Welcome to Jodhpur! One of the most intriguing cities in all of Rajasthan and where the true soul of India comes to live.
Imagine blue houses as far as the eye can see and an impressive fort perched on top of a hill overlooking the entire city. That’s Jodhpur, also known as the Blue City of India, thrown together in just one sentence.
But you might have guessed… It’s absolutely impossible to fathom Jodhpur in just 1 tiny sentence. There are so many awesome and unique things to do in and around the Blue City that you’ll have a hard time choosing between all of these activities.
If there’s one thing you have to do it’s to get lost in the maze of blue streets in the old city and just let yourself get swept away by all of the commotion.
IF YOU’RE PLANNING A TRIP TO RAJASTHAN YOU’LL WANT TO CHECK MY 2 WEEKS RAJASTHAN ITINERARY INCLUDING 31 OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO VISIT IN THIS STATE.
Unique Things To Do in Jodhpur, The Blue City of India
Jodhpur is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and historically it used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Marwar.
It’s often called the gateway to the Thar desert since it’s literally located at the edge of the Thar desert.
Jodhpur is one of the most enchanting cities of Rajasthan, with its mighty Mehrangarh fort overlooking the city. However, the magic lies in the old city itself with hundreds of shops, guesthouses, eating joints and vendors make it a chirpy bustling city, especially near the landmark clock tower and Sardar Market.
How to reach Jodhpur
Jodhpur is conveniently located in the centre of Rajasthan and can be reached by different forms of public transportation.
BY AIR
Jodhpur has its very own domestic airport which is only 5km away from the city. The nearest international airport is New Delhi but there are also several national airports that fly to Jodhpur such as Udaipur.
BY TRAIN
Jodhpur is well connected by railroad and traveling by train is undoubtedly the cheapest and most affordable option for commuting till Jodhpur. Do know that from Delhi it takes around 11 hours to reach the Blue City. The better option is to first spend a couple of days in Udaipur. From there it’s only a 5 hour commute.
BY CAR
All roads in Jodhpur have been well-constructed and connected and for instance from Udaipur it’s only a 4 hour drive! And afterwards you can even drive up to Jaisalmer to experience the Golden City for yourself.
Why you should visit Jodhpur
Jodhpur is famous for the distinctive colour of its buildings, a reminder of the Brahmins, who used to paint their houses blue to deter insects and keep the dwellings cool during the scorching hot summer months.
But it’s not just the colours of the houses or the majestic fort overlooking the city that draws in so many people. It’s the experience of the bustling heart of the old city where you can catch a glimpse of the real India and where you’ll find a maze of ancient alleys filled with local traders selling their handcrafts.
When is the best time to visit Jodhpur
As i’ve said before there are 3 main seasons in India: there’s the dry and sunny winter, the scorching hot summer and monsoon season. It’s safe to say the first one is the preferred choice for traveling through Rajasthan.
I can know, I traveled through Rajasthan in the middle of May, and even that I am still alive to tell the tale, there were soooo many moments where I simply couldn’t move from the heat. I had to cool off in air conditioned rooms and was only able to explore the cities in the early morning.
It would be shame to mis out on so many exploring options dimply because of weather circumstances.
From October until March is the ideal time to visit Jodhpur and to travel around Rajasthan. Do know that while during the day you’ll be able to enjoy temperatures up to 25°C it does get rather cold in the evening so make sure to bring layers with you.
Where to stay in Jodhpur
LUXURY TRIP
- Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur – One of the largest royal residences in the world, the golden-yellow sandstone Umaid Bhawan Palace is a monument to Jodhpur’s gallantry and romance. Oh and this is also where Priyanka Chopra married Nick Jonas!
- RAAS Jodhpur – The very first boutique hotel in Jodhpur with a rooftop pool overlooking the Mehrangarh fort.
- The Ajit Bhawan – A Palace Resort – One of the most known and iconic heritage hotels in the world.
BUDGET TRIP
- Krishna Prakash Heritage Haveli – Standing at the foot of the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, KP Haveli, is an authentic heritage haveli, lovingly restored, to serve as a comfortable oasis for travellers.
- Ratan Vilas – Ratan Vilas Jodhpur, a heritage hotel today, was once the private home of Maharaj Ratan Singh.
- The Arch Boutique Home stay – A beautiful heritage property run by a local family.
8 Awesome Things To Do in Jodhpur
1. Mehrangarh fort
Mehrangarh fort is one of the largest forts in India and one of the top things to do when visiting Jodhpur. The majestic fort is perched on top of a hill about 125 meter above the city and inside of its walls there are several palaces.
From the city you can easily reach the fort on foot by hiking up the winding road and if you look closely you can still see the impact of former wars when cannonballs were fired by the attacking armies of Jaipur. Before you enter through the many gates you’ll be greeted by several local musician’s playing traditional folk music.
Besides palaces there are also two temples and a museum located in the fort.
- Opening hours – Every day from 9am to 5pm
- Entrance fee – INR 400
- Duration – 2 hours
RAJASTHAN IS FILLED WITH STUNNING FORTS & PALACES AND I WROTE A DETAILED GUIDE WITH TONS OF PHOTOS & DETAILS – THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FORTS & PALACES IN RAJASTHAN
2. Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum
The Umaid Bhavan Palace is an architectural marvel located next to the blue city of Jodhpur and it’s one of the most beautiful places to visit.
So what you have to know is that this palace is one of the largest private residences and it’s divided into three functional parts: the residence of the royal family on one hand and part of it is owned by the Taj group and transformed into a hotel. It’s not possible to visit this part of the palace unless you’re staying there but another part has been converted into a museum which is of course available to visit.
If you’re visiting the museum make sure not to miss the Maharaja’s vintage car collection which is displayed in front of the entrance.
- Opening hours – Every day from 10am until 4.30pm
- Entrance fee – INR 100
- Duration – 1 to 2 hours
3. Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada is also known as the Taj Mahal of Mewar and a visit to this marble marvel is one of the best things to do during your stay in Jodhpur.
This beautiful mausoleum is one of those monuments that you absolutely can’t miss while visiting the Blue City. I mean look at the view you get over the Mehrangarh fort in the back.
- Opening hours – 9am until 5pm
- Entrance fee – INR 30 and a camera fee of INR 15
- Duration – 1 hour
4. Chanta Gar
Chanta Ghar, also known as the clocktower of Rajasthan, is one of those iconic places in Jodhpur that you simply have to see for yourself.
You can find this iconic landmark in the heart of the Blue City on the Sardar Market. It’s here that you’ll enter the old center and narrow, winding lanes spread out from here in all directions.
- Opening hours – 24/7
- Entrance fee – Free
- Duration – 30 minutes
5. Discover The Blue City
Jodhpur was made for long afternoon strolls and there’s no better place to do so than the old city center. The houses here are coloured in 50 different shades of blue and you’ll discover one hidden gem right after the other!
- Opening hours – 24/7
- Entrance fee – Free
- Duration – 1 to 2 hours
6. Ranisar Lake
The Ranisar Lake can be found behind the Mehrangarh fort and is a favourite with the locals to go for a swim. It’s the perfect place to go for a little hike in the early morning and at this time you’ll also be able to see the fort beautifully reflected in the water.
Visiting Ranisar Lake is one of the top things to do in Jodhpur but try to avoid it during the weekends. Like I said before it’s a very popular location with the locals and can get extremely crowded during those days.
- Opening hours – 24/7
- Entrance fee – Free
- Duration – 1 to 2 hours
7. Mandore Gardens
The Mandore Gardens are located in the town of Mandore which is only 9km from Jodhpur. Visiting these gardens is one of the most unique things to do in Jodhpur since it’s overlooked by a lot of tourists. Most people tend to stay within the Blue City and don’t venture much out of it.
But this beautiful garden is definitely worth the short day trip! Besides the beautiful and colourful flora there are also richly decorated cenotaphs in pristine condition.
- Opening hours – Every day from 8am until 8pm
- Entrance fee – INR 100
- Duration – 1 to 2 hours
8. Chand Baori
Chand Baori is one of the ancient step-wells in India that you simply have to see for yourself! And while the Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell is one of the top things to do in Jaipur, this one in Abhaneri is on an entire other level!
With its 13 floors it’s the largest and deepest stepwell in entire India and the narrow steps on the sides of the well are built in a unique pattern with the utmost precision to form a maze-like structure.
Chand Baori really is a hidden gem located near Jodhpur and one of the most beautiful places to visit in Rajasthan!
- Opening hours – Every day from 8am to 6pm
- Entrance fee – INR 40
- Duration – 1 hour
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Charlotte Lint is the founder of Charlies Wanderings.
Charlotte has traveled all over the world and is based in Belgium where she also owns her very own dental practice.
She is an expert on writing efficient travel guides and finding unique places to stay.
Every month she helps over 134.000 people discover the most beautiful places in the world through her detailed travel guides.
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