“Which is the best fort in Jaipur to visit?” This is one of the frequently asked questions by travelers. There are not many cities that have more than one fort; Jaipur remains an exception. Given the fact, that there are so many tourist attractions, travelers who visit Jaipur for one or two days find it hard to decide which fort to include in their Jaipur itinerary. While this post is not a review of Nahargarh, Amer, and Jaigarh Forts, it does address one of the frequently asked questions by travelers visiting Jaipur.

Guide to The Best forts in Jaipur

This blog post intends to help travelers decide which fort in Jaipur to visit. To make things easier, I have divided the post into numerous sections. I’m certain this travel blog post will answer most of your questions on forts in Jaipur. You might find this two-day Jaipur travel itinerary useful How to explore the best of Jaipur in two days?

How many forts are there in Jaipur?

Among the forts in Jaipur, there are six forts in the Jaipur city limits. Other than these, one can find many more in the upcountry. These forts were constructed for defense & strategic purposes. A few of these are Achrol Fort, Naila Fort, and Samod Fort.

List of Forts in Jaipur?

There are six forts in Jaipur. Following are the names of forts in Jaipur:

• Nahargarh Fort
• Jaigarh Fort
• Amer Fort
• Moti Dungari Fort
• Aamagarh Fort,
• Hathroi Fort

Moti Dungari Fort is located close to Moti Dungari Ganesh Temple and Birla Mandir. The Hathroi Fort has practically vanished due to illegal encroachment and urbanization. The ownership of Amagarh Fort rests with the Forest department and access is restricted. The hills of Amargarh are located close to the Sun Temple on way to Galtaji Temple.

Which is the famous fort in Jaipur?

The most popular forts in Jaipur are Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, and Amer Fort. Technically, Amer is a palace rather than a fort. Jaigarh Fort was built to provide protection to Amer. Amer is one of the most visited among all three.

Which Fort to visit in Jaipur?

If one possesses sufficient time, I will recommend all three forts because each has something unique to offer. However, if you are short on time, Amer Fort will be your first choice unless you are not an art and architecture lover. Why do I say this? read on.

Which is better – Amer fort Vs Nahargarh Fort

Amer Fort is one of the most historic ones around. It was the capital of Dhundhar for many centuries. The Kachhawa rulers undertook many wars in close alliance with the Mughals who ruled over the vast area of India until the British replaced them. Amer Fort is famous because of its magnificent architecture which features a blend of Mughal and Rajput elements as well as its picturesque setting. This fort is more historic than the rest two forts.

Nahargarh Fort was built for defensive reasons by Sawai Jai Singh II. What makes Nahargarh Fort unique is its location which provides gorgeous views of Jaipur as it is perched on the edge of a hill. Although the fort is spread over a vast area, the palace section is considerably smaller than the one in Amer.

Therefore, you should visit Amer for its beauty and historical importance. If you admire marvelous views, Nahargarh Fort is your first choice. Many travelers visit Amer because of the Amer Fort elephant ride.

This is unique to Amer and not available in any other fort. Do note that one needs to take a hill road to reach Nahargarh Fort and one needs a dedicated vehicle to reach Nahargarh Fort. Amer is easily accessible with local buses and other transport like auto-rickshaws/Tuk-Tuk and taxis.

Which is better – Amer Fort Vs Jaigarh Fort

Amer Fort has undergone renovations many times. It is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site under the category of Hill Forts of Rajasthan. This is maintained by the state government through the Department of Archaeology. The importance of Amer Fort has already been highlighted in this post.

Jaigarh Fort overlooks Amer town and provides breathtaking views of the region. Jaigarh Fort is best known for one of the largest canons in the world- Jaivan. Many travel sites and travel guides in Jaipur claim this to be the largest cannon in the world. However, there are many parameters for evaluating the largest canon in the world. You can read more about the list of the largest cannons in this Wikipedia link – the largest cannons in the world.

Another less highlighted aspect of the Jaigarh Fort is its cannon foundry; it is one of the earliest cannon foundries in India as per available data.

Lastly, the Jaigarh Fort is equally known for its water reservoir system. It features a huge tank that can collect & store a vast amount of water collected via a water harvesting system. The water harvesting system of Jaigarh Fort includes water from the surrounding hills. It is being claimed that the water tank can store water in excess of 230 million liters.

One of the most mysterious incidents surrounding Jaigarh Fort is related to the Jaigarh Fort treasure. A search for treasure in Jaigarh Fort during India’s emergency period under the rule of then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi took place. The hunt for Jaigarh fort treasure was a closely guarded operation and even today not many details are available. As per popular legend, Indira Gandhi on a tip-off launched a huge operation to search for the treasures of the Jaipur royal family amassed over centuries during the many wars fought by Kachhawa rulers hidden in Jaigarh Fort. The search focussed on the water tank. A popular rumor was the Jaipur-Delhi highway was closed to the public to allow the transfer of this treasure from Jaipur to Delhi via a huge army convoy. Was treasure found in Jaigarh Fort? The official statement released mentioned a confiscation of 230 Kilo silver during the search operations. Then Pakistani prime minister, Julfikar Bhutto also claimed their share citing the reason that this was a pre-partition asset. There are many more rumors surrounding the search operations for treasure in Jaigarh Fort during the emergency period.

However, among the two, the Amer fort is better maintained and restored many times. Jaigarh Fort despite its importance has not been maintained very well. It is owned by the descendants of the erstwhile rulers of Jaipur. Many sections of the fort are inaccessible to visitors. The potential is immense only if the owners decide to change the current status.

It is possible to access Jaigarh fort via a cobbled path from Amer Fort and enter from the alternative gates. This might save time for some travelers.

Which is better – Nahargarh Fort vs Jaigarh Fort

Among these two forts, Nahargarh Fort is more popular. The reasons are as follows:

• Nahargarh Fort is well-maintained
• The views from the fort of the city are breathtaking.

• The Nahargarh Fort sunrises are immensely popular. It is one of the most sought-after sunrise places in Jaipur. Read the complete post – The best sunrise points in Jaipur.

• Nahargarh Fort sunsets are legendary. The sunset at Nahargarh Fort draws many visitors. The authorities have created a special area called sunset point at Nahargarh Fort. Read Best sunset places in Jaipur
• Many new attractions have been added to Nahargarh Fort like Jaipur Wax Museum, and a restaurant called Once Upon A Time, to name a few.

Jaigarh Fort has failed to innovate or maintain its heritage. While the space is being let out for weddings and pre-wedding shoots, it fails to create a mark among travelers.

Which is better – Nahargarh Vs Amer Vs Jaigarh Fort

It is impossible to generalize for everyone. However, considering the fact that if someone has to choose just one fort to visit in Jaipur due to lack of time, I will suggest Amer ort or Nahargarh Fort. The reasons for my choice have been mentioned earlier in this post.

Which is the biggest fort in Jaipur?

In terms of size, Nahargarh Fort is the biggest fort in Jaipur.

Is it possible to visit less-popular forts in Jaipur?

Yes and No. Some forts can be visited while others are not accessible.

• Moti Dungari Fort

Shankargarh or Moti Dungari is inaccessible to the public. This fort is associated with Maharani Gayatri Devi; once, it was her residence. One can visit this fort on Shivratri but only for Darshan in the Shiv temple.

• Aamagarh Fort

Aamagarh Fort is not open to the public. Currently, under the care of the forest department, the fort witnessed a big row between two different factions claiming ownership. While the Meena community claims that Amagarh Fort was built by their forefather, another group has made similar claims.

• Hathroi Fort

It is possible to visit Hathroi Fort but unfortunately, most of the old structures have vanished due to illegal encroachments. The Hathroi Fort is located close to the Vidhayakpuri police station.

• Achrol Fort

It is possible to visit Achrol Fort. Read the complete post on the Achrol Fort visit – Achrol Fort – A sad state

• Nayla Fort

Nayla Fort was once owned by the Rajput clan – Chandrawats. However, the Nayla fort was subsequently sold to Oberoi who owns the Oberoi chain of hotels in India and abroad. It is not possible to visit the fort anymore. Read the complete post on Nayla Fort- Naila A village tucked away in time.

Which are the Forts in Jaipur For Stay?

There are many more forts near Jaipur but either they have been converted into a heritage hotels or they are in shambles. It is not an easy task to maintain forts considering the huge amount of money required. Converting the forts into hotels does allow a reasonable amount to maintain the heritage structures. A few good examples are Tijara Fort, Neemrana Fort, Kesroli Fort, and Dadicker Fort in the Alwar region. There is no fort in Jaipur for a stay. Fort Bishangarh is one of the most popular forts near Jaipur for a stay.

I hope this travel guide on the best forts in Jaipur will help travelers plan their Jaipur itinerary better.