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With its gorgeous palaces, heritage sites and rich culture and traditions, Jaipur is a favoured tourist destination for many people, both domestic and international tourists. This well-planned city, also known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan and is said to be the tenth most populated city in India.
With its proximity to the Thar desert, Jaipur summers can be mercilessly hot and intense, and most tourists avoid visiting here during the months of March to June. Monsoon is another season where rains affect how much you can see in the city and what sort of things to do in Jaipur. But many people head to Jaipur during this season so they can enjoy the crowd-free experience at all the various Jaipur sightseeing spots. It is in winter however, that Jaipur comes to life with tourists from all over the world descending on the city. There are tons of activities to do here, places to visit, as well as festivals to partake in and enjoy. Here are some of the top things to do in Jaipur.
As soon as you finalise your Jaipur sightseeing plan, it’s a great idea to check the SOTC website for some fantastic offers and deals on Jaipur tour packages and Rajasthan tour packages which will make your holiday perfect.
Jaipur’s royal heritage is evident in the many palaces that one can see here. First off, there’s the Amber Fort and Palace with the famed Sheesh Mahal, the hall of mirrors which is an entrancing sight in itself. Then, there’s the City Palace with its interesting fusion of Rajput and Mughal architecture and the attached museum which showcases the Rajput way of life excellently.
Jaipur sightseeing would be incomplete without a visit to Hawa Mahal with its brilliantly designed façade of tiny latticed windows and the overall effect of this gorgeous building. Then there’s also Jal Mahal, the famed palace whose four storeys rest under the Man Sagar Lake. Even though visitors are not allowed inside, the palace is enchanting, especially at night when it is lit up spectacularly.
Jaipur has as many as ten museums whose exhibits showcase antiques, arts, sculptures and artefacts that are considered priceless. It’s easy to get lost in these museums as you can imagine the workmanship that went into creating these beautiful objects, the stories of the past they tell and the peek into the royal lifestyles they offer. The sense of nostalgia is strong in these museums and often, people agree that visiting these museums is indeed one of the best things to do in Jaipur.
City Palace has its own museum with Chandra Mahal which is where you can see all the royal clothes worn by emperors. The Albert Hall Museum is one of the oldest museums here and has several interesting exhibits such as pottery, woodwork, sculptures etc. The Jaipur Wax museum houses wax statues of famous personalities and is located inside Nahargarh Fort while the Dolls museum features a number of dolls dressed in bridal costumes of different states as well as international dolls wearing their national costumes.
Rajasthan is renowned for its many forts that are scattered throughout the state. Jaipur has Amber fort which is famed for its beauty and design, especially the large ramparts. The fort looks out over the Maota Lake. Another famous fort is the Bhangarh Fort which lies between Alwar and Jaipur. The fort is said to be haunted which adds to its allure although tourists are not allowed to visit it after sunset. The Nahargarh Fort is another beautiful fort that offers some amazing views of the city and it has played a huge role in the history of India. Lastly, one of the great things to do in Jaipur is to visit Jaigarh Fort with its lovely gardens. Jaigarh Fort houses the canon Jaivana, known to be the largest canon on wheels in its time. A series of underground passages connects Jaigarh fort with Amber fort.
One of the amazing things to do in Jaipur is to go on a safari in the Jhalana Leopard Conservation Reserve. This sanctuary is located in the middle of the city and is home to a number of animals apart from the eponymous leopards which you will spot sometimes as soon as you enter the sanctuary. This used to be the hunting grounds for the royals but now the animals enjoy their protected status and you can go on an open-air gypsy ride and see spotted deer, blue bulls, rhesus macaque, mongoose, desert gerbils, striped hyena and sambhar deer.
One of the best things to do in Jaipur is to stroll through the bazaars and enjoy the colourful sights on display. The bazaars are so popular that you can take a walking tour to take you through these markets so you can see them in their full splendour. The markets are abuzz with people and visitors and there’s a lot of bright merchandise that you will want to pick up definitely.
Johri Bazaar is known for the precious gems and jewellery as well as the lovely sarees and jewellery that you can purchase here. The other notable bazaar is Bapu Bazaar which is known as the largest camel leather market in the world. People come here to buy leather goods such as wallets, belts etc.
