Weekend getaways from Jaipur

14 weekend trips from Jaipur

1. 1

   Ranthambore

   180 km · 3–3.5 h via Tonk or Lalsot; several daily trains to Sawai Madhopur (2–2.5 h)October–June; core zones close for the monsoonTiger safaris, photographers

   From Jaipur you can reach Sawai Madhopur by a morning train and take an afternoon safari the same day. Aim for gypsies over canters, and book on the Rajasthan forest portal as soon as dates open. Climb Ranthambore Fort to the Trinetra Ganesh temple on your free afternoon; Wednesdays bring local pilgrims.

2. 2

   Pushkar & Ajmer

   145 km · 2.5 h via NH-48; Vande Bharat or Shatabdi to Ajmer (about 1.5–2 h), then 30 minOctober–March; Pushkar fair in October–NovemberSpiritual trips, backpackers, sunsets

   Offer a chadar at the Ajmer Sharif dargah in the morning, then cross Nag Pahar to Pushkar for the ghats, the Brahma temple and the Savitri temple ropeway at sunset. Pushkar is a vegetarian town where meat, eggs and alcohol are not officially sold. Ignore the men who press flowers on you at the ghats and then demand money for a puja.

3. 3

   Sariska & Bhangarh

   110 km · 2.5 h via Shahpura and Thanagazi; no direct trainOctober–JuneWildlife, history, short break

   Take a morning jeep safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve, lunch at the old Sariska Palace and drive on to the ruins of Bhangarh, which the ASI keeps closed between sunset and sunrise. The Neelkanth temples near Rajgarh make an offbeat add-on. Sariska has fewer tigers than Ranthambore, so treat a sighting as a bonus.

4. 4

   Sambhar Lake

   80 km · 1.5–2 h via the Ajmer road and Phulera; trains to Phulera or SambharNovember–FebruaryLesser-known pick, flamingos, photographers

   India's largest inland salt lake turns pink with flamingos in winter; walk out on the salt flats at sunset and ride the old salt-works train if it is running. Visit the Shakambhari Mata temple and Devyani kund. Stay at the heritage hotel in Sambhar town; there is little else to do, which suits a quiet night.

5. 5

   Bundi

   210 km · 3.5–4 h via Tonk and Deoli; trains to Bundi or KotaOctober–MarchLesser-known heritage, stepwells, slow travel

   Climb to Garh Palace for the Chitrashala murals, walk up to Taragarh for views over blue-washed houses, and seek out stepwells such as Raniji ki Baori. Stay in a haveli guesthouse near Nawal Sagar lake. Bundi gets a fraction of Udaipur's crowds, and Kota's Chambal river and the Garadia Mahadev viewpoint are about an hour away.

6. 6

   Shekhawati (Mandawa & Nawalgarh)

   170 km · 3.5 h via Sikar; trains to Nawalgarh or JhunjhunuOctober–MarchPainted havelis, photography, heritage hotels

   Walk the lanes of Mandawa, Nawalgarh and Fatehpur to see frescoed havelis built by Marwari merchant families, many of them locked or crumbling; the Podar haveli museum in Nawalgarh is well restored. Stay in a castle or haveli hotel in Mandawa. Some havelis charge an informal entry fee to the caretaker, so carry small change.

7. 7

   Keoladeo (Bharatpur) & Abhaneri

   185 km · 3.5 h via NH-21 and Dausa; trains to Bharatpur (2.5–3 h)October–FebruaryBirding, families, stepwell architecture

   Stop at Chand Baori in Abhaneri, a deep stepwell more than a thousand years old, then spend dawn in Keoladeo National Park by cycle-rickshaw or hired bicycle, looking for painted storks, pelicans and winter visitors. Stay near the park gate. Water levels vary from year to year, so ask about the season before you book.

8. 8

   Agra & Fatehpur Sikri

   240 km · 4 h via NH-21 and Bharatpur; trains to Agra Fort (4–5 h)October–MarchHeritage, first-timers

   See Fatehpur Sikri on the road from Jaipur, then catch sunrise at the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort the next morning. Stay in Taj Ganj or near the East Gate. The Taj is closed on Fridays, and Fatehpur Sikri's touts and shopkeepers can be pushy.

   Plan Agra
9. 9

   Udaipur & Chittorgarh

   395 km · 6 h via NH-48 and Chittorgarh; Vande Bharat or overnight trains (6–7 h at the time of review)September–MarchCouples, lake views, long weekends

   Break the drive at Chittorgarh Fort, about two hours short of Udaipur, for the Vijay Stambh and Padmini's palace. In Udaipur, see the City Palace, the Jagdish temple and Lake Pichola by boat at sunset, and catch the evening dance show at Bagore ki Haveli. Stay at a lake-view guesthouse near Gangaur Ghat.

   Plan Udaipur
10. 10

    Jodhpur

    335 km · 5.5 h via Ajmer and Beawar; trains (5–6 h)October–MarchForts, adventure, food

    Spend a morning at Mehrangarh, then try the zip-line run over its ramparts and lakes if it is operating. Walk the blue-house lanes of Navchokiya and eat mirchi vada and makhaniya lassi near the clock tower. Stay in the old city below the fort for the views; the lanes are tight for cars.

11. 11

    Kumbhalgarh & Ranakpur

    340 km · 6 h via Ajmer and Beawar; no direct trainOctober–MarchHeritage, Jain temples, walks

    Walk a section of Kumbhalgarh's 36 km wall at sunset and stay for the light-and-sound show, then drive about 50 km to Ranakpur's marble Jain temple and its 1,444 carved pillars (tourist hours are limited, usually from around noon). Resorts sit in the Aravalli valleys below the fort. The roads are winding, so avoid them after dark.

12. 12

    Khatu Shyam & Salasar Balaji

    80 km · 1.5–2 h to Khatu via Ringas; trains to Ringas, then about 17 km by roadOctober–March; Phalgun mela in February–MarchSpiritual trips, families

    Visit the Khatu Shyam temple early, then drive about 90 km to the Hanuman temple at Salasar. Both are major pilgrim centres with dharamshalas and basic hotels. Ekadashi days and the Phalgun mela bring enormous crowds, and a crush at Khatu in 2022 killed three people, so go on an ordinary weekday if you can.

13. 13

    Mount Abu

    500 km · 8 h via Ajmer and Pali; overnight trains to Abu Road (8–10 h), then 45 minOctober–JuneHill escape, lake boating

    Rajasthan's only hill station gives Jaipur a cooler break from April to June: boating on Nakki Lake, the marble Dilwara temples and the drive to Guru Shikhar. Weekends are crowded with visitors from Gujarat, so a Sunday-to-Tuesday stay works better. The drive is long, which makes the overnight train the easier choice for a long weekend.

14. 14

    Jawai

    400 km · 6.5–7 h via Ajmer, Beawar and Pali; trains to Jawai Bandh stationOctober–MarchLeopards, lesser-known wildlife

    Leopards live among the granite hills here alongside Rabari herders and hill temples, and evening drives often find them on the rocks. Stays range from high-end tented camps to simpler homestays near Bera, and all organise the drives. The Jawai dam draws crocodiles and winter birds; expect premium prices at the well-known camps.

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