How to Plan a Rajasthan Trip

Before you start planning Rajasthan

Rajasthan is a big state with long road distances. The best plans pick a loop, accept that driving is part of the trip and spend at least two nights in each city.

Decide the cities first, because that drives your vehicle, hotels and budget.

When to go to Rajasthan

October to March is the pleasant season, with December and January being the busiest and most expensive. Winter nights in the desert are cold.

April to June is extremely hot, and the monsoon months are green but humid. Weddings in winter can make good hotels hard to get in Udaipur and Jaipur.

Getting there and getting around

Jaipur is the usual entry point. Jaipur to Jodhpur is about five to six hours by road, Jodhpur to Jaisalmer about five, and Jodhpur to Udaipur about five. Trains and flights connect some pairs and can save a day.

If you are coming from Delhi, the Agra and Jaipur leg is a common starting point.

Where to base yourself

A seven-night loop of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur works well. Adding Jaisalmer needs at least two more days.

Pick hotels with early breakfast so you can start before the heat, and ask about parking and check-out times.

What to book early

• Hotels during the winter wedding season.
• A desert camp in Jaisalmer, where quality varies.
• Fort and palace timings, as some close on specific days.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to cover Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Pushkar in five days.
• Visiting in May or June without planning around the heat.
• Ignoring that the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays when including Agra.
• Booking camel and elephant experiences without checking animal welfare practices.

A simple route to start from

Treat this as a starting outline and adjust it to your dates and pace.