Udaipur

A City Built Around Its Water

Udaipur is a set of palaces arranged around a lake in the Aravalli hills, and when the water is high it is the most purely beautiful place in India. The City Palace runs along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola in a long cliff of balconies and cupolas, the island palaces sit out in the middle, and the ghats below fill every evening. It has been trading on the word romantic for decades and, unusually, deserves it. Two nights is the common allocation and three is the right one, because this is a city that rewards being still.

The planning decision: a stop, or a base for the region

Most itineraries treat Udaipur as the last stop on a Rajasthan loop, arriving from Jodhpur and flying out. That works. The better version uses it as a base for two or three nights and takes in the country around it, which is greener and hillier than the desert cities to the north. Ranakpur, with its extraordinary white marble Jain temple and its forest of carved pillars, is around two and a half to three hours away. Kumbhalgarh, a fifteenth century hill fort with the second longest continuous wall anywhere, sits nearby and the two combine into one long, excellent day. Decide early whether you want the city or the region, because it changes the number of nights by two.

October to March, and the year the lake was low

October to March is the window and there is not much argument about it. November through February gives warm days, cool nights and clear light, and it is also the heart of the Indian wedding season, which matters here more than anywhere. March is warm and still good. April to June is fierce, regularly climbing past the low forties in Celsius, and the city empties. July to September is the monsoon, which is when the lakes refill. That last point is worth understanding: Pichola and Fateh Sagar are not natural bodies of water in the way they look, and after a weak monsoon the levels drop, the island palaces can sit in mud rather than water and the boats stop running. It happens, it is nobody's fault, and it is worth asking about honestly before committing to a lake facing room in a poor rainfall year.

Where to base, and how you actually arrive

The old city around Lal Ghat and Gangaur Ghat is the walkable heart, all narrow lanes and rooftop restaurants looking across at the palace. The eastern and northern shores hold the larger resorts with lawns and space. Maharana Pratap Airport at Dabok is around thirty minutes out and handles domestic flights only, principally Delhi and Mumbai, so the international leg happens elsewhere and routes should be confirmed for your dates. By road it is roughly five hours from Jodhpur and six or seven from Jaipur.

Stay strategy on the water and above it

The Taj Lake Palace occupies its own island in the middle of Pichola and is reached only by boat, which is either the most romantic arrival in India or a slight inconvenience depending on your temperament. The Oberoi Udaivilas sits on the western shore with the largest grounds and the best views back toward the city, and is the choice for most people who want space and calm. The Leela Palace is on the same side and newer. Shiv Niwas Palace puts you inside the City Palace complex itself. RAAS Devigarh, an eighteenth century fort restored with a very modern hand, is around forty minutes out and the best answer for anyone who wants the region rather than the lakefront. Ask which way the room faces. In this city it is not a small detail.

When to begin

Six months for the November to February peak, and longer if your dates fall near a major festival. Weddings are the constraint that catches people out: full property buyouts are common through the season and can remove an entire hotel from availability at short notice. The lake facing rooms and the island suites go first and rarely come back.

Four experiences worth building the days around

• The City Palace with a guide in the morning, then the Crystal Gallery, before the day crowds arrive off the coaches.
• A boat across Pichola in the last hour of light, when the whole western face of the palace turns gold and the ghats fill up.
• Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh as one long day out, with an early start, which is the finest day trip in Rajasthan.
• An evening of classical music or puppetry at Bagore ki Haveli, which is touristic and also completely charming.

Who this trip suits

Udaipur suits couples above all, and it suits honeymoons better than anywhere else in India. It suits families with older children, since the fort and palace days hold their attention. It is a very good soft landing for a first India trip, because it is beautiful, manageable and considerably calmer than the big cities. And it suits weddings and celebrations at a scale few places can match.

When another plan may fit better

If you want desert, camels and the far west, Rajasthan as a full circuit is the plan rather than Udaipur alone. If you need international connections and a big city, New Delhi is where the trip has to start or finish anyway. If you want nightlife or shopping at scale, this is a small city and will disappoint. And in a drought year, when the lakes are low, we would rather tell you and move the trip than sell you the photograph you had in mind.

Plan it with one accountable advisor

Tell us your dates, whether this is a honeymoon, a family trip or a celebration, and we will place the property, hold the right rooms and set the days out. Our luxury leisure travel planning covers the whole Indian route, and our group travel planning handles weddings and multi family parties.