Tour Plan

08 Hours

Amber Fort — Jal Mahal — City Palace — Hawa Mahal — Jantar Mantar — Nahargarh Fort — Albert Hall Museum

Quick Views :-

• 1 Place: Amber Fort
• 2 Place: Jal Mahal
• 3 Place: City Palace
• 4 Place: Hawa Mahal
• 5 Place: Jantar Mantar
• 6 Place: Nahargarh Fort
• 7 Place : Albert Hall Museum

Tour Overview

Same Day Jaipur Sightseeing Tour

Tour Itinerary

• 1 PLACE : AMBER FORT— MYRIAD REFLECTIONS AND AN IMPOSING BASTION

  Around 10kms northeast of Jaipur lies a majestic specimen of Rajput architecture. Amber (pronounced Amer) Fort-Palace has four sections, each with its own courtyard. Be prepared to travel back in time as soon as you enter Suraj Pol (Sun Gate). From there the sights get more majestic as you explore the main courtyard, Jaleb Chowk. The Diwan-i-Am, Hall of Public Attendance, has two rows of columns that have sculptured elephants at the top. Don’t forget to check out the intricate mosaic work at the Ganesh Pol courtyard. The mirrored ceiling and inlaid panels of Jai Mandir, the Hall of victory, will leave you enthralled by the beauty of this historical building. Jai Mandir also offers stunning panoramic views of Maota Lake and the palace ramparts. An elephant ride via the cobbled road that leads to the Amber Fort entrance is a memory that will last forever.

• 2 PLACE : JAL MAHAL—THE FLOATING BEAUTY

  A stone’s throw from the memorial tombs of the maharanis of Jaipur lies the fairytale-like Jal Mahal (Water Palace). Maharaja Madho Singh’s intention was to use this as a summer getaway where royal duck hunting parties could take place. This makes sense considering Jal Mahal is situated in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. This creates an illusion of the palace seemingly floating in the middle of the lake. A perfect time to visit Jal Mahal is right before sunset when the dark, tranquil waters of the lake go perfectly with the pink sandstone of the palace. From the banks of the lake, it may seem as if Jal Mahal is a single-storied structure. However, there are four levels submerged under the lake and if you look closely you can make out hyacinths and other water plants sprouting from the inner sanctum of this beautiful structure. When it comes to places to visit in Jaipur, the Jal Mahal should top your list.

• 3 PLACE : CITY PALACE—INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE MEETS EUROPEAN MOTIFS

  Bang in the center of the Old City is the City Palace, an amalgamation of various buildings, gardens, and courtyards, around which runs a wall erected by Jai Singh, the Hindu Rajput ruler, after whom the city is named. The standout feature of the City Palace is the aesthetic combination of Rajput and Mughal architecture. As you enter the City Palace from Virendra Pol, you will notice the 19th century Mubarak Mahal (Welcome Palace). The latter contains a variety of royal costumes with exquisite brocade work. If you walk north from Mubarak Mahal, you will reach Rajendra Pol, another entrance, that has carved elephants holding lotus flowers in their mouths. The Diwa-i-Am has a rare, impressive collection of paintings, hand-printed manuscripts of Hindu texts, and 17th century Lahori carpets. The City Palace is one of the best-maintained places to visit in Jaipur. You shouldn’t leave without exploring the Maharani’s Palace that is, surprisingly, home to a vast armory.

• 4 PLACE : HAWA MAHAL—THE WIND WHISTLING PALACE

  From a distance, the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) looks like an enormous honeycomb. Constructed of pink and red sandstone, this palace is easily the most remarkable structure in Jaipur. Built-in 1799, Hawa Mahal served as the meeting place for the royal Rajput ladies who could survey the life of the city from 953 tiny windows built into the walls. These small windows allowed for maximum ventilation and even today one can get a magnificent view of Jaipur, overlooking Jantar Mantar and City Palace. The narrow corridors and filtering light make for exciting exploration and the only entrance is from behind this structure of architectural ingenuity.

• 5 PLACE : JANTAR MANTAR—TIME AS MEASURED BY THE MAHARAJAS OF OLD

  Jantar Mantar’s foundation was laid in 1728 by Jai Singh who took more than a passing interest in astronomy. This royal observatory has a number of striking instruments meant to calculate eclipses, altitude and azimuth, and the position of stars, among others. Hiring a guide is a good idea here as he will take you around and explain how the various instruments were utilized. For instance, the Brihat Samrat Yantra (King of the Instruments) is a massive sundial that has an imposing 27m gnomon that casts an impressive shadow on the dial, according to the position of the sun. The Ram Yantras consists of 12 vertical and horizontal slabs that measure the altitude and azimuth of planetary bodies. Jantar Mantar will take you about an hour to explore but you will come away with a sense of awe at Jai Singh’s search for meaning among the stars!

• 6 PLACE : NAHARGARH FORT—THE ABODE OF MAHARANIS

  Nahargarh is located along the Aravalli hills overlooking a beautiful lake. There is a food court and a restaurant at the top of the fort with an excellent view, The fort now also is home to the Jaipur wax museum and glass palace. The story goes that the fort was named after Nahar Singh, a dead prince whose restless spirit was disrupting construction. Whatever was built in the day crumbled in the night. The prince agreed to leave on the condition that the fort was named after him. The views are glorious

• 7 PLACE : ALBERT HALL MUSEUM— RAJASTHANI ROYAL ARTEFACTS AND AN EGYPTIAN TWIST

  Also called the Central Museum, here you will find an extensive display of ancient miniature paintings, musical instruments, weaponry, royal costumes, tribal dresses, carpets, vessels, and dioramas. Interestingly, the museum also contains an Egyptian section with a mummy purchased by the maharaja! Notice the Indo-Saracenic architectural style of the Albert Hall Museum, which came into prominence towards the end of the colonial era in India. This museum is a combination of Victorian and Islamic architectural elements, and that’s just the outside! The museum was inaugurated in 1876, and with extensive renovation, its doors are open to the public again. You’ll need a good two hours to explore Albert Hall Museum in its entirety.