Rajasthan Travel- Rajasthan is not a state but an experience to remember for a lifetime & this is what happened to me when I did 7 days of travel to Rajasthan. From pink city Jaipur to the vast desert of Jaisalmer.
Here I am trying to document my travel experience of Rajasthan through the below article. However, you will need a good time to experience the complete essence of Rajasthan & its diverse and unique culture.
WHY I CHOSE RAJASTHAN?
The state of Rajasthan is the land of magnificence and stunning architecture, festivals and Dances, Famous wildlife National Parks and Sanctuaries, Cultural richness, traditions, cuisine, and of course the Mighty Thar Desert which makes it one of the favorite destinations both among domestic and foreign tourists.
MY RAJASTHAN ITINERARY FOR 7 DAYS
Rajasthan is indeed so amazing with so many things to see and explore. In this blog, I will share my Rajasthan itinerary for 7 days by public transport, as this is one of the cheapest and the best ways to explore all the Royal State of Rajasthan.
Day 1: JODHPUR CITY – THE BLUE CITY
Commonly known as the Blue City of India, as most houses in the city are shades of blue. I booked my tickets in the Rajasthan S. Kranti Express train from Delhi to Jodhpur. It was an almost 10-hour’ journey which cost me around Rs 370. I reached Jodhpur at 8 in the morning. It was a hot sunny day with the temperature around 38 degrees which was fine for me as I am from Delhi and I have already experienced around 44 degrees, and I am habitual of it.
I was so excited about the city that the temperature and all other things hardly bothered me. All I wanted to do was to explore the city. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination of India is visited by many Indian and foreign tourists, and because of this, you can easily find cheap accommodation.
I stayed at Blue Haven hostel which is near the Mehrangarh Fort. This hostel offers four bed AC dorm with some essential amenities like free WiFi, security lockers, clean linen for just Rs 350/day which is more than enough for a budget traveler at this price. You can also check CrashPad jodhpur hostel (where dorm starts at 300/-) for your nice and budget stay.
Here are some major spots where I went during my visit to this beautiful blue city of India.
MEHRANGARH FORT
Mehrangarh Fort: Built in 1459 by Rao Jodha, the fort is one of the largest, magnificent, and best-preserved forts of India. It was built on rocky hills 120 meters above the city.
The walls of the fort are up to 36 meters high and up to 31 meters wide towering above the plains. The fort is now turned into a museum that has some magnificent collections of Maharaja’s memorabilia.
The Mehrangarh fort also has some beautiful halls – The Sheesh (Mirror) Mahal – which is Maharaja Ajit Singh Bedchamber decorated with Mirror work and Phool (Flower) Mahal – A grand and highly ornamented reception room.
UMAID BHAWAN PALACE
Umaid Bhawan Palace: This is the last and newly built palace of sandstone and marble on sprawling grounds of 26 acres. The royal residence is perched high above the Blue City of Rajasthan. Palace was named after the Maharaja Umaid Singh. Just like other forts, this palace is also converted into a museum and a hotel.
Except for the magnificent architecture designed by Henry Lanchester and the royal vintage car collection, there is nothing much to see inside the palace.
Jodhpur is a big city with many tourist spots. It will take around 3-4 days to cover all of them. I was in Jodhpur for just one day in which I tried to cover most of the city.
Day 2: OSIYAN – GATEWAY TO THAR
“Be a foreigner or be an Asian, the place to be in is Osiyan”
Commonly known as the Gateway to Thar as it is literally on the edge of the Thar desert. A small town with a population of a few thousand in the Thar desert. This town holds some hidden and beautiful unexplored destinations.
The place is well known for its desert safari, camping, and wildlife sightseeing. If you want to experience ancient desert village life, this is the right place for you. This town is very well connected by rail and roads. The distance between Jodhpur and Osiyan is 70 km. There are plenty of local buses and trains by which you can quickly reach this town.
I traveled via bus. Monsoon is the season when you won’t find any tourists visiting this town so is the best for budget travelers. Desert safari is expensive in this area, but when I reached there, plenty of Jeep owners were ready to offer a ride at whatever rate I propose to them. I gave them Rs 500 for both camel and Jeep safari.
Day 3: PUSHKAR – THE THIRTA RAJ
This place is commonly known as the Thirtha Raj which means the king of pilgrim site. Pushkar is also famous for the Pushkar Lake, which has 52 ghats. Pilgrims from across the country visit the lake to take a dip in its holy water.
The streets of the city are full of joy, vibrancy, culture, and warmth which makes it very special. The main attraction of this city is the world-famous Pushkar Camel fair which is held every year in the months of October and November.
Pushkar is about 185 km from Jodhpur, and it took around 4 hours to reach Jodhpur. Rajasthan state transport buses are the best means of travel across the cities; the rich, comfortable features will make you feel wow. The bus journey is simply going to add a lot of unbelievable beautiful memories to your trip. I would highly recommend to everyone to use the Local bus service.
ABOUT PUSHKAR
Just like other cities in Rajasthan Pushkar too has a lot of places to visit – Pushkar Lake, Brahma Temple, Savitri Temple, Varsha Temple, Man Mahal. All the major hotels and homestays are located nearby the lake. I arrived at 11 PM at Pushkar, and fortunately, I could find a good homestay near the lake which was good. They charged me around Rs 500 per night including half board.
Just like Ganga the sacred river, Pushkar Lake (Sarovar) is also considered the holy and sacred lake for Hindus in India. This lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats and over 400 temples and is indeed a magnificent sight to behold. The Sacred water of this lake is believed to wash all your sins away. No pilgrimage is complete without a dip in the holy lake.
SAVITRI DEVI TEMPLE
Savitri Devi Temple: Located on the top of the Ratnagiri hill, the temple is dedicated to Lord Bharma’s first wife, Savitri Devi. The temple gives you the best aerial view of the holy town of Pushkar.
There are two ways to reach this temple – either you need to trek 650 steps for about an hour to get to the top of Ratnagiri Hill, or you can use the cable car which is around Rs 100 per person. The temple is peaceful, and the ridge behind it is a great place to sit and take a panoramic view of the town.
Bhrama Temple: In almost more than 500 temples of Pushkar, the most popular and significant is the Brahma temple which is among only a few temples existing in India and the world dedicated to Lord Bhrama.
Just like the holy lake the temple also holds a special place in the hearts of Indians. Although the temple structure dates as far back as the 14th century, it is generally believed to be 1000 years old.
DAY 4: JAIPUR- THE PINK CITY
Commonly known as the Pink city of India due to the distinctive pink color of its buildings, it lures visitors with its stunning remnants of a bygone era. Built by Sawai Jai Singh, this place was India’s first planned city. Jaipur is one of the major tourist destinations of India, and it is popular among Indian and foreign tourists.
As well as Jodhpur, this city is famous for its ancient forts and palaces and its beautiful architecture. The beautiful landscapes, spectacular flora and fauna, picturesque views altogether create a mesmerizing view of this place.
The city is filled with many attractions, and it would take at least one week to cover all the major destinations worth visiting. Some of the major destinations that I visited are Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Hawa Mahal & would recommend our popular post on Jaipur places to visit for further reading
AMBER FORT (AMER)
Amber Fort (Amer): One cannot miss Amber Fort when in Jaipur. One of the most sought-after tourist attractions. The Fort built of red sandstone is located on a steep slope, and the entrance road is stunning with a fantastic history, luxury, and gallantry throughout its’ history of various rulers.
Raja Man Singh started the construction of this fort in the 16th century, but it got completed in the 18th Century by Sawai Jai Singh. The view from the top is breathtaking as one can get a look even a few kilometers away.
It is easily accessible by foot as well as on elephants however I would suggest avoiding elephant rides because I don’t want animals to be tortured just for the fun of tourist. Therefore, please try to avoid it.
The fort has many sights to visit and captures a fantastic picture, but my favorite view is the Kesar Garden which I am sure will become your favorite as well once you visit this place.
Day 5: KEOLADEO NATIONAL PARK (BHARATPUR) –BIRDS PARADISE
Keoladeo National Park is in the Bharatpur city of Rajasthan. This national park is the UNESCO world heritage site that hosts thousands of migratory birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Serbia. Over 230 species of birds are known to be habitual here.
If you are a wildlife photographer, nature lover, ornithologist this is the right place for you. Carry as a big lens as you can. A pair of 8x or 10x binoculars and the dress code is camouflage colors to get close to birds without startling them.
Bharatpur sanctuary not being too far from Delhi (220 km), Jaipur (186 km), and Agra (58 km), makes it a perfect weekend destination from Delhi
BHARATPUR BIRD SANCTUARY ENTRY FEE
Entry ticket costs Rs 75 (Rs 20 for students and 500 for foreigners!) and a bicycle for 4 hours costs Rs 50. You need to deposit your ID to get a bicycle. You can also walk on foot or take a horse driven tonga or a rickshaw (Rs 150/hour). Rickshaw drivers recognize all birds that you are likely to see.
The best part is that this park is not so crowded compared to other national parks, so one needs not to make prior bookings for visiting this park. Also, you can easily find the cheap and best accommodation in the town.
CONCLUSION & ADVICE:
Overall my experience in Rajasthan was terrific. I planned for a week with just 7000 INR in my pocket and was able to manage. Usually, during the day I went out and explored the city, and at night I travelled.
Also, if I talk about the conditions of local state transport facilities, it is one of the best in this country. The state highways and expressways are safe too, and I didn’t face any challenges while I was travelling from one city to another.
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ABOUT RAJASTHANI CUISINE
My journey will be incomplete if I don’t mention the mouthwatering Rajasthani food in my blog. During my trip, I tried almost every Rajasthani dish starting from Daal Baati Churma to Jodhpuri Mirchi Pakoda.
All the meals were prepared with the highest quality and exciting taste. Rajasthani cuisine has garnered both national and international popularity among foodies. I highly recommend everyone to visit this beautiful state at least once.
Dear readers, I hope the blog post answered some of the questions about the Rajasthan travel guide. Do you still have a question? Feel free to comment or rate us by clicking the 5 stars.
Very informative Blog. I am too planning a trip to Rajasthan. It will surely help me
Very well described. The content will definitely help me on my trip to this place. Good job buddy!
That was a great article thank you so much.
Thanks Sharon, I am glad you liked it.
You missed Udaipur Jaisalmer and Mt. Abu without these 3 cities Rajasthan tour is incomplete. I have been to these cities they are beautiful. Why dont to visit these cities in this winter.
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