Udaipur is the soft landing of Rajasthan. After the heat and hustle of the desert cities, you arrive at a town built around a chain of artificial lakes dug in the 1500s, backed by the green Aravalli hills, where the loudest sound at breakfast is a temple bell and the standard evening activity is watching the sun go down from a rooftop with a lassi. The Mewar dynasty that founded it in 1559 never surrendered to the Mughals — a point of pride that shaped a city of unusually confident architecture, culminating in the enormous City Palace along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola.
It has been called the most romantic city in India for a century, which is fair, and it was the location for a Bond film, which explains the number of rooftop restaurants advertising nightly screenings of Octopussy. Look past that: Udaipur is the Rajasthani city where people extend their stay, and the one that suits families and slow travellers best.
Here’s Udaipur for budget travellers, families, and luxury travellers, with costs, gear, a two-day plan, and a map.
Getting Oriented
Everything you came for sits around Lake Pichola. The City Palace dominates the eastern shore. Below and north of it, the old city — Jagdish Temple, Gangaur Ghat, and the lanes of Lal Ghat — is a walkable warren of guesthouses and rooftops. Across the water on the western shore, Hanuman Ghat offers the better view of the city and slightly cheaper rooms. Two island palaces float in the lake: the Lake Palace (now a Taj hotel, guests only) and Jag Mandir (open to visitors by boat).
North, Fateh Sagar Lake has a lakeside drive that locals cycle in the evening. Above it all, the Monsoon Palace (Sajjangarh) sits on a hilltop for the sunset. The old city is best walked; autorickshaws cost ₹60–150 for anything further.
Udaipur on a Budget
Sleeping cheap. Udaipur is one of the great budget-stay towns of India. Family guesthouses in the old city and on Hanuman Ghat run ₹600–1,500 for a double with a lake or palace view from the roof, and hostels ₹400–700. Even at the bottom of the market you tend to get a terrace and a view.
Free and near-free. Walking the old city and the ghats costs nothing, and Gangaur Ghat at sunset is the town’s best free hour. Jagdish Temple (free) has continuous ritual and drumming at 7pm. Bagore ki Haveli’s evening Rajasthani folk dance show is ₹150 and consistently the best-value hour in the city. The City Palace museum is ₹400 and worth it; the lake boat ride is ₹400–700.
Eating cheap. Old-city rooftops do ₹200–400 thalis with a view — you’re paying for the terrace, and it’s a fair deal. Local eateries away from the lake serve Rajasthani thalis and kachoris for ₹120–250.
Budget total: ₹1,500–2,800 a day.
Udaipur for Families
Udaipur is the calmest Rajasthani city for children — no crushing crowds, short distances, and water everywhere.
- The Lake Pichola boat ride — 45 minutes, a stop at Jag Mandir island, and the only way to see the city the way it was designed to be seen. Go on the sunset departure.
- The City Palace — a genuinely fun palace for kids: narrow staircases built to confuse invaders, a peacock mosaic courtyard, glass and mirror rooms, and a vintage car collection at the Garden Hotel nearby.
- Bagore ki Haveli folk show — puppetry, fire, and the astonishing Bhavai dance where a woman balances a stack of ten brass pots on her head. An hour, no language barrier, and children are transfixed.
- Saheliyon ki Bari — the “garden of the maidens”, with fountains, lotus pools and marble elephants; ₹100 and made for running around.
- Shilpgram — a crafts village 3km west with artisan huts, camel rides and folk performances.
- The Monsoon Palace at sunset — a hilltop drive with monkeys and langurs along the road; kids reliably remember the monkeys over the palace.
Udaipur in Luxury
Udaipur is where India’s luxury hotel industry proves the point. The Taj Lake Palace — an 18th-century marble palace covering an entire island, reached only by boat, ₹60,000–150,000 — is the icon. The Oberoi Udaivilas, on the western shore in 30 acres with resident peacocks, is arguably the better hotel and runs similar rates. RAAS Devigarh, an 18th-century fort-palace 40 minutes out, is the design-led alternative. Around them: private dining on Jag Mandir island, a sunset cruise on the royal barge, miniature-painting sessions with Mewar-school artists (a 400-year-old local tradition), a vintage Rolls from the palace’s own collection for the Monsoon Palace run, and heritage walks with the palace historian. Udaipur is also India’s wedding capital — in November and December, expect fireworks over the lake most nights.
Signature Sights, Honestly Ranked
Lake Pichola by boat at sunset — the defining Udaipur experience, and cheap. The City Palace — the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, and the one that best rewards a slow walk-through; go at opening. Bagore ki Haveli’s dance show — nightly at 7pm, book by turning up at 6:30. Jagdish Temple — a 1651 Indo-Aryan temple, active and welcoming, right in the old city. Gangaur Ghat — sunset, laundry, temple bells, kids diving off the steps; the real city. Monsoon Palace — the view is superb; the building is a shell, so go for the hour before sunset. Saheliyon ki Bari and Fateh Sagar — pleasant, not essential. Eklingji and Nagda temples, 22km north — intricate 10th-century stone carving and few visitors, the best half-day trip.
Best Time to Visit
September to March. The unusual thing about Udaipur is that the end of the monsoon is its peak: by September the lakes are full, the Aravallis are green, and the city looks like its own postcards. In drought years the lakes can drop badly by late spring, and a low Pichola takes much of the magic with it — if the lake matters to you, travel between September and February. October to March gives 10–30°C and clear skies. April to June hits 40°C+, though the lakes and hills make it marginally softer than Jodhpur or Jaisalmer. Note the Mewar Festival in March/April and the wedding season crush of November–December, when rates double.
Essential Gear & Must-Haves for Udaipur
| Must-have | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| A rooftop appetite | Half the city’s dining is a terrace with a view |
| Modest clothing | Jagdish Temple and the ghats are active religious spaces |
| Sunset alarm | Boat, ghat or hilltop — Udaipur’s day peaks at 6pm |
| Comfortable sandals | The old-city lanes are cobbled, steep and short |
| Cash for the small stuff | Boat tickets, folk shows and rickshaws are cash-first |
| Camera with low-light | Lantern-lit palaces and lake reflections after dark |
| Room in your bag | Miniature paintings roll flat and travel well |
What It Costs
Rough per-person daily figures (2026; verify before travel):
| Budget / backpacker | Family (per adult) | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | ₹400–1,500 | ₹2,500–6,000 | ₹25,000–150,000 |
| Food | ₹400–700 | ₹800–1,600 | ₹4,000–12,000 |
| Sights & transport | ₹600–1,200 | ₹1,500–2,800 | ₹6,000+ (boat, guide, car) |
| Daily total | ₹1,500–2,800 | ₹4,800–10,400 | ₹35,000–170,000 |
The Two-Day Plan
| Time | Day 1 (the lake) | Day 2 (hills and crafts) |
|---|---|---|
| Early | City Palace at opening | Eklingji and Nagda temples |
| Late morning | Jagdish Temple, old-city lanes | Shilpgram crafts village |
| Afternoon | Rest; Saheliyon ki Bari | Miniature-painting studio |
| Evening | Pichola boat at sunset, Bagore ki Haveli show | Monsoon Palace sunset, rooftop dinner |
The Udaipur–Jodhpur road via Ranakpur’s marble Jain temple and the 36km wall of Kumbhalgarh Fort is one of the best drives in India, and turns a transfer day into a highlight.
Where Is Udaipur?
Udaipur lies in the Aravalli hills of southern Rajasthan, 400km southwest of Jaipur, in the greenest and hilliest corner of an otherwise desert state. The map below shows the city and its lakes.
Mistakes First-Timers Make in Udaipur
Giving it one night. Udaipur is the Rajasthani city built for slowing down. Travellers who allocate a single night invariably wish they had three, and the town is set up for it — the rooftops, the lakeside walks, the day trips into the hills.
Booking a “lake view” without checking which lake. Plenty of hotels advertise lake views over Fateh Sagar or a distant sliver of Pichola. If you want the palace-on-the-water view, book on Lal Ghat, Hanuman Ghat or the City Palace side and check recent photographs.
Assuming you can visit the Lake Palace. The island hotel is for resident guests only, and non-guests are not admitted, even for a meal. Jag Mandir, the other island, is open — that’s the one your boat ticket includes.
Missing the 7pm folk show. Bagore ki Haveli’s performance is the single best-value hour in Udaipur and it is easy to drift past it into another rooftop dinner.
Travelling in a drought spring. Late in a dry year the lakes can be low or partly empty. Check recent traveller photos before committing to April or May.
Treating Kumbhalgarh as a day trip. It’s 2.5 hours each way from Udaipur — fine as a stop on the drive to Jodhpur, exhausting as a return trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do I need? Two full days minimum; three or four if you want the hill temples and forts, or simply to rest mid-trip.
Is Udaipur good for families? Very. Boat rides, palaces, gardens and folk shows, with less heat and hassle than the desert cities.
When are the lakes full? From the end of the monsoon in September through to roughly March in a normal year.
Is the sunset boat ride worth it? Yes — it is the cheapest genuinely great thing to do in Rajasthan. Buy the ticket at the City Palace’s Rameshwar Ghat and go on the last departure.
Can I get to Udaipur by train? Yes, overnight from Delhi and Jaipur, and there’s an airport 20km northeast with flights from Delhi and Mumbai. Trains are slow through the hills; most travellers arrive by road or air.
What’s worth buying? Mewar miniature paintings — the local school has been painting on silk and paper for four centuries — plus silver and pichwai textiles.
Next Steps
Drive north through Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh to Jodhpur and on to Jaisalmer, or backtrack to Jaipur to close the Golden Triangle. The India travel guide has country-wide planning, and the family packing list covers the Rajasthan kit.
Planning a longer trip? See our full India family travel guide.