Start Amer early
Amer fills up from late morning. Reach the fort around opening time for cooler, quieter hours, and leave the old city for the afternoon.
Rajasthan · The Pink City
Jaipur, the Pink City
Jaipur is where many Rajasthan trips begin. Its walled old city, washed in terracotta pink, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Amer Fort sits in the hills just outside it.
- Best: Nov–Feb
- 2 nights, or 3 with a block-printing village and a slower day in the bazaars.
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II founded Jaipur in 1727 as a planned city of straight streets and arcaded bazaars, and the old city was painted pink in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales. Today Jaipur is Rajasthan's capital and largest city, and one corner of the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra.
The hills to the north hold Amer, Jaigarh and Nahargarh forts; the walled city holds the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and the bazaars.
What to see
Sights in Jaipur
- 1
Amer Fort
Begun by Raja Man Singh I in the late 16th century, this palace-fortress about 11 km north of the old city is one of the UNESCO-listed Hill Forts of Rajasthan. On the way you pass Jal Mahal, a palace in Man Sagar Lake seen from the roadside.
- 2
City Palace
Part of the palace is still home to Jaipur's former royal family, while its courtyards and museum are open to visitors. Look for the painted gateways of Pritam Niwas Chowk and two giant silver urns made to carry Ganges water to London in 1902.
- 3
Hawa Mahal
Built in 1799, the Palace of Winds shows the street a five-storey screen of small latticed windows, from which the women of the court could watch processions unseen. It faces east, so go early for the best light.
- 4
Jantar Mantar
Sawai Jai Singh II's early 18th-century observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a yard of giant masonry instruments, among them one of the world's largest stone sundials. They still work, and a guide helps make sense of them.
- 5
Albert Hall Museum
The state museum opened in 1887 in an Indo-Saracenic building in Ram Niwas Garden, with collections that run from miniature paintings to an Egyptian mummy. The building is lit up after dark.
- 6
Nahargarh Fort
Built in the 1730s on the ridge above the old city, Nahargarh looks straight down over Jaipur. Come for sunset, as the city lights come on.
Things to do
Experiences in Jaipur
Bazaars of the old city
Johari Bazaar is the street for gems and jewellery, Bapu Bazaar for textiles and mojaris (embroidered leather slippers), and Maniharon ka Rasta, off Tripolia Bazaar, for lac bangles. Bargaining is normal outside fixed-price shops.
Block printing at Sanganer and Bagru
Cloth is still printed by hand with carved wooden blocks around Jaipur: at Sanganer, near the airport, which also makes handmade paper, and at Bagru, about 30 km out on the Ajmer road, known for natural dyes.
Rajasthani food
Try dal baati churma (baked wheat balls with lentils and sweet crumbled wheat), pyaaz kachori (an onion-filled pastry) and ghevar, a honeycomb-textured sweet made around the monsoon festival of Teej.
The Abhaneri stepwell
On the drive to or from Agra, a short detour reaches Chand Baori at Abhaneri, about 95 km from Jaipur: a stepwell (a deep well reached by flights of steps) more than a thousand years old.
When to go
- January: best time
- February: best time
- March: good, with caveats
- April: hard: heat, monsoon or closures
- May: hard: heat, monsoon or closures
- June: hard: heat, monsoon or closures
- July: good, with caveats
- August: good, with caveats
- September: good, with caveats
- October: good, with caveats
- November: best time
- December: best time
October to March is the main season, and November to February the most comfortable, with mild days and cool evenings. April to June is very hot, and the monsoon (July to September) brings humid days, showers and fewer visitors.
Getting there
- By air: Jaipur International Airport (JAI), at Sanganer on the city's southern edge, has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other Indian cities, and some international flights.
- By rail: Jaipur Junction has fast daytime trains to Delhi and direct trains to Agra, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Sawai Madhopur (for Ranthambore).
- By road: About 280 km from Delhi (5–6 hours by road), 240 km from Agra (4–5 hours) and 400 km from Udaipur (6–7 hours).
Local knowledge
Tips for Jaipur
Ask about the composite ticket
A composite ticket, usually valid for two days, covers several state-run monuments, including Amer, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Albert Hall and Nahargarh. The privately run City Palace is ticketed separately.
Buy gems with care
Buy gems and costly jewellery from established shops that give a proper bill and certificate, and be wary of anyone offering a business deal to carry gems abroad.
Tours
Tours that include Jaipur
5 days / 4 nightsGolden Triangle Tour
Delhi → Agra → Jaipur
Five days by private car through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, with the Taj Mahal at sunset and again at sunrise.
- Families
- Couples
7 days / 6 nightsGolden Triangle with Ranthambore
Delhi → Agra → Ranthambore → Jaipur
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur with two nights in Ranthambore National Park for tiger safaris, in seven days by private car.
- Wildlife
- Families
8 days / 7 nightsGolden Triangle with Udaipur
Delhi → Agra → Jaipur → Udaipur
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, then south via Chittorgarh to Udaipur for three nights by the lakes, in eight days.
- Couples
- Families
8 days / 7 nightsClassic Rajasthan
Jaipur → Pushkar → Jodhpur → Udaipur
Eight days by private car through Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur and Udaipur, with a stop at the Jain temple at Ranakpur on the way.
- Families
- Couples
12 days / 11 nightsGrand Rajasthan
Jaipur → Bikaner → Jaisalmer → Jodhpur → Udaipur
Twelve days by private car from Jaipur through Shekhawati, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur to Udaipur, with an optional night at a desert camp.
- Families
- International travellers
3 days / 2 nightsJaipur Getaway
Jaipur
Three days in Jaipur by private car for Amer Fort, the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh at sunset and the old-city bazaars.
- Families
- Couples
3 days / 2 nightsRanthambore Safari Weekend
Jaipur → Ranthambore
Three days from Jaipur to Ranthambore National Park, with three safaris by gypsy or canter and a visit to Ranthambore Fort and the Trinetra Ganesh temple.
- Wildlife
- Families
Khatu Shyam and Salasar Balaji Darshan
Jaipur
Two days from Jaipur by private car for darshan at Khatu Shyam ji and Salasar Balaji, with one night in Salasar.
- Pilgrimage
- Families
Questions
Jaipur: FAQs
How many days do you need in Jaipur?
Two full days cover Jaipur's main sights: Amer Fort and Nahargarh on one, and the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and the bazaars on the other. A third day allows a block-printing village or a slower pace.
What is the best time to visit Jaipur?
The best time to visit Jaipur is October to March, when days are warm and evenings cool. April to June is very hot, and July to September is humid, with monsoon showers and fewer crowds.
Why is Jaipur called the Pink City?
Jaipur is called the Pink City because the buildings of its walled old city are washed in terracotta pink, a colour first applied in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales.
Is Jaipur part of the Golden Triangle?
Yes. Jaipur is one corner of the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra: it is about 280 km from Delhi and 240 km from Agra by road, and a Golden Triangle trip usually spends two nights there.
Combine it with
Nearby destinations
Uttar Pradesh
Agra
Home of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri: three UNESCO World Heritage Sites within about an hour of each other on the Golden Triangle.
Best: Feb–Mar, Oct–Nov
Rajasthan
Ranthambore
One of India's best-known tiger reserves, with open-vehicle safaris and a hill fort inside the park, an easy drive from Jaipur.
Best: Nov–Mar
Rajasthan
Pushkar
A small pilgrimage town around a sacred lake, with a rare Brahma temple, whitewashed ghats and the autumn camel fair.
Best: Nov–Feb
Delhi
Delhi
India's capital
India's capital and the usual start of a Golden Triangle tour: Mughal tombs, the bazaars of Old Delhi and the broad avenues of New Delhi.
Best: Feb–Mar, Oct
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