Top things to do in Jodhpur, India
Jodhpur, the blue city of Rajasthan is famous for Mehrangarh fort, medieval narrow streets, colorful bazaars and our favorite makhaniya lassi. Its the second largest city in Rajasthan.Before visiting this place we had no idea how a city painted in blue would look like and thats what makes Jodhpur stand out from the other cities we visited in Rajasthan. There are different theories about what blue color represents – one says it keeps the houses cool in summer days and other says in old times it represented Brahmin’s place for clear identification of the social status. Whatever the story of the blue color may be, today it attracts lot of people from around the world.
Now, let us take you to the top places we loved during our stay in Jodhpur –
Mehrangarh Fort
No one can skip Mehrangarh fort when in Jodhpur as it is almost visible everywhere from within the city. Initially build by Rathore Rajput king Rao Jodha in 1459, the fort went through architectural changes from different periods due to the various phases of its construction by the succeeding rulers.
The fort is huge both in terms of appearance as well as area. You need to literally hike from the fort main entrance to the other part of the fort and it is quite steep. So keep aside at least half a day to explore the magnificent fort in slow pace and admire the grand structure from ancient history.
The entrance is free, however you need to pay to visit the important attractions inside.They also have audio guide with headset in case you are interested to know the fascinating stories about the fort.
Jaswant Thada
A 19th century royal cenotaph, Jaswant Thada was built in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant singh II. What impressed us and I guess to most of people as well is the gorgeous milky white architecture. Just wander around and feel the peaceful vibe of the place. We visited in evening with very few people around.
Umaid Bhavan Palace
One of the world’s largest private residence and famous attraction, Umaid bhawan palace is partly a 5-star luxury hotel. If you are interested to explore the beautiful architecture from inside the palace, you can visit the museum by paying an entrance fee. The museum takes you through huge collection of weapons, a banner presented by Queen Victoria and old-fashioned clocks telling stories about the royal era of Rajasthan.
Mandore Gardens
Mandore garden is approx. 10 Kms away from the city center of Jodhpur and is one of the hidden gems of Jodhpur which remains unexplored by many travelers. The picture perfect place was once the capital of Jodhpur kings which was later moved to Mehrangarh fort. Today, what we see is the abandoned ruins from the past.
Go shopping at bustling bazaars
An old-city style bazaar, Sardar market is a perfect place to shop like locals. The market is especially famous for bandhini, which is a traditional Rajasthani handcrafted cloth. If you are looking for perfect souvenirs to take home, this is the best place to find one.
Explore the streets of Blue city
To be honest not all the houses are colored blue and you need to wander around to look for them. Visit the area called Navchokiya where you will find alleys of blue houses and colorful windows. You can also book a walking tour where they take you to the streets with the blue houses.
Enjoy folk music at every corner
Don’t be surprised when I tell that people play music everywhere. They are amazing specially playing bollywood music on their musical instruments. Street musicians were ubiquitous wherever we went in Rajasthan. You don’t need to find them, rather they will find you.
What to eat in Jodhpur
We had good dining options at our hotel with Mehrangarh Fort view and we had our breakfast and dinner over there. Dont miss Makhaniya lassi & pyaz kachodi at any shop you come across. Check out the list of all the options here.
How to reach
We booked a bus from Udaipur to Jodhpur. Jodhpur is well connected from Delhi and all other cities from Rajasthan via Bus or Trains and this is a budget friendly option too. If you are coming from other parts of India or abroad, Jodhpur is connected via flights as well.
You can checkout the flights here on Booking.com, they usually have good flight deals.
How to explore the city
The best way is to walk around and explore the streets. However, some attractions like Umaid bhawan or Mandore gardens is far and is better to hire cab for a day or book Uber/Ola based on the budget & time.
If you are looking for guided tours, you can check it out here
Where we stayed
There are a lot of budgeted hotels & hostels in Jodhpur which you can book online. We stayed in Purn Haveli Guesthouse, Jodhpur – Its a vintage property with beautiful view of Mehrangarh Fort from their rooftop as well as budget friendly.
Is 2 Days enough for Jodhpur
We spent 2 days in Jodhpur and found it sufficient to explore the city including Mandore garden. If you have more days to explore combine the trip with Udaipur or Jaipur or both.
Have you been to Jodhpur? What were your favorite things to do? If you have not been to Jodhpur yet, hope this blog inspirea you to plan your next trip to this beautiful blue paradise. Pin it or bookmark this post for your future reference.
