Jaipur is a demanding yet captivating tourist destination that is full of extremes, from opulent and lavish palaces through to grinding daily poverty.

To get the most from this chaotic city a well-planned itinerary is highly recommended and this guide will provide a suggested itinerary for 2 days in Jaipur.

The view over Jaipur

The suggested tour is designed for independent visitors and will indicate what is achievable within the two day time frame. A two day stay in Jaipur is often sufficient to visit all of the major tourist sights and activities that the city has to offer.

The Jaipur 2 day itinerary is divided into two distinct parts; the first section includes the sights of the historic centre while the second part covers the tourist attractions outside the city limits. The second section is suggested for the second day and requires an auto rickshaw or taxi to be hired for the whole day. This is a suggested tour which all independent visitors can easily organise.

Brief overview of the tour:

Day 1: Central Jaipur - City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Palace of Winds and watch the sunset at the Sun Temple.

Day 2: Around Jaipur - Amer fort, Water Palace and the Monkey Temple.

An Auto Rickshaw is required for the second day

The morning focuses on the grand City Palace, which is the official residence of the Maharajah of Jaipur. The palace is centrally located and takes around 2 hours to fully explore all the staterooms, museums and art exhibitions. Highlights of the city palace include; The highly decorative Peacock Gate, the massive silver vessels in the Diwan-I-Khas and the armory, with its collection of gruesome and opulent weapons spanning the history of Jaipur.

The City Palace of Jaipur

The afternoon explores the pink city, the historic center of Jaipur and the area surrounding the City Palace. This is busy, hectic and chaotic Jaipur, expect to be hassled by touts, chocked by pollution and worn down by the heat but there are some great monuments. If all the hassle gets too much head to Jantar Mantar for a moments peace and calm. The afternoon concludes by watching the sunset at the sun temple.

The pink city walls

Highlights of the afternoon walk include.

• The stunning Hawa Mahal, (Palace of Winds) - where the Maharajah’s wives would spy on daily life of Jaipur hidden by the lattice work screens.
• The Jantar Mantar astronomical observation instruments.
• The pink city gates and walls.
• The busy atmosphere of central Jaipur’s markets and shops.
• Watch the sunset over Jaipur from the sun temple

Jantar Mantar

The second day is spent visiting the sights and magnificent forts around Jaipur. For this day an auto rickshaw (450-500Rs) or taxi (600-700Rs) needs to be hired and an early start is required to guarantee a ride on an elephant at the Amer fort. Please note that this is one busy day of sightseeing.

The morning is spent at the Amer fort, which lies 7km to the north of Jaipur. This mighty fort combines massive defenses with delicate artistic details and is often a highlight to Jaipur. The fort stands at the top of a high ridge and elephants transport visitors up to the main courtyard.

The stunning Amber Fort

The road to the Amer fort passes the Jal Mahal, which is one of the most photographed buildings in Jaipur. The palace appears to float in the center of Lake Mansagar and this stunning building was once the shooting lodge of the Maharajah.

The Jal Mahal

The afternoon is split equally between the Galta Ji temple and the Nahargarh Fort. The Galit Ji temple is commonly known as the monkey temple and is a series of structures that are set around a natural spring and are home to around 100 monkeys. Nahargarh Fort is the fortified castle that once protected the whole of Jaipur, this a great location to watch sun set.

A Jaipur monkey at the temple

Jaipur India Holiday Travel Guide