Udaipur

Udaipur is the gentlest of Rajasthan’s royal cities, and this Udaipur travel guide covers the things to do in Udaipur around its lakes. Maharana Udai Singh II of Mewar founded the city in the sixteenth century, on the shores of Lake Pichola, and his descendants built palaces, gardens and island pavilions on and around the water. With white buildings reflected in the lakes and wooded hills behind, it is a calm and romantic place to slow down after the forts and desert of the north. It is one of the most loved stops on a trip to India.

What to see in Udaipur

The old city sits on the eastern shore of Lake Pichola, and most of the main sights are within walking distance of each other.

The City Palace

The City Palace rises in tiers above the lake, a long complex of palaces built by successive rulers of Mewar over several centuries. Inside are courtyards, balconies, mirrored rooms, coloured glass and painted walls, and part of the palace is now a museum with royal portraits, arms and household treasures. From the upper terraces there are wide views over the lake and the city.

Lake Pichola

A boat ride on Lake Pichola is the classic Udaipur experience, best in the late afternoon as the light turns gold. You pass the palace walls, bathing ghats and the two island palaces, Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir. Jag Mandir is a seventeenth-century island palace with pavilions and gardens, and some boat trips stop there. When water levels are low, boat routes can change.

Jagdish Temple

Close to the City Palace, Jagdish Temple was built in the seventeenth century and is dedicated to Vishnu. Its walls are covered in carvings of dancers, musicians, elephants and gods, and it is still an active place of worship. Remove your shoes, dress modestly and be quiet during prayers.

Bagore ki Haveli

This eighteenth-century mansion on Gangaur Ghat has been restored as a museum of daily life in a noble household. In the evenings it hosts a show of Rajasthani folk dance and music, a lively introduction to the region’s traditions.

Gardens and Fateh Sagar Lake

North of the old city, Saheliyon ki Bari is an eighteenth-century garden of fountains, marble pavilions and lotus pools, said to have been laid out for the ladies of the royal court. Nearby, Fateh Sagar Lake is a favourite place for local families to stroll in the evening.

The Monsoon Palace

High on a hill west of the city, Sajjangarh, known as the Monsoon Palace, was built in the late nineteenth century. It is a fine place to watch the sunset over the lakes and the surrounding hills, and the surrounding area is a wildlife sanctuary.

Arts and the character of the city

Udaipur has long been a centre of Rajasthani miniature painting, and in the lanes of the old city you can watch artists at work with fine brushes, and sometimes take a short class. The city is also good for textiles, silver and crafts. Life here moves more slowly than in Jaipur or Delhi: rooftop terraces look over the water, and evenings are for watching the lights come on around the lake. The ghats, the stone steps that lead down to the water, are where people bathe, wash clothes and gather for festivals, and they are pleasant places to sit quietly in the early morning.

Best time to visit Udaipur

The best time to visit Udaipur is from September to March. After the monsoon the lakes are usually full and the hills green, and from October onwards the days are warm and dry. Summer is hot, and the monsoon brings rain and fresh scenery.

How long to stay and how Udaipur fits a trip

Two or three nights is ideal: time for the palace, the lake and the old city, and a day trip to Ranakpur or Kumbhalgarh. Udaipur has an airport with flights from Delhi, which take about an hour and a half, and from Mumbai.

By road, Jodhpur is about five hours away without stops, and the drive is often broken at the Jain temple of Ranakpur, carved from pale marble in the fifteenth century. Jaipur is a full day on the road or about an hour by air. Udaipur makes a natural end to a Rajasthan journey that begins with Delhi and Agra and continues through the desert city of Jaisalmer.

• 10 days: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur, flying between Jaipur and Udaipur.
• 2 weeks: the Golden Triangle, Jodhpur, Ranakpur and Udaipur.
• 3 weeks: add Jaisalmer, Ranthambore or a flight south to the beaches or backwaters.

Tips for visiting Udaipur

• Take a boat on Lake Pichola in the late afternoon for the softest light.
• Dress modestly and remove your shoes at temples, and ask before photographing people at prayer.
• Some monuments close one day a week. We plan around it, and confirm current ticketing when we book.
• Stay in or near the old city if you like to walk; places further round the lake are quieter.

Every trip we plan is tailor-made, with your own guide and driver where it helps. Tell us your ideas on our plan your trip page.

Best months: September, October, November, December, January, February, March

Recommended stay: 2–3 nights