Jaipur Hotels

The city was not build on a whim. Rather, the area that is now old Jaipur was the deliberate result of decades-long forethought and careful, mathematical precision, all in council with the best engineers and architects of the era. Faithful restoration work over the decades ensures that contemporary visitors can enjoy the fruits of the Maharaja’s labour - and considerable patronage.

Indeed, with memorable points of interest like the indelible pink sandstone Hawa Mahal palace, stately Albert Hall and hilltop citadels like Amber Fort, Nahargarh Fort and Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur necessitates much more than a mere day trip. As a gateway to the rest of remarkable Rajasthan, a heritage sanctuary, vibrant modern metropolis and bastion of endemic folklore, Jaipur is a sublime city that rewards the most acute wanderlust aches.

Jaipur’s Top 10

Jaipur Local

Jaipur is a pilgrimmage point for prospective and veteran urban planners hungry for inspiration. The original, now old, city was built in accordance with strict Vedic Vastu Shastra principles in order to facilitate the comfort and good fortune of residents. Although the modern-day metropolis extends way beyond the old walls, visitors to the original core city can easily make out the ingenious mandala (Sanskrit for “circle”) plan that made Jaipur the envy of Rajasthan in the early 18th century.

The Old City, or Pink City, then, is the place to be in Jaipur. A foremost enclave of priceless ancient architecture, narrow bazaar-ways and pink sandstone monuments, the original city is one of the most popular tourist targets in India.

Central Palace Distict, as the name suggests, is home to Hawa Mahal, Chaugan Stadium and several temples and markets of note.

Bani Park District, in northwest Jaipur, is a popular haven for travellers in search of green space, affordable accommodations and decent restaurants.

Rambagh District contains a few upscale areas and attractions, such as the Jaipur Polo Ground and Golf Club.

Ashok Nagar District is a popular commercial and hotel area beyond the south wall of the Pink City. The precinct is home to Deer Park, Central Museum, Jaipur Zoo and Ram Niwas Garden.

Jaipur Eat & Drink

The culinary traditions of Rajasthan have few rivals on the subcontinent. Far from homogenous, the dominant state in India unfurls a multitude of folk cultures and traditions. Restaurants in Jaipur reflect much of this inherent diversity.

Jaipur Events

Jaipur is a modest festival city with a nice array of cultural events and spiritual holidays throughout the year.

Holi, the colourful Hindu Spring festival, takes place sometime in February or March and features many vibrant rituals and special foods.

Diwali is the national “Festival of Lights” in India that takes place over five days in October or November.

Elephant Festival is a foremost tribute in India to the most venerable of pachyderms. The festival is part of Holi and takes place at Chaugan Stadium.

Gangaur Festival is specific to Jaipur and Rajasthan. A celebration of harvest and marital fidelity, the festival starts the day after Holi ends and lasts for 18 days. Colourful processions and sweets figure prominently for the occasion.

Jaipur Literature Festival draws national and international writers together in the Pink City every January for a variety of workshops, symposiums and lectures.

Sawai Mansingh Stadium is a 30,000 capacity cricket ground that hosts One Day Internationals on a regular basis.

When To Go

Two climatic factors come into play when considering a trip to Jaipur: heat and monsoons. The city gets hit hard with dusty, choking heat in the months of April, May and June, when temperatures regularly soar above the 104°F (40°C) mark throughout the day and hover at 75°F (24°C) at night. Air conditioning aside, it’s not the most comfortable time of year to truly enjoy Jaipur or Rajasthan’s charms.

Visitors who touch down in July, August and September don’t necessarily fare much better. The three months are the “semi” in Jaipur’s semi-arid climate. Over 75% of the city’s 690 mm of average annual rain falls during this time. Though far from Kolkata’s tropical downpours, potentially damaging to overall holiday enjoyment nonetheless.

With the daytime sun threatening to sear open-air amblers even in November and March, the obvious travel window of opportunity in Jaipur consists of the months of December, January and February, when conditions run from a cool low of 46°F (8°C) to a reasonable high of 26°F (32°C).

What To Miss

Touts, snake charmers and a host of sedulous street performers take the opportunity to ply, prod and harass obvious non-locals in the popular Pink City at every turn. Call it business unusual in the tourist-heavy capital of Rajasthan. To cope and overcome, walk with focus, exert preternatural prudence and give pesky peddlers and entrepreneurs the cold shoulder.

The same degree of caution is necessary with tour operators who invariably suggest, with apparent and casual non-spontaneity, points of interest and commercial establishments not on the official itinerary. If you know what you came to see in Jaipur, kindly insist your local guide sticks to the script.

On a related note, the commission trade is a healthy industry in Jaipur that extends beyond official tour operators. Many locals, from auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to hotel staff and scrappy street grifters, work some kind of hustle on the side. Prepare to say no a lot and discern the honest from the insincere.

Getting Around

Jaipur International Airport is a small transport hub by India’s standards and certainly not on par with the likes of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai or Bengaluru. The airport handles barely over 1 million passengers a year and the vast majority are of the domestic variety. A relatively new terminal, however, makes the airport in the suburb of Sanganer a handsome gateway to the city proper, which resides about 13 km away. Major destinations outside of India that connect to Jaipur International include Dubai, U.A.E. and Muscat, Oman.

Rail and bus are two of the more popular modes of transport into the Rajasthan capital. The national railway offers efficient service to and from the likes of Delhi, Ahmedabad, Agra, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kolkata, Indore and Jabalpur. A variety of private and government-run buses run daily between Delhi and Jaipur. As always, you tend to get what you pay for in terms of service and car class for either. Alternatively, travellers can also hire cars in Delhi - with or without a chauffeur - to make the 4 hour journey to Jaipur.

Public transport within Jaipur is more than decent and quite affordable. The state tourism bus department runs full day, half day and night bus tours of the Pink City. Auto-rickshaws are ubiquitous but do require steely nerves and, moreover, where drivers are concerned, patience, vigilance and diplomacy. Taxis are a much safer and, for the most part, friendlier alternative. Though Jaipur is not necessarily a pedestrian-progressive metropolis, enclaves within the old city really should be explored on foot.

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