The City of Lakes as we call it, Udaipur is utterly magical. You can be on a solo trip or with your better half exploring, this colorful city will tighten its grip on your heart with every step you take. If you're planning a trip to Udaipur soon, then you must be all tired browsing through different sites to know it all at once.
So, this is your prayer answered! This Udaipur travel guide is the last thing you'll need as it will tell you about everything from tourist attractions, places to stay, per day budget, when to go, how to reach, ideal stay duration and so on!
Places to visit in Udaipur
1. City Palace
One of top Udaipur tourist places, City Palace is a massive complex that's about 400 years old. Part of it has been converted into museums, displaying everything from traditional instruments, royal clothing to vintage cars. It is located right beside the Lake Pichola and there are several ornate jharokas from where you can enjoy lovely view of the lake and its surrounding.
You can opt for an audio tour guide (available in different languages), or go explore on your own. Everything from the grand gateways to the artsy ceiling of City Palace will transfer you to the erstwhile era of the royalties. This one was my favorite among all!
Entry fee: There's different entry fee for different sections of the palace.
Entry for the City Palace Museum is INR 300 per person for adults, INR 100 for children between 5 and 18 years of age.
Free entry for children below 5 years of age, and you also have students discounts.
An audio tour is additional INR 200 and the languages available are - English, French, Spanish, and Dutch
2. Jagdish Temple
A Hindu temple with impressive stone carving, Jagdish Temple completes any Udaipur sightseeing tour. Prayers in this temple are being offered since 1651. The staircase is steep, and right from the temple you can see the city's hustle and bustle.
3. Jag Mandir
This is an islet in Lake Pichola, and is also known as Lake Garden Palace. Even though it has its history dating back to 17th century, it still looks new since it is well-maintained.
4. Monsoon Palace
Monsoon Palace, or Sajjangarh Fort can be spotted from almost any corner of the city. This hill fort was built in 1884, to mainly watch the monsoon clouds.
The palace has been featured in the famous James Bond film, Octopussy. Right from this point, you can glance at a mesmerizing view of the city, something you would never want to get your eyes off.
5. Lake Pichola
Lake Pichola is actually the most famous of all lakes in Udaipur. This is mainly because most of the top tourist attractions of Udaipur, like the City Palace and Jag Mandir Palace surround it. Boating on Lake Pichola during sunset is a favorite activity for tourists and honeymooners without doubt!
Bonus tip: Boating on Lake Pichola through City Palace can cost you more than INR 350 per person. To save bucks, all you need to do is take an auto to reach the other side of the banks. This is a famous spot again, so you can also refer to locals asking them about the local boating center. Boating here will cost you as low as INR 150 per person. Again, here too you have options of spending more, if you opt for luxury ride.
However, the only pro of going for City Palace boat ride is that you get to stop at Jag Mandir Palace. In case you're going for luxury boat ride through local operator, you can ask if they can arrange a stoppage here.
6. Bagore-ki-Haveli
Bagore ki Haweli is a charmer, sitting quietly by the lake, camouflaged in the streets of the city. This palace is visited for its museum, but what's more interesting and exciting about this is the Dharohar cultural show that takes place everyday from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Not only will you behold inspiring performances, but will also learn about different folk dances, drama and songs through the narratives by the anchor.
Entry fee: INR 90 per person
7. Gangaur Ghat
Right before entering Bagore ki Haweli, on the right side is where you will find Ganguar Ghat, one of my beloved places to see in Udaipur. This is not just a place you'd want to see and go. This is where you'd want to unwind and glance at the golden sunset and listen to the chirps of birds.
Things to do in Udaipur
Udaipur is not an activity-driven city in general, this is not much of an adrenaline-junky's paradise. But, almost any activity you end up indulging yourself in would be relaxing.
Boating, is surely a highlight when it comes to things to do in Udaipur. Shopping, getting yourself spa therapies, sightseeing, and having romantic candle light dinner by the lake are other light-hearted activities that are common in this city.
Best time to visit Udaipur
Winter months (October to February) are considered the best time to visit Udaipur. During this period the city experiences the best of weather conditions. Being a major tourist destination in Rajasthan, and in fact whole of India, this time might as well prove to be crowded for you. So, I suggest you book your hotels in advance.
But, if you're looking for a rather peaceful escape with your beau, or even solo, then the July to September is a lovely time to plan Udaipur trip. During these months, monsoon refreshes the aura, makes the landscape greener. And to top it all, you have less tourist crowd.
If you love humidity and heat (which you surely doesn't) then summer (March to June) has to be the time you visit Udaipur. This is not a very ideal time to head over to the city, but if you're on a budget, then voila! this is your jackpot. Simply come over, get yourself a room, and head out for exploration once the sun has set!
Best hotels in Udaipur
The world knows it that Udaipur masters it all when it comes to heritage hotels! Leela Palace, Oberoi Udaivilas, The LaLiT Laxmi Vilas Palace, and Trident are some of the best 5 star hotels in Udaipur.
If you're on a budget, but are still looking for best hotels in Udaipur near lake, then Wonder View Palace, Hotel Lake Haveli, Jaiwana Haveli, and Hotel Krishna Niwas are some top options to consider.
Bonus review: During my trip to Udaipur, I stayed at Zostel. The hostel is among the most cheap hotels in Udaipur, as I got my dorm for INR 500 per night. Luckily, as I went in September first week, there were no other booking, and I got the whole dorm for myself.
You can opt for private rooms as well. The hostel has nice common area, with billiards, TV, and more. The rooftop cafe is the place to be! Lake view, candle light, soothing music, gentle breeze, and of course delicious food add on to the feels! (images right below)
How to reach Udaipur
Udaipur tourism has done quite a good job in making it an easily-connected city in Rajasthan. It has its own airport, railway station, and even the bus services to and from this city is smooth as butter! So, here's a detailed breakdown regarding the same:
By air: Maharana Pratap Airport is located merely 20 km away from the city center. The airport connects Udaipur with cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Mumbai, via frequent flights. You can easily find taxi in Udaipur Airport to reach the city.
By train: Udaipur has its own station, which is connected to major cities like Jaipur, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. The station is 4.5 km away from the city centre, and you can easily find buses, autos and taxis right outside.
By road: Udaipur's bus network indeed is vast and frequent. You can find state-run and private buses, from cities like Delhi, Ahmadabad, Jaipur, Kota and Indore.
Bonus experience: I traveled from Delhi to Udaipur in Chetak Express, and the ticket was worth INR 1030 (inclusive of taxes and online payment fee in IRCTC). Mewar Express was my train for return journey, and the ticket was for INR 1100 (inclusive of taxes and online payment fee in IRCTC). Both the journeys were comfortable and trains were on time.
Shopping in Udaipur
When it comes to Udaipur shopping scenario, it is indeed quite buzzing. You will be left boggled with the colorful artifacts, hand loom, jewelry and what not! Hathi Pol Market is one of the best shopping places in Udaipur. Here, you can find everything ranging from leather goods, handicraft items, earrings, bags, clothing, to basic grocery items as well.
Bonus tip: When you are shopping in Udaipur, it is suggested you roam around with a peaceful mind first, before going on a buying spree. Chances are, you can get the same item at 30 percent lesser price in other shops.
Ideal stay duration
Ideally, a 2 nights 3 days trip to Udaipur is more sufficient. During this period you will be easily able to visit top tourist attractions of Udaipur such as City Palace, Bagore Ki Haweli, Monsoon Palace, Jag Mandir, and others.
Places to visit near Udaipur
If you're here for an extended vacation then, Mount Abu and Chittorgarh are among the top tourist destinations of Rajasthan which you must visit!
Per day budget
This Udaipur travel guide would be incomplete without mentioning how much expense to expect. However, your per day budget depends again on your lifestyle. However, if we remove the stay expense, then you will be spending between INR 500-1500 per day (included- food, sightseeing and transport).
Please note: The higher price of the budget is for the day you'll go for boating and City Palace visit as these are some expensive tourist attractions in Udaipur.
Hope this came out to be really helpful for you. If you have any queries regarding this destination, don't feel shy to ask in the comments!
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