Rajasthan, the largest state of India, is one of the most popular tourism destinations in India.
The state has great tourism potential and enthralls tourists and vacationers
with its awe-inspiring tourism options in the forms of culture, tradition,
temples, art & architecture, history, forts & palaces, monument,
havelis, wildlife sanctuaries & parks, rippling sand dunes, Thar Desert,
etc. There are many fascinating travel
destinations in the state which can be visited, explored and enjoyed on
your travel and tours in this royal
state of India. Let's have a look at top
ten travel destination of Rajasthan tourism.
1. Jaipur - The capital of the state, Jaipur is also the
largest city in the princely state of Rajasthan. It was founded in 1727, by the
Kachwaha Rajput Ruler Sawai Jaisingh II, who was the ruler of Amber. Also known
by the nickname ‘Pink City of India’ which is due to the distinctive saffron or
pink color of the buildings. The planning of the city was done according to the
Vedic Vastu Shastra (Indian architecture). The well planned streets and
detailed and artistic architecture make it one of the top
preferred tourist locations.
In the 2008 Conde Nast Traveller Readers Choice Survey,
Jaipur was ranked #7 of the best places
to visit in Asia. Jaipur has lots to offer to even the most average
tourists. Forts, monuments, temples, Gardens, museums and vast market places of
Jaipur bring tourists who come from all around the world to experience the
food, fun and frolic at this wonderful town. Jaipur is also home to a huge no.
of arts and craft with over 20 unique specializations. To learn more about the tourist
places in Jaipur, please visit: places
to visit in Jaipur. You might want to plan a separate 3 day itinerary
for this city alone.
Also known as the Pink
City of India, Jaipur is the state capital city and very popular tourist destination in India.
Worth visit attractions in Jaipur
city are City Palace, Albert Hall Museum, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Amber
Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort and Heritage
Hotels.
2. Udaipur - Also known as the City of Lakes, Udaipur is a
city in the state known for its elegant palaces and lovely lakes. It is one of
the most
beautiful and romantic cities in India. Key attractions
of tourist interest in the city are City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Lake
Palace, Pichola Lake, Fateh Prakash Palace, Monsoon Palace, Fateh Sagar Lake,
Udai Sagar Lake, Eklingji Temple, Nagda Temple, etc.
While in a few texts, it has been termed as the Venice of
the East, the City of Udaipur is known by its common moniker, the city of
lakes. The city was the capital of the Sisodiya Rajputs of Mewar and is famous
for its palaces that exemplify the finesse of Rajputana Style architecture.
Udaipur was founded in 1553 by the Sisodiya Rajput Ruler Maharana Udai Singh
II. The Mewar Rajputs founded the city to relocate their capital from Chittor
to a more secure location. Today, most of the palaces have been converted into
hotels, thus attracting a huge no. of tourist crowd to this city.
3. Jodhpur - The second largest City of Rajasthan, Jodhpur
is also the second most populated city of Rajasthan after Jaipur. The city was
founded in 1459 by the Rathore Rajput Ruler, Rao Jodha Singh of Marwar. The
city was founded as Marwar’s new capital after the fall of the former capital
of Mandore. Jodhpur is also called the Sun City as it enjoys a bright sunny
weather all year round. Strategically, it is considered to be the most
important city of western Rajasthan as it lies only at a distance of 250
kilometers from the Indo-Pakistan border.
Also, because it lies in the center of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is an important tourist destination
as well. Jodhpur has been listed many a times in various tourism magazines and
documentaries and has topped the lonely planet’s list of most extraordinary
place to stay in 2014. The various hill forts, palaces and the old walled city
are just a handful of attractions from the multitude that this wonderful city
has to offer. To learn more about the famous
tourist places in Jodhpur, please visit: places
to visit in Jodhpur.
Also known as the
Blue City of India, Jodhpur is the second largest city in the state. It is a wonderful tourist place to be visited
on Rajasthan travels and tours with
attractions like mammoth Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada Memorial, Umaid Bhawan
Palace, Mandore Gardens and many heritage
hotels.
4. Jaisalmer - Also known as the Golden City of India,
Jaisalmer is known for Golden Fort, Jain Temples, Havelis and an exciting trip
to rippling sand dunes of vast Thar Desert.
The aptly named “golden
city”, which comes from its view during the day, the city of Jaisalmer lies
in the heart of the Thar Desert. The city was founded by The Bhati Rajput ruler
Maharawal Jaisal Singh in 1156 Ad. The city gets its name from the golden sands
of the Thar Desert and the same golden colored sandstone used in the city’s
architecture. The city is a famous tourist
spot due to its magnificent architecture and the various arts and crafts
which are unique to this region. The city thrives on tourism, and can be called
a home away from home for a huge no. of tourists from all around the world.
The unique feature about the city of Jaisalmer is its
architecture. It was built as a walled city which makes it one of the largest
forts in the world. You might want to pack a lot of paperbacks and almost 3-4
days to enjoy the life in this city to its fullest. The fort has numerous
eateries that offer Italian, French and local cuisines. Visit during the months
of November and December and you will enjoy this castle city to its fullest. To
know more about the main tourist
spots in Jaisalmer, please visit: places
to visit in Jaisalmer.
5. Bikaner - Also known as the Camel City, Bikaner is a
wonderful tourist
place to visit in Rajasthan. It holds a prime position in boosting tourism
in Rajasthan with major attractions like Junagarh Fort, Lalgarh Palace,
Havelis, and sand dunes.
The city of Bikaner was founded in 1488 by the Rathore
Rajput Ruler Rao Bika. Rao Bika was the son of the Rathore Ruler Rao Jodha who
founded Jodhpur. The land was usurped from the rivaling Jat rulers of that
time. However, no matter how many wars the ancient city has seen in the past,
today Bikaner is another prime
tourist destination and is famous for its sweets and snacks. The place
is known for its forts and food.
The various arts and crafts of this place are also unique,
especially the intricately carved windowpanes called jharokhas. It is one town
we would personally recommend for you to visit if you want to experience the
authentic taste of rajasthani cuisines. The various fairs held in Bikaner also
attract a huge no. of visitors from all around India and the world. The famous
temples like Karni Mata and Laxmi Nath Temple etc. are also worth the visit. To
know more about the main tourist
destinations in Bikaner, please visit: places
to visit in Bikaner.
6. Pushkar - Pushkar is a holy city in Rajasthan. It is one
of the most sacred cities in India with lots
of attractions like Lord Brahma Temple, Gayatri Temple, Savitri Temple,
Pushkar Lake, Pushkar Palace, Rose Gardens, Pushkar Ghats, etc.
Lying in the Ajmer District of Rajasthan, the holy City of
Pushkar is often described as the king of pilgrimage sites in India. The town
is located at the shores of the Pushkar Lake, which was created by the tears of
Lord Shiva. The town is one of the oldest cities of India and the date of its
origin is unknown and is often associated with the Hindu mythology. The town is
famous for its temples and various Ghats which are frequented by hundreds of
visitors during the annual bath. The water of the lake is considered sacred and
thus is responsible for the town’s repute as a pilgrimage spot. To learn more
about tourist
places in Pushkar, visit: Places
to visit in Pushkar.
7. Chittorgarh - The ancient city of Chittorgarh also known
as Chittor, was said to have been founded by the Maurya Dynasty. However its
significance rose when the Ruler of the Sisodiya Rajput Clan of Mewar captured
the city in 734 Ad and made it the capital of Mewar. The place is known to be
the birthplace of many great warriors and historical figures like the Great
Maharana Pratap and the Hindu saint, Meera Bai. The city being an ancient place
contains many different palaces, temples and forts which display some of the
most advanced architectural designs and artistic mastery.
One of the major
places to visit in Chittorgarh is the Chittorgarh
fort, which is the largest fort in India. The fort was the former
capital of mewar before its relocation to the more secure city of Udaipur. The
fort was founded in the 7th century by the 1st Sisodiya Rajput Ruler Bappa
Rawal and spreads over an area of 2.8 sq kilometers and its highest elevation
point is 1,075 meters above sea level. Upon visiting you will experience and
witness the Rajput style architecture at its best. The fort complex itself
contains several palaces, gardens and temples most of which have a great
historical significance.
8. Maunat Abhu - The place takes pride of it being the only
hill station in the desert state of
Rajasthan. Mount Abu is situated in the Aravalli mountain range and is a
part of the Sirohi District of Rajasthan. The place apart from being a retreat
for the people of Rajasthan and Gujarat from the scorching sun but has a lot of
historical and religious significance. Mount Abu was known as the Arbuda
Mountain, which has been mentioned in the Hindu Epic Mahabharata and is known
for to be the place where the Great Sage Vashishta retired. The hill station
houses many ancient sites and temples which are frequented by many pilgrims
from across India along with many forts and lakes.
The place is a heavenly retreat for the sun scorched people
of Rajasthan, with its lush green surroundings and various picnic spots. The
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Trevor’s Crocodile Park, Nakki Lake and the most
Famous Dilwara Jain Temples are situated here. Apart from these, one can also
visit the ruins of Achalgarh Fort which was built in the 17th century. The
surroundings and the cool and enjoyable weather make it a place like no other
in the desert state of Rajasthan. To know more about the main tourist
destinations in Mount Abu, please visit: places
to visit in Mount Abu.
9. Ranthambhore - Ranthambore is one of the most popular destinations
of Rajasthan tourism. It is globally famous for Ranthambore
Tiger Reserve & National Park. The park is rich in its flora and
fauna. The key attractions of the park are tigers, Ranthambore Fort, Jogi Mahal
and ancient banyan tree.
Sawai Madhopur was built by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh of
The Kachwaha Rajputs and was founded in 1763. While the town itself doesn’t
have any notable tourist attractions,
just two attractions have made this city a must visit place in Rajasthan. They
are the Ranthambore Fort and the
Ranthambore National park. Both of the two places are a must visit and will
take up around 2-3 days for one to explore properly. For other tourist attractions, please visit: tourist
places to visit in Ranthambore. The Ranthambore forests were the
hunting grounds for the Kachwaha Rajputs of Jaipur till the time India received
its independence. After independence it was established as the Sawai Madhopur
Game Sanctuary and it rose to being a tiger reserve in 1973 and got its
national park status in 1980.
10. Bharatpur - Bharatpur is a beautiful town in the state
with attractions like Keoladeo
Ghana National Park (formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary),
Lohagarh Fort, Bharatpur Palace, etc.
The City of Alwar Founded by the Kachwaha Rajput Ruler
Pratap Singh in 1770. The town’s name was Ulwar during those days and was changed
to Alwar to bring it to the top in the alphabetically arranged list of the
Princely states of Rajputana. The town is significant for its various military
participations in various battles and was the first state of Rajputana to sign
a treaty with the British East India Company.
The city being one of the princely states of the Rajputana
has tones
of tourist attractions. The forts, temples and the immense abundance of
natural Fauna has brought this place in this list. The Haunted Bhangarh Fort,
The Karni Mata Temple, the Historic site of Pandupole, and the Sariska
Tiger Reserve are just a few of the many attraction this city houses.
These destinations are very popular among tourists and
vacationers from all over the world and various Rajasthan tour operators as
well. You will surly love to visit, explore and enjoy these deserving tourist
places of Rajasthan, the Royal State of India.
