12 Days · 11 NightsGrand Rajasthan
Five days of Mewar, then Jaipur, Jodhpur and the Thar
1 / 20About this trip
The four cities, in the order the map allows. Two days on the lakes at Udaipur; the long haul north-east to Jaipur and two full days on its forts and bazaars; west to Jodhpur and a day under Mehrangarh; and finally into the Thar for the living fort at Jaisalmer and a night under canvas at the Sam dunes.
One private air-conditioned car and one driver for all nine days — nothing is handed off between cities. Hotels are arranged and included throughout, with the last night at a desert camp.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Old City, Palace & Lake
Pick-up from the airport or railway station, and straight into the city. The first day stays close together — palace, lake and old-city museums — and ends with a ropeway for city views and an evening folk programme.
- City Palace — Rajasthan's largest palace complex, rising over Lake Pichola — courtyards, mirror-work rooms and museum galleries. Allow 1.5–2 hours; involves stairs and walking.
- Lake Pichola Boat Ride — A calm cruise past Jag Mandir island; best in soft afternoon light. Children love it — life jackets provided at the jetty.
- Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal — A folk-arts museum famous for its kathputli (string-puppet) show — a quick, fun stop that works especially well for kids.
- Heritage & Heirloom — A shopping stop for Rajasthani arts and crafts — handicrafts, textiles, miniature paintings and keepsakes to take home. Easy, no-pressure browsing.
- Vintage Car Museum — The royal garage — classic Rolls-Royce, Cadillac and Mewar state cars, several still road-worthy.
- Karni Mata Ropeway — A short cable-car up Machla Magra hill for a sweeping view over Pichola, Fateh Sagar and the city skyline — great in the late-afternoon light.
- Evening — Folk Dance & Culture Programme — An exclusive evening show presented by Khushi Tours at RK Mall — live Rajasthani folk music and dance including Ghoomar, Bhavai (pot-balancing) and puppetry. A relaxed, seated finish to the day that families enjoy together.
Day 2
Lakes, Gardens & Memorials
After breakfast, an easy loop through the Fateh Sagar belt — gardens, the Pratap memorial and lakeside views — building to a sunset finish at Sajjangarh, the hilltop Monsoon Palace, before returning to your hotel.
- Pratap Smarak (Moti Magri) — A hilltop memorial to Maharana Pratap, with the bronze of the warrior on his horse Chetak and a clear view over Fateh Sagar.
- Saheliyon Ki Bari — The “Garden of the Maidens” — fountains, a lotus pool and marble pavilions. Shaded, flat and easy for elders and children.
- Fateh Sagar Lake & Nehru Park — A scenic lakeside drive, then a short boat across to Nehru Park, the island garden in the middle of the lake with a small play area.
- Sukhadia Circle — A quick stop around the big fountain circle — a good spot to stretch, with snacks and chaat nearby.
- Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) — The hilltop “Monsoon Palace” inside Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary — the finest sunset view in Udaipur, looking out over all three lakes and the Aravalli hills.
Day 3
Udaipur → Jaipur
The long leg of the trip — around 395 km on the NH48, six to seven hours. We start early, break it properly, and arrive in Jaipur for the evening. There is no sightseeing today, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise.
- Drive: Udaipur → Jaipur — Around 395 km, roughly 6–7 hours on the highway. We break the drive once or twice. Chittorgarh and Ajmer are both on this road if you would like to break the drive with a stop — tell us at booking.
- Check-in, Jaipur — Into your hotel in the evening. The day is yours after that.
Day 4
Jaipur — the Pink City
The old walled city on foot and by car — palace, observatory, the pink screen everyone comes for, and the bazaars behind it.
- City Palace — The working heart of the royal household — courtyards, the Chandra Mahal, and a museum of textiles, arms and miniatures.
- Jantar Mantar — Sawai Jai Singh's stone observatory, a UNESCO site — nineteen instruments that still keep time, including the largest sundial in the world.
- Hawa Mahal — The Palace of Winds — the five-storey pink screen with its 953 windows. The photograph everyone wants is from the café across the street.
- Albert Hall Museum — Rajasthan's oldest museum, in the Ram Niwas garden. Floodlit at night and worth a second look after dark.
- Johari & Bapu Bazaar — The old bazaars — gemstones, block prints, juttis and quilts. Bargaining expected, and part of the fun.
Day 5
Amber, Jaigarh & Nahargarh
Out to the ridge above the city. Amber in the morning before the heat, the stepwell and Jaigarh after it, and Nahargarh for sunset.
- Amber Fort — Raja Man Singh's fort-palace above Maota Lake — the Sheesh Mahal, the Ganesh Pol and the Diwan-i-Aam. The climb is steep; jeeps run up to the gate.
- Panna Meena Ka Kund — The eight-sided stepwell below Amber, with its criss-cross stairs. A five-minute stop that photographs beautifully.
- Jaigarh Fort — The fort above Amber, holding Jaivana — for two centuries the largest cannon on wheels in the world. Long views along the ridge.
- Jal Mahal — The palace sitting in the middle of Man Sagar lake. A photo stop from the bund — you don't go inside.
- Nahargarh Fort — The ridge fort on the northern edge of the city — the sunset view over Jaipur, and a good place to end the day.
Day 6
Jaipur → Jodhpur
West across the Marwar plain — around 340 km, five to six hours — with the evening in the old market under the clock tower.
- Drive: Jaipur → Jodhpur — Around 340 km, roughly 5–6 hours on the highway. We break the drive once or twice.
- Check-in, Jodhpur — Into your hotel in the late afternoon.
- Clock Tower & Sardar Market — The old market under the clock tower — spices, textiles, bangles, and the lassi Jodhpur is famous for.
Day 7
Jodhpur — the Blue City
A full day in Jodhpur. Mehrangarh first, while it is cool and quiet, then the cenotaph and the palace, and the old market in the evening.
- Mehrangarh Fort — Rao Jodha's fort of 1459, on a 120-m cliff above the blue city — and one of the best-kept fort museums in India: palanquins, howdahs, arms and miniatures. Lifts are available for anyone who can't manage the ramp.
- Jaswant Thada — The white marble cenotaph beside the fort, above a small lake. Flat, shaded and quiet — an easy counterweight to the fort.
- Umaid Bhawan Palace & Museum — The last great palace built in India, finished in 1943 — part royal residence, part hotel, part museum. The museum wing and the vintage cars are open to visitors.
- Mandore Gardens — The old Marwar capital before Jodhpur was founded — royal cenotaphs, temples and a great many langurs. Optional if the day is running long.
- Clock Tower & Sardar Market — The old market under the clock tower — spices, textiles, bangles, and the lassi Jodhpur is famous for. Evening is the time to go.
Day 8
Jodhpur → Jaisalmer & the Sam Dunes
West into the Thar — around 285 km, five hours. The living fort and the havelis in the afternoon, then camel and camp on the dunes.
- Drive: Jodhpur → Jaisalmer — Around 285 km, roughly 5 hours on the highway. We break the drive once or twice.
- Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Quila) — The golden fort — one of the very few living forts left anywhere, with several thousand people still inside its walls. Lanes, Jain temples, shops and homes. Cobbled and steep in places.
- Patwon Ki Haveli — Five linked mansions built by a brocade trader — the most ornate carved façade in the city. Part of it is a museum.
- Sam Sand Dunes & Desert Camp — About 40 km west, at the edge of the Thar. A camel ride out to the dunes for sunset, then the camp — Rajasthani folk music and dance, a bonfire, dinner under the stars, and a night in a tent.
Day 9
The Dunes, and your drop
Sunrise on the dunes, then the road east to Jodhpur for your drop. It is a driving day — around five hours — and we are honest about that.
- Sunrise at Sam — First light on the dunes, tea, then breakfast at camp.
- Gadisar Lake — A last stop on the way out of Jaisalmer — the old reservoir, ringed by shrines and ghats.
- Drive: Jaisalmer → Jodhpur — Around 285 km, roughly 5 hours on the highway. We break the drive once or twice.
- Drop in Jodhpur — To Jodhpur airport or the railway station. If you would rather finish back in Udaipur, add one day — tell us at booking.
What’s included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver for all sightseeing and transfers in the itinerary (vehicle size as per group)
- All pick-up and drop as per the itinerary
- Driver allowance, fuel, tolls, parking and state taxes
- 8 nights' accommodation in 3-star / 4-star hotels, twin-sharing — Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur and one night at a Sam desert camp
- Daily breakfast at the hotel
- Dinner on the night at the Sam desert camp
- Drinking water in the vehicle
- On-trip coordination on call / WhatsApp
Not included
- Monument entry tickets, camera fees, boat-ride and ropeway tickets
- Camel ride at the Sam dunes, if not included by your camp
- Folk dance / cultural programme entry tickets
- Guide fees — optional, arranged on request
- Lunches and dinners unless specifically listed under inclusions
- Anything not mentioned under “What's included”
- Personal expenses, shopping and tips
- GST as applicable
Good to know
- The order of stops may be adjusted for traffic, weather and monument timings — the route is planned for comfort, not a rigid clock.
- Several monuments and museums have fixed timings or weekly closures; boat rides, ropeways and temple darshan run to their own schedules. These are confirmed at the time of booking.
- 3-star and 4-star hotels and daily breakfast are included as standard. Lunches and dinners are not, unless listed under inclusions.
- Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) sits inside a wildlife sanctuary, so there is a sanctuary entry ticket; at busy times the last climb is by sanctuary shuttle rather than private car. We arrange this on the day.
- The evening Folk Dance & Culture Programme is our own show at RK Mall; show timing is shared with you the same day, as it can shift slightly by season.
- Day 3 and Day 9 are driving days. Rajasthan is a big state and these two legs cannot be avoided — we build them in honestly rather than hiding them inside a sightseeing day.
- Jaisalmer is the shortest stop on this route — one afternoon and one night at the dunes. If you want a full day there, add one night and the tour becomes ten days.
- The tour finishes with a drop at Jodhpur. Returning to Udaipur instead adds a day.
- The Sam night is in a tent at a desert camp, not a hotel.
- Tell us your onward train, bus or flight timing and we will re-order the final day so nothing is rushed.
Where you’ll go
Approximate locations shown for planning — not a driving route.
Common questions
Are the long drives really necessary?
Yes. Udaipur to Jaipur is around 395 km and Jaisalmer back to Jodhpur is around 285 km. Rajasthan is a big state. We build those legs in as travel days and say so, rather than hiding them inside a day that also promises sightseeing.
Where does it end?
With a drop at Jodhpur airport or railway station. If you’d rather finish back in Udaipur, that adds a day — tell us at booking.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Yes — this is a starting point. Add a night, swap a stop, or extend the route. Tell us what you’d like and we’ll adjust the plan.
Are hotels included?
Yes. Hotels are included as standard, on twin-sharing basis, with daily breakfast. You choose the category at booking and we’ll show you options at different price points.
When is the best time to do this trip?
October to March has the most comfortable weather. The trip runs year-round; in summer we plan early starts to avoid the midday heat.
How do we confirm and pay?
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and group size. We’ll share the plan and pricing privately and confirm with a small advance.
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