Part 1 – Jaipur Pink City
India is our home country and believe it or not; we never had the opportunity to visit the northern part of India. Me and Danish always wanted to visit the white marble beauty “Taj Mahal“, the colorful city of Jaipur, and lastly the capital of India Delhi comprising of so many historical landmarks like Kutub Minar or Lal Quila.
These destinations were on our bucket list forever. On our last visit to India, we did the famous golden triangle tour which includes all the major attractions from Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.
Below is how I planned a perfect 8-day itinerary that includes not only popular attractions but also famous food joints.
Day 1-3 – Jaipur
Day 4-5 – Agra
Day 6-8 – Delhi
Best Time to visit: October – March when the temperature is cooler.
We visited these places in May, and it was not very pleasant. To make it worse, there was a heat wave in India.
In this post, you will find an in-detailed itinerary of Jaipur city. I have a separate blog for Agra and Delhi.
Day 1
Fly into Jaipur
Our flight arrived in Jaipur at 4:00 PM. I always wanted to experience a stay at a haveli in Rajasthan hence I decided to book a room at hotel Fairmont Jaipur. This hotel was a long ride from Jaipur airport so we couldn’t do any of the city attractions on this day. Instead, we enjoyed fun experiences offered by our hotel including high tea, pottery making, and bangle making. There was a traditional Rajasthani folk dance and Indian classical music. At night we thoroughly savored an authentic Rajasthani dinner at one of their restaurants.
To be honest, I would not recommend this hotel if you have planned limited (2-3) days in Jaipur. It’s too far from the city center and there is so much trouble getting a commute to/from this hotel. It’s better to find a good hotel near the city center.
Day 2
On this day we covered the popular forts which are situated in very close proximity. Expect to do lots of walking on this day.
Amber Fort
We started this day early visiting Amber fort first. The plan was to accomplish as much as we could before the heat gets worse. Amber Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site and a notable example of Rajput architecture. The sheesh mahal was spectacular.
We had a guide who charged Rs. 200 and we spent around 2 hours here.
Although you can take a car to the top of the fort for Rs. 50, there is also an option to take an elephant ride for fun. It starts early in the day, and you need to book it way in advance. I don’t prefer animal rides due to the cruelty in these touristy places hence we avoided them.
Jaigarh Fort
The next stop was Jaigarh Fort. This fort is popular for its huge cannon Jaivana. Since it’s a big fort you are allowed to take a car inside by paying Rs. 100 extra on top of the entrance fee or have a walk. We preferred the latter. Expect to spend approximately 40-50 minutes here.
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills offering splendid views of Jaipur city. I was fascinated with the unique design of its terraces. I think 40-50 minutes are enough to cover the major attractions.
Panna Meena Ka Kund
It’s a picturesque stepwell known for symmetrical stairways. It’s close to the Amber fort and a quick stop here is a great picture opportunity.
After all that walking, we were exhausted and super hungry so lunch at Thali & more was much needed. I highly recommend their delectable Rajasthani thali and Dal-Bati.
Following that, we strolled in Bapu Bazar and Johari markets. Jaipur is famous for bandhani (tie-die), jewelry, and blue pottery. Be prepared to do lots of bargaining if planning on shopping in these markets since shopkeepers tend to label the price remarkably high.
While in this area I highly recommend trying lassi at Lassiwala and secondly sampling Aloo Tikki and Paneer Gheewar at popular LMB.
We ended this day by seeing the spectacular pink palace all lit up at night.
Day 3
Hawa Mahal
We started this day by having kulhad ki chai with a breathtaking view of Hawa Mahal at Winds View Cafe. Since Hawa Mahal is basically just a façade and there is not so much on the interior side; this is the best way to admire its beauty.
City palace
Afterward, we visited the City Palace. I booked the Royal tour which cost Rs. 3,000 per person and got a guide as a part of the package. It took us 3 hours to complete the entire tour. Janmashtami Mahal was my favorite part of the palace.
Galta Ji Temple
Following the palace, we headed to Galta Ji Temple. This temple is outside the city, and I would recommend going there during daylight as it’s not really a safe area. You are not allowed to carry a camera or tripod for some reason.
Patrika Gate
The next stop was Patrika Gate which does not have any historical significance but due to the colorful art, it has become a popular Instagram spot. After that, we had popular onion kachori at Rawat Bhandar and had tea at Sahu in the old city.
Jaipur Blue Pottery Art Centre
Lastly, on our way back to the hotel we stopped at Jaipur Blue Pottery Art Centre to shop for some souvenirs. The owner of the place was so friendly; he allowed me to try my hands at pottery with him and we had such a wonderful time. I highly recommend this shop for authentic souvenirs.
We made a quick stop at Jal Mahal just to take pictures from a distance as it’s not accessible to the public for the past few years.
We had a dedicated cab for two full days to go around places. You can also rent a cab but finding parking, especially in the city center, can be a headache.
That’s all we did on our 3 days Jaipur trip. We loved this cultural, artistic, and charming city 😊
For Agra and Delhi please read my blog here.
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Happy Travelling!! Keep exploring the world beyond compass.