Jaipur is one of the most popular cities among the travelers and tourists in India which is not surprising as it is a part of the golden triangle consisting of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. The palaces, forts, heritage havelis, bazaars, and shopping is a big lure for travelers to visit Jaipur. Given the number of tourist attractions in Jaipur, it is difficult to squeeze them all in one day. With the number of destination weddings, business conferences and conclaves happening in Jaipur, a large number of people visit the pink city on a tight schedule leaving little time for the sightseeing. Visiting Jaipur and not being able to explore tourist attraction is a letdown. With a plethora of choices, people often get confused on places to visit in Jaipur in one day. Here is a short Jaipur guide to help you with the must-visit tourist attractions in Jaipur.
Amer Fort
Amer Fort is the most popular tourist attraction in Jaipur. Its grandeur is difficult to replicate. Amer Fort Elephant ride is one of the highly coveted experiences of this medieval fort. It is 10 km from Jaipur. It’s actually a palace and a fort.
Read: 5 Reasons why Amer Fort is the most popular tourist attraction in Jaipur ?
Tip for Amer Fort. Take elephant ride on your way up. Don’t be surprised to encounter a long queue for the elephant ride during peak season! Beat the rush and reach early!
Amer Fort Timing: The Amer Fort opens at 8 AM. It’s best to reach elephant stand around 7.30 AM.
City Palace, Jaipur
City Palace is a royal abode; the residence of Jaipur royalty. Descendants of the royal family still reside in City Palace. However, some of its parts are open for tourists to explore. You can visit museums located inside the Palace. It’s located right in the heart of the city, close to Hawa Mahal.
Tip for City Palace! Best time to visit the city palace is post lunch, you don’t have to walk around much. Its located very close to Johari Bazar, so commuting is not a hassle. Don’t miss two huge silver urns made by Maharajah Sawai Madho Singh II to carry the holy water of river Ganga during his trip to England in 1902. Each of them weighs 345 Kg!!
Jantar Mantar
It’s a must see! Jantar Mantar is one of its kind solar observatory in the world! It was built by Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II in1738 AD and is still fully functional. The instruments are still precise. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site.
Tip for Jantar Mantar. Don’t forget to hire a guide!! Without a guide, it’ll be difficult for you to understand how each instrument functions. It takes 30-45 minutes to complete the tour of Jantar Mantar.
Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal is synonymous with Jaipur. Its unique in terms of its design & beauty; an architectural marvel. The facade of Hawa Mahal is actually its backside! The entrance to the building is from the opposite side. If you have time, do explore the entire structure. However, If you are short on time, a selfie with Hawa Mahal will do!!
Read: Hawa Mahal- Face of Jaipur
Tip for Hawa Mahal! There are 953 windows in Hawa Mahal called Jharokhas in the local language! By the way, all the shops around Hawa Mahal sell tourist-oriented stuff like garments, bed sheets, souvenirs etc. You will find only commercial quality in these shops. Bargain hard before you seal a deal.
There is a famous and reliable shop near Hawa Mahal for hand-block printed fabrics – Gulab Chand prints! It sells quality Jaipuri & sanganeri hand-block-printed salwar suits, dresses, and shirts! It’s a small, congested “busy” shop but hugely popular among locals and tourists.
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort is extremely popular among the locals, especially youth. Nahargarh Sunrise and sunsets experience is highly sought after. The fort covers a huge area and overlooks Jaipur city. It’s been restored beautifully. The Madhavendra Palace is its main attraction. It was a residential complex for the queens.
Tip for Nahargarh Fort! The palace section closes at 5 PM. Visit Nahargarh fort around 4-4.30 PM. After visiting Madhavendra Palace section, head to the open air Padao restaurant and enjoy the sunset & city views. This restaurant is run by RTDC – Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. It serves only beer and snacks. The amazing views is best way to end your Jaipur trip. It won’t be a problem if you wish to leave at 7 or 9 PM. Do note there is no public transport service or taxis available for your return trip from Nahargarh fort. Arrange for your pick up well in advance or ask for the cab to wait for you.
Suggested Jaipur itinerary for one day :
Start early with Amer Fort followed by Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar. This should set you free by 1 PM for a lunch break. After the lunch break, visit City Palace followed by Nahargarh fort.
Following is the estimated time required to complete each of Jaipur point of interests:
- Amer Palace-2-3 hours
- Hawa Mahal – 10 minutes for street side view/ 30 minutes to explore entire structure.
- Jantar Mantar – 45 minutes
- City Palace– 1 hour
- Nahargarh Fort – 30 minutes-45 minutes for Madhavendra Palace.
This sets you free to spend time at Padao restaurant, and wind your day at your pace!
TIP! You can avail a composite ticket for Amer Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal. It’s a good deal. Valid for two days!
Feel free to tinker around with this suggested itinerary of places to visit in Jaipur in one day. This itinerary is not suggested for summer months (March to June) when the scorching heat makes it difficult to explore tourist attractions in Jaipur during the daytime.
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This is a great comprehensive guide to Jaipur. I love architecture and the buildings look so beautiful. My husband and I have talked about going to India at some point in the future, and visiting Jaipur should definitely be on the list.
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I’m taking note of all of your Jaipur travel posts. Many of my husband’s co-workers travel to India for work, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he travels there one day (along with me 😉 ). As usual, your photos are amazing and your posts are very informative. Great post!
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Thanks Erin, I’m sure you both will love Jaipur. The city ranks high on travelers list because it offers quite a lot. So where are you based, Erin?
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I can see why people would like to travel to Jaipur – your pictures are beautiful! We are in Minnesota – USA. 🙂
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Thanks. That’s a lovely place, Erin 😃
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Beautiful photographs! I’ve been to Amer fort thrice – it’s so beautiful! But, on my last visit, I was sad to see they had closed off most of the rooms due to vandalism. I really wish people would have more respect for our history and culture!
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Indeed, that’s sad. I have already posted few pictures and even a post to raise this issue. It’s a persistent problem across all monuments in India. It’s unfortunate that our youth instead of being bold enough to express their feeling to the person chooses walls. You should read of my post – Why our attitude towards heritage needs to change?
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All of these are iconic must-visit sites in Jaipur. Loved all the pictures. Can’t wait to get there 🙂
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Yes, Ophira! They are. Have you explored India?
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I have a whole sets of pins on Jaipur thanks to you! Someday I will get to visit and this will be my guidebook.
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Happy to hear this, Orla! I’m sure you will love visiting Jaipur. I’m always here to assist you. 🙂
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Thank you for my Saturday visit to India! I so look forward to your post, and the pictures of Jaipur are as always stunning! C x
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Thanks, Claire for all the appreciation 😊
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Stunning pictures and well done written thanks for sharing and keep it up thanks a lot !
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