Three Days in Udaipur, Slowly

Udaipur is where most Rajasthan trips go to slow down. After the desert forts of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, a city built around a lake, with water instead of sand as its main feature, changes the pace on its own. Three days is enough to do it properly, without rushing the parts worth sitting still for.

Day one: the City Palace and the old town

Start with the City Palace, Udaipur's largest complex and the seat of the Mewar royal family for over 400 years. Its scale rewards a slow morning rather than a fast pass — courtyards, mirrored halls and a museum wing all sit inside the same walls.

In the afternoon, walk the old city on foot. A slow route through the narrow lanes takes in Jagdish Temple, a carved 17th-century Vishnu temple a few minutes from the palace gate, and the quieter streets behind it where much of Udaipur's silver and miniature-painting trade still operates.

End the day at Ambrai Ghat, across the lake from the City Palace, for the best sunset view of the palace lighting up against the water.

Day two: the lake itself

This is the day Udaipur is actually known for. A Lake Pichola sunset cruise takes you past Jag Mandir, the palace on its own island, and gives the best angle on the City Palace's full lakefront facade — a view you cannot get from land.

Balance the boat ride with two land stops earlier in the day: Saheliyon ki Bari, a small formal garden built for the ladies of the royal court, and the Bagore ki Haveli puppet show in the evening, a genuinely good half-hour of traditional Rajasthani puppetry, not a tourist filler.

Day three: one day trip, or a slow finish

With a third day, most guests choose one of two directions.

• Kumbhalgarh Fort, roughly two hours north, the second-longest fortified wall in the world after the Great Wall of China, and a genuinely different mood from Udaipur's lake-city calm.

• A slow morning in the old city's shopping lanes, followed by a late checkout, for guests who would rather leave Udaipur rested than add another long drive.

Either works. The first suits travellers connecting onward toward Jodhpur; the second suits anyone treating Udaipur as the trip's finishing point.

Shopping worth setting time aside for

Udaipur's old city lanes are one of Rajasthan's better places to buy craft rather than souvenirs. Miniature paintings in the Mewar style, block-printed textiles and silver jewellery are all made and sold within a few minutes' walk of the City Palace gate, often by the same families across generations. Prices are negotiable but not aggressively so — treat the first quoted price as a starting point, not an insult.

Getting to Udaipur

Udaipur's airport connects directly to Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur, which makes it a realistic flight in and out rather than only a drive-through stop. Most Rajasthan circuits still arrive by road from Jodhpur (roughly five to six hours) as the last leg of the desert route, then fly out of Udaipur rather than backtrack.

Where to stay

Taj Lake Palace, the white marble palace floating in the middle of Lake Pichola, is Udaipur's signature stay and worth it at least once. Jagat Niwas Palace, a converted lakefront haveli in the old city, is a warmer, less formal alternative with nearly the same view for a fraction of the walk to everything above.

How this fits a longer Rajasthan trip

Udaipur usually comes last in a Rajasthan route, after the desert cities. If you are still deciding what order to see Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur in, our guide to sequencing your first Rajasthan trip covers that directly. For a built itinerary that gives Udaipur two full days rather than a rushed one, see Rajasthan Palaces & Lakes or the longer Rajasthan Desert Forts & Lakes Grand Tour.

For couples, our Rajasthan Romantic Honeymoon package is built around exactly this stretch of the trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is three days enough for Udaipur?

Yes, for a proper visit without rushing. Two days covers the essentials; the third is what makes the trip feel unhurried rather than ticked off.

What is the best time of year to visit?

October to March, for cooler days and clear lake views. Summer (April–June) is hot enough that boat rides and open-air sightseeing are best kept to early morning.

Is the Lake Pichola boat ride worth it?

Yes — it is the only way to see the City Palace's full lakefront facade, and the only angle that makes sense of why Udaipur is called the City of Lakes.

What's the best day trip from Udaipur?

Kumbhalgarh Fort, if you have a full day to give it. It pairs history with a genuinely different landscape from the lake city itself.

Plan your stay

Browse the Rajasthan destination page for full route options, or start with the Rajasthan Royal Heritage package. To build a slower Udaipur stop into your own trip, talk to a trip designer.