Udaipur
Lakes, palaces and the slowest days in Rajasthan
Maharana Udai Singh II founded Udaipur in 1559 as the new capital of Mewar, after the Mughal siege of Chittorgarh. His descendants built the City Palace along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola over the next three centuries, and added palaces on the lake's islands. The Mewar dynasty is among the oldest ruling lines in the world, and its history is everywhere in the city.
Udaipur is smaller and quieter than Jaipur, set among the green Aravalli hills at about 600 m. Its old city slopes down to the ghats on Lake Pichola, and a ring of lakes, from Fateh Sagar to Udai Sagar, gives the city its light. Evenings are for the water: the sunset boat, a drink on a rooftop facing the palace, and the lights coming on across the lake.
We give Udaipur three nights, and four for honeymooners. One day for the City Palace and old city, one for a boat, painting and the Monsoon Palace at sunset, and one for an excursion to Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur, Chittorgarh, or the temples of Eklingji and Nagda. The monsoon is beautiful here: from August to October, in a good rain year, the lakes are full and the hills green.
Highlights
What Udaipur does best
A complex of palaces built over about 300 years along Lake Pichola, with courtyards, mirrored rooms, peacock mosaics and views down to the water. Part is a museum, part remains with the Mewar royal family, and part is hotels.
A private boat in the last hour before sunset passes the ghats, the Lake Palace and Jag Mandir, then turns back to watch the City Palace turn gold. It is the single most requested hour in our Rajasthan journeys.
The 18th-century summer palace covers its own island and is reached only by boat. Even one night changes how you see the city, which becomes the view rather than the place you are staying in.
Udaipur is a centre of Mewar miniature painting, with squirrel-hair brushes and mineral pigments. A private session with a painter in his studio shows the patience behind the work sold in every shop.
Sajjangarh, built in the 1880s on a hill west of the city, looks over the lakes and the Aravalli. Drive up in the late afternoon for the widest view of Udaipur and the country around it.
Experiences
Four hours to plan around
Getting there
How to reach Udaipur
Maharana Pratap Airport (UDR) is about 22 km east, 35–40 minutes by car. Direct flights connect Udaipur with Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bengaluru and other cities. The Jaipur–Udaipur flight takes about an hour and saves a long day on the road. Check current status before you travel.
Udaipur City station has trains to Jaipur, Delhi and Ahmedabad, including day and overnight services. Jaipur to Udaipur takes around 6–8 hours depending on the train. We use rail here only for guests who prefer it to flying.
Jodhpur is about 250 km, 5 hours direct or 6 hours via the Ranakpur Jain temple. Jawai is about 145 km, 3 hours. Kumbhalgarh is 85 km, 2 hours, and Chittorgarh 115 km, 2 hours. Jaipur is about 395 km, 6.5 hours.
Where to stay
Rooms we book
Choose the Taj Lake Palace for history on the water, and The Oberoi Udaivilas for space, pools and privacy on the eastern shore. Many of our guests split their nights between the two. The Leela Palace Udaipur, also on Lake Pichola, is a strong alternative with large rooms. Inside the City Palace complex, Shiv Niwas Palace and Fateh Prakash Palace offer royal rooms with lake views. Raffles Udaipur sits on its own island in Udai Sagar, about 20 minutes east, for guests who want seclusion.
An 18th-century white marble palace that covers its own island in Lake Pichola, reached only by boat. Built as a royal summer retreat and run by …
A palace-style resort on the eastern shore of Lake Pichola, with domed pavilions, courtyards, gardens and rooms opening onto shared or semi-private pools. It faces the …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginFrom our planners
Five things to know
- Book the sunset boat for the last hour before sunset; the light on the City Palace is best in the final 20 minutes
- Visit the City Palace at opening, when the courtyards are quiet and the light is soft
- Lake levels depend on the monsoon; boat routes can be shorter in dry years, so check current status before you travel
- Leave a full day for Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur if you are not staying there
- Udaipur is the best city in Rajasthan for a slow day; keep one afternoon empty
Questions travellers ask
Questions about Udaipur
How many days do you need in Udaipur
Three nights is right for most journeys: one day for the City Palace and the old city, one for a boat, miniature painting and the Monsoon Palace, and one for Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur or Chittorgarh. Honeymooners often stay four nights to split time between the Lake Palace and Udaivilas.
What is the best time to visit Udaipur
September to March. Days are 24–30 °C in winter and nights cool. August to October is beautiful after a good monsoon, with full lakes and green hills. April to June is hot, around 38–40 °C, but the lakeside hotels stay comfortable.
Which is the best hotel in Udaipur
The Taj Lake Palace for a palace on its own island, and The Oberoi Udaivilas for space, pools and privacy on the lake shore. The Leela Palace Udaipur is a strong third. Inside the City Palace, Shiv Niwas and Fateh Prakash give royal rooms with lake views.
Is Udaipur good for a honeymoon
It is the best city in India for one. Lake views, boat rides at sunset, palace hotels and quiet evenings make it the natural centre of a Rajasthan honeymoon. We often add two nights at SUJÁN Jawai for leopards and a different kind of privacy.
How far is Udaipur from Jaipur
About 395 km, 6.5 hours by car, or about one hour by direct flight. We usually fly to save a day, unless guests want to break the drive at Pushkar or Deogarh, which turns the journey into two pleasant shorter days.
Why is Udaipur called the city of lakes
Because it is built around a series of linked artificial lakes, including Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Swaroop Sagar and Udai Sagar, created by the rulers of Mewar from the 14th century onward to hold the monsoon rains in a dry region.
What day trips can you take from Udaipur
Kumbhalgarh Fort and the Ranakpur Jain temple (a full day, about 85 km each way to Kumbhalgarh), Chittorgarh Fort (115 km, 2 hours), the Eklingji and Nagda temples (22 km), and Nathdwara for the Shrinathji temple and pichhwai painters (48 km).
Was Octopussy filmed in Udaipur
Yes. The 1983 James Bond film Octopussy was shot partly in Udaipur, including at the Lake Palace, the Shiv Niwas Palace and the Monsoon Palace. Some old city restaurants still screen the film each evening. If you are a fan, the sunset boat passes the Lake Palace and Shiv Niwas, and the Monsoon Palace makes a separate sunset drive. Screening schedules change, so check current status before you travel.
Is Udaipur worth visiting in the monsoon
Yes, especially from August to October. The hills turn green, the lakes fill in a good rain year and hotel rates fall. Expect showers and humid days around 30 °C. It is our favourite time for repeat visitors. The sunset boat is at its best when the lake is high. Lake levels and boat operations depend on the rains, so check current status before you travel.
Journeys
Routes that stop in Udaipur
Nearby
Pair it with
A mountain fort, its great wall and the Ranakpur temple
Leopards on granite hills among herders and temples
The great fort of Mewar and its stories of siege
A hilltop palace, a mountain railway and rural Mewar
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. Begin