After the chaos and crowds you can find in almost every city in India, arriving in the romantic Udaipur is like entering a different country. Even though there are hot spots where people are mixed in a few square meters, most of the city is very quiet and has nothing to do with the rest of Rajasthan.
Surrounded by lakes, it has been called “The Venice of the East”, which gives it an even more mystical and relaxing air. Many tourists choose Udaipur to take a break from chaotic India and stay a few days to enjoy the city.
The first thing that surprises you in Udaipur is the white color of almost all the houses as well as their rooftops, full of restaurants with views of Lake Pichola. Having breakfast or dinner with these views is spectacular, although you can also entertain yourself by watching the daily life of the people.
Due to its picturesque and scenic locations, Udaipur has been the filming location for many Hollywood and Bollywood movies. Scenes from the James Bond movie Octopussy were shot in the city, the Lake Palace, and the Monsoon Palace. This is evidenced by the fact that you can find souvenirs and other things related to this movie in many of the shops in the city.
Winter (October to March): This is the best time to visit Udaipur. The pleasant winter months are the perfect time to explore the city.
Monsoon Season (from July to September). This is another ideal time to visit Udaipur, as the weather is pleasant and offers a respite from the heat of Rajasthan. However, be careful in summer, since temperatures can reach 42ºC.
We know that visas can be somewhat a confusing topic, especially for India, where obtaining one is an essential requirement for entry. In the article on how to obtain an Indian visa step by step (coming soon) you have information on how to apply online for one up to 5 years.
It’s essential to travel to India with comprehensive insurance. We were among the first to offer the popular IATI discount, and you can now get it with Heymondo Travel Insurance as well.
You can find more information about both companies through the links provided above, or you can access the discount directly using the buttons below (in both cases, you’ll see the reduced final price on their website):
While many hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in India offer free Wi-Fi, some travelers prefer or need a constant connection. We’ve included details on obtaining a eSIM India card with unlimited data (from Holafly) or with fixed data but cheaper (from Saily).
If you want to get it directly, here’s the link (with a discount) for both companies:
Dabok Airport, also known as Maharana Pratap Airport, has direct flights from Delhi or Mumbai.
You can come directly from Delhi on two trains: the Chetak Exp and the Mewar Express, which take around 12 hours. If the journey takes several hours or is overnight, you can book one of the sleeper or 3rd class trains. However, book them in advance (at least a month) or you will be left without a ticket.
We leave here the most popular routes to get to Udaipur by train. If you can’t find it or need more information, check our article about trains in India:
Buses arrive from many destinations in Rajasthan, as we did arriving from Jaisalmer on a sleeper bus.
Maharaja Udai Singh must not have liked the village of Pichola very much when he decided to build a brick dam and flood the village, turning it into a lake, Lake Pichola.
In the middle of the lake there are two small islands, Jagniwas Island and Jagmandir Island. The first is famous for having appeared in the James Bond film “Octopussy”, which has been used very well by the shops in Udaipur to sell all kinds of items related to the film.
To reach the shore of Lake Pichola you must enter through one of the gates, where there are some ghats used for washing clothes.
Maharaja Jagat Singh II of the Mewar dynasty ordered the construction of this ornate white marble palace as a winter retreat. It was built facing east so that the palace’s inhabitants could pray to Surya, the sun god.
Like many of the palaces we have found in India, the Lake Palace (Jag Niwas) was converted into a luxury hotel in the 1960s. Thanks to this, it was saved from the decay and abandonment to which it was subjected for several decades.
The rooms are surrounded by gardens, patios and fountains and also appeared in the James Bond film Octopussy.
This palace was originally built in 1551 on Lake Pichola by Maharaja Amar Singh, a member of the Sisodia clan. Now converted into a small hotel, it was a summer residence for the royal family. It is located at the southern end of the lake and can be accessed by boat from the Lake Palace or from the Palace of Udaipur.
You can stay on the island as long as you like and then take another boat back. The entrance pier, flanked by elephants, leads to a courtyard and garden with small fountains and ponds.
The first structure built, the Gul Mahal, a beautiful example of Indian architecture, is today included within the main palace, Jag Mandir.
Located atop the Aravalli Hill and built of white marble, the Monsoon Palace, or Sajjan Garh Palace, was designed in 1884 by Maharaja Sajjan Singh to observe the monsoon clouds, and initially to become an astronomical observatory, although the latter did not come true because the maharaja died before completing its construction.
The palace consists of an entrance courtyard and various rooms with ornate columns. At dusk, it turns orange, and, shortly after, when illuminated, it can be seen from Lake Pichola.
Recently opened to the public, it can be reached by taxi or rickshaw and is surrounded by the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, a reserve for the protection of certain species.
The Jagdish Temple, one of the largest in Udaipur, is dedicated to Vishnu, the god of the universe. Built by Maharaja Jagat Singh in 1651, this spectacular Hindu temple in carved stone is located very close to the northern entrance of the Palace of Udaipur and is an example of Indo-Aryan architecture.
From the outside, flanked by two stone elephants, its three floors and pyramid-shaped tower attract attention due to the detail of their white marble carvings.
Inside, decorated walls and ceilings, plus small shrines dedicated to Ganesha, Shakti, Shiva and the Sun God, lead to the main shrine dedicated to Vishnu, carved in black stone.
The City Palace of Udaipur is said to be one of the largest palaces in Rajasthan. Its construction was started in 1559 by Maharaja Udai Singh and was completed by his successors in the 18th century. It is a blend of medieval, European and Chinese architecture in granite and marble.
AOn the banks of Lake Pichola, inside we find 11 palaces connected to each other by corridors and courtyards planned so that the enemy could not attack by surprise.
Each of these palaces is a succession of luxurious rooms with decorated walls, glass windows, mirrors, galleries, entrance doors and spectacular floors, which show the opulence with which the maharajas liked to surround themselves.
Udaipur is known as the Little Venice of the East thanks to the four lakes found in the city. In 1680, north of Lake Pichola, Lake Fateh Sagar was artificially created and today provides water services to the city.
It has three small islands, one of which houses a park, another a garden, and the last one a solar observatory. It is a nice place to watch the sunset, its boat trips are usually cheaper than those on Lake Pichola and the mountains in the background are a beautiful image with which to remember Udaipur from another point of view.
About 3 km from Udaipur, we find more than 250 royal cenotaphs of Ahar belonging to the maharajas of the Mewar dynasty, as well as an archaeological museum with objects excavated throughout Rajasthan, some of them more than 3,000 years old.
Cenotaphs are funerary monuments in which the bodies of the people to whom they are dedicated are not found. Around the museum, there are 19 chhatris, raised pavilions with a dome, which indicate the place where some of the maharajas were cremated.
Saheliyon Ki Bari, the Garden of the Maidens, is located in the north of the city. A succession of small pergolas, fountains and ponds built by Rana Sangram Singh in the 18th century so that the queen and her maidens could forget about the political intrigues of the time.
Its lush green gardens and elephants carved in white marble make us relax in this little Eden. In addition, we will find inside the garden a museum with artifacts used by the royal family.
A haveli is a mansion or building with some historical significance. The Bagore Ki Haveli museum is located on the banks of Lake Pichola at Gangori Ghat. It has over 100 rooms and was used by the royal family until India’s independence in 1947, when it became a government building.
Due to poor maintenance, it fell into disrepair until the 1980s, when it was taken over by a cultural center that renovated it and turned it into the museum we see today. Inside, we find several rooms, including the queen’s room, with frescoes and mirrors, as well as colorful stained glass windows with peacocks.
About 13 km from Udaipur we find the Udai Sagar lake, built near the dam that the Maharaja Udai Singh created on the Berach River in the 16th century to supply water to his kingdom. Surrounded by green areas and a palace, it is currently undergoing restoration due to the pollution it is subjected to by nearby factories and the sewage system of the surrounding towns.
This small town 23 km from Udaipur is full of Sahasra Bahu temples, dedicated to Vishnu, dating back to the 10th century. Most of the temples are in ruins, even though Nagda was an important city within the Mewar dynasty. Despite its abandonment, you can still see the intricate carvings and ornaments on the figures and sculptures.
Among all the temples, the most striking is the Sas-Bahu temple, with an octagonal roof displaying scenes from the Ramayana. Another temple is the Jain temple with an image almost 3 meters high.
This holy city, located about 50 km from Udaipur, is best known for its Krishna temple which houses the image of the deity Shrinathji, a 7-year-old incarnation of Krishna. Because of this, Nathdwara is a pilgrimage site for Vaishnava followers.
About three rituals or ceremonies are held in the Nathdwara temple, also known as Haveli, a week with offerings of fruits and flowers.
If you find yourself in the city, there are plenty of excursions to choose from, such as exploring the city’s rich history and vibrant streets or enjoying a boat ride on Lake Pichola.
There are also some interesting tours that can take you to see the surroundings of Udaipur, here are some recommendations:
In Udaipur you have many hotels and guesthouses where you can stay, with different prices and qualities.
The best thing to do is to walk around the whole lake area and the old town. You will find many places to have a chai or eat.
In the city center, it is best to walk to see all the touristic parts. It is a very pretty city to spend time strolling between fabric shops and chai stalls.
You just have to cross the bridge over Lake Pichola to reach the other part of Udaipur, the not so well-known one, where locals buy and where the plague of restaurants and guesthouses gives way to small shops for the locals.
Click on the image and it will take you to a new Google Maps window with all the points of interest to travel around Udaipur.
