Udaipur Travelers Recommend

Three days in Udaipur will allow you not only to experience some of the city’s beautiful palaces and lakes, but will also leave you time to go out and explore some of the temples and forts in the surrounding area. Here’s how. 

Day 1:Highlights of Udaipur

Spend your first day in Udaipur checking out some of the city’s classic sights, many of which are near or directly on the banks of Lake Pichola in the center of town. Start with a visit to the sprawling City Palace complex, which features 11 interconnected palaces along with a museum and a sparkling gallery chock-full of fine European crystal. From here, head over to Jagdish Temple, right by the main entrance to the palace, perhaps stopping to shop at some of the many handicrafts boutiques that flank the road between the two attractions. Jagdish Temple is known for its intricate architecture, notably around 100 pillars carved with scenes from Indian mythology. In the afternoon, head out to Monsoon Palace, high on a hill on the edge of town; it’s a great place to watch the sunset over the city.

Day 2: Temples and Mansions

Start your second day with a trip out to Eklingji, a temple complex situated in the holy town of Kailashpuri, about 14 miles (22 kilometers) outside Udaipur. The site has around 100 temples of all sizes; most are made of marble or granite, and many feature beautiful carved exteriors dominated by carved arches and pillars. The oldest date back to the 10th century. Many are dedicated to Eklingji, a popular form of Lord Shiva that's long been venerated by the royal families of the area.

In the afternoon, make your way back into Udaipur to visit the Bagore ki Haveli, a grand haveli (city mansion) overlooking Lake Pichola. This 18th-century building features 100 or so rooms, a large number of which are decorated with period furniture. Others have been transformed into galleries full of ephemera (including what is allegedly the world's largest turban). Stay for a puppet show or dance performance, held here most evenings.

Day 3: Ancient Forts

The region around Udaipur is notable for its beautiful architecture and stately forts. Spend your last day exploring one of the most notable, the 15th-century Kumbhalgarh, one of six historic forts that collectively comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Kumbhalgarh is noteworthy for having the second-largest wall on earth and is surrounded by the protected Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Kumbhalgarh can easily be visited on a day trip and is usually combined with a stop at the Ranakpur Jain Temple, which was built around the same time as the fort. The temple's most notable feature is its 1,444 marble pillars, each of which features its own unique look.

Alternatively, head out to Chittorgarh, also one of the six Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Likely built in the seventh century, the fort is the largest in India, encompassing around 700 acres (283 hectares), and is big enough to merit an entire day exploring.

With two days in beautiful Udaipur, India’s Lake City, you’ll be able to check out the romantic city’s gorgeous palaces and temples and still have enough time left over to go on a day trip into the Rajasthani desert for more stunning architecture. Here’s one way to do it.

Day 1: Palaces and Temples

**Morning:**Spend your morning exploring the beautiful City Palace complex, a collection of 11 interconnected regal buildings on the banks of Lake Pichola. Don’t miss the City Palace Museum, a fascinating showcase of old artillery, regalia, and other artifacts from the past five centuries.

**Afternoon:**After lunch, check out the beautifully carved pillars at the city’s famous Jagdish Temple, a short walk from the City Palace. Then make your way to the outskirts of town to take in the views from striking Monsoon Palace, a 9-story structure that got its name because it was once used by royals to watch monsoon clouds roll by.

**Night:**Wrap up your evening with a romantic dinner at Jag Mandir, an elegant palace complex right in the middle of Lake Pichola. Opulent buffet dinners are served here most nights, and a boat ride out to the island to dine makes for an enchanting way to end your first day in Udaipur.

Day 2: Day Trip to Kumbalgarh

**Morning:**Get up bright and early and make your way out to Kumbalgarh, home to the second-largest wall in the world (after the Great Wall of China). This enormous fort dates to the 15th century and stands some 1,200 feet (365 meters) above sea level. Getting there is half the fun and involves a drive through the Aravalli mountains that skirt the area.

**Afternoon:**From Kumbalgarh, it's about an hour and a half by car into the Rajasthani desert to Ranakpur, known for its stunning 15th-century Jain Temple. This huge complex features a number of smaller temples made primarily of intricately carved marble and pillars. If you're short on time and want to get back to Udaipur by evening, skip Ranakpur and instead stop on the way back from Kumbalgarh at Eklingji, a temple town with 108 temples of varying sizes, most devoted to Lord Shiva.

**Night:**If you’ve opted to check out Ranakpur, you probably won’t get back to Udaipur until fairly late in the evening. However, if you do make it back in time, a dramatic sound-and-light show at the City Palace is a great way to spend your last evening in Udaipur.

With its whitewashed palaces and temples set against a backdrop of glimmering lakes, it’s no wonder that Udaipur is often considered one of the most romantic places in Rajasthan, if not India. Here’s how to make the most of one day in the City of Lakes.  

Morning: Royals and Religion

Start your morning off with a visit to the city's best-known place of worship: the three-story Jagdish Temple. Dating back to 1651, this gorgeous temple features around 100 pillars intricately carved with scenes from Hindu mythology.

Just up the road from the temple stands one of Udaipur’s most important attractions: the sprawling City Palace, the largest in the state. The complex consists of 11 palaces built over a period of four and a half centuries, all of which are interconnected by passageways. Highlights include the City Palace Museum, featuring traditional artwork, royal regalia, and weaponry.

Afternoon: Monsoon Palace

After visiting the temple, stop for a quick lunch at one of the restaurants at the City Palace before making your way to the outskirts of town to visit Sajjangarh, aka Monsoon Palace, a 19th-century palace perched on a hill overlooking the city and its lakes. This 9-story structure was originally intended to be an astrological center, but instead became more of a destination for watching monsoon clouds, hence its nickname. It's also a great place to check out the sunset over the city.

Night: Dinner on the Lake

Once the sun has set, embark on a romantic dinner cruise on Lake Pichola. While some travelers enjoy simply cruising on the waters, for something special, make your way out to Jag Mandir Palace (aka Lake Garden Palace), situated on an island in the lake. Here you can not only experience the island's history and architecture, but also opt for a buffet dinner served right in the middle of the lake.