Unveiling Udaipur: 2-Day Travel Plan, Accommodation Tips, and Key Tourist Hotspots

Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”
― Anita Desai

Udaipur, the city of lakes had been on my list for a long time. I can’t exactly state the reason for my unusual fascination with the place. Perhaps, it’s the best alternative when you neither wanna visit mountains nor beaches and yet wanna savour both.

**Having read the statement above, look at this picture!**

How to visit: The place is well-connected by roadways, railways and airways. Udaipur City Railway Station (UDZ) is located within the city whereas Maharana Pratap Airport (UDR) is a bit far from the city (22 Km). The bus station is also located in the vicinity of the main city. Plan according to your convenience.

Duration: A minimum of 2 days. Else, you can work from there and explore a couple of places each day.

Best time to visit: Udaipur is no hill station. Prefer the onset of winter and its departure around Jan/Feb.

Stays: There are many hotels in Udaipur but finding a good one on budget is a challenging task. Moustache Hostel is a good option if you’re travelling solo. You can book a bed in the dormitory for 400-600/-. They also provide dedicated rooms. Try residing near Lake Pichola.

Key Places to Explore: Sahelion ki Bari, City Palace, Fateh Sagar Lake, Karni Mata Mandir, Vintage Car Museum, Bagore ki Haveli Museum, Jagdish Temple, Lake Pichola and Ghat such as Gangour Ghat, Ambrai Ghat, Shilpgram (within the city). Kumbalgarh Fort, Sajjangarh Monsoon Palace, Chittorgarh Fort (away from the city).

How to Explore: One can rent Scooties, available at nearly every shop for 300-400/-. Uber, Ola and Rapido options are also available. Local transport is also available.

Having fixed everything, let’s make most of the day 1!

Sahelion ki Bari

Entry fee: 10/- for Indian Nationals. 50/- for foreigners

Timing: 9 AM to 7 PM

This place is all about water. There are several fountains constructed all around the place. Even statues sprinkle water. Plants too. They are constructed in such a way that a stream of water keeps oozing from them, one or the other way. For instance, the statue of an elephant dispenses water through its mouth. A statue of a nymph sprinkles water through the pot she is carrying. It’s a very refreshing site to start your trip with.

2. Vintage Car Museum

Entry Fee: 400/- for Adults. 250/- for Children.

Timing: 9 AM to 9 PM

Though the entry fee is a bit high, for those who like to dive into the evolution of cars, this place is the best for them.

3. Gulab Bagh

Entry Fee: 25/- per person. 5/- for Zoo and 15/- for Camera

Timing: 8 AM- 6 PM

Situated in the proximity of the Vintage Car Museum, you can visit this place to soak yourself amidst nature and locate flora and fauna. A toy train runs inside the garden to take you around.

4. City Palace

Entry Fee: 400/- for Adults, 150/- for Students (on valid Identity card and not for PhDs). Parking Charges 50/-

Timing: 9 AM- 9 PM

Managed by a private entity, hence the price, this is the single place that’s going to consume most of your time and energy. The fort is the centre of almost everything- a shopping complex, museum, artefacts, eateries (don’t forget to eat dal- bati @ 150/-) etc. Exploring it in one go appears tiring due to the multiple museums stacked one after the other, which becomes tiring at times looking at the same thing i.e. Raja-Maharajao ke that bat, the armour they wore, the weapons they used and the rooms in which they resided. Nonetheless, I would suggest you to- Go slow and explore everything, cause you’re not coming the other day or time to spend another 400 bucks only on the entry fee.

The way to Jagmandir, situated amidst water can be reached from this fort via boat. At the reception, you’ll get the tickets that include complete packages.

5. Karni Mata Mandir

Entry fee: None. Rope Way: 110/- on both sides. Parking charges: 20/-

Timing: Preferable till 6 PM, since you’re here to view the sunset.

Situated on the top of the mountain, Karni Mata Temple is an abode of Goddess Kali. Though there is the option to trek up to the temple, if you’re short of time, ropeway can take you there in minutes. You can take a glimpse of the whole of Udaipur nestled amidst lakes and mountains. It’s unique because a mosque is also situated at some distance from the temple. This place has a couple of points from where Sunset can be relished to the fullest. A shopping complex and a restaurant are located up the mountain where you can make the most of your visit. If you wanna have a magnificent view of Udaipur, you can’t afford to miss the place.

Guess the spot from where the 1st picture of this blog was taken!

6. Lake Pichola and Ghats

It won’t be wrong if I say, “the beauty of Udaipur increases manyfold at night”. The reflection of several heritages drenched in lights in Lake Pichola, the aura of Ghats and the temples situated alongside it, the sound of music/lyrics of the concerts, the crowd in the narrow lanes and several shops alongside it, rooftop cafes etc make you feel as if you’re living your dream life. However, due to excessive commercialisation, you’ll feel that the city is losing its ethnicity slowly. It’s becoming like another metro city.

**Golden shouldn’t be associated only with Gold!**

The day formally ends here. You can visit several Ghats (Gangour is one of them), followed by shopping and dining. You can also opt for a boat ride in the lake.

Let’s start Day 2 with the blessing of Lord Jagannath.

7. Jagadish Temple

Entry Fee: None

Timing: 4 AM – 10 PM

Located in the vicinity of Gangour Ghat, this temple’s architecture is quite fascinating. One can participate in Morning Aarti here. Sit for some time in a corner of this temple and reflect on yourself. Recollect your thoughts. You’ll see that all your exasperation will disappear.

8. Bagore ki Haveli

Entry fee: 55/-

Timing: 9 AM- 5 PM

Dharohar Rajasthani Folk Dance Show: 7 PM to 8 PM @ 100/- for Indians

Basically a museum and situated a few metres from Gangour Ghat and Jagdish temple, it’s usually quiet when visited in the morning/afternoon hours. This place preserves several aspects of Rajasthani culture including the types of turban, utensils, musical instruments, armour, weapons, culture and tradition. You can enrich your knowledge by exploring different artefacts here. Moreover, you can have a morning glimpse of Lake Pichola from here.

9. Shilpgram

Entry fee: 30/-

Timing: 11 AM – 7 PM

Due to the scarcity of time, I couldn’t visit this place. You can get the requisite information from this website.

10. Fateh Sagar Lake

Entry fee: None

Famous for: Street food, boat ride, shopping, walking, bike/car ride

A concrete road extends alongside this lake where one can drive or walk. At several points, there are roadside stalls where one can halt. The place liberates you from the tiredness of the entire journey. It’s soothing to spend a few hours in the evening whether you’re solo or with someone.

These are the major places one can cover within the city. If you wanna see the places on the outskirts, you can refer to the info below. Also, check the repository below for additional information.