen interest in musuems, then do visit inside.
Shopping Places-
Johri bazaar & Bapu bazaar- both are nearby & have many good stuffs & varieties which you always wanted from Rajasthani Collections.
Tip- Be best in bargaining
Food hubs-
Near to our Hotel, we found a good restaurant- Rawat( group of restaurants) famous for kachori & sweets. We had veg thali which included- 4parathas, rice, daal. 2 veg, 1 sweet dish, raita, papad @300
Tapari- If you are a tea lover, then visit this eatery. As the name says, it has variant types of tea with great ambience.
Over all, In a Day- we got to see this much & was satisfied. Ofcourse a day is less if you want to explore in details about the each fort or places in Jaipur, but if you are short in time like us- One day will also do.
Remember, Jaipur is one of the best places one should visit & explore the beautiful heritages, architecture & know our history. So even if you are getting a day or two- make a plan & visit this. Dont forget to keep your sunglasses, wear it & shine with the city.
Hope you find this review useful. Do share your feedback.
Happy Travel!
