For me, the trip to Jaipur is not about staying and dining in 5-star hotels and shopping for expensive souvenirs, but about wandering along the old streets and forts to capture the essence of this amazing culture. This city fascinated me a lot. Maybe because of my love for history and architecture.
Jaipur, known as the pink city is the capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is one the top-visited places in India and Jaipur served as the gateway to its vast architectural and cultural heritage that marvels the natives and foreigners alike. During my life in Delhi, I never had a chance to visit Jaipur and it was just before the pandemic that I visited this place. It was an unplanned trip to Jaipur and that day I decided to come back to explore this unique city more in detail.
Starting from Delhi
It was a lazy Saturday morning and our gang decided to ride to India Gate from Gurgaon. It was early morning and for some reason, we couldn’t go to the India Gate. We sat near a Tea Shop, sipping hot tea, and were deciding what to do next. Someone had this idea that we should ride to Jaipur. We didn’t pack anything. No bags, no charger, no spare clothes. But anyway we decided to go. We were three bikes and six people.
How to reach Jaipur
Usually, visitors reach Jaipur from Delhi as it is part of the famous golden triangle that included Agra, Delhi, and Jaipur. All these places are famous for their rich heritage and architectural wonders. From Delhi, we can reach Jaipur by three means. Of course, it’s the road, rail, and air.
Jaipur by Road
NH 48 connects Jaipur to the capital city of New Delhi. It is at a distance of 270 km from Delhi. We can cover it in 5 to 6 hours. Private taxis are available from Delhi and if you wish to travel cheap, there are many bus services between these cities. If you prefer to drive or ride like we are doing, roads are pretty fine and can be covered without much difficulty.
Jaipur by Rail
Tarin services are available to Jaipur from almost all parts of the country. You can refer to the IRCTC website for train services.
Jaipur by Air
Jaipur International Airport has located 11 Km from the city center and is there are frequent flights to Mumbai, New Delhi, and other parts of the world.
Places to see in Jaipur
Neemrana Fort
Roads are good throughout the trip and the landscape is more or less the same as in Delhi. There are a lot of Dhabas on the way. One place to visit on the way is the Neemrana Fort. It is a privately owned heritage hotel and is a perfect and luxurious getaway. This is a must place to visit and to get a taste of luxurious royal life for ourselves. You can check the prices and details on their website. This place is almost halfway between Delhi and Jaipur.
Amber Palace
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If you’re visiting Jaipur from Delhi, there is a must place to visit before entering the main city. The Amber Palace is around 12 Km before the main city. You can take a left turn from the highway and make sure that you use a map, else you can miss the turn.
Before the capital was shifted to the current Jaipur, it was the seat of the royals. When I first saw this massive structure from a distance, it was just WOW! The place is located on a small hill overlooking a small lake. It is a perfect example of Rajasthani and Mughal architectural fusion. This is a place that you should not miss while visiting Jaipur.
Jaigarh Fort
This massive fort lies next to Amber Palace. It was built to protect the place. This place had a canon foundry during the Mughal reign and you still can see its remains there. There are underground passages that connect the fort with the Amber palace.
Nahargarh Fort
It stands on the Aravalli hills and from the top of the fort, we can see the entire Jaipur city. This fort is also called the Tiger Fort. It is also constructed as per the Rajasthani-Mughal style. The road to this fort from the main city resembles the Himalayan hill town roads and it is really fun to ride on these roads.
Hawa Mahal
The Palace of Breeze is an interesting structure and is uniquely constructed with perfect geometry. It is perhaps the most famous structure in Jaipur. This was made for the ladies of the royal to watch the streets without being seen by the public crowd. This was the only way for them to watch the festivals and life that is happening outside the palace walls.
Jal Mahal
There are two routes to enter Jaipur if you are traveling from Amber Palace. The first route is to continue on the NH 48 and the second one is the Amber road that connects the old city with the new one. Man Sagar Lake is a beautiful lake on this second route and what makes it even more stunning is the Jal Mahal. A small palace stands majestic in the middle of the lake away from the chaotic Jaipur city. When we enter from the busy streets and hectic traffic to this stunning view, we will be perplexed by its enchantment. Best time to see it is during the evening and nighttime when it is lit up into a golden mirage.
These are the places that I have visited. As I said, it was a short unplanned trip. But I am including most of the other must-see places so that you can have an idea before going to this place.
Albert Hall Museum
This is one of the oldest Museums in Rajasthan. It is home to many of the Rajasthani and Mughal artifacts and valuable collections of historic importance. The main attraction here is a 2300 years old Egyptian Mummy.
City Palace
It was the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Kings. Currently, the royal family lives here and some parts of the palace are open to the public.
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is as famous as the Hawa Mahal. It is one of the five Jantar Mantar built in India. In old times, this place is of huge importance in predicting the time and other astronomical details.
Galtaji
This place is of religious importance to Hinduism and also is an architectural marvel. This is built on a mountain pass and is located around 10 Km from Jaipur.
Jaipur City
Due to the vast population, now the city looks chaotic and irregular. However, this wasn’t the case when it was built. It was one of the most planets cities of the premodern era. It is built as per the Indian Vastu Sastra. There are three main gates to enter the city. These gates face three of the four cardinal points, each, west and north respectively.
You can also find many hotels to stay in and I would suggest trying one of the heritage hotels so that you can experience the ways of the people and the culture.
The hotel where we stayed
You can find most of the cuisines that are available in Northern India. But you can try Dal Baati Choorma, which is a famous delicacy here.
Places to consider near Jaipur
From Jaipur, you can return to Delhi or you can continue to many of Rajasthan’s tourist destinations like Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, and Mount Abu