Udaipur Travel Guide

A desert kingdom tucked away in the midst of hills, an impregnable citadel, an impressive royal lineage stretching back 26 generations and a fierce sense of independence characterise the Udaipur city. Unlike its desert counterparts in Rajasthan, Udaipur is situated in the forested, hilly region of Aravalli Ranges in complete contrast to the arid deserts of Marwar in the northwest.

The kingdom of Mewar was ruled by the Sisodia dynasty for over 1200 years from Chittorgarh before Maharana Udai Singh II founded Udaipur in 1568 following the final sacking of their hill fortress. In sharp contrast to its spartan and martial persona are lakes, hills, temples, gardens and fairy-tale palaces that make Udaipur the most romantic and enchanting place in Rajasthan. Apart from Udaipur's own splendours, there are several other places to visit in its vicinity – Jaisamand Lake, the fort of Kumbhalgarh and the temples at Ranakpur, Eklingji, Nagda, Kankroli and Nathdwara.

The city of Udaipur was built by King Maharana Udai Singh upon the advice of a sage and has been a capital city for the Mewar rulers till the British took over in the year 1818.

Take a boat ride to Jag Mandir located on the southern island of Lake Pichola at sunset. Spend the evening there and enjoy a great dinner combined with excellent hospitality. The city of Uadaipur reflected in the lake at night in all its splendour will leave you spell bound. An experience you will remember for a long time.

Also check out the vintage car collection. Here you can see the cars used by the ‘Maharajas’ over the decades. A must see for all you car lovers out there!