Jaipur
Overview
Jaipur is quite a disappointment, so we don’t really recommend to visit it unless you have a lot of time in Rajasthan. The so called Pink City is just full of shops where vendors want to rip you off, heavy traffic, hevy heat in April and nothing really worth the visit.
The most famous sight is the Wind Palace, which is a disappointment, as it is smaller and uglier than what you see in pictures. Still, if you decide to visit Jaipur, you can have a walk around the old city (Pink City), look at the beautiful sarees shops and pay a visit to the really nice Amber Fort.
One day in Jaipur is more than enough.
The most famous sight is the Wind Palace, which is a disappointment, as it is smaller and uglier than what you see in pictures. Still, if you decide to visit Jaipur, you can have a walk around the old city (Pink City), look at the beautiful sarees shops and pay a visit to the really nice Amber Fort.
One day in Jaipur is more than enough.
Sightseeing
-Pink City: It is the most famous part of Jaipur. The Old City, accessible through several big gates, it is full of souvenir and clothes shops (one after another and all of them numbered). They are actually quite nice and they are located under arched corridors. The downside is that vendors are very annoying and they try to charge you astronomical prices, so better don’t buy anything there and look for something outside the old city.
It is called the Pink City because a lot of (not all) buildings are painted in pink (or more accurately in orange). This is because long time ago the Prince of Wales visited the city and they decided to paint it pink to welcome him.
It is ok to walk around, especially taking alleys off the main roads to discover tiny little sarees shops and maharaja’s trubant vendors. Even if you are not into sarees, you will enjoy the views and seeing women shopping.
-Wind Palace: The landmark of Jaipur is quite disappointing. You can enter the palace but the most famous view is got from outside. The façade is just ok, nothing special and actually smaller and uglier than what you see in pictures. Is not a reason to come to Jaipur, just have a look if you happen to be around.
-Heaven-Piercing Minaret: It is a rather tall minaret from where to have a view of all Jaipur and its surroundings. It’s located in the Pink City, quite close to the Wind Palace. 20 rupees to climb to the top and an extra few rupees if you want to take pictures (just say you’re not taking pictures, nobody’s on the top).
A reccomendable climb, although there are some children around who are really annoying asking you for money and they will even climb to the top begging with you.
-Amber Fort: Probably the most beautiful sight of Jaipur, although it is in the town of Amber. Do visit it. 200 rupees entrance fee or 100 if you can provide a student card or something that looks like it.
The most beautiful part of the fort is actually a palace. You can visit the whole complex, get lost inside the rooms of the palace, enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and lake and spend some 1 or 2 hours in there.
Especially nice are the courtyards, the main gate and the audience hall full of mirrors. Really hot in April.
Accomodation
We stayed at Vinayak Guesthouse, 10 minutes walking from the train station. Nice although not very helpful staff, a rooftop, clean rooms and wifi working just sometimes. 500 rupees per night.
Reccomendable but nothing special. To go to the Pink City you can walk (around 45 minutes) or take a pedal rickshaw for 60 rupees. Autorickshaws cost 80 rupees. Bargain hard.
Reccomendable but nothing special. To go to the Pink City you can walk (around 45 minutes) or take a pedal rickshaw for 60 rupees. Autorickshaws cost 80 rupees. Bargain hard.
Food & Drink
If you’re tired of Indian food, there’s a McDonald’s, a KFC, a Dunkin’ Donuts and a Domino’s Pizza almost one next to the other. Note that they all charge a 19% extra (service charge and VAT). We tried the Domino’s as they had an offer for pizzas at 49 rupees and they were good.
For Indian food, there are not many restaurants in Jaipur, especially a lack of them in the Pink City. Go to any you fancy but don’t go to Ganesh Restaurant, advertised in the Lonely Planet. Prices are abusive just because they appear in the guidebook, we sat, had a look at the menu and left (3 to 4 times more expensive than in any other place).
For a really good lassi, go to Lassi Walla, in MI road. There are a lot of fake Lassi Wallas, but the real one is easy to spot: full of people outside. If you have doubts, it’s the one in number 312.
A really reccomendable thing to try is a shake with ice cream. They are sold in some small shops in the Pink City and they are dirt cheap. They are also totally safe to drink.
At night there are a lot of food stalls. We tried one of them selling all kind of food prepared with eggs next to Vinayak Guesthouse. Food was really good and cheap but on the second day we got poisoned and it took us more than a week to recover. Watch out and don’t eat anything fresh on the street.
There are some beer shops where to get a Kingfisher for 90 rupees, a decent price for India.
For Indian food, there are not many restaurants in Jaipur, especially a lack of them in the Pink City. Go to any you fancy but don’t go to Ganesh Restaurant, advertised in the Lonely Planet. Prices are abusive just because they appear in the guidebook, we sat, had a look at the menu and left (3 to 4 times more expensive than in any other place).
For a really good lassi, go to Lassi Walla, in MI road. There are a lot of fake Lassi Wallas, but the real one is easy to spot: full of people outside. If you have doubts, it’s the one in number 312.
A really reccomendable thing to try is a shake with ice cream. They are sold in some small shops in the Pink City and they are dirt cheap. They are also totally safe to drink.
At night there are a lot of food stalls. We tried one of them selling all kind of food prepared with eggs next to Vinayak Guesthouse. Food was really good and cheap but on the second day we got poisoned and it took us more than a week to recover. Watch out and don’t eat anything fresh on the street.
There are some beer shops where to get a Kingfisher for 90 rupees, a decent price for India.
Transportation
-From Agra: We booked the ticket at Agra Fort Station. We travelled in AC Chair and it was really nice, even a bit cold. The train departed at 5 in the morning and it took 4:30 hours. Price: 425 rupees.
-To Sawai Madhapur (Ranthambore Tiger Reserve): We booked the ticket at Jaipur Railway Station and we got a waiting list ticket. Luckily the next day our ticket was confirmed. If you don’t want to risk, go the day before your train departs at 10 in the morning to the train station and book a Tatkal (last minute) ticket. They are a bit more expensive but you will have ticket al most for sure.
Price: 170 rupees in sleeper with no AC. 2:10 hours of journey, starting at 11:05 in the morning and arriving at 13:15.
To get around Jaipur, you can walk all the Pink City. A pedal rickshaw from the train station should cost 60 rupees. An autorickshaw, 80.
For Amber Fort, takebus number 5 from the Wind Palace. It takes 15 minutes and costs 14 rupees.
-To Sawai Madhapur (Ranthambore Tiger Reserve): We booked the ticket at Jaipur Railway Station and we got a waiting list ticket. Luckily the next day our ticket was confirmed. If you don’t want to risk, go the day before your train departs at 10 in the morning to the train station and book a Tatkal (last minute) ticket. They are a bit more expensive but you will have ticket al most for sure.
Price: 170 rupees in sleeper with no AC. 2:10 hours of journey, starting at 11:05 in the morning and arriving at 13:15.
To get around Jaipur, you can walk all the Pink City. A pedal rickshaw from the train station should cost 60 rupees. An autorickshaw, 80.
For Amber Fort, takebus number 5 from the Wind Palace. It takes 15 minutes and costs 14 rupees.
Safety
Jaipur is safe, but people are more annoying than in some other parts of India, all of them trying to sell you any kind of stuff. Ignore them. There are not many cows on the streets, but traffic is heavy and noisy.
We got poisoned eating on the street, so be careful and better eat everything cooked, not fresh.
We got poisoned eating on the street, so be careful and better eat everything cooked, not fresh.
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