If you’ve been planning a trip to Rajasthan, there is a good chance that Udaipur is on your radar. Located on the banks of Lake Pichola, the city’s own artificial lake, this gorgeous city has been a playground for wealthy Indian vacationers for a long time. From taking a boat ride to Jag Mandir to soaking up the views from the high-up Monsoon Palace, there are plenty of reasons to add this beautiful city to your Indian trip itinerary.
This Udaipur Travel Guide will break down everything you need to know before visiting the City of Lakes, including our answer to the question “is Udaipur worth visiting?”
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Best Things to Do in Udaipur
1. Explore the Udaipur City Palace Museum
Udaipur’s City Palace is its top attraction, and it took over 400 years to build. This grand palace complex is easily one of the top tourist attractions in Udaipur, as it draws in thousands of visitors per year thanks to its well-curated art and artifact collections, its stunning construction, and its beautiful views of the city and lakes.
Of all the major attractions in Udaipur, the City Palace Museum was easily our favorite.
Entry tickets cost 300 rupees (about $3-4) for foreign adults and are bought outside of the palace. The palace is walkable from the city center of Udaipur, and the full museum will likely take you hours to get through. Be sure to eat before you enter!
2. Take a Sunset Boat Ride on one of Udaipur’s Stunning Lakes
Udaipur’s nickname is the City of Lakes, and well, there are a lot of pretty lakes. In the past, rulers from the Mewar Royal Family decided to create an artificial freshwater lake, and then another…and then another.
One of the top things to do in Udaipur is to catch a ride on a small passenger boat in the evening to watch the sunset from the middle of one of the serene lakes. Lake Pichola is the biggest and most popular lake in Udaipur, and this is where we recommend doing a sunset boat ride.
We recommend Lake Pichola because of its size, views, and the beautiful palaces that are floating in the middle of it. If you go for a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola, you may pass the Gangaur Ghat, Jag Mandir Temple or the Taj Lake Palace, for example. On either Fateh Sagar Lake or Jaisamand Lake, you’ll probably still have a great experience.
3. Ascend to Sajjangarh Palace (the Monsoon Palace)
Sajjangarh Palace, more commonly referred to as the Monsoon Palace, is a palace built on a cliff at the peak of a tall mountain overlooking Udaipur. Getting to the Monsoon Palace can be a bit of a journey, but it is worth every second.
As the road to the top of the mountain is pretty steep, windy, and treacherous, private vehicles are not allowed to make the trip. Instead, guests need to buy tickets at the entrance at the bottom and hire an official, affiliated driver to take them to the top. I was pretty terrified on the way up, if I’m being honest, but the palace was absolutely worth the hassle.
The Views Are Incredible
Once we got to the top of the mountain, we were met with a beautiful palace, some wild monkeys, and stunning views that spanned for miles in every direction. Much like going to Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, it’s incredible to realize how high up you are and how far into the distance you can see.
Another popular thing to do while in this area is to visit the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary. It was closed during our trip, but many visitors say it is a good place to check out if you have the chance.
4. Admire Jagdish Temple
Jagdish Temple is one of the most famous temples in all of Udaipur. Honestly, of all the beautiful temples that we visited in Udaipur, our favorite was easily Jagdish Temple. Located on a hill in the heart of Udaipur, Jagdish Temple is a really pretty place to check out for a quick visit, and the exterior of the main building is gorgeous.
Entrance to the temple complex is free, and there is a small, local art gallery tucked away in a building next door. A local tour guide eagerly met us at the entrance, explained each building’s significance, and showed us the art gallery.
My one piece of advice is to wear socks. As with any Hindu temple, you need to take off your shoes before you enter the grounds. As it is outdoors and in the heart of a busy Indian city, it isn’t a place where I would be comfortable going barefoot. Many of our travel companions felt the same way!
5. Eat Dinner at a Rooftop Restaurant
Udaipur’s biggest claim to fame is obviously its lakes, and you should take any opportunity you can to soak in their beauty. One of the best ways to do this is to eat dinner at a rooftop restaurant! Rooftop restaurants are very common in Udaipur, and some of them provide the best views you’ll find of the lakes and their shores.
We ate at two really nice rooftop restaurants, and I highly recommend both. The first of these is Rainbow Restaurant, which is located just a short walk north of the City Palace Museum. The food was great, the prices were good, and the views of the lake were stunning.
The second restaurant I recommend, which we enjoyed even more than the first, is Atari Cafe and Restaurant. This rooftop restaurant is located to the west of Lake Pichola, and it provides entirely different views. The food was great, and we enjoyed the tables right along a glass wall looking out toward the lakes.
Best Places to Stay in Udaipur
One of the main reasons to visit Udaipur is to stay in a luxury hotel. Udaipur is known as the most romantic city in India, and this is due in large part to the glamorous resorts dotted around Pichola Lake and beyond in its surrounding countryside. There are three resorts that we highly recommend based on what locals and other travelers told us, but full disclosure, we only stayed in one of them.
All of these resorts are very expensive by Indian standards, but we recommend staying in one of them for at least one night if you are able to afford it. Most visitors who opt not to stay in one of Udaipur’s best hotels regret it afterward! Each of these hotels is a short drive (or boat ride) away from the city center and all of the other top places to visit.
1. Taj Lake Palace
The Taj Lake Palace has a reputation as one of the top palace hotels in India. This beautiful palace is located on an island in the middle of Lake Pichola, and guests can’t stop raving about it. It is certainly an expensive option, but most people will tell you it doesn’t get much better than this. If you can’t afford to stay at the Taj Lake Palace or it is sold out, consider scheduling a lunch or tea there instead.
2. The Oberoi Udaivillas
Located on the shores of Lake Pichola, the Oberoi Udaivillas is another beautiful place that guests just love. We had hoped to stay here, but it was well above our budget. If you are looking for true unapologizing luxury, this is a place to consider. Again, if it is beyond your nightly budget, consider stopping in for tea or lunch.
3. Aurika
Aurika Udaipur by Lemon Tree is where we stayed for the full duration of our visit to Udaipur. While it is not as glamorous as the other two resorts on this list, it is absolutely still a luxurious place to stay. This 5-star resort did not disappoint, and the price was significantly lower than the other two options I listed above.
At Aurika, the staff takes you up the mountain to your accommodation via golf cart, the spa is great, the restaurant is delicious, and the rooms and views are gorgeous. We highly recommend staying here if you are able.
How to Get to Udaipur
How to Get Around Udaipur
TAXI | RIDESHARING | TUK TUK
If you stay in one of Udaipur’s nice resorts, there is a good chance that you will not be within walking distance of much. the historic center – or old town – of Udaipur is very walkable, but most of the best resorts are a bit of a drive away from this part of the city.
If you need to get somewhere in Udaipur that is not within walking distance, you have three main options: taxis, ridesharing services, and tuk-tuks.
Tuk-tuks in Udaipur
Our favorite way to get around Indian cities is by tuk-tuk, or auto rickshaw. A tuk-tuk is essentially a three-wheeled motorcycle with a closed-in cab area for passengers. They are able to effectively weave through traffic, cost significantly less than Ubers, and can be found on almost every street in Udaipur.
If you’re unsure what they look like, just look out for their green and yellow paint. They’re unmissable. To hail a ride, simply strike up a conversation with the tuk-tuk driver, mention where you want to go, and agree on a price before hopping in.
The Best Time to Visit Udaipur
The best time to visit Udaipur is between November and March. This is the winter season, when temperatures are very pleasant both during the day and in the evening. While I almost never recommend visiting a place during its peak season, Udaipur is an exception.
This is the only time when the weather is enjoyable, and Udaipur’s best activities are almost all outdoors. While accommodation prices will be higher and crowds will be larger, visiting Udaipur in the winter is absolutely the best option.
If you want to save some money, consider visiting between August and October. This is Udaipur’s monsoon season, which means you should expect a lot of rain. However, the temperatures are tolerate – especially in the evenings – and the accommodation prices will likely be much lower than they are in the winter.
I would not recommend visiting Udaipur during the summer months of March through July, as the daytime weather can be unbearably hot and can really impact your visit.
Is Udaipur Worth Visiting?
Getting to Udaipur can be a hassle, and this often deters foreign visitors from making the trip. Due to its remoteness and how disconnected it is to other major Indian cities, it makes sense to ask “is Udaipur worth visiting?”
In our opinion, the answer is yes. On our most recent trip to India, the only place we might have enjoyed more was the Taj Mahal. As a city, Udaipur was our clear favorite thanks to its comparative cleanliness, its gorgeous lakes and palaces, and its luxurious resorts. While Udaipur doesn’t have a reputation as the top tourist attraction in India, we definitely think it ought to be in the running.
Udaipur is the perfect place to escape from the madness of New Delhi and Mumbai, and it is a great place to learn about local Rajasthani history.
While we have not been to Jaipur, we have been to Jaisalmer, and we think Udaipur is a much better place to visit.
Final Tips for Visiting Udaipur
Udaipur is a great city to visit in India, and we really enjoyed our visit. However, there are a few things that we wish we knew before we arrived. Knowing the best Udaipur travel tips ahead of time will help you to avoid any hassles or issues during your time in the so-called Venice of the East!
That’s all we have for you about Udaipur! Hopefully this Udaipur travel guide has answered anything you needed to know about Rajasthan’s white city. Most Udaipur travel guides we came across before visiting lacked some important points about visiting Rajasthan’s prettiest city, and we hope that this post answers them!
Have you been to Udaipur? Are you planning a trip and have more questions for us?
Please comment your thoughts and questions!
![On this Solemnity of the Annunciation we would like to share a little more about our sweet daughter’s name sake.
My name is Angel Gabriel. The short story is my mom had a scare during her pregnancy and thought I would only be alive for a few hours after birth. She was terrified but then an unexplained wave of peace overcame her. She trusted in God’s will, even if it meant she would only be able to hold me for a mere hour until God would take me.
It reminded her of the Annunciation where the angel Gabriel came to deliver the exciting, yet overwhelming news of Christ’s arrival to Mary. As terrifying as a pregnancy sounded, Mary gave her yes. Her ‘fiat’. She submitted to the will of God, and, in that moment, the incarnation of our savior occurred. This event is the second most important event in history behind the death & resurrection of Christ.
Angel Gabriel’s words at the annunciation are the first verse to the Hail Mary prayer [Latin: “Ave Maria”].(Luke 1:26-28) When we recite this prayer we are reciting the story of the incarnation of Christ.
I’ve had this name inspiration since I was 16 years old. I always wanted to name my daughter in honor of our lady. I thought it would be so poetic that I, Angel Gabriel, deliver a daughter named Ave Maria into the world the same way that the real angel Gabriel delivered the annunciation into the world.
Ten years later I’m finally holding her.
So, while Ave Maria and I don’t share the same names, we do share the same biblical story of the Annunciation. We’re Feast Day buddies for life. 🥲🥲
May both the Incarnation and Jesus’ sweet mother Mary be honored every time our daughter’s name is spoken. ❤️ Buon Onomastico, Ave Maria 💕](https://www.thepresentperspective.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
Parjatakguru
Nice blog author. Thank you for your share. Keep it up.
Optima Travels
You have rightly said that Udaipur truly lives up the tourists’ expectations. The pics you have posted are really amazing. Udaipur, actually, beckons with its enchanting blend of history and beauty. Nestled around azure lakes, the city is a canvas of majestic palaces, vibrant markets, and intricate architecture. The City Palace, a symphony of marble and mosaic, stands as a testament to royal grandeur. Boat rides on Lake Pichola offer breathtaking views of the city’s skyline. Udaipur’s cultural tapestry, rich traditions, and warm hospitality make it a must-visit destination, where every cobblestone exudes a timeless charm.
Greg
I fully agree!