Rajasthan Tourism

Recently declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jaipur makes for the capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Known popularly as the “Pink City”, this adorable place forms an integral part of the famous Golden Triangle Tourist Circuit of India. Founded back in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, Jaipur city has gained a lot of popularity across the globe primarily for its heritage monuments and exemplary shopping options. Some of the important attractions of Jaipur include the City Palace, Jantar Mantar Observatory, Amber Fort, Birla Mandir, Rajasthani textiles, and handicrafts.

Known affectionately as the ‘City of Lakes’, Udaipur served as the Mewar kingdom’s capital in the times gone by. Also referred to as the “Venice of East”, this place is the land of rich traditions, glorious history, and charming landscapes. Udaipur is best known for its postcard perfect lakes, such as Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola, Swaroop Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar Lake, and Doodh Talai Lake. A visit to Udaipur is also not complete without an exploration tour of its spellbinding architectural wonders including Jag Mandir, Kumbhalgarh Fort, City Palace, and Monsoon Palace.

Lying north of the city of Jodhpur, the quaint Bikaner town is one of the least crowded yet renowned places to visit in Rajasthan state. More than anything, this remote desert town is famous for its magnificent forts, charming palaces, beautiful temples, impressive handicrafts, and annual Camel Festival. The city of Bikaner is also popular for its brilliant artforms of Usta and Chadwa. Some of the major places of interest that most tourists visit on a trip to Bikaner include Junagarh Fort, Karni Mata Temple, Laxmi Nath Temple, Lalgarh Palace, and Laxmi Niwas Palace.

The colourful and flamboyant town of Pushkar is known popularly across the world for its fascinating yearly Camel Fair. Considered to be one of the country’s oldest cities, Pushkar also makes for one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Hindus. The city is packed with a plethora of age-old Hindu temples, including Meerabai Temple, Brahma Temple, Gayatri Mata Temple, Rangji Temple, Varaha Temple, Mahadev Temple, Savitri Temple, and Apteshwar Temple. The sacred Pushkar Lake is also a revered pilgrimage destination in itself and features several ghats where the enchanting evening aarti is hosted.

Founded back in the year 1770 by Pratap Singh, the ancient town of Alwar makes for a paradise for history lovers. In regards to history, Alwar was the first city that signed the treaty with the British East Indian Company. This city is also known to have participated in a number of military engagements and wars in the times gone by. Alwar is also known for the Bhangarh Fort, which has been frequently linked with many haunted tales. Other primary attractions that attract tourists to Alwar include Pandupol and Sariska Tiger Reserve.

The quaint town of Mount Abu makes for the only hill station in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Located in the mighty Aravalli range, between Gujarat and Rajasthan, Mount Abu offers a respite from the state’s scorching heat. Counted among the most offbeat places to visit in Rajasthan, this hill station offers the travellers the chance to indulge in a number of adventure activities, such as wildlife safari at Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, night camping at Aravali, boating on Nakki Lake, and hiking to Guru Shikhar.

The offbeat town of Pali is categorized by wobbled plains, scattered hills, and a unique snail-like shape. Spread across a total area of around 12,387 square kilometres, the town shares common boundaries with a total of 8 districts of the state with Udaipur perched on the south-east and Jodhpur lying on the North. Pali has gained a lot of popularity across the country for its fascinating temples, including Om Banna Temple and Parshuram Mahadev Temple. This place is also known to host a number of adrenaline-pumping activities, such as trekking, village safari, desert safari, and lakeside camping.

Known as one of the most famous and largest national parks of the country, Ranthambore National Park is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. This tiger-friendly land is home to more than 40 mammal species, 40 reptile species, 320 avian species, 2 amphibian species, and 300 plant species. This place offers the travellers a chance to enjoy a thrilling wildlife safari, allowing them to spot many different wildlife species, including leopards, chital, wild boar, nilgai, sloth bear, sambar, and hyena. Other important attractions to look out for in Ranthambore National Park include Ranthambore Fort, Jogi Mahal, Trinetra Ganesh Temple, and Kachida Valley.

Located at an approximate distance of around 210 kilometres from Jaipur, the small city of Bundi is the best place to explore the age-old step reservoirs or baoris of Rajasthan. This quaint and rustic city has been named after the ancient tribe Bunda Meena, which resided here in the times gone by. In addition to more than 50 fascinating baoris, Bundi is also home to a plethora of ancient architectural marvels, such as the Bundi Palace, Sukh Mahal, and Taragarh Fort. Other interesting attractions of Bundi city include the Nawal Sagar, miniature paintings, colourful markets, and vibrant blue houses.

The Indian state of Rajasthan is home to a number of renowned animal and bird sanctuaries of the country. Almost all these wildlife reserves offer safari opportunities to the travellers and let them interact with their favourite animals in their habitat. While Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve let you spot ferocious tigers, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary offers you the best birdwatching opportunity. Some of the other animals that the tourists can spot during their safari in the national parks of Rajasthan include bears, elephants, nilgais, deers, and hyenas.

Location: Sariska Tiger Reserve, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Keoladeo National Park, Ranthambore National Park.

One of the best ways to explore the state of Rajasthan is by floating in its blue sky. During their Hot air balloon ride, the travellers can soak in the mesmerizing views of the green expanses and the quaint desert villages of the state. They can also spot the beautiful camels and the golden sand dunes of the vast arid desert.

The state of Rajasthan is packed with a plethora of campsites that offer the adventure seekers all kinds of camping opportunities. While the city of Udaipur offers you the best lakeside camping options, Jaisalmer offers unmatched desert camping experience, and Ranthambore National Park lets you enjoy exemplary jungle camping.

During your night camp, you can enjoy delectable authentic Rajasthani meals, cozy beddings, and colourful cultural shows. Night camping in Rajasthan is best done during the winter season as the summers come with a humid weather condition.

Location: Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Udaipur, Mount Abu, Ranthambore National Park, Sariska Reserve.

Your trip to the state of Rajasthan will undoubtedly remain unfulfilled, if you miss out on trying the flavourful culinary preparations of the place. One of the best places where you can savour authentic Rajasthani delicacies is Chokhi Dhani, which is known across the country for its warm hospitality and delicious food. While you are dining at Chokhi Dhani, you can also treat yourself with the traditional Rajasthani decor and the alluring folk dance performances, magic shows, and puppet shows.

If you are an architecture enthusiast, go explore the age-old step wells of the state, which were constructed under its various Rajput rulers for harvesting and conserving water in the times gone by. The architecture of these step wells or baoris will leave you awestruck at the engineering skills of the architects of those times. Some of the best places to explore the ancient stepwells of Rajasthan state are Bundi and Abhineri. Dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries, most of the stepwells extend up to 100 feet beneath the ground and feature sound 3000 to 3500 steps.

Backpackers and adventure enthusiasts love to go trekking when in Rajasthan state. While most of the best treks are found in the hill station of Mount Abu, the hikers are also likely to find decent trekking trails in other places like Alwar. During their trekking tours, the hikers can explore the rich heritage density and greenery of the state, away from the regular desert sands. They can also interact with the native villages and enjoy spotting colourful birds. The trekkers will find both easy and challenging treks in Rajasthan, all of which are best done during the winters.

If you want to explore the state of Rajasthan like a local, spend some time with the beautiful camels at the Camel Breeding Farm located in the city of Bikaner. While you are here, learn important facts about the camels at the Camel Museum, enjoy an exhilarating camel ride, and click pictures with the “Ships of the Desert”. Also remember to relish their delicious ice-cream prepared using camel milk.

Wildlife lovers visiting the state of Rajasthan should never miss out on having a friendly day out with the elephants at the famous Dera Amer camp. During their visit to Dera Amer, the animal enthusiasts can enjoy feeding the elephants with sugarcanes and giving them a good bath. They can also enjoy painting their trunks creatively with harmless organic paints and click pictures. The visitors can also choose to head on an elephant safari, which is usually accompanied by a scrumptious authentic dinner and camp stay.

Couples, as well as families can head for an enchanting boat ride on the shimmering waters of the photogenic lakes of Udaipur city. While you enjoy boat riding in these historic lakes, you can explore the surrounding heritage buildings and soak in the mesmerizing mountain views. You can also take an evening boat ride to enjoy the gorgeous sunset from the waters.