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Rajasthan is a state in northwestern India known for its rich cultural heritage and history. It offers a memorable family vacation destination with unique traditions, vast deserts, lush greenery, historic forts, beautiful palaces, and prominent religious sites. The state is also considered one of the most romantic places in India for a royal honeymoon experience.
Rajasthan boasts numerous royal palaces and forts like Chittorgarh Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Amber Palace, and Umaid Bhawan Palace. Religious landmarks such as Birla Mandir, Karni Mata Temple, and Ajmer Sharif are major tourist attractions. The state is great for adventure tourism with activities like zorbing, desert safaris, ATV riding, and dune bashing.
Shopping for regional handicrafts is a popular tourist activity. Dining on delectable Rajasthani cuisine in a luxurious royal hotel setting is a phenomenal experience. Rajasthan’s unique entertainment options make its nightlife unparalleled.
With its diverse offerings from history and culture to adventure and cuisine, Rajasthan provides a captivating and memorable holiday destination for all kinds of travellers.
Best time to visit: The best time to visit Rajasthan is during the winter season from October to March. However, it is also the busiest and most expensive period. Popular destinations like Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Mount Abu attract large crowds during this peak season.
Here’s a list of places you must visit on your next trip to Rajasthan:
Jaipur
Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is popularly known as the “Pink City.” It is one of India’s famous tourist destinations and a must-visit place on Rajasthan tour packages. Along with Delhi and Agra, it forms the Golden Triangle of Indian tourism. Jaipur attracts visitors worldwide for its rich heritage and culture. Major attractions include Amber Fort, Sheesh Mahal, Ganesh Pol, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, and Nahargarh Fort. The city is also renowned for its beautiful jewellery, fabrics, shoes, and spacious gardens. It hosts grand festivals like the Kite Festival, Camel Festival, Teej, Gangaur, and Elephant Festival.
Udaipur
Udaipur is a historic city and district headquarters in Rajasthan, about 399 km from Jaipur and 656 km from Delhi. It is a top heritage site near Delhi and a must-visit place on Rajasthan tours. The city boasts natural beauty, mesmerizing temples, and breathtaking architecture. Referred to as the “Venice of the East” and “City of Lakes,” its prime attractions include City Palace, Lake Palace, Bagore Ki Haveli, Pichola Lake, Fateh Sagar Lake, Jag Mandir Palace, Jagdish Temple, and Eklingji Temple. Nearby attractions include Kumbhalgarh Fort, Chittorgarh Fort, Nathdwara, and Ranakpur. The Mewar and Gangaur festivals celebrated with songs, dances, processions, and fireworks, add to Udaipur’s charm.
Jodhpur
Jodhpur, the second-largest city in Rajasthan, is about 562 km from Delhi and is considered one of India’s top tourist destinations. Known as the “Sun City,” it features many palaces, forts, and temples set against the stark landscape of the Thar Desert. The old city surrounds the Mehrangarh Fort, while the new city lies outside. Jodhpur is also called the “Blue City” due to the blue-painted houses around the fort. Major attractions include Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jaswant Thada, Mandore, and various lakes and gardens. The city’s bazaars offer a treasure trove of tie-dye textiles, embroidered leather shoes, lacquerware, antiques, carpets, and puppets.
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer, known as the “Golden City of India,” is a must-visit place on Rajasthan tour packages and a prominent heritage site. Located about 278 km from Jodhpur and 762 km from Delhi, it gets its golden glow from the yellow sandstone used in its architecture. Jaisalmer is famous for royal forts, havelis, palaces, museums, and temples like the Jaisalmer Fort, Nathmalji ki Haveli, and Gadisagar Lake. It attracts tourists for desert camel safaris, a popular activity on the Sam and Khuri Sand Dunes. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival, a music festival held near Sam Sand Dunes in February, is also a major draw.
Mount Abu
Mount Abu is a hill station in Rajasthan’s Aravalli Range, about 166 km from Udaipur and 753 km from Delhi. It is a popular summer destination and a must-visit place on Rajasthan tour packages. At an altitude of 1220m, Mount Abu is Rajasthan’s only hill station, with the highest peak Guru Shikhar at 1,722m. Known as an oasis in the desert, it has several lakes and waterfalls amidst the hills. Top attractions include Dilwara Jain Temples, Guru Shikhar Peak, Nakki Lake, Achalgarh Fort, and Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary.
Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh is a historical city located about 117 km from Udaipur and 620 km from Delhi. A former capital of the Mewar kingdom, it is a top heritage place in Rajasthan and a must-visit on tour packages. Chittorgarh is known for its beautiful forts and temples, including the massive Chittorgarh Fort, one of India’s largest. Other attractions are Kirti Stambh, Padmini’s Palace, Vijaya Stambh, Gaumukh Reservoir, and temples like Kalika Mata and Meera Temple. Popular festivals include Gangaur, Jauhar, Diwali, and Holi.
Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park is one of Rajasthan’s popular national parks and a top attraction near Delhi, situated about 162 km from Jaipur and 368 km from Delhi. Established as a game sanctuary in 1955 and declared a Project Tiger reserve in 1974, it became a national park in 1981. The 392 sq km park is majorly famous for providing opportunities to spot tigers in their natural habitat.
Apart from tigers, visitors can also see sloth bears, leopards, jackals, foxes, hyenas, deer species like chital and sambar, antelopes like nilgai, monkeys, and an incredible variety of birds. Top attractions within the park include Ranthambore Fort, Jogo Mahal, Trinetra Ganesh Temple, Rajiv Gandhi Regional Museum of Natural History, Kachida Valley, and Rajbagh.
