Udaipur · The City of Lakes
Five Relaxed Days by the Lakes of Udaipur
A gentle, moderate-paced family trip built around Udaipur's lakes, palaces and evening cultural shows, with a full day trip out to Kumbhalgarh Fort for those who want to see the Aravallis beyond the city. Designed so grandparents and small children aren't rushed, with plenty of sit-down thali meals and low-stress mornings.
Day 1 · Palace, Temple and the Old City's Craft Museums
City Palace and old city heritage
City Palace visit
Arrive right at opening to beat the mid-morning queues. Walk through the courtyards and mirrored halls at an unhurried pace; skip the separately-ticketed Crystal Gallery unless someone in the group is especially keen, since it adds significant cost for a short viewing.
Jagdish Temple
A short stroll from the palace gate to this large Vishnu temple with an elaborately carved 79-foot spire. Shoes come off at the base of the marble steps.
Vintage and Classic Car Collection
A quick, air-conditioned break to see the Mewar royal family's vintage cars, including a couple used in old films. Good pacing after two heritage-heavy stops.
Bagore ki Haveli evening folk dance show
An 18th-century lakeside haveli with a well-loved hour-long folk dance and puppetry show most evenings. Arrive by 17:45 to get a decent seat since it's first-come-first-served.
Where to eat
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast — Hotel Hill Park Udaipur ₹200
Lunch: Unlimited Rajasthani thali with dal baati churma — A busy thali house near City Palace road ₹250
Dinner: Rooftop dinner with a lake and palace view — A rooftop restaurant overlooking Lake Pichola ₹450
Where to stay
Hotel Hill Park Udaipur, Central Udaipur, near Fateh Sagar — ₹2,250 a night. Business-standard rooms with easy multi-room booking for families, central enough to reach the old city and Fateh Sagar quickly.
Day total, per person: ₹4,020
Day 2 · Boats, Gardens and a Sunset Over the Lakes
Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar and Sajjangarh sunset
Lake Pichola boat ride with Jagmandir stop
A canopied boat ride out to Jagmandir Island Palace and back, with time to walk around the gardens and elephant sculptures on the island. Buy tickets at the official counter near the ghat to avoid touts pushing pricier 'upgraded' packages.
Saheliyon ki Bari (Garden of the Maidens)
A flat, easy garden with fountains and a lotus pool, built for the royal women of the court - a relaxed stop with no stairs to navigate.
Fateh Sagar Lake promenade and Nehru Island boat ride
A quieter, more local lake than Pichola with a pleasant lakefront walk and a jet fountain. An optional short boat ride out to Nehru Island's garden is a nice low-key add for young kids.
Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) sunset viewpoint
A hilltop marble palace with a winding approach road, visited mainly for the sunset view over both of Udaipur's lakes. Go by car rather than auto given the climb, and time arrival about an hour before closing.
Where to eat
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast — Hotel Hill Park Udaipur ₹200
Lunch: Simple vegetarian thali — A local eatery near Saheliyon ki Bari ₹300
Dinner: Sit-down dinner after the sunset drive back — A mid-range restaurant near Fateh Sagar ₹400
Where to stay
Hotel Hill Park Udaipur, Central Udaipur, near Fateh Sagar — ₹2,250 a night. Same central base keeps the day's back-and-forth between the two lakes short and simple.
Day total, per person: ₹4,180
Day 3 · Crafts, Markets and an Evening by the Ghats
Rural arts village and old city shopping
Shilpgram rural arts and crafts village
A spread-out, mostly flat crafts village showcasing folk architecture and performances from Rajasthan and neighbouring states. Check ahead for any craft fair or live performance scheduled that day.
Shopping at Hathi Pol and Bapu Bazaar
The main old city shopping lanes for miniature paintings, block-printed textiles, silver jewellery and leather mojari shoes. Compare prices at two or three shops before settling, since first quotes for tourists run high.
Evening walk along Gangori Ghat and the lake promenade
A relaxed, unticketed sunset walk along the ghats near Bagore ki Haveli, watching boats come in and the palace lights come on across the water - a good low-effort close to the day.
Where to eat
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast — Hotel Hill Park Udaipur ₹200
Lunch: Thali lunch after Shilpgram — A local eatery near Shilpgram or on the way back ₹300
Dinner: Kachori and mirchi bada from a busy stall, followed by a light sit-down dinner — Old city street stall plus a nearby restaurant ₹400
Where to stay
Hotel Hill Park Udaipur, Central Udaipur, near Fateh Sagar — ₹2,250 a night. Continuing the same base avoids repacking mid-trip.
Day total, per person: ₹3,550
Day 4 · Day Trip to Kumbhalgarh Fort
A day beyond the city, into the Aravalli hills
Drive to Kumbhalgarh Fort
An early start for the roughly two-hour drive through the Aravalli foothills. Book the car through your hotel a day ahead rather than negotiating with an app cab, since coverage this far out is unreliable.
Kumbhalgarh Fort visit
A vast hilltop fort famous for its long defensive wall, second only in scale to the Great Wall of China among such structures. Walk the main ramparts and courtyards at a gentle pace; the full outer wall trek is not necessary to enjoy the visit.
Lunch and rest before the drive back
A relaxed lunch stop at a highway dhaba or hotel restaurant near the fort before the return drive.
Return drive to Udaipur
The drive back, timed to reach the city before dark given the winding rural roads.
Where to eat
Breakfast: Early hotel breakfast or packed sandwiches before departure — Hotel Hill Park Udaipur ₹200
Lunch: Thali or simple vegetarian meal at a highway restaurant — Near Kumbhalgarh Fort ₹350
Dinner: Light dinner back in Udaipur after a long day — A restaurant near the hotel ₹350
Where to stay
Hotel Hill Park Udaipur, Central Udaipur, near Fateh Sagar — ₹2,250 a night. Returning to base rather than staying overnight near Kumbhalgarh keeps logistics simple for a family group.
Day total, per person: ₹4,500
Day 5 · A Slow Morning and Departure
Last look at the old city before heading out
Morning visit to Jagdish Temple
An unhurried revisit to the temple in the cooler morning hours, when it's quieter and easier to move around with elderly parents.
Last-minute shopping at Hathi Pol Bazaar
A final stop for miniature paintings, textiles or mojari shoes before checking out, with time built in to pack purchases carefully.
Check out and transfer to airport or railway station
Book this transfer through your hotel in advance rather than relying on an app cab, since pickups from residential or hotel areas outside the main tourist belt can get cancelled or upcharged.
Where to eat
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast before checkout — Hotel Hill Park Udaipur ₹200
Lunch: Quick thali or light meal before departure — Near the old city or at the station/airport ₹300
Where to stay
Hotel Hill Park Udaipur, Central Udaipur, near Fateh Sagar — ₹0 a night. Checkout day - no additional night stayed.
Day total, per person: ₹1,200
Pack for this trip
- Comfortable, closed walking shoes for uneven stone and marble at the City Palace, Jagdish Temple and Kumbhalgarh
- A light shawl or stole for temple visits where shoulders should be covered
- Sun hats, sunscreen and refillable water bottles, especially for the Kumbhalgarh day trip and any outdoor garden stops
- A small first-aid kit with motion-sickness tablets for the winding roads to Sajjangarh and Kumbhalgarh
- Layered clothing if travelling in winter months, since evenings by the lake can get cool
Stay safe
- The City Palace and several havelis involve stairs and slippery marble - go slowly with toddlers who need carrying or elderly parents with knee issues
- Hold small children's hands in the old city lanes, which are shared with autos, bikes and the occasional cow
- Buy boat and attraction tickets at the official counters near the ghats to avoid touts pushing 'upgraded' packages or unnecessary guides
- Avoid the April-June months altogether with young children or older travellers, since daytime heat can bring on exhaustion quickly during monument visits
- Book cars for early morning airport or station runs through your hotel rather than a same-day app cab, since pickups outside the main tourist belt are unreliable
Local courtesies
- Remove shoes before entering temples such as Jagdish Temple, and dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered
- Agree auto fares before getting in rather than after the ride, since meters are rarely used
- Bargaining is expected in the bazaars, but keep it friendly - comparing two or three shops works better than aggressive haggling
- Udaipur is a strongly vegetarian city, and Jain (no onion-garlic) requests are almost always understood and accommodated without fuss
If it rains
- Swap outdoor stops like Fateh Sagar promenade or Sajjangarh for indoor options such as the Vintage and Classic Car Collection or the City Palace's covered courtyards
- The Bagore ki Haveli evening show is indoors on an upper floor and continues comfortably through light rain
- Old city lanes can get slippery and muddy near the ghats after rain, so time market visits for a lull in the showers
- Monsoon months bring dramatic full lakes and fewer crowds, so a rained-out morning can simply be shifted to the following day without losing much
Other lengths: 2-day plan · 3-day plan · the full Udaipur guide
A mid-range, unhurried plan for Udaipur, assembled with advanced technologies and software so it reaches you in seconds rather than after an evening of research. Opening hours, tickets and fares change often, so validate the critical details before you leave. Want it shorter, cheaper, or built around food rather than forts? Change it on the city page and take away your own PDF.