Jaipur was a part of my 13 days trip to Rajasthan. The Pink city does not fail to amaze you! This city does offer something different than the other parts of the state.
In this blog, I will tell you 15 best places to visit in Jaipur, a little hacks to save your money and my personal experinece of visiting Jaipur. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
The Top 13 Places to Visit in Jaipur
Amber Fort
Amber fort is also known as Amer fort is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Jaipur. The fort was built in 16th Century and till date stands still with its unparalled beauty and charm. It is situated 11 kms outside the city of Jaipur.
The fort is a great mixture of Rajput and Mughal architecture. Its a multistorey building with palaces, gardens, and courtyards on every floor. Places to visit in Amber fort are-
- Sheesh Mahal (Mirror halls)
- Sukh Mandir (pleasure palace)
You can also enter the fort with the elephant ride, which is the traditional way to ascend the fort.
(P.S. We do not promote animal abuse. Watch out for any of such activities happening and do not participate.)
Opening Hours:
- 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Regular entry)
- 6:30 PM – 9:15 PM (Light and sound show)
Entry Fee:
- Indians: Rs 50; Indian Students: Rs 10
- Foreigners: Rs 500; Foreign Students: Rs 100
- Light Show (English): Rs 200
- Light Show (Hindi): Rs 100
Hawa Mahal: The Palace of the Winds
Hawa Mahal that literally translates to the Palace of Winds is famous for its unique architecture. Its a 5 storey building with intricately carved numerous windows. It was built for the ventilation of air in the hot summers of Rajasthan. It is an extended part of the City Palace complex. Royal Ladies who observed Pardah, used these windows to watch local activities on the road without being seen.
The inner structure is not as grand as other palaces, hence many tourists choose not to go inside. There are many cafes opposite to the Hawa Mahal that offer stunning views of the palace and a photography spot with this orange-pink backdrop.
Opening Hours:
- 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Entry Fee:
- Indian visitors: 10 rupees
- Foreign visitors: 50 rupees
City Palace
The city palace is the blend of Rajput, Mughal and European Architecture. It was a royal residence and administrative office for rulers for centuries. One of a kind decorations make the palace unique. There are several museums in the palace that showcase weaponary, royal artifacts, textiles, paintings, etc.
Chandra Mahal is a seven-storied palace, still a partial royal residence, provides a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the Maharajas. The entry tickets to the palace are a bit higher but are total worth the visit.
Opening Hours:
Entry Fee:
- Indian Adult (Museum): INR 300
- Indian Child (5-12 years), Sr, citizen (above 60 years) & Indian Students with valid students’ ID [Museum]: INR 150
- Indian Adult (Composite): INR 400
- Indian Child (5-12 years), Sr, citizen (above 60 years) & Indian Students with valid students’ ID [Composite]: INR 250
- Foreign Adult (Museum): INR 1000
- Foreign Child (5-12 years), & Foreign Students with valid students’ ID, Disabled [Museum]: INR 500
- Foreign Adult (Composite): INR 1250
- Foreign Child (5-12 years), & Foreign Students with valid students’ ID, Disabled [Composite]: INR 650
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is one of the popular places to visit in Jaipur. It is a collection of 19 astronomical instruments. Jantar mantar can also be found in New Delhi. The Rajput King- Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur, constructed Jantar Mantar. It is the UNESCO world heritage site.
| Read More-> 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India |
These instruments look aesthetic and can be used to measure the altitude of celestial bodies, track the movement of the sun and stars, predict eclipses, and even tell the time. The most famous instrument is the Samrat Yantra, the world’s largest sundial.
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Entry Fee:
- Indians: ₹50 per person
- Indian Students: ₹15 per person
- Foreign Tourists: ₹200 per person
- Foreign Students: ₹100 per person
Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh fort is an armoury and treaasury for Amer fort and is connected to the Amer fort. It was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1726. Here you can see one of the world’s largest cannons- Jaiwan Cannon. It was never fired but stands still as a military might.
The tunnel from Amer fort opens up to the ticket counter at entrance of the Jaigarh fort. It has a spacious granary that can contain grains that can serve upto 10,000 soldiers for over two years.
The fort also has a museum that has weapons, armours and artifacts of the bygone era of Rajputs.
Opening Hours:
9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee:
- ₹ 60 for Adults
- ₹ 20 for Children
- ₹ 40 for Foreigners
Nahargarh
Just like Jaigaarh and Amer Fort, Nahargarh was a powerful defense system of Jaipur. Due to its strategic hill location, they could see enemies enter the city very easily and could be prepared beforehanded.
Nahargarh is the best place to see Jaipur landscapes. The fort is a great example of iconic Rajput Architecture. You can see courtyards, palaces, and temples inside the fort.
Opening Hours:
10:00 AM to 5:30 PM (every day)
Entry Fee:
- ₹ 50 for Indians;
- ₹ 25 for students;
- ₹ 200 for foreigners
Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal is one of the fascinating places to visit in Jaipur. Tourists are not allowed to actually go inside the palace due to safety reasons. If you want to take a closer look at this palace, you can go for boating in the Man Sagar lake.
This palace is not functional as comapred to the other forts and palaces of Jaipur. It is a five floor building with four lower floors remain submerged in the water.
Sheesh Mahal
The Sheesh Mahal or the Palace of mirrors in a beautiful chamber made of intricate designs of mirrors in Amer Fort. When light hits the mirrors, the entire room seems to twinkle and shimmer, making it a truly dazzling sight.
It’s one of the most popular parts of the Fort, and for good reason. The mirrors were strategically placed to maximize the natural light and create an illusion of a much larger space. The Sheesh Mahal was used by the royal women of the court as a place to cool off during the hot summer months and to relax and socialize.
Sisodia Rani ka Bagh
Sisodia Rani ka Bagh, also known as Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace, is a charming historical complex located around 6 kilometers from Jaipur city in Rajasthan, India. It was built in 1728 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It was gifted by the king to his second queen who hailed from the Sisodia lineage of Mewar.
Opening Hours:
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Entry Fee:
- Indians: ₹50
- Foreigners: ₹200
Galtaji Temple
The Galtaji Temple, also known as the Monkey Temple, is a pre-historic Hindu pilgrimage site located about 10 kilometers from Jaipur, on the outskirts of the town Khania Bala ji, in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Opening Hours:
all days of the week from sunrise to sunset
Entry Fee: Free
Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing
The Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing is a private museum located in Amber, Rajasthan, India, dedicated to the art of hand-block printing. Established in 2005, the museum is an initiative of the founders of Anokhi, a popular Indian retail brand of block-printed clothes. showcases a wide range of collections including textiles, tools, equipment, and other objects related to the art of hand-block printing.
Opening Hours:
11 am–4:30 pm (Monday Closed)
Entry Fee:
- Adults: ₹30
- Students: ₹20
- Children: ₹15
- Still Camera: ₹50
- Video Camera: ₹150
Panna Meena ka Kund
Panna Meena Ka Kund is one of the hidden places to visit in Jaipur. It is located near Amer fort. It usually is surrounded by locals only. It is a beautiful stepwell that has a square structure with symmetrical steps going down. It definetely creates a stunning visual site. There are many stepwells in Rajasthan and in Delhi also. It is a great example of Rajasthan’s rainwater harvesting techniques.
In the early times, it served as an important water source for Amer fort. Be mindful of the stairs because they can be slippery and steep at certain places.
Opening Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Entry Fee: No entry fee
Johari Bazaar
Johari Bazaar literally translates to “Jewels Market”, is one of the must-see places to visit in Jaipur. Founded in 1700, it was a center for jewellery shopping for royals. The bazaar was founded even before Jaipur was officially founded.
You can buy authentic jewellery like Kundan and meenakari jewellery, traditional fabrics, textiles, souvenirs, precious and semi-precious stones, etc. From intricately carved wooden items and brassware to colorful Rajasthani puppets and miniature paintings, there’s something for everyone.
It is located in the heart of the city and reaching there is easy with local autos.
Opening Hours: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
My Personal Experience of Visiting Jaipur
Jaipur was different than other places we visited in Rajasthan. It is one of the most crowded cities. We had visited Rajasthan when we were in college and were on budget. So ovbiously we had booked our stay in a hostel. Backpackers Villa was the cheapest accommodation as compared to the rest of our stays in that trip. We got our beds in a dorm for just INR 225/ per person.
Amenities, safety, hygiene- nothing was compromised, so, it was a deal for us! We reached Jaipur really early in the morning. And the fifrst thing that we did was to hire an activa. Then we got freshen up and headed straight for the sightseeing. As a Mumbaiker, we were not aware of the Double Helmet Rule.
We visited the City Palace first, had a tea and breakfast in the bone-chilling morning cold, right outside the palace. By the time we left for Hawa Mahal, the street was started getting busier. That is when a traffic police officer caught us for not wearing a helmet. We requested him to let us go because we did not have extra money. He asked us to bribe him and we did as many people all do in Mumbai. We were scared too because it had just been a couple of days since we were here.
We headed straight to our hostel to get the helmet when another police officer caught us for the same reason. This time we paid the actual charges and went to the hostel. This took a couple of hours and our energy too.
Later, we went to Hawa Mahal, clicked a few pictures in front of the beautiful structure, but as the local suggested, we did not go inside of the palace.
We started our journey to the Amber Fort which is outside of the city and we had to drive for about 11 kms. Before that we had our lunch at a local restaurant. We also visited the Jal Mahal en route to Amber Fort. You cannot enter the Jal Mahal but the lake offered amazing views of the palace.
Here you can also click pictures in Rajasthani attire, but we did not do it. The photoshoot is more cheaper and better in Pushkar.
The road to Amer fort was serene and I think that was one of the best road trips (although the short one) of my life. A straight road with a beautiful landscape of the hill was to die for.
En route we visited Panna Meena ka Kund. The stepwell is huge and deep. It is not discovered by many, so it was not crowded at all. We met a dog there. Rested there for some time, played with the dog, clicked a few pictures and headed to the Amber fort.
Places to visit in Jaipur
We reached the the fort- the beautifull palace with a gorgous view of the city. There are many palaces like sheesh mahal, courtyards etc that are the testament of the fine art and craft. There is a tunnel that connects Amber fort and Jaigarh palace. It is almost 2 kms long. We followed the tunnel and walked most of it. We reached at the base of the Jaigarh, but we did not go inside, because we were tired and had already wasted a couple of hours with the traffic police.
We rested there for a while and headed back to the city. We got to know that the light and sound show is held at Amber fort and we wanted to watch that but could not. Because we had to leave early the next day and had to reach the hostel before it was too late. The 11 kms stretch was almost secluded. This is the reason I always prefer rough itinerary planning beforehand.
We came back to the city and returned the vehicle to the supplier. From there we walked for almost 4 kms to reach the hostel (money saving tactics). The hostel was filled with international travelers. We all were sitting in a common area and talked to each other, shared experiences, talked about life n stuff.
The hostel caretaker made us all a tea in the common area, sponsored by the hostel and did little juggling tricks also. It was a fun night. A couple on India trip suggested me to visit Varanasi- one of the best trips of my life!
| Read More-> My Enchanting Solo Trip to Varanasi |
The next day, early in the morning, we left for our next destination-> Bhangadh, Alwar!
Things to Keep in Mind for a Budget Trip to Jaipur
- Rent a personal vehicle:
Depending on your group size, you can rent a vehicle to cut down sightseeing costs to the great extent. Moped rates start from INR 400. - The Double Helmet System
Pillion rider is supposed to wear the helmet too. There are traffic police at every corner of the street and they will levy heavy charges for breaking this traffic rule. The vehicle suppliers provide helmets too for no extra cost. - Stay in Hostels:
There are many havelis that are turned into hotels and hostels. Hostels are always cheaper than the hotels. You can meet international solo travelers in the hostels and the owners usually help alot when it comes to sightseeing. The hostel beds starts from INR 250 per person. - Plan Itinerary and Start Early:
The main attractions in Jaipur can be easily be done in a single day. For that, you will need to plan your itinerary beforehand. Decide exactly which places you want to visit, their opening hours, etc. This will save a huge deal of time and you can make the most of it. You can stay there for a couple of days for a relaxed sightseeing.
Unlike other metro cities, Jaipur sleeps early in the evening. Sightseeing places shut at max 9:30 pm. Ensure you are returning back to your stay early. There are only a few people on the street. - Entry Fees:
This was something we were not prepared for. The entry tickets to a few palaces in Rajasthan are quite expensive and as high as INR 400 per person. It is advisable that you check these rates beforehand and keep the cash ready. At many places, they only accept cash.
Frequently Asked Questions about Places to Visit in Jaipur
- Which are the most popular places to visit in Jaipur?
- Can I cover Jaipur in one day?
- Can we go inside Jal Mahal?
P.S.: The entry fees and opening hours mentioned in the blog above are subject to change. For the latest updated information we recommend you to visit their official websites.
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