A First-Timer's Guide to Jaipur

New to the Pink City? Here's how to plan your first two or three days — what to see, when to go, and how to get around.

Jaipur — the Pink City — is the capital of Rajasthan and the most common starting point for a Rajasthan trip. Most first-time visitors spend two to three days here before moving on to Udaipur, Jodhpur or Pushkar.

Getting oriented

The city splits into two halves. The Old City is walled and pink-washed, built in the 18th century by Sawai Jai Singh II — most of the big monuments (Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar) sit within walking distance of each other inside it. The newer city — C-Scheme, MI Road, Malviya Nagar — is where most hotels, restaurants and shopping malls are.

The essential sights

[Amer Fort](/places/amer-fort) — the hilltop fort most visitors mean when they say "the Jaipur fort." Go early morning to beat both the heat and the tour groups.
[Hawa Mahal](/places/hawa-mahal) — the five-storey pink facade is Jaipur's most photographed building; the interior is smaller than the facade suggests, so budget less time than you'd expect.
[City Palace](/places/city-palace) — still partly a royal residence, with museum wings open to visitors.
[Jantar Mantar](/places/jantar-mantar) — an 18th-century astronomical observatory right next to City Palace, easy to combine into one visit.
[Nahargarh Fort](/places/nahargarh-fort) — worth it for the sunset view over the whole city more than for the fort itself.

How much time you need

Two full days covers the essentials above at a comfortable pace. A third day gives room for Jaigarh Fort, Galtaji Temple (the "Monkey Temple"), or one of the bazaars.

Getting around

Autorickshaws and app-based cabs both operate in Jaipur. For a day of fort-hopping, hiring a car with a driver for the day is usually simpler than stringing together individual rides, and not much more expensive.