Vacation is all about relaxing and reconnecting with oneself and loved ones; why not choose a destination that has a lot to offer to everyone with its natural beauty, elegance of royal culture, divine temples, romantic views, or wild adventure?
It’s not an easy task to rule out only a few alluring destinations of Udaipur, but here is a list of the best places to visit in Udaipur.
Lakes
Udaipur is called the city of lakes because there are many lakes, such as Swaroop Sagar, Dodh Talai, Rang Sagar, and Roop Sagar, but out of all the lakes, three are prominent lakes, which makes the city so enchanting.
1. Fateh Sagar
This is one of the favorite lakes of tourists as well as localities. Fateh Sagar has a lot to offer; you can go boating, take a lakeside walk, sit along the bank to spend some alone time, or have yummy coffee/ street food with your family. You will enjoy each and every moment on Fateh Sagar. There are boat rides available that will take you to visit Jag Mandir and Lake Palace, which are situated in the middle of the lake. Beautiful views, yummy street food, and luscious gardens make Fateh Sagar on the top priority list to visit in Udaipur.
2. Lake Pichola
Another beautiful lake to visit is Lake Pichola. A boat ride on Lake Pichola is a must, especially at sunset, for an enthralling experience. Lake Pichola consists of small islands, and those can be visited by boat. I love the rooftop restaurants and hotels surrounded by the lake, which gives a breathtaking view of the lake while you enjoy your meals.
3. Lake Badi
Lake Badi is a well-maintained lake, around 16 km from main Udaipur city. It is one of the most romantic experiences to view the sunset over this tranquil lake that is surrounded by green hills and clean water. It has a calm environment because it is neither commercialized nor crowded. If you want to spend quality time with your beloved, then Lake Badi is a must-visit.
Palaces
After listing alluring lakes and gardens, I can’t forget to share the elegant and royal part of Udaipur. There are many palaces located in Udaipur that take you to the period of kings/queens and their fascinating stories.
1. City Palace
City Palace is a beautiful 400-year-old palace built by Mewar rulers. It is situated in the east of Lake Pichola, giving a magnificent view of the lake, Jagmandir, Neemach Mata temple, and a panoramic view of the city. The exquisite marble work, mirror work, and crystal gallery with a lot of beautiful crystal artifacts make it worth visiting the palace at least once. I would suggest you hire a guide who will help you imagine the life of Mewar rulers and the history of the palace.
2. Sajjangarh Fort
Sajjangarh Fort is also known as “Monsoon Palace” because it was specially built to predict rains and enjoy the monsoon season from the top. Sajjangarh is a paradise in the rainy season because of its beautiful garden, green hills, and far-reaching view of Udaipur city. You can’t afford to miss the sunset view from this fort.
3. Bagore ki Haveli
It’s a palace with over a hundred rooms; you will find intricate carvings and colorful glasswork there. It also has a museum. Here, you can see exclusive stuff of Rajputs like jewelry boxes, dice games, pan boxes, nutcrackers, hand fans, rose water sprinklers, copper vessels, and other items of the erstwhile rulers. It is situated right in front of Lake Pichola at Gangori Ghat, which is incredible.
Temples
There are many beautiful and artistic temples in Udaipur, which gives the city a spiritual edge. If you don’t have enough time to visit all the temples, you must at least visit the two famous temples:
1. Neemach Mata Temple
Neemach Mata Temple is situated on the hills of Fateh Sagar Bank. It is around 900 meters long, and you can either take steps or walk on a pathway to reach the temple. It is the divine temple of Shri Neemach Mata, along with the idol of Shri Ganesh. As it is on the top of the hill, it gives you a spiritual calmness with the mesmerizing view of Aravali hills and lake.
2. Karni Mata Temple
Karni Mata temple is a shrine of the goddess Shri Karni Mata, which is located on Machla hills near Deen Dayal Park. A cable ropeway ride is available to reach the temple, and it is also famous for the white mice that live inside the temple. People believe those mice to be a good luck charm. A 5-minute ropeway ride to the temple gives you an amazing view of Udaipur, and if you are visiting in the evening, you might get a chance to fantasize view of the sunset while having a ride.
3. Jagdish Temple
Jagdish temple is Lord Vishnu’s temple, and it is located near City Palace so that it can be easily added to your “must-visit list.” If you visit the temple in the evening at the time of Puja of the lord, it will give you a spiritual calmness and divine feeling. Even if you are not a spiritual kind of person, then also you must visit the temple to see it’s amazing marble art, beautiful pillars, and architecture. I would suggest you hire a guide to show you the temple and give information about the history of the temple to make it more enjoyable.
Nature & Parks
Apart from lakes, Udaipur is also well-known for its lush gardens and natural wildlife spots. If you are enchanted by a garden full of flowers, fountains, or wildlife, here are a few gardens you can’t miss in Udaipur.
1. Moti Magri
Moti Magri, also known as Pearl Garden, is a small hill park near Fateh Sagar Lake, which gives you an incredible look at the lake itself. Atop Pearl Hill is the memorial of the Rajput hero Maharana Pratap Singh Sisodia, which has the bronze statue of the Maharana astride his favorite horse ‘Chetak.’ Located near the Fateh Sagar Lake, Moti Magri is a Maharana Pratap Memorial, which was initiated by Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar and was carried over and completed with the help of a public trust. The memorial gives a panoramic view of the city’s Fateh Sagar Lake and the surrounding Aravali Hills.
2. Sahelion ki Bari
Sahelion ki Bari is well known for its beautiful bright flowers and maintained fragrant garden. The garden was created for maidens of the princess of Mewar and is thus called Sahelion ki Bari, which means Garden of Maidens. It consists of elegant marble art, fountains, and flowers, which make it one of the favorite tourist spots in Udaipur.
3. Jag Mandir
Jag Mandir, or the Lake Garden Palace, is a palace built on an island in the Lake Pichola and was constructed by Maharana Amar Singh, continued by Maharana Karan Singh, and completed by Maharana Jagat Singh I thus, named Jagat Mandir or Jag Mandir in his honor. Jag Mandir has an impressive series of structures in the three-storied palace, including Gul Mahal, which was built first as a refuge for Prince Khurram, an elegant façade flanked by four carved statues of elephants, a Garden courtyard, Darikhana, a Palace of the 12 stones called Bara Patharon ka Mahal, Zenana Mahal, and the Kunwar Pada ka Mahal. The palace can be reached with the help of a jetty that starts from multiple places on the banks of Lake Pichola.
4. Sajjangarh Biological Park
Sajjangarh Biological Park is a wildlife sanctuary located near Sajjangarh Fort. This park has a lot of wild animals and amazing views, especially when you visit in the monsoon season. Kids love well-maintained habitats for animals like lions, panthers, foxes, bears, etc. A golf cart is available for rides to visit the zoo because the total area of the park is about 36 ha. But if you have sufficient time, you can choose to walk on the pathway. Kids who want to escape from lakes and forts would surely enjoy the zoo and ride on a golf cart.
Apart from the listed gardens, there are a few more garden, like Gulab Bagh, Rajiv Gandhi Park, and Pandit Deen Dayal Park, that makes Udaipur more delightful.
Environs of Udaipur
1. Nathdwara
Nathdwara is a holy place situated on the hills of Aravali, 48 km. Away from Udaipur. Nathdwara is known for Lord Shrinathji (reincarnation of Lord Shri Krishna) temple, and it is significant to Vaishnavs who follow Pustimarg, which was founded by Shri Vallabh. Darshan is open eight times a day, but darshan timings might vary. Apart from the temple, the town is also famous for pichwai paintings, divine music CDs of Lord Shrinathji, and other spiritual stuff, which are usually used for the lord, according to Pustimarg. The temple itself is a big attraction, and you can’t miss visiting Nathdwara if you are coming to Udaipur.
2. Ranakpur
Ranakpur is famous for its Jain temple, which is dedicated to Tirthankara Adinatha. There is also a Sun temple nearby. The temple has an audio guide for tourists. The temple is well maintained and has canteen facilities. The marble art and carved walls and ceilings inside the temple are exquisite. The lush gardens will surely make you stay there for a while, but you must beware of the large number of monkeys there.
3. Haldighati
If you would like to know about the history of brave kings, then you must visit Haldighati. Haldighati is located 40 km from Udaipur, and it is known as Haldighati because of its yellow turmeric color soil. It is a historical spot where the battle between Mewar king Maharana Pratap and the Mughals was held. There is a museum that shows documentaries regarding the history of the place, Maharana Pratap, and his favorite horse, Chetak.
4. Khumbhalgarh
Khumbhalgarh is a fort of Mewar rulers, and it is situated around 82 km from Udaipur. It is very famous for its 38 km wall, which is the second largest wall in the world. There are 360 temples inside the fort, and you can view Aravali hills and dunes from the top of the fort. Khumbhalgarh is also famous for its 45-minute light and sound show, which is totally amazing and informs you about the history of this fort. If you visit Khumbhalgarh in the monsoon season, it is enchanting with lush green hills. It is not very commercialized, but you will get very good resorts and hotels to stay. It’s perfect for a weekend getaway to spend some relaxing time.
After listing all the above best-visiting places in Udaipur, I am sure you just can’t wait to visit Udaipur, and of course, we have another perfect reason for you to visit here because we are organizing a WordCamp in Udaipur. So, we all welcome you to the “Venice of East: Udaipur” and enjoy your stay.