Getting to Udaipur
We travelled from Jodhpur to Udaipur via bus. As you can see on the map below, it would have taken us 4h 26m by car, but we were in for an 8-hour bus trip.
Our tour guide had a very warped sense of humour. He’d been telling us for days that we were travelling to Udaipur by public bus and we could even travel with goats. He explained how our bags would be thrown on top of the bus and we’d be lucky to still have them at the end of 8 hours!
We left our homestay in Jodhpur by tuk-tuk at 5.30am and made our way to the bus depot. In the breaking morning light, we stood huddled in a group, a little apprehensive. There were some pretty shocking looking local buses parked up, loading up with locals, produce and even livestock.
A sigh of relief when the modern comfy coach reverses in to pick us up
It wasn’t long before a rather new looking Volvo coach arrived and started backing up to the area where we were standing. It was like an oasis in a desert. A modern, A/C, coach class and very comfortable mode of transport. There was no produce on board let alone any livestock!
Udaipur – The City of Lakes
Udaipur is a lovely town set on the side of a lake. There are actually 7 lakes in the area in total.
On arrival, we settled into our grand guest house – Raj Palace. It is very centrally located, convenient to the main tourist attractions and is more than 300 years old.
The Raj Palace was a welcome oasis after a long bus trip to get there – Scotty wasn’t so comfortable wearing his garland of flowers though
Udaipur is very touristy but in a nice sort of way. It was a breath of fresh air compared to some of the areas we had been staying in. Located in the southernmost part of Rajasthan, it is separated from the Thar Desert by the Aravali Range.
City Palace
Set around a series of artificial lakes, Udaipur is known for its lavish royal residences. The City Palace overlooks Lake Pichola and is huge. It has 11 palaces, courtyards and gardens.
Built over 22 generations, the City Palace is a mish-mash of architecture
The City Palace took nearly 400 years to build. There are contributions from several different rulers and 22 generations. Each section has different styles, tastes and flamboyancy.
Our panoramic view over the city of Udaipur from the City Palace
Set up on a hill, it certainly provided us with panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. I particularly loved the view of the palace from the lake while on our sunset cruise. It was only then, that you can take in its vastness and just how huge the entire complex is.
The mosaics were mind-blowing, such intricate and delicate work
The Romance
Udaipur is the ‘Venice of India’. There is a certain sereneness out on the lake, looking back at the palace and city. Such tranquillity is hard to find in India so we enjoyed our sunset lake cruise more than we expected.
There was plenty of rooftops to choose from with outstanding views
Our group congregated at a rooftop bar overlooking the lake for a few ‘sundowners’. It was beautiful sitting there watching the sunset behind the Aravali Range.
We also dined on the rooftop of the hotel where the movie ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ was filmed in 2011.
spoilt with the most amazing sunsets we’ve seen
Paintings, Silver and Tailoring
Udaipur is famous for paintings, silver and tailoring. We watched painting demonstrations and some purchased paintings and also booked in for painting lessons the next day.
The local tailor shops were popular and there was plenty of silver shops in town. Certainly spoilt for choice for shopping options. Some of the group splashed out on purchases. When you only have one backpack that you have to carry around a few more countries, it curtails any purchases you may wish to make.
Master Chef – India Style
The next day, Scotty and I booked into a cooking class to brush up on our curry making skills. Scotty was keen to attend once he found out we ate what we cooked. Quite a few in our group opted to learn how to cook some delicious dishes from scratch.
Learning about all the herbs and spices that make up Indian cuisine
We got to enjoy the fruits of our labour and had a lovely lunch, which we all contributed to in some shape or form.
Click on the link below to see some highlights of our 3-night stay in Udaipur.
Hi Linda and Scotty
I think I’d love to visit India, but I keep hearing mixed reports. Certainly your post reignites my interest. Yet the story about the buses, for instance, has me hesitating – and your tour guide got you a beauty. Did you travel India on a tour? Scotty certainly did not look impressed with his garland. I guess he was happier with the cooking class. The city palace looks super imposing & with impressive views over the city. I particularly loved the awesome sunsets. 🙂
Thanks Estelle, I’d strongly recommend that you travel on a tour rather than independently (and that’s coming from us that love to do our own thing). India is certainly a different experience. We travelled with Intrepid Travel as they keep their groups small, budget-friendly and heaps of options. And you are right about Scotty not being too happy about the garland of flowers!
Your experience reminded me of our visit to Udaipur, we stayed at the City Palace and had a great time, the cruises on the lake certainly are a very enjoyable experience. When you mentioned tailoring, I had to laugh – one of our party had a suit tailored for him – and it turned out to be ruby red silk – he turned to his wife plaintively saying ‘I don’t think it was this colour when I ordered it, do you, Polly?’ She replied in chilling tones, ‘I wasn’t THERE, Jeremy!’ The inference was clear – he never would have ordered it if she HAD been there!
Haha, funny story! I can just imagine the scene.
Those pictures of the sunset are awesome. I have such weakness for sunsets – you can just sit and watch the colours change…I have been putting-off India for a long while now as I am not sure if I can cope with the heat and the system there. Safety has been on top of the list too yet I have heard many positive stories such as your. Perhaps, I must brave it and have it on my list.
From a safety perspective, I would recommend you travel in India on a guided tour 100%. That way you will be well looked after and it is way easier to travel from one destination to the next.