Exploring Jaipur, the Pink City in India
Have you ever heard of the pink city in India? Formally known as Jaipur, this is the capital of Rajasthan, and one of the three legs of India's famous Golden Triangle Route.
With stunning architecture, tons of history, and some incredible restaurants, we know you're going to fall in love with the pink city of India as much as we did.
This guide is here to help you with all of the details, from the best things to do in Jaipur to all of the logistics of having a seemless and safe stay.
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Why is Jaipur Known as the Pink City?
Jaipur is know as the pink city in India because many of its structures are painted a beautiful rosy hue - and it's just one of the many reasons that Jaipur catches the hearts of millions of tourists.
📍 Where is Jaipur in India?
Jaipur is located in the heart of Rajasthan, a state in the North of India. Jaipur is a little over 300 km south west of Delhi, and a little under 240 km west of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located.
These three cities make up a triangle, and are the hubs for some of the top tourist attractions in Northern India, making them the 3 points of the famous Golden Triangle.
How to Get to the Pink City in India
Now that you know where the pink city in India is, let's get you there!
✈️ What is the Nearest International Airport to Jaipur, India?
Jaipur has its own airport, which actually has some international flights! It is much more common to fly into Delhi first, but you can indeed fly direct to Jaipur from the cities of Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Muscat, and Sharjah.
Cities in India that fly to Jaipur include Ahmedabad, Belgaum, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, and Udaipur.
How Can I Get to Jaipur Easily?
Flying is the easiest way to get to Jaipur, but you can also easily get there by train from a variety of cities in India.
🚝 Trains to Jaipur
Trains have 3 different classes of tickets, so you can choose the level of comfort you'd like to travel with. This can definitely matter when you're traveling from further distances.
- Delhi to Jaipur - 5-7 hours
- Jodhpur to Jaipur - 5 hours
- Udaipur to Jaipur - 5-6 hours
🚌 Buses to Jaipur
While buses sometimes are the least comfortable option, many of the buses in India are the best option! We took a bus from Jaipur to Udaipur, and we had a full bed to sleep on for our overnight ride.
- Delhi to Jaipur - 4 1/2- 5 1/2 hours
- Agra to Jaipur - 4 1/2- 5 hours
- Jodhpur to Jaipur -7 hours
- Udaipur to Jaipur - 7-8 hours
🚐 Can You Do a Day Trip to Jaipur from Delhi?
While we absolutely think Jaipur deserves more than a day, you can certainly do a day trip from Delhi if you're short on time.
If you choose to do this route, then we definitely recommend going with one of the tours below so you can optimize your time.
How Can I Travel from Delhi to Jaipur?
From Delhi you can visit Jaipur by these options:
🚝 Train from Delhi to Jaipur - 5-7 hours 240-1,205 INR
🚌 Bus from Delhi to Jaipur - 4 1/2- 5 1/2 hours
✈️ Flight from Delhi to Jaipur - 1 hr
🚗 Private transportation from Delhi to Jaipur - from $7.50/person
What are the Travel Guidelines for Rajasthan?
Before planning your trip to the the pink city in India, you'll want to make sure you know what the requirements are for entering India.
🛂 Visa Entry Requirements for India
India requires a visa to visit, and you can purchase your visa online for $25.
Nationals of Japan, South Korea, and the UAE can get their visa upon arrival, and those from Bhutan and Nepal are visa-exempt.
Can US Citizens Travel to India Without a Visa?
US citizens do need a visa, and it can be purchased online for $25.
Every hotel asks for your visa, so you'll want to keep it handy when you are arriving to your hotel and checking in.
💉 Do You Need to Be Vaccinated to Go to India?
As an American or European, you do not need to be vaccinated to go to India. However, there are other countries that need vaccines.
Also, it's recommended to get a rabies vaccine, as there are a lot of stray animals (mostly dogs and monkeys), and it's quite common for tourists to get bitten.
Countries Who Need Vaccines for India
Those coming from a country where yellow fever may be prevalent must present proof of a yellow fever vaccine before visiting India.
African counties that need a yellow fever vaccine for India include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.
Central & South American countries that need a yellow fever vaccine for India include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad (Trinidad only), Venezuela, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.
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Local Adjustments for the Pink City of India
If you're traveling to a new country, there are a lot of things that may be different than from where you come from (such as the language, currency, or tipping culture).
As India is such a big country, these things can even change from state to state!
Here are some of the local adjustments to keep in mind when you travel to the pink city in India.
🗣 What Language Do They Speak in Rajasthan?
The language of Rajasthan is Rajasthani. Our friend spoke Hindi and was able to communicate with a lot of the locals there though. English is also taught in schools, although we found that a lot less people spoke English than we thought.
💶 Currency in Jaipur
The currency used in Jaipur is the Indian Rupee (INR). Currently (September 2024) each 1 USD is equal to about 84 INR.
It's important to note that there are a lot of things in Jaipur that can only be paid with cash, including the majority of the tickets for tourist attractions. For that reason, we highly suggest taking out quite a bit of cash from an ATM.
Is Jaipur a Cheap City?
Overall, traveling in India is pretty cheap! We had a ton of small expenses, as almost all of the things to do in Jaipur have an entrance fee, but everything ends up being just a couple of dollars here and there.
There are also luxurious hotels and boujee restaurants you can go to, and they're really expensive for India standards, but for those from the US or Europe the prices are still pretty affordable.
🔌 Which Plug Adapter Do I Need for India?
India uses the same electrical outlets as Europe, which are for types C, D, & M. Plug type C is the one that has two round pins, plug type D is the one which has three round pins in a triangular pattern, and plug type M also has three round pins.
India operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
🚰 Is Jaipur Water Safe?
The water is not safe to drink in Jaipur, so you'll have to stick to bottled water. We suggest buying big jugs of water from a supermarket, and buying an insulated water bottle to refill during your travels around the country.
💸 Tipping Culture in Jaipur
The tipping culture in India is typically 10%, and sometimes it's even included in the bill. Make sure to look for a service charge, and if the tip isn't included you can leave cash on the table for the server.
We'll be honest, we had pretty awful and inattentive servers in most restaurants in India, with the exception of some of the really nice and upscale restaurants we'll be recommending later in the article.
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Things to Do in Jaipur, India
Now that you know the basics for visiting the pink city in India, let's dive into all of the fun things to do in Jaipur!
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💕 Go to the Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal is a palace in the heart of Jaipur, made of red sandstone, which gives it that beautiful pink color.
It is one of the most notable buildings in the pink city of India, and can also be visited on the inside on all 5 stories daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
Get the composite ticket. It includes 10 attractions in Jaipur, and will save you a lot of money!
🏰 Explore the City Palace
Another one of the best things to do in Jaipur is to visit the city palace, one of the top attractions in India's pink city.
The palace includes several buildings with beautiful architecture, but do be aware that the normal entry ticket is limited, and to see the iconic blue room, or some of the other iconic spots in the palace, you'll need to upgrade your ticket to the Royal Splendour Tour or the Royal Grandeur Tour, which are more expensive.
🌞 Check Out Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is just around the corner from both the City Palace and Hawa Mahal.
It is a bit different than some of the other attractions in Jaipur, and is a completely outdoor venue, which is a museum featuring 13 architectural astronomy instruments.
🏛 Experience the Albert Hall Museum
This is the oldest museum in the state of Rajasthan, and is known for its fabulous art collection and its different galleries.
Albert Hall Museum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, and then from 7 pm to 9:30 pm. It's located in Ram Niwas Garden, right outside the city wall.
🌁 Admire Patrika Gate
Patrika Gate is one of the top places to visit in the pink city in India, and personally one of our favorites as photographers.
It's also one of the only things to do in Jaipur that is free, and it can also be visited 24/7!
🕌 Visit the Amber Fort Palace
Visiting the Amber Fort is one of the top things to do in Jaipur, and one of the most beautiful areas of the Pink City in India.
The fort has a few parts, and the palace is the one that is inside the fort that requires an entrance fee.
It has a variety of beautiful areas to photograph, and is somewhere we'd highly recommend getting to as soon as they open, which is 8 am.
🥾 Climb the Amber Fort City Walls
The Amber Fort is surrounded by city walls that stretch for 12 km! It's one of our favorite areas of the city, and is also very popular amongst photographers for both sunrise and sunset.
We visited at sunrise, and it truly was a magical way to start the day. (There is no entrance fee, and there are several areas you can enter from).
If you'd like to learn more about the Amber Fort Palace and the Amber Fort City Walls, make sure to check out our Amber Fort travel guide.
🚶🏻♀️ Walk Along the Nahargarh Fort
There is no shortage of incredible forts in Jaipur! Our second favorite fort inside the pink city in India is the Nahargarh Fort, which we were able to enjoy for sunset.
On site there is also a palace that you can enter at the front, and this area is just a short walk away.
The stairs below were blocked off from the sunset point, but there is in fact another entrance to get there, so we'd recommend asking a local where it is and visiting there during golden hour so that you can avoid the crowds.
🚶🏻 Walk Around Jairgarh Fort
This fort is special because it actually sits on a hill overlooking Amber Fort! Unfortunately we didn't have the time to visit, but it looks pretty spectacular from the pictures that we saw.
🛍 Go Shopping
Now typically, we wouldn't add shopping to lists of things to do in most places, but the shopping in Jaipur is incredible! They are known for having beautiful and colorful fabrics.
You can either shop for clothing that's already made, or you can purchase your own fabrics and hire a tailor to make you your own outfit!
💧 Check Out the Jal Mahal
Also known as the "Water Palace", the Jal Mahal sits right in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. We didn't get a chance to visit the palace itself, as we heard it is not allowed, but we did get a chance to enjoy the views of it from along the water next to Amer road.
There you can find a ton of clothing being sold, local dresses being rented, and street food being offered.
🕍 Stop by Shri Jagat Shiromani ji Temple
Located right by the Amber Fort, the Shri Jagat Shiromani ji Temple is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in India's pink city.
We loved this spot because it's an easy walk from the fort, and you can easily appreciate it in just a few minutes, before heading to the next attraction which is also a short walk away.
📸 Photograph Panna Meena Ka Kund
Right after visiting Shri Jagat Shiromani ji Temple, you can walk just a few minutes to the famous Panna Meena Ka Kund, which is a fabulous stepwell.
We'll be honest- we were a bit disappointed to find out that you can only walk the steps if you pay, and it's not cheap.
Just for you to keep in mind, most attractions in India cost just a few dollars, and to go on these steps they make you pay $50! We honestly decided to pass, and went to the step well in Jodhpur for free instead.
If you happen to be with a big group though, you could then split this cost, although we don't agree in what they are doing here, and definitely recommending going to the one in Jodhpur instead.
🪦 Discover Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan
Would you believe that one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture of the pink city in India is actually a bunch of tombs?
Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan is a stunning set of mausoleums, that has becoming increasingly popular, especially with photographers. It's also included in a composite ticket with the City Palace, so we recommend getting that ticket if you'd like to do both.
👩🍳 Take a Cooking Class
One of the best ways to indulge in the local cuisine is to take a cooking class in Jaipur!
There are some really good ones in India's pink city, and all of them are with local families that host you inside of their home.
✨ Take a Day Trip to the Taj Mahal
If Agra isn't on your itinerary for India, you could opt for a day trip to the fabulous Taj Mahal!
This world wonder is a must, so if you're short on time, one of these day trips will certainly be a good option.
Local Food & Drink in Jaipur
Like we mentioned earlier, one of the best ways of enjoying the city of Jaipur is diving into the local cuisine!
Here are a few local food tours you can sign up for:
🍛 What is Famous in Jaipur for Eating?
Want to experience the food on your own? Here are some of the top dishes to try in Jaipur.
- Kachori: a spicy stuffed pastry that is deep fried
- Lassi: a Punjabi yogurt-based beverage
- Masala Chai: local spiced tea - our favorite!
- Dal: a creamy stew made from lentils
- Baati: traditional Rajasthani bread
- Churma: a sweet made from ground flour, ghee, and sugar
- Samosas: fried street snack typically filled with potatoes or veggies
- Ghevar: a sweet a crispy traditional dessert is a disc shape
- Mirchi Bada: green chillies stuffed with spices, flour, and mashed potatoes, and then deep fried
- Laal Maas: a traditional meat curry
- Gatte: soft gram flour dumplings in a yogurt-based sauce
- Mawa Kachori: a traditional dessert stuffed with milk curd, spices, and nuts
🍴 Recommended Restaurants in Jaipur
Here are some of our favorite places to eat and drink in the pink city in India:
- Bar Palladio: a stunning bar in the center of Jaipur that has the same owners as Villa Palladio, one of the most beautiful hotels outside the city.
- Imperial Lancers: right next to Bar Palladio, this upscale restaurant is located in a garden full of lights, and has a great international menu.
- Tattoo Lounge: situated right in the heart of Jaipur, Tattoo Lounge has incredible views facing Hawa Mahal, and also has really tasty Indian food!
Imperial Lancers, one of the best restaurants in Jaipur, India
Tattoo Lounge has incredible views of Hawa Mahal in Jaipur.
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Getting Around the Pink City in India
Now that you know all of the great things to do in Jaipur, let's help you get from one place to another!
🚗 What is the Best Way to Travel Within Jaipur?
Cities in India can be pretty chaotic, and Jaipur is no exception. While you're in the center (near Hawa Mahal), we recommend walking as much as possible.
If you need to get places fast that aren't too far, you can flag down a tuk tuk. Drivers tend to exaggerate prices insanely, so we always looked at the rate Uber gave us, and then tried to go a bit lower.
Uber also offers tuk tuks, but for crossing the entire city, or traveling while it's dark out, we'd recommend taking cars with Uber to get to or from your hotel, as this is the safest, and most comfortable option.
🛺 Tuk Tuk Tours Around the Pink City in India
If you'd like to move around a lot, then one of the best ideas is to actually hire a tuk tuk for the day. This will make it a lot easier than having to continue flagging down and bargaining with tuk tuk drivers, saving you a lot of time and energy.
Here are a few tuk tuk tours you can sign up for:
🚐 How to Get Around the Pink City in India: Day Trips & Nearby Towns
If you happen to be basing yourself in Jaipur, and are looking to visit some nearby cities, you can easily head to the train station, which has plenty of departures.
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Where to Stay in Jaipur
Jaipur is a pretty big city, so it can be overwhelming knowing where to stay! There are two different options for areas to stay, depending on what kind of trip you're looking to have.
🛏 Staying in the Center of Jaipur
If you'd like to be in the center of it all, and find something on a budget, you can stay near Hawa Mahal, which is pretty centrally located, or close to the Amber Fort Palace, which also has quite a few attractions around it.
Here are a few hotels we'd recommend that are really budget friendly and centrally located:
- Gypsie Monkey: hostel with a great rooftop including a pool and restaurant, and it also has free bike rentals
- The Hosteller: has both private and dorm style rooms, AC, a nice terrace, and restaurant with vegetarian options
- Blue Beds Hostel: an eco-friendly hostel with both private and shared dorms, and great homemade food
✨ Adding Some Luxury to Your Stay
Another option is to stay at a luxury hotel outside of Jaipur. This is for those that want to remove themselves from the chaos for a bit, and have more relaxation and comfort during their stay.
Here are some of the hotels that we'd recommend for those that want more luxury:
- Suryaa Villa: a beautiful hotel with a pool in the middle and restaurant with homemade food
- Samode Haveli: hotel with pool, mosaic decorated restaurant, spa, & puppet shows, Rajasthani music, and dance performances in the evenings
- Surya Haveli: located right next to the Amber Fort, this beautiful hotel has a pool, free private parking, a terrace, and restaurant
- Trident Jaipur: a luxury 5-star hotel with poolside barbecues, child care services, and views over the lake
- Villa Palladio: a stunning red & pink boutique hotel with a pool, gardens, and various eateries
- Devi Ratn-IHCL: a luxury hotel with mountains views, a pool, poolside restaurant, spa, and luggage storage services
- The Oberoi: a luxury 5-star hotel with a pool, 3 dining options, courtyard, a gym, spa, and free on-site parking
Villa Palladio is one of the most beautiful hotels in Jaipur.
Is it Safe to Visit Jaipiur Now?
We felt pretty safe in Jaipur, but as there are a lot of people, and there is quite a bit of poverty, it's always good to keep your witts about you.
Always make sure to keep your belongings with you and closed at all times. Travel with a partner or in a group, and don't wander in dark areas at night.
👱🏼♀️ Is Jaipur Safe for Female Travelers?
There are many stories of bad things happening to women in India. We have friends that traveled with just females, and luckily they stayed very safe though.
We wouldn't recommend solo female travelers doing Jaipur on their own. The more the merrier when it comes to safety here!
👫 Are People in Jaipur Friendly?
Overall, we had pretty good experiences with the people from Jaipur, and found that most were pretty tourist-friendly.
We do recommend that you don't trust people too much though, as there are many people simply looking to get money when they help you, or ones that will try to overcharge you, especially when it comes to transportation.
🐒 Animal Safety in Jaipur
There are a lot of dogs on the streets in Jaipur, and it's important to be careful, as they are known for having rabies. You'll also notice a lot of cows on the street, but they are completely harmless.
At some of the attractions such as the different forts, you'll find a lot of monkeys hanging out! It's important to be careful, as some of them can be agressive.
Keep your bag closed, and if a monkey shows you its teeth, don't approach it.
I gave the monkey water, so we're pretty much best friends now.
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Other Things to Know About Visiting the Pink City in India
Now you know almost everything you need to know for visiting the pink city in India. But don't go anywhere just yet! We have a few other details to share with you.
☀️ What's the Weather Like in Jaipur?
Jaipur experiences 2 main seasons, with pretty mild winters, and unbearably hot summers. Rather than "summer" though, the months of May, June, July, August, and September are the rainy months, or otherwise known as "monsoon season".
📆 What Month is Best To Visit Jaipur?
The months of October to March are the dry months, so therefore these are the ideal months to visit.
We visited in March, which although it was definitely a bit too hot already, it was incredible because of Holi Festival.
For the best weather though, we'd recommend visiting in October, November, or February. While we typically recommend shoulder season for a lot of countries, India is not one of them because of the extreme weather conditions. There will be big crowds, but it's pretty inevitable whatever time of the year you go.
👗 How Should I Dress in Jaipur?
Surprisingly there really aren't dress codes in most of the main attractions in Jaipur. I stuck to long dresses and skirts with light fabrics. However, if I were to do it again, I'd bring skirts and dresses that don't hit the ground, as the streets of India made my clothes filthy.
Let's just say a long white dress was a bad idea.
As far as footwear, I'd recommend comfortable shoes that aren't super open. This is because my feet were in flip flops the entire time, and my feet really have never looked so bad. Really though - I looked like a burn victim on the bottoms of my feet, and no amount of pedicures could fix it.
🧳 What to Pack For a Trip to the Pink City in India
- Comfortable sandals for walking around
- Bag/ Backpack that zips (check out our list of favorite backpacks for travelers!)
- Action Camera (we use the Insta 360 X3 because you can use it with an extra long selfie stick to mimic a drone)
- Sunscreen
- Hat to protect yourself from the sun
- Chapstick
- Reusable Water Bottle (we use this water bottle from Cafago because it holds the temperature)
- Camera (we use the Sony A7Riii)
- Telephoto lens for epic pictures at the Amber Fort (we use the Sony GM F2.8 70-200mm)
- Wide Lens for the "secret room" at the fort (we use Sony GM 14mm 1.8)
- Drone for the Amber Fort walls (We use the DJI Mavic Mini 4 Pro)
- Power Bank (we use Anker power banks as they are super long lasting and durable)
- Cash for the tickets and street vendors
- Travel toiletries (our favorites are from Sheer Alternatives because they're all natural and 100ml)
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🤔 Is Jaipur Worth Visiting?
In our opinion, Jaipur is the most beautiful city in Northern India, and is definitely worth visiting!
Not only is the Pink City in India full of gorgeous sites, but it is also so conveniently located, being the perfect place to use as a hub for visiting all over Rajasthan, as well as visiting other nearby states.
Jaipur is full of stunning architecture.
⏳ How Many Days Are Enough for Jaipur?
Jaipur is truly the one city we didn't feel we had enough time in.
While we were able to pack a ton of things into our 2 days there, we definitely needed at least another day (and that's exploring sunrise until after sunset).
We'd recommend 3-4 days for the city of Jaipur itself, but if you can to stay ideally for a full week so that you can do day trips to some of the other incredible cities nearby.
The Pink City in India deserves at least 3 days.
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So are you ready for your trip to the pink city of India? We're sure you're going to fall in love with Jaipur just as much as we did.
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