Jaipur labeled as the Best Destination in India 2019

How to spend a day in Jaipur

Places To Visit

Jaipur is not only endowed with wonderful tourist destinations, but the city also boasts of excellent infrastructure and awe-inspiring architecture. The pink city has been edged out by the sprawling modern city emerging as a sought after business destination. Apart from the regular tourists, there are people who visit Jaipur with business reasons and have limited time on hand. Jaipur has a long list of do’s and getting around its awesome spots in a short span of time is hardly possible. It needs a lot of planning and accuracy to squeeze all of it in a day. Either you can plan on your own choosing from the top places to visit in Jaipur or you can plan it the way we suggest. We are focusing on the prime spots and destinations of Jaipur that comprises some special features which can be covered in a day trip.

There is just so much to visit in Jaipur so the best way to experience Jaipur in one-day is to start early in the morning. Make sure you reach your first destination before sunrise and end your trip after sunset.

Ideal Start Time: 6.00 AM

Sunrise: Monkey Temple

Morning: Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort

Afternoon: Gaitore

Mid Afternoon: Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, City Palace

Evening: Jal Mahal

6 pm onwards, Shopping and Dinner

The best modes of transport to travel Jaipur is to either hire a cab, auto or take a tuk-tuk. You will find tuk-tuk anywhere in the city to take you to your destination. When in the city a tuk-tuk is going to be your best mode of transport. Apart from wandering inside the city hire an auto for the day trip in Jaipur. You can also opt for a taxi but autos are more flexible as they also climb up to Jaigarh and Nahargarh. Make sure you buy a composite ticket for all sights in Jaipur to avoid long queues.

6:00 AM

Monkey Temple

Duration of visit: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Timings: All time open

Entry Fee: Free

Start early in the morning for Monkey Temple. It is just 10 km away from Jaipur and can be easily reached by cab, auto or a tuk-tuk. A return journey including the waiting time from a cab will cost Rs. 500 to Rs. 650 while an auto will charge Rs.250-250.

Monkey Temple or Galtaji is a Hindu pilgrimage destination which is consists of many temples. As you see the sun rising to spread its golden rays, you will watch stunning views and splendid sight of the city. Located in a valley between two cliffs of rock and outlined by hills of Aravalli, Galtaji has a series of shrines, natural water springs, and sacred kunds. Among these, Galta Kund is the most holiest, where the pilgrims take a holy bath. It is believed that these kunds never get dry. You can see monkeys gathering around these kunds for a dip in the water. This temple looks like a grand palace and has a marvelous pink structure with amazing architecture. After you get swept off with its magnificent beauty head on to Amber Fort.

Monkey Temple

8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Amer Fort

Duration of visit: 2 Hours

Timings: 8 AM to 5.30 PM

Entry Fee: Rs.25 for Indians & Rs. 200 for Foreigners, Rs. 550 for Elephant Ride

Cab or auto will be the best option to reach Amer Fort. A return auto will take Rs. 500 and a cab will take Rs. 850. You can also reach there taking an elephant ride but if you want to save your time skip the elephant ride and drive up directly to the fort. You might have to walk a little to reach the Amber Fort.

Amer Fort is a lavish structure overlooking the Maota Lake. Built in the 16th century by Meena kings it was a tribute to Goddess Amba, which was later modified and rebuilt by Raja Man Singh and upgrades by his successor Raja Jai Singh. The extensive courtyards, halls, gardens, and palaces with jewel inlaid rooms and impressive carvings leaves you spellbound. The Sheesh Mahal, Zenana Mahal, Jaleb Chowk, Diwan e aam are some of the places which reflects the opulent lifestyles of the royal rulers. The interior walls are festooned with royal paintings, murals, and frescoes. Around 500 m from Amer Fort is there is a temple which is worth to visit. It is dedicated to Meera Bai and Lord Krishna named Shri Jagat Shiromani Temple.

Amer Fort in Jaipur

10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Jaigarh Fort

Duration of visit: 1 hour

Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 30 for Indians and Rs. 50 for foreigners

Built for defense purposes, it is also called the Victory Fort surrounded by outstanding stone ramparts. This fortified fort offers mesmerizing views of the surroundings. Jaigarh Fort is one of the military structure fort that has a museum worth exploring. The museum houses a rare collection of royal articles, armory, a collection of puppets as well as coins. There are three underground tanks in the fort which in the past were used to store water. The main attraction of this fort is Jaivana, the giant mounted cannon in the world. It is 20 feet long, 50-tonne cannon which was made in the fort foundry but was never used in any war. From its courtyard, one can catch the breathtaking look of the artificial lake that sustains Jaigarh.

Jaigarh Fort

Nahargarh Fort

Duration of visit: Half an hour to one hour

Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 30 for Indians, Rs. 75 for foreigners

Nahargarh Fort has another name Tiger Fort. This fort is located on the edge of Aravalli Hills providing a glorious bird’s eye view of the whole Jaipur. When you will overlook the side of the hills you will witness homes submerged on the edge of the huge sand dune. This fort was often used as a hunting retreat. The main draw of this fort is Madhavendra Bhawan or the Zenana quarters. These most impressive nine apartments were built for the nine queens of the king. For visiting anyone of his queens quarter there are many ways to these corridors. The Belgian mirrors, decorated with motifs of flowers and birds, still add up to its interior design. You must visit Nahargarh to have a glimpse of modern architecture fused with architecture done at royal times. Nahargarh fort serves as a perfect spot for those looking for tranquility.

Nahargarh Fort

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Gaitore

Duration of visit: 15 to 30 minutes

Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 30 per person

On the way back from the forts, stop a while at Gaitore. This spot will take about 15-30 minutes and you will surely appreciate the spirit of the place.

Gaitore is the cremation site where the Royals have been laid to rest. There are many Chattris or the cenotaphs of each Maharaja of the Jaipur. Each cenotaph represents carvings about Maharaja for whom they were built. It has a spectacular blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. The biggest cenotaph is dedicated to Sawai Jai Singh II designed with marble arched domes and 20 intricately carved pillars. Its enticing carvings, pure white marble, ornamented designs, and peacocks attract every tourist.

Have your lunch before you head towards exploring another spot. Eat as much you feel like as there are still many places left to discover. No one would like to visit any further with an empty stomach.

Gaitore Jaipur

2:00 PM to 6:00 PM

City Palace

Duration of visit: 1-2 Hours

Timings: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Entry Fee: Rs.75 for Indians & Rs.300 for Foreigners

City Palace lies in the heart of the pink city and is truly an architectural marvel. It is seven storied majestic structure encompassing stunning palaces, museums, temples, courtyards, and gardens. The different museums showcase the royal taste clothing, jewelry, armory, buggies, handicraft, etc. The gates in the inner courtyard dedicated to the different seasons and a religious deity have ornate motifs especially the one with the peacock. Some popular attractions of this magnificent palace are Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal, the Diwan-e-Khas and many more. Photography is not allowed in most parts so just enjoy the grandeur for posterity. After visiting City Palace it would be better if you hire a tuk-tuk to roam around the pink city.

City Palace

Jantar Mantar

Duration of visit: Approx 1 hour

Timings: 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Entry Fee: Rs.40 for Indians & Rs.100 for Foreigners

Jantar Mantar is an observatory endowed with the title of World Heritage Site. It is a landmark of Jaipur and is a must visit place for those who have a keen interest in the astronomy. The monuments built here unveil everything about the universe and amaze everyone by its magical instruments. It has about 14 Jantars (Equipment) that depicts time, date, eclipse, movement of the planets, etc by performing Mantar (Calculation). It also comprises a big Sundial called Samrat Yantra which is 27 feet high and angled at 27 degrees to match the latitude of Jaipur. This Sundial predicts the time of the day very precisely. Go around at your own pace and if you not much into astronomy, you can complete it in 1-1.5 hours.

Jantar Mantar

Hawa Mahal

Duration of visit: 30 Mins

Timings: 9:30 AM to 5.00 PM

Entry Fee: Rs.10 for Indians and for foreigners Rs.50

It is easy to reach from Jantar Mantar as is located within walking distance from City Palace and Jantar Mantar in the Pink City Premises.

Hawa Mahal also known as the Palace of Winds is an enchanting palace in red sandstone. It is a five-storied pyramid-shaped structure with screened balconies and the arched roofs having hanging cornices. It has more than 900 latticed windows commonly known as the “Jharokhas”. These were built with the purpose of facilitating the royal ladies to see the street processions and street activities. There Is one more reason behind small windows and screened balconies. They were made in the purpose of making it easy for women to maintain purdah. End your afternoon trip watching the sunset over Jaipur from the Hawa Mahal. As the sun sets, this monument is at the peak of its beauty when it is bathed in sun rays falling on it.

Hawa Mahal

Evening at Jal Mahal

Duration of visit: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Timings: Anytime

Entry Fee: Free

Get away from the hustle bustle of the city and relax a bit at Jal Mahal. Also known as the Water Palace, it is a five-storied palace located in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. Of them, four are submerged underneath the lake and the only single storey is visible. You will get some larger than life pictures at serene sites Jal Mahal offers. The entry inside the fort is prohibited, but the view from outside is enough to mesmerize you. The evening is the best time to visit Jal Mahal as in the evening the fort lights up and a reflection of the fort can be seen in the shining blue water of the lake. This time it reveals its beauty to the most extent as it looks like a glittering jewel.

Evening at Jal Mahal

6 PM onwards

Shopping

Shopping in Jaipur is accurately a tourist’s delight. Without a spree of shopping in Jaipur’s multihued markets, your trip will certainly become lackluster. The markets of Jaipur offer an assortment of products. Hunt around the various markets of the city and get some beautiful traditional handicrafts, Jaipur carpets, Jaipuri razai and fabric like block printed stuff and tye and dye Bandhani, Meenakari and Kundan jewelry, Jaipuri juttis, and bangles. The market of Jaipur will take your heart away with its colorful, vibrant and precious items.

Shopping in Jaipur
Shopping in Jaipur is accurately a tourist’s delight

Relish the traditional cuisines

After appreciating the architectural beauty of the Royals and done lost of shopping to take back home, it time to hop on the food. The pink city area is full of restaurants and street stalls that serve yummy delicacies. Taste some local snacks like pyaz ki kachori or mawa kachori. If you are a non-vegetarian, don’t miss relishing the Lal Maas. Vegetarians will also find many joints for the taste of the royals !! Don’t forget to take a sip of that creamy lassi that will make it hard for you to stay awake.

A day full of some interesting chats, relishing the food, shooting snaps, souvenirs hunting, competing with the street rally every time you head a new destination will make you go crazy over the city of heritage.

Traditional cuisines
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