Solo trip to Udaipur, Rangeelo Rajasthan

The first city I visited in Rajasthan was Udaipur, and it turned out to be an experience far beyond my expectations.

Sometimes, when we go in without expectations, the experience surprises us in the best possible way—that's exactly what happened in Udaipur.

I have included links of short videos throughout this blog to offer visual examples 😊

Small video 🎥:

Udaipur in a glance

I initially planned this trip for 3 days, but I ended up staying 2 days in Udaipur and spent the 3rd day exploring Chittorgarh, which is about 110 km from Udaipur and and also it was on my same return route.

During this trip, I covered major sightseeing spots, some offbeat places, cultural shows, authentic food, and even visited a leather journal-making factory, a local village called Raita and Raita Hills, meeting locals who shared stories about their craft and history added a special touch to the trip.

Experiences like these expose the true character of a place, making every journey and destination truly unforgettable 😊

I visited Udaipur in April, and the weather was pleasant with intermittent rain. Also monsoon brings out a different charm in Udaipur, so that is a great time to visit for those who love the rain 😎.

I found that Udaipur is a complete package in itself—lively ghats 🚣‍♀️, people are awake until late at night, enjoying the lake views and various lakeside eateries, temples 🛕 with great architecture, palaces steeped in the history of the Mewar dynasty, lush greenery, gardens, waterfalls 🏞, and hills ⛰️ just a few kilometers from the city.

Day 1:

When I arrived in Udaipur at 8 AM, I stayed in an old hotel run by a kind, elderly lady. She was very helpful and suggested I go up to the terrace for a quick view of the city and the sunrise 🌅. So, I did, and it was stunning!

Around 9:30 AM, I visited the beautiful Jagdish Temple. I loved the architecture; it reminded me of South Indian temples, though the style is quite different.

One thing which I noticed there at Jagdish Temple, there's a marble slab near the main temple complex where devotees rub their knees, back, and shoulders. Initially I had no idea what is the reason🤔, later I came to know that people believe, this marble slab possesses some magical ability to relieve any pain in the body.

Here is a picture of Jagdish Temple👉:

After the temple visit:

I stopped at a local shop and enjoyed a famous snacks of Rajasthan "Dal Kachori" with ginger tea.😎

And then headed towards City Palace around 10:30 AM. City Palace was vast, and exploring it took quite a bit of time. The palace is rich in history, with several sections built over time by different rulers of the Mewar dynasty.

Did you know that City Palace is the second-largest palace in India after Mysore Palace? 😮

By 1:30 PM, I was done exploring the palace and rented a scooty for ₹350 from a shop just outside the palace. I headed towards Karni Mata Temple and stopped along the way to ask an auto driver for directions. He asked, "Madam, aapko kya maze aa rahe hain akele ghumne mein?" (Madam, what fun are you having roaming alone?)🤣🤣 I replied, "You can't imagine!" 🤭

After this, I took the ropeway up to Karni Mata Temple and enjoyed a panoramic view of the city.

Next, I went on a boat ride in Lake Pichola, which was fantastic, especially seeing City Palace from the lake.

Later, I visited Fateh Sagar Lake. Since I had already done boating at Lake Pichola, I skipped it here but loved the view. Across the lake was the Maharana Pratap Museum, and going there was good decision, As there was a museum, statue and the auditorium, where folk dancers performs. I even danced 💃with folk dancers performing the Ghoomar, which became one of the highlights of my trip.

Video 🎥 of Ghumar dance👇:

Ghoomar dance

I wrapped up the day with some shopping in the colorful local markets. While exploring, I met a guy who recommended a restaurant serving authentic Rajasthani food. I tried Dal Baati Churma for the first time, and he kindly explained how it is eaten, like mash the Baati and then soak into Daal to fully soak the liquid 😋😋.

The hotel owner was so caring; they called me around 10 PM to check if I was alright since I hadn’t returned all day. Their concern made me feel like I wasn't alone, even though I was traveling solo.

Day 2:

This day was even more exciting as I got to explore and experience things that were totally unplanned 🤩, making it the highlight of the trip.

I met a local who worked in leather journal making, and he offered to show me the entire process. We navigated through the narrow lanes of Udaipur to reach his workshop, where I learned about the step-by-step process of making handmade leather journals.

Starting from preparing leather cover to final product.

1. Embossing the leather sheet with the metal pattern.

2. Dyeing the leather sheet and get it dried then trimming as per the size of journal.

3. Folding the papers, making the booklets.

4. Sewing booklet with the leather cover.

5. Adding the closures (Putting the lock).

And Voila ! 🤪

I really loved this, they were doing at small level, and whole work was handmade. Few months before I was loking for leather journal, but didn't buy it online as i was not sure about durability. But when I seen here the whole making process in Udaipur, I quickly decided to buy 1 for me. And they told me that this work is done handmade only here in Udaipur from long time..so it is family business there but it happen in only few family..

Here is the small video 🎥 of their work:

Handmade Leather journal

Another interesting moment was roaming in Rayta hills and in Rayta village, The name seems funny when I saw Rayta written on the board😁I didn't know that Rayta village also exists. but the area was so peaceful—barely any people, just hills, roads, and occasional drizzle. It was a perfect day.

After passing through Rayta Village, I reached the beautiful Alsigarh village, surrounded by hills and incredibly serene. I can only imagine how heavenly it must look during the monsoon.

In the evening, I attended a cultural show at Bagore Ki Haveli. After a day of exploration, it was the best way to end the day, watching performers showcase Rajasthani dance forms like Ghoomar. For someone visiting Rajasthan for the first time, this was a mesmerizing experience.

Day 3:

On the third day, I went to Chittorgarh, another historical site, home to the Chittorgarh Fort—one of the largest forts in India and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the same fort where Rani Padmini committed Jauhar, as depicted in the Bollywood movie "Padmaavat" 🙂

The place also can be seen where Alluding Khilji setup the tents just before the war and also the place where allaudien khilji got a glimpse of Rani Padmini, as depicted in movie "Padmaavat".

After seeing the fort, I felt like rewatching the movie Padmaavat 😊

Here is the video 🎥 : Chittorgarh Fort

Itinerary Summary 👇:

Day 1

9:30 AM : Jagdish temple (must attend aarati there, is performed at different time)

11:00 AM : City palace (Also visit in the evening for the Light & Sound Show from 7 PM to 9 PM)

2:30 PM : Karani Mata temple (reach by ropeway or trekking)

4:30 PM : Lake Pichola (boating and camel ride)

6:00PM : Fateh sagar lake (Boating, camel ride, and a great evening view)

7:00 PM : Maharana Pratap Smarak, Museum, and Auditorium for a cultural program (Dancing with folk dancers was a highlight for me 😍)

After 8:00 PM : Shopping at the local market followed by a delicious dinner: Rajasthani Dal Baati Churma 😋

Day 2:

10:30 AM : Started shopping 😁

12:00 AM : Visited leather journal making workshop

1:00 PM : Saheliyon ki Bari (a garden)

1:30 PM : Shilpagram (village displaying Rajasthani arts and crafts, also folk performers showcase their talent )

3:00 PM : Rayta hills (Oh, this place and Alsigarh was something different than Udaipur, peaceful, Hills, a treat to the eyes)

3:30 PM : Alsigarh village

5:30 PM : Gangaur ghat for great View at evening during sunset (And also it is good to sit at Gangaur ghat in late night around 10 PM)

6:30 PM : Bagore ki haveli (muesuem and 1 hour cultural show from 7 PM to 8 PM)

8:30 PM : again Resumed my shopping 😁

9:30 PM : Rajasthani Dinner

Day 3:

9:00AM : Left Udaipur, and took Bus for nearby city "Chittor".

12:00 PM : Reached Chittor, and had Rajasthani lunch

1:30 PM to 4:30 PM : Explored Chittorgarh fort

Below video 🎥 from Chittorgarh fort:

Monkeys at Chittorgarh.

.........................That is the end of the trip🙌................

Travel Tips:

When visiting Udaipur, I highly recommend visiting Rayta Hills and Alsigarh, especially during the monsoon when the hills are lush with greenery.
Allocate at least 3-4 days to explore Udaipur and its surroundings.
Food recommendations: Try Dal Baati Churma and Gatte Ki Sabzi.

Bye bye, enjoy some more photos 😊

For more travel video and places, find me on instagram @shweta.traveler