Rajasthan forts in a week: Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur
Planning · · 2 min read
Rajasthan punishes a rushed itinerary. Three cities in a week is comfortable; five is a blur of car seats.
The route
Jodhpur (2 nights). Mehrangarh is the finest fort in the state and deserves a slow morning with the audio guide. The blue town below is best walked in the late afternoon. Jaswant Thada for sunset.
Jaisalmer (2 nights). The overnight train from Jodhpur arrives at dawn. Jaisalmer Fort is still lived in, which makes it unlike anywhere else. Spend a night at Sam dunes if you want the desert; the camel ride is short, the silence afterwards is the reason to go.
Udaipur (2-3 nights). Long train or a short flight. City Palace, a boat on Lake Pichola in the evening, and one day doing nothing except eating on a rooftop.
When
October to March. December nights are genuinely cold in the desert. April onwards is too hot for a fort at midday, and by May the stone itself is warm at ten in the morning.
Getting between them
Trains are cheap, comfortable and slow; book sleeper class ahead in season. A hired car with a driver costs more but stops at stepwells and villages the train passes. Flights only make sense on the Jaisalmer-Udaipur leg.
What to skip
Jaipur is the usual first stop and the usual disappointment when squeezed into a day. If your week is tight, leave it for a separate trip with Agra rather than bolting it on.
Budget notes
Heritage hotels in converted havelis are the region's real pleasure and often cost less than a chain hotel in Delhi. Entry fees add up across three forts - carry small notes, and check which sites include camera charges.