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.
π 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!
βοΈ 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,Β Bangkok,Β Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Muscat, and Sharjah.
Cities in India that fly to Jaipur include Ahmedabad, Belgaum, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun,Β 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.
π 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
π 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
π 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:
πΒ Train from Delhi to Jaipur - 5-7 hours 240-1,205 INR
πΒ Bus from Delhi to JaipurΒ - 4 1/2- 5 1/2 hours
βοΈΒ Flight from Delhi to JaipurΒ - 1 hr
πΒ Private transportation from Delhi to JaipurΒ - 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.
π Visa Entry Requirements for India
India requires a visa to visit, and you can purchase your visa onlineΒ for $25.Β
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.
π 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 dβ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon,Β 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 includeΒ Argentina,Β Bolivia,Β Brazil,Β Colombia,Β Ecuador,Β French Guiana,Β Guyana,Β Suriname, Trinidad (Trinidad only), Venezuela,Β Panama,Β Paraguay, andΒ 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).Β
As India is such a big country, these things can even change from state to state!Β
Here are some of the local adjustments to keep in mind when you travel to the pink city in India.
π£ 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.
πΆ 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.
π 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.
π° 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.
πΈ 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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π 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!
π° 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.Β
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.
π 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.
π 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.
π 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!
π 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.
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π₯Ύ 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.
πΆπ»ββοΈ 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.Β
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.
πΆπ» 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.
π 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!