Eighteen days in Rajasthan and we still didn't get to do everything we wanted to do. The long distances between places and endless interesting towns and villages are overwhelming. You have to strategically pick and choose. After being in so many African deserts, we opted to skip Jaisalmer and Khuri.
Here are our favorites:
Jaipur - Amber Fort, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Kripal Kumbh Pottery Studio and Anokhi
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| Jai Singh's magnificent Amber Fort and Palace |
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| View from the fort |
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| The Pink City |
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| City Palace with Chandra Mahal |
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Astronomical tools at Jantar Mantar
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In the kiln
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| The famous Jaipur blue pottery |
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New bathroom tiles?
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Makrana- Marble mines
Udaipur - Lake Pichola and City Palace
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| My favorite room in the palace by artist Bakhta and Chokha |
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| Detail of mirror inlay work |
Jodhpur - Mehrangarh Fort (best audio tour!) and Sadar Bazaar
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| View from our hotel |
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| Relax with some opium |
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| Guardian angels in the cradle room |
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| A lovely collection of palanquins - this peacock one, my favorite |
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| View of the blue city |
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| New camel slippers (with little bells!) from local artisans |
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| Best samosa, right outside Sadar Bazaar | |
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| Makhania lassi (saffron) - thick, creamy treat |
Bikaner - Junagarh Fort, Old Town with havelis and Jain Temple
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| Faience windows |
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| Palace bedroom! |
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| Akbar, our guide and tuk-tuk driver |
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| Havelis, havelis, havelis left vacant |
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| Where we didn't stay... |
Shekawati area (Mandawa and Nawalgarh): opulent havelis, havelis, havelis with fresco-ed interiors and exteriors
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| The well preserved Podar Haveli |
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| Festival scenes |
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| Some in worse shape than others |
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| Enjoying some chai |
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| Kites, a popular past time |
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| Rock star Barbie tuk-tuk |
Places we would stay on a return trip to Rajasthan:
(All prices are approximate and for double rooms unless indicated)
Bharatpur
Laxmi Vilas Palace (Rs5000 for a suite) breakfast, A/C, fan, large, comfortable suites are off the courtyard, food could be better, immaculate swimming pool, spa, found it a bit overpriced but good location if you want to check out the birds at Keoladeo National Park nearby.
Jaipur
Rajasthan Palace Hotel: (Rs2200) breakfast, A/C, fan, comfortable beds, modern and clean bathrooms, wedding central at the neighboring hotels (we witnessed one every night we stayed there), Wi-Fi for extra charge.
Roopangarh
Chittorgarh
Pratap Palace Hotel (Rs2500) breakfast, A/C, fan, comfortable rooms, good restaurant with a garden, ask for one with the fort view (we had 307), free Wi-Fi.
Udaipur
Mewar Haveli (Rs1900) breakfast, A/C, fan, small rooms but well decorated with colorful block print curtains and matching bed spreads, rooftop restaurant with great views of Lake Pichola, in Lal Ghat area, walking distance to City Palace, restaurants and shops, free Wi-Fi.
Jodhpur
Krishna Prakash Heritage Haveli or KP Haveli (Rs 2200) breakfast, A/C, fan, make sure you check out a few rooms, some are better than others (we had rm 122), you are right under Mehrangarh Fort and within walking distance to it, situated in (polluted!) old town, swimming pool, walking distance to the clocktower/Sadar Bazaar and many restaurants and shops, Gucci internet cafe with Wi-Fi across the street.
Bikaner
Hotel Harasar Haveli (Rs2500) breakfast, A/C, fan, in an old haveli, large rooms, modern and super clean bathrooms (we had room 2), rooftop and courtyard restaurant with good food, popular with travelers, use of internet for free.
Nawalgarh (in Shekawati area)
Apani Dhani (Rs1350) eco-lodge right at the edge of town, huts with thatched roofs, window sitting area, solar powered lights and hot water for showers, more like a homestay than a hotel, meals not included (breakfast Rs175, lunch/dinner Rs350) but vegetarian, organic and mostly grown on their own farm, many activities offered such as cooking classes,
bangle making, and a tie-and-dye fabric workshop, can purchase map (R50) for a tour of Nawalgarh's fresco-ed havelis, also offer tours of the Shekawati area, good base for the area, would definitely stop here for at least 3 days.
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