Jaipur travel guide: tips, sights, and practical information

Impressive forts, breathtakingly beautiful palaces and a lively center, where monkeys are lying around and beautifully dressed women do their shopping. You shouldn't miss the pink city of India when you visit the country, but believe me, you don't want that either. Jaipur is beautiful and intense at the same time; a city where all your senses are stimulated. In this short travel guide, I share the best tips, the most beautiful sights and useful information for your trip to Jaipur.

Sights

Jaipur has countless beautiful sights, where you will be amazed. To get a good impression of the city and to be able to discover all the beautiful places, I recommend spending at least two days there. The most famous sights in Jaipur are:

The Amber Fort

This beautiful, majestic fort is one of the biggest attractions in India and a real must-see! The complex was built in 1592 and exudes history and grandeur. Outside you will see decorated elephants and eager merchants and in the fort, you will find beautiful buildings, gates, gardens and palaces. 

Hawa Mahal

This palace from 1799 is best known for its iconic façade, with nearly 1000 windows, niches, and balconies. According to legend, the king's many women were able to look at the street without being seen themselves. The most beautiful view of the Hawa Mahal is from the Wind View Café, across the street. This cafe is open daily from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM.

Practical information

Admission to the Hawa Mahal costs 200 rupees per person (2017). The building is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the entrance is at the back of the building.

City Palace

This palace, right in the center of the old town, is still inhabited by the royal family. The complex includes a museum, various exhibitions and an art gallery.

Practical information

A ticket for the complex costs 700 rupees per person and if you also want to visit the exclusive royal rooms, you pay 2000 rupees per person for a group tour and 3500 rupees per person for an individual tour (2019). It is open from 9.30 am to 5 pm.

Galta Ji Temple (Monkey Temple)

Located on the outskirts of the city, this gigantic temple complex has been a sacred place of pilgrimage for centuries - although today it is best known for the many monkeys living there. Most monkeys stay in the rocks around the temple, where they are mostly found at the end of the afternoon. Also don't forget to visit the other temples, where holy sadhus still make sacrifices to their gods every day.

Good to know

To get to Galta Ji, you can take two routes. When you take the main entrance, you immediately arrive at the temple complex. However, most taxis and rickshaws will drop you off on the Surjapol Bazar road. To get to the temples from there, you first have to cross the hill. On the hill stands the Sun Temple, from where you have a beautiful view of the city.

Practical information

Galta Ji is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The entrance costs 50 rupees per person and 50 rupees per camera is also requested (2019).

What you should definitely do when you are in Jaipur:

• Watch the sunset at the Nahargarh Fort .

• Enjoy the beautiful view from Jaigarh Fort.

• Visit the beautiful Patrika Gate in the Jawahar Circle Garden.

• Stroll around the many bazaars.

TIP! You can also choose tour operators in Udaipur to discover Jaipur with a guide, including private transportation and drop & pick-up at your hotel.

Sleeping and eating

In Jaipur, you will find hundreds of options for spending the night - from cheap hostels to luxury five-star hotels. We slept the first time at Hotel Rajputana Haveli, in the north of the city. This was a great hotel, although it was somewhat noisy. From our hotel, we were quickly in the center and at the Amber Fort, but otherwise, there was nothing to do in the neighborhood. The second time we slept in Hotel Polo Inn And Suites and the third time in the hotel The Livin, which I thought was the best hotel. If you like to sit between nice restaurants, it's best to book a hotel just southwest of the center.

Jaipur has a number of very luxurious and breathtakingly beautiful hotels, such as The Oberoi Rajvilas ( RRP ), the SUJAN Rajmahal Palace ( RRP ) and the world-famous Rambagh Palace (RRP). If your budget does not allow this, you can go to OYO 2166 Hotel KMahaveer, Hotel Pearl Palace or Anuraag Villa, all of which score 9 or higher.

It is difficult to find a good restaurant in the old center. One of the few restaurants there - but immediately a very good one! - Midtown is Multicuisine Restaurant. When you go south or west, you will come across a lot of nice restaurants. I really recommend Peacock Rooftop Restaurant; we have eaten there every time delicious and the decor and atmosphere are fantastic.

Also read: 5 things you must do in Jaipur

Transport

Depending on where you come from, it's best to go to Jaipur by train or taxi. It takes about 5.5 hours with both from Delhi. You could also possibly fly from Delhi; then you will be there within the hour. From Agra, it is 4.5 hours by car and by train 3.5 to 5 hours. From Jodhpur to Jaipur it is almost a 6-hour drive or a short 5-hour train ride.

If you want to visit Jaipur for a day, it is best to book a tour. With the Jaipur Full-Day Tour, you will be picked up at your hotel in Delhi, you drive a car with ac to Jaipur to visit the most beautiful sights and then you drive back to Delhi, where you will be dropped off at your hotel. The tour lasts 16 hours and includes a guide, entrance fees, and lunch.

In the old center, you can do almost everything on foot. To get to the center from your hotel or to get to the forts and temples, you can take an Uber or rickshaw. Tourists generally pay way too much for a rickshaw, so don't forget to negotiate before you board.

Good to know

• A large part of the year it is at least 30 ° C in Jaipur. Therefore, drink plenty of water, especially if you walk a lot. In the city, there are numerous shops where you can buy a liter bottle of water for 20 rupees. In the winter it can cool down in the evening, so it is smart to also take a cardigan or sweater with you.
• Millions of tourists come to Jaipur every year, so the main prize is asked for everything. When you are planning to buy something, you always have to bargain for a normal price.
• It's very busy on the street and they drive like crazy - even in the city center. Therefore, be careful where you walk and only cross over if it really doesn't matter.
• Because it is fairly touristy, the locals can sometimes be a bit pushy. In order to get rid of them as quickly as possible, it is best to immediately say clearly and firmly "no" and continue. If they continue to pursue you, you can pretend to take a picture of them and say that you are going to the police. That always scares them.

Best time to visit Jaipur: October to March.