I should have been more enchanted by Udaipur…looking back on the photographs I took it certainly looks beautiful. It was our last stop in India so maybe I just had a bit of travel fatigue – India is exhausting to travel. Its so fascinating and amazing to experience but the cities are chaotic and dirty and full-on. I think I expected a beautiful lake paradise and yet Udaipur was like any other Indian city – noisy, busy, smoggy and overall overwhelming.
GENERAL INFO
Getting there and away:
We travelled to Udaipur via Jodhpur with a private driver. Arriving this way meant we could incorporate two rural ‘must-see sites on our way. You can read about how we did this here.
There are also many flight and train connections into Udaipur. We left Udaipur on a flight to Mumbai to catch our international connection. Note the airport is quite some distance (takes 40mins-1 hour).
Accommodation: We stayed at Zostel Udaipur – nice enough hostel which was well located. Zostel is a chain that has many hostels around India. We also stayed at a Zostel in Jaipur.
If you have too much money I recommend staying at the Lake Palace – it is stunning. Be aware though you won’t feel like leaving the hotel.
Food: I highly recommend eating at The White Terrace Restaurant. Although the food is standard tourist fare (a bit lacking in flavor). The staff were so friendly, the setting was beautiful and you could entertain yourself by people watching on the street below.
Getting around: Walking will get you anywhere you need to go in Udaipur – if you are leaving the city to see Ranakpur Temple or Khumbhalgarh Fort then I recommend hiring a driver for this trip.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
1. Explore City Palace
City Palace has lovely grounds and also a large museum. You do not need to pay to enter the grounds if you are entering the museum. It is quite beautiful – its more of the same of what you see elsewhere in India but can you ever really see enough intricate detail? Its worth popping in and having a wander. There is also a Sound and Light Show at the City Palace if you want to visit at night.
2. Take a boat trip on the Lake
While you are at City Palace, I suggest you pop down to the lakeside and take a boat trip out onto the lake. Udaipur is famous for its lake and so you may as well experience the city from the water. You get a great view of the Lake Palace from a boat – the closest you are going to get if you cant afford to stay there. The boat trips stop at Jagmandir which is another hotel out on the water. You can have lunch here but we just chose to wander around the beautiful grounds for a while away from the noise of the city.
3. Visit Bagore-Ki Haveli
Bagore-Ki Haveli has been carefully restored – it has some quirky aspects to it which sets it apart from the other palaces and havelis we have visited. For example the world’s largest turban – you can sit in front of it and take a photo that looks like its on your head.
4. Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort is a rural fort 2 hours outside of Udaipur. Its a tranquil place to spend an hour or two. Also make sure to climb to the top of the Fort for stunning views. Just WOW.
5. Ranakpur Temple
Ranakpur Temple (2 hours from Udaipur – combine this with a trip to Kumbhalgarh Fort) is also an interesting place to visit. If you haven’t seen a Jain Temple before then you definitely need to go to Ranakpur – the stone carvings are so intricate and it is one of the largest Jain temples. Its a peaceful place to explore. Also if you are here at lunchtime you should stop at the charity restaurant on the grounds. All you can eat delicious food for so cheap!
Enjoy Udaipur! Let me know what you thought of the city and why.
Erika xx
THE ONLY ERIKA IN THE VILLAGE 