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Mehrangarh Fort on its rock above the old city of Jodhpur in evening light

Sample journey · 13–16 days

Rajasthan, palace by palace

Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Bundi, Jodhpur & Udaipur

Photo: Vishal Gehlot / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Rajasthan rewards a slow pace: a morning in the shade of a stepwell while the air is still cool, an afternoon in a bazaar among textiles and spice, an evening on a palace rooftop as the call to prayer and temple bells drift across the city. Each city has its own colour — pink Jaipur, blue Jodhpur, white Udaipur — and its own stories of princes, merchants and craftspeople.

This sample route runs south-west from Delhi, stopping in the forests of Ranthambore and little Bundi on the way, and ends by the lakes of Udaipur. Drives are arranged so that longer travel days alternate with quieter ones, and nights in havelis and palaces become part of the journey itself. Treat it as a starting point: it could be shortened, slowed down or extended into the desert.

The route

The journey

  1. Delhi
  2. Jaipur
  3. Ranthambore
  4. Bundi
  5. Jodhpur
  6. Udaipur
  1. The rooftops of Old Delhi seen from the Jama Masjid

    01Days 1–2 · Delhi

    Two capitals in one

    After the flight, a quiet evening and rest. The next morning, before the streets fill, Old Delhi: the courtyard of the Jama Masjid, a rickshaw through Chandni Chowk and spice warehouses fragrant with cardamom and dried chilli. The afternoon belongs to more spacious New Delhi — perhaps the gardens of Humayun's Tomb, often described as a forerunner of the Taj Mahal.

  2. The symmetrical steps of the Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell at Amer, near Jaipur

    02Days 3–5 · Jaipur

    The pink city and its bazaars

    A drive of about five hours to Jaipur. Amber Fort is best visited early in the morning, and nearby is Panna Meena ka Kund, a stepwell whose staircases form an almost geometric pattern. In the old city: the façade of the Palace of the Winds, the Jantar Mantar observatory and bazaars selling block-printed textiles, silver and blue pottery. An evening could be spent in a local kitchen or walking the craft quarters with a guide.

  3. Early sun through the trees over a dirt track in Ranthambore National Park

    03Days 6–7 · Ranthambore

    A forest where tigers live

    Three to four hours south-east, and the landscape changes: dry deciduous forest, small lakes and the old Ranthambore fort on its hill. Safaris run by open jeep in the morning and afternoon, in set zones of the park. Tigers live here, but no one can promise a sighting, and even without one, the forest at dawn, full of deer, peacocks and birdlife, has a rare stillness. This stop can be left out if wildlife isn't a priority.

  4. A lake in Bundi, with old-town houses and the palace on the hillside

    04Days 8–9 · Bundi

    The small town with painted rooms

    About three hours by road to Bundi, a small town many travellers pass by. Above the old town rises a palace whose rooms are covered in centuries-old murals, and the lanes hide stepwells as fine as their better-known cousins. The pace here is slower: a market in the morning, a walk by the lake in the afternoon, tea on a rooftop terrace in the evening.

  5. The tightly packed blue houses of Jodhpur's old city

    05Days 10–12 · Jodhpur

    A blue city beneath the fort walls

    The longest day of the journey heads west towards the edge of the desert, easily broken with lunch in Pushkar or Ajmer. In Jodhpur, Mehrangarh dominates everything: a fort that seems to grow straight out of the rock, with a museum, courtyards and views over the blue houses of the old city. Below are the clock-tower market, spice shops and narrow lanes best walked with a local guide. There's time to rest, too, especially if you're staying in a haveli with a courtyard.

  6. A boat on Lake Pichola in the evening light, Udaipur

    06Days 13–15 · Udaipur

    A city of lakes to end with

    On the way to Udaipur, the Jain temple at Ranakpur, whose marble halls are said to hold no two identical pillars. In Udaipur: the City Palace, old-town lanes with miniature painters' workshops and a boat on Lake Pichola at sunset. The last day could be entirely free — by the pool, with a book or at a cooking class. From Udaipur you fly home via Delhi or Mumbai.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    The stepwells

    Panna Meena ka Kund near Amer and the stepwells of Bundi: architecture born of the need to store water.

  2. 02

    Mehrangarh

    One of India's most striking forts and one of its finest palace museums, looking over the blue city.

  3. 03

    A morning in Ranthambore's forest

    An open-jeep safari among old ruins and lakes — no promises, but a forest full of life.

  4. 04

    Nights in havelis and palaces

    From small family-run havelis to grand palaces: places to stay with a story and character of their own.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • Shorter

    In 13 days, choose between Ranthambore and Bundi, or drive straight from Jaipur to Jodhpur for a calmer rhythm.

  • Into the desert

    From Jodhpur, add Jaisalmer and a night at a camp in the Thar Desert dunes; this adds three or four days.

  • With the Taj Mahal

    Begin with Agra, by train from Delhi, then drive on to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri.

  • Even slower

    Two nights at a rural haveli or palace between cities, with days for horse riding, village walks and rest.

Practical considerations

  • The most comfortable months are usually October to March; April to June is hot, and July to September brings monsoon rain.
  • Distances are considerable, so most travellers use a private driver; driving days range from about three to six hours.
  • Ranthambore safaris run in zones and time slots set by the park, with limited places, so they're worth planning ahead.
  • Temples and mosques expect covered shoulders and knees, and shoes usually come off at the door.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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