India · Deserts & Heritage
Your destination at a glance
Rajasthan is the trip most first-time Indian travellers picture when they think of heritage tourism, and it earns the reputation. Travellers can enter through Jaipur or another regional air or rail gateway and continue into a landscape that dries out steadily as you go: scrub and hill fort around Jaipur and Chittorgarh, a blue-walled old city beneath the ramparts at Jodhpur, lake and palace at Udaipur, and finally open sand near Jaisalmer where the desert takes over. Ranthambore adds tigers in dry deciduous forest, and Pushkar brings a temple town on a lake. Distances between the cities are genuinely long, so a first itinerary works better around two or three centres. It suits families, photographers and anyone drawn to architecture, craft and colour.
| Best time to visit | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb (shoulder: Mar, Aug, Sep) |
|---|---|
| Suggested duration | 7–10 Days |
| Starting price | ₹25,000 per person — a starting figure, confirmed in your proposal |
| Region | India · Deserts & Heritage |
| Trip style | Heritage, wildlife |
Build the days around what matters
Amber is a hillside fort-palace above a lake, with mirrored halls, courtyards and ramparts climbing the ridge. The City Palace stands in the old walled city and still houses the royal family, with museum galleries of textiles, arms and paintings. Each deserves a couple of unhurried hours.
A massive fort on a rock escarpment above Jodhpur's blue-painted old city, holding a very well-run museum of palanquins, howdahs, miniature paintings and arms set within a sequence of carved sandstone palaces. The ramparts give the classic view down over the blue houses.
Udaipur's man-made lake, with island palaces on the water and ghats along its shore, is best seen from a boat in the late afternoon. The City Palace rises along the eastern bank as a long facade of balconies and turrets, its museum rooms full of mirror, glass and mosaic work.
Jaisalmer's golden sandstone fort is still lived in, with houses, shops and Jain temples inside the walls. Out to the west, the dunes at Sam are the standard desert excursion, a camel or jeep ride onto the sand for sunset, with folk music and an overnight camp.
The five-storey pink sandstone screen on Jaipur's main bazaar street, pierced by hundreds of small latticed windows that let the women of the court watch processions unseen. Most visitors photograph the facade from across the road; the interior gives narrow chambers and street views.
A tiger reserve of dry deciduous forest, lakes and rocky ridges gathered around a ruined hilltop fort in eastern Rajasthan. Safaris run at dawn and in the afternoon in allotted zones, by open jeep or larger canter, with sightings of tiger, sambar, crocodile and plentiful birdlife.
A small temple town around a sacred lake ringed by bathing ghats, holding one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Brahma. Pilgrims bathe at the ghats while visitors walk the lanes of the bazaar. The town is vegetarian and alcohol-free by long-standing custom.
One of the largest forts in India, spread along a high plateau, with victory towers, palaces, temples, water tanks and the ruins of a city besieged repeatedly through its history. It is toured by vehicle between the monuments rather than on foot, and holds a strong place in Rajput memory.
A starting point, not a fixed package
Visit Amber Fort & City Palace (Jaipur), Chittorgarh Fort.
Visit Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur).
Visit Lake Pichola & City Palace (Udaipur).
Visit Jaisalmer Fort & Sam Sand Dunes.
Visit Hawa Mahal (Jaipur).
Visit Ranthambore National Park.
Visit Pushkar.
Season by season
Getting there from India
Jaipur is the largest gateway, while Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer can suit open-jaw itineraries. Flights are available from multiple Indian cities.
Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ajmer and other cities are connected by long-distance rail. Overnight trains can replace selected road sectors.
Good highways link the main cities, but distances are long. A car with driver is practical for two- or three-centre heritage circuits.
Know before you go
The Indian rupee. Cards and UPI work in cities and heritage hotels, but keep cash for bazaars, camel handlers and desert village stops.
Hindi and Rajasthani dialects such as Marwari are spoken everywhere. English is comfortable in hotels, palace properties and with trained heritage guides.
India uses one national time zone, so no clock change is required. Daylight hours vary by season and longitude.
Cool pleasant winters from October to March, extreme desert heat from April to June, and a short light monsoon that briefly greens the Aravallis.
Strong mobile data across cities and highways. Desert camps around Jaisalmer and Khuri, and some fort interiors, see weaker or intermittent signal.
Rajasthani food relies on lentils, gram flour, dried produce and ghee, producing dishes such as dal baati churma, gatte ki sabzi and ker sangri; laal maas suits meat eaters. Crafts include block printing, blue pottery and miniature painting, while desert music and puppetry remain living traditions.
Small details, smoother days
A closer look
This photograph could not be loaded. Try another image or close the gallery.
Useful answers
October to March is generally the best season for Rajasthan because daytime temperatures are more manageable for forts, palaces and desert excursions. December and January can be cold at night, especially in desert areas. April to June is extremely hot. July to September brings the monsoon, with lower crowds but higher humidity and occasional heavy rain.
7 to 10 days is ideal for a first Rajasthan trip. The state’s major cities are separated by long road or rail sectors, so a week allows a coherent two- or three-city route without spending every day in transit. Ten days gives more room for Jaisalmer or a slower Udaipur stay alongside Jaipur and other heritage centres.
The Orbitz Holidays master-list starting price for Rajasthan is ₹25,000 per person. This is a starting figure rather than a guaranteed final trip total. The final amount can vary with travel dates, hotel category, occupancy, transport and confirmed inclusions. Any unconfirmed taxes, entry charges, activities or airfare should be confirmed before travel.
Rajasthan has strong rail, road and air connectivity, but distances between tourism centres are substantial. Desert excursions and some monument experiences can be affected by heat, festival periods or local operating rules. Exact entry charges, activity fees, guide rates and special-event arrangements should be confirmed before travel rather than treated as fixed.
Rajasthan suits families, couples and travellers drawn to architecture, history and desert landscapes. Amber Fort introduces Jaipur’s fortified heritage, Udaipur’s City Palace adds a lake-side royal setting, and Jaisalmer with the Sam Sand Dunes provides the desert contrast. These stops show why a first Rajasthan trip benefits from multiple regions rather than one city.
The published starting price is ₹25,000 per person. Exact hotel category, meals, transfers, sightseeing, permits, taxes and transport are included only when stated in the final proposal. Confirm the itemised inclusions before payment.
Start a conversation
Share the essentials. An Orbitz Holidays travel planner can follow up with suitable options.
Keep exploring India
