Exploring Jaipur, India
Note: This post has been updated on May 10, 2022.
Time needed in this city: 1-2 Nights
The Pink City of Jaipur is part of the Golden Circle of India. A 6-hour drive from Delhi, it’s usually part of a 3-day trip around the circle that is a must when traveling to that part of the country (see at the end of this post for options on tours). With its salmon pink buildings and it’s incredibly rich art, science, and religious cultures, it will certainly leave a lasting impression.
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this beautiful city.
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Where to Stay
Hotel Trident
The best part of my trip to Jaipur was my accommodations. From the moment I walked in to the light and breezy hotel, I was treated like royalty. There was an assigned greeter that took me to a seated check-in area, where tea service was provided. She asked me if I required anything else in my room and made sure that I knew the layout of the property, which was impeccable. I wish I had booked my time there for longer.
I also ate most of my meals at the hotel, with the breakfast buffet being of note. It was one of the best and most accommodating breakfast spreads I have ever had, especially dining by the luxurious pool.
TIP: Ask for a Garden View room and make sure breakfast is included!
Where to Dine & Drink
Annpoornam
Per their site, “Annpoornam’s versatile menu of sophisticated and modern South Indian cuisine incorporates bonafide ingredients. Our dishes are prepared with your favorite spices and complex flavor pairings carefully selected by our expert chefs to ensure you enjoy the South Indian authentic taste. Our restaurant is designed after the Belur temples of Karnataka to give you the ultimate Indian experience. Our cuisines are inspired by the traditional delicacies of southern India.”
Daniel’s Oriental Kitchen
Informal red-and-black space serving Chinese, Burmese & Thai dishes, plus vegetarian options.
Giardino
Luxe eatery featuring classic Italian fare in a heritage mansion with royal ambience.
House of Han
Located in the Intercontinental Hotel, the restaurant offers classic Chinese stir-fries & dim sum.
Jal Mahal Restaurant
The restaurant serves authentic Rajasthani dishes inspired by recipes from the royal Rajput kitchens, as well as a creatively crafted menu of continental and Asian options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Kalyan Restaurant & Bar
This simple hotel restaurant features a roof terrace & indoor dining room for Rajasthani cuisine.
Pakwaan Candlelight Dinner Restaurant
Warmly styled venue known for celebrating special occasions, featuring rooftop dining & city views.
Rajput Room
Elegant fine-dining eatery serving a menu of multicuisine meals in a heritage hotel.
Spice - A Club Mahindra Restaurant
Situated in the Club Mahindra Jaipur resort, they offer a large variety of Indian food options as well as a wide selection of international cuisines.
Steam
Mediterranean fare served inside a restored steam train with an attached Victorian-style station.
Suvarna Mahal
Located in Rambagh Palace, this lavishly appointed hotel dining room offers the royal cuisines of India's northern regions.
Verandah Cafe
Per their description, “Verandah Café at Rambagh Palace is the best place in Jaipur to retire with a book and an afternoon champagne tea, pre-dinner cocktails or light meals for company. Bask in the attention of the palace staff and savour palatial privileges at this airy palace verandah.”
Things to See & Do
Amber Fort and Palace (1000rs per foreign visitor)
Amber Fort was founded by Raja Alan Singh, who was a ruler from the Chanda clan of Meenas, in 967 CE. The present day Amer Fort was built on the remains of the earlier structure, during the reign of Raja Man Singh. It was further expanded by Jai Singh I, who was his descendant. In the later years, the fort went through additional improvements by their successors, until the Kachwahas shifted their capital to Jaipur, during the rule of Sawai Jai Singh II, in 1727.
In the 16th century, Amber royal palace was constructed as a home for the present rulers. The 16th century magnificent towers of the fort and the palace were built by the Rajput Maharajas, which are still well-maintained today.
TIP: There are two ways to get to the top of the hill - by foot or by elephant ride. Having seen the condition of these elephants, I’d strongly suggest walking - it’s not that far.
City Palace (1000rs per foreign visitor)
The City Palace is a royal residence and former administrative headquarters of the rulers of the Jaipur State. Construction started soon after the establishment of the city of Jaipur under the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved his court to Jaipur from Amber, in 1727. Jaipur remained the capital of the kingdom until 1949, when it became the capital of the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan—with the City Palace functioning as the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur.
The construction of the Palace was completed in 1732 and was also the location of religious and cultural events, as well as a patron of arts, commerce, and industry. It was constructed according to the rules of vastushastra, combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. It now houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, and continues to be the home of the Jaipur royal family.
Elephant Ride
I debated sharing this because of my experience. In Jaipur, there are several places where you can get elephant rides and all of them are not good. The most popular place is at the Amber Fort, but the elephants look sickly. (The ironic thing is that elephant fighting was a source of entertainment back when these forts were in use. But I digress.)
In was advised to go to Elefantastic however, our tour guide preferred to take us to Elephant Village. Initially, we were offered the deluxe package of 9500rs per person to ride, wash, feed, paint, and hug the elephant. I managed to get the owner down to 4500rs ,for two people, for a ride and a picture (which I will not be posting). I immediately regretted it upon seeing the female elephant. It was clear she was not in good shape and looked quite sad. Unfortunately, the deal had already been done and if anything at all, it gave me an opportunity to be with this lady for 20 minutes or so.
The ride itself was awful - it took us around the property, exposing how they keep their elephants tied up in large barns, isolated from one another. By the time the ride was over, I was sad and angry. When we went to take the picture, I reached over and petted the trunk of the elephant whispering, "It's okay sweet girl". This little lady actually shed a tear and it completely broke my heart. While it's impossible to know if elephants weep from emotion, it certainly got me. It was enough to make me extremely angry when I left.
While it seemed like a great, authentic experience to do, I'd highly suggest a camel ride instead - they are everywhere in Jaipur!
GALTA JI – MONKEY TEMPLE
Galtaji is an ancient Hindu pilgrimage about 10 km away from Jaipur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The site consists of a series of temples, built into a narrow crevice, in the ring of hills that surrounds Jaipur. A natural spring emerges high on the hill and flows downward, filling a series of sacred kunds (water tanks or pools) in which pilgrims bathe away their sins. Visitors and pilgrims can ascend the crevasse, continuing past the highest water pool to a hilltop temple. From there, there are views of Jaipur and its fortifications, spread out across the valley floor. It is believed that a Saint named Galav lived here, practiced meditation, and did penance.
Monkeys
A temple dedicated to the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman, is one of the most famous on the site because a tribe of his present-day monkey relatives reside there. Along with living in the Galtaji temple, the monkeys also dangle from the intricate temple façades and cause chaos for visitors and pilgrims. They are well known in Jaipur and especially in Galtaji for their mischievous ways.
TIP: You can feed the monkeys, but it is advised not to as they tend to engage in petty theft. Make sure you leave all jewelry and other valuables at home (and hang onto your camera).
NOTE: If you don’t want to go here, the on ramp to get back to Delhi backs right up to the temple. You will see plenty of monkeys from the passenger side window!
Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal is a palace, built from red and pink sandstone, and is on the edge of the City Palace, extending to the Zenana, or women's chambers.
The structure was built in 1799 by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of the city of Jhunjhunu in the state of Rajasthan. He was so inspired by the unique structure of Khetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace.
Its five-floor exterior is akin to a honeycomb with its 953 small windows called “Jharokhas”, decorated with intricate latticework. The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen. This architectural feature also allowed cool air from the Venturi effect to pass through, thus making the whole area more pleasant during the high temperatures in summer. Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think it is the front of the palace, but it is actually the back.
Jantar Mantar (200rs per foreign visitor)
The Jantar Mantar is a collection of 19 astronomical instruments, built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur. The monument was completed in 1734 and features the world's largest stone sundial. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The instruments allow the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. The observatory is an example of the Ptolemaic positional astronomy, which was shared by many civilizations.
The monument features instruments operating in each of the three main classical celestial coordinate systems: The horizon-zenith local system, the equatorial system, and the ecliptic system.
During 1735, when construction was at its peak, at least 23 astronomers were employed in Jaipur and due to the changing political climate, Jaipur replaced Delhi as Raja Jai Singh's main observatory and remained Jai Singh's central observatory until his death in 1743. The observatory lost support under Isvari Singh (r.1743-1750) because of a succession war between him and his brother. However, Mado Singh (r. 1750–1768), Isvari Singh's successor, supported the observatory, although it did not see the same level of activity as under Jai Singh. Although some restorations were made to the Jantar Mantar under Pratap Singh (r.1778-1803), activity at the observatory died down again. During this time, a temple was constructed and Pratap Singh turned the site of the observatory into a gun factory.
Ram Singh (r. 1835–1880) completed restoring the Jantar Mantar in 1876, and even made some of the instruments more durable by inserting lead into the instruments' lines and using stone to restore some of the plaster instruments. However, the observatory soon became neglected again, and was not restored until 1901 under Madho Singh II (r. 1880–1922).
patrika gate
Although this gate has been based on the seven original heritage gates that were used to provide access to the walled city of Jaipur, this gate is relatively new. The Patrika Gate is now the 9th gate of Jaipur and was named after a local news company called, “Patrika”. It was constructed and opened to the public in 2016. In 2020, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, inaugurated this gate, via video conferencing. In his address, he commended Kulish Ji, from the Patrika Media Company, for his contribution to Indian journalism.
Each architectural element and design in the gate is unique and not repeated. It makes for a remarkable place for architecture students and art lovers to visit for inspiration. The building façade is pink in color, which is many shades lighter than the famous Jaipur pink (terracotta pink). The golden color is also used to highlight some areas. The façade is flanked by figures of elephants, horses, and soldiers. These are important elements associated with the valor of the princely states of Rajasthan. Battles and wars comprise an integral part of the history of princely Rajput states.
How to Get There
tour guides are the best idea
As you have probably heard, renting a car is not advisable in India, unless you really know how to drive there. Instead, I’ve found that tour guides are very inexpensive and the best way to go, especially for getting to Jaipur.
Delhi-to-Jaipur Tour Guide - If you need a tour guide from Delhi to Jaipur, your best bet is to book a 3-day tour with a guide. Click here for my recommendation
Jaipur Tour Guide for the Day - If you are already in Jaipur, I’d suggest a full day with a knowledgeable tour guide. Click here for my recommendation.
Pink City Only Tour - If you’re looking to get the most out of the Pink City only, click here for my recommendation.
The driving experience
The drive to Jaipur is a long one. It took us six hours to get there for a variety of reasons - traffic, toll booths, villages, horrific intersections, etc. It was through this drive, through, that you begin to experience the other side of India - the side that is the most talked about and also very sad.
It is true, while people (and animals) coexist with each other, there is also a defined caste system in place. Outside of the metropolitan area of New Delhi/Noida, we saw homes in villages that could crumble at the slightest touch (it looked almost war-torn), tents and makeshift roofs attached to sticks; and even just areas where people's belongings were, indicating they were sleeping on the dirt. With each area we drove through, we saw massive amounts of people everywhere, proving that the country grew too fast and couldn't support all of its inhabitants. The interesting thing about this is that each and every individual does what they can to support themselves and their families, despite their living conditions. Women with babies would incessantly knock on your windows, begging for money, until it was your turn at the toll booth; and older kids would be selling their wares in traffic. Not once would you see an officer, or any other native individual, preventing it from happening. It is an unspoken reality that they all do what they can to survive.
Our drive was mostly this, as well as farm land, until it abruptly gave way to the Himalayans and the city of Jaipur.
A History Summary
1726 - Construction of the city began.
November 18, 1727 - Jaipur was founded by Rajput chief of Kachhwaha clan, Jai Singh II, who ruled the region from 1699 to 1743. He planned to shift his capital from Amber, to Jaipur, to accommodate the growing population and increasing scarcity of water.
1868 - A school of art was founded to accommodate artists who studied in metal and marble.
1876 - During the rule of Sawai Ram Singh II, the city was painted pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1876. Many of the avenues still remain painted in pink, giving Jaipur a distinctive appearance and the nickname, “Pink city”.
1900 - The city had a population of 160,000.
1981 - Large areas of the city, including the airport, were flooded due to heavy rains from a cloud burst, resulting in the death of eight people and much damage to the city's Dravyavati River.
July 6, 2019 - The city was named to the World Heritage Cities list.
