Udaipur Tours

The lake city is an enthralling tourist destination in Rajasthan. It is an important city in Rajasthan today, attracting a large number of tourists. The medieval attractions of the city are its chief draw, but the scenic beauty of Udaipur and its surroundings is also a major attraction for the tourists. There are some beautiful lakes, man made as well as natural that give the city the sobriquet of ‘the lake city’. Know more about Udaipur to understand the origins, history, and other aspects of this fascinating medieval city in Rajasthan.

The city of Udaipur was founded by the Sisodia ruler Maharana Udai Singh of Mewar, a medieval kingdom in Rajasthan. The Sisodias were hostile towards the newly arrived Mughuls whom they saw as invaders to be thrown out of India. They refused to be subjugated to Mughul might, and did not enter into matrimonial or other alliances like many other Rajput rulers during the reign of Akbar. The clash between the Sisodias and the Mughuls started with Babur who had to defeat Rana Sanga of Mewar to consolidate his position in India. The story took a tragic turn when Akbar defeated the Sisodias and Chittorgarh was sacked. The Sisodias were forced to shift their capital to Udaipur, and remained the headquarters of Mewar till Indian independence.

The tourist attractions in Udaipur include the magnificent palaces, temples, serene lakes and some interesting sites like museums and the crafts village. The city is famous for the three palaces namely The City palace, The Jag Mandir Palace, and the Jag Niwas palace (also known as the lake palace). The city palace is the largest palace in Rajasthan covering an area of 5 acres. Much of it has been converted into a wonderful museum while two of its palaces have been converted into luxury hotels. The lake palace is built on an island amidst the lake Pichola. It is one of the most luxurious hotels in India and presents a fascinating sight when lit up at night. The other tourist attractions in Udaipur include the cenotaphs of the Ranas of Mewar at Ahar, which also has a museum. The Bagore ki haveli is another museum preserving the arts and crafts of Udaipur. Besides Lake Pichola, the Fateh Sagar Lake and the Jaisamand Lake add to the beauty and tranquil ambience of the city. The Jaisamand wildlife sanctuary is a wonderful wildlife destination near Udaipur.

There are several religious spots in and around the city. These include the Jagdish temple, the Eklingji temple complex the Saas Bahu temples at Nagda, and the Srinathji temple at Nathdwara. Shilpagram is an interesting tourist spots in Udaipur. It is a venture meant to promote and save the indigenous arts and crafts of the region. Saheliyon ki Bari is a beautiful park decorated with fountains and trees, and should be visited during tours of the city.

There are several religious spots in and around the city. These include the Jagdish temple, the Eklingji temple complex the Saas Bahu temples at Nagda, and the Srinathji temple at Nathdwara. Shilpagram is an interesting tourist spots in Udaipur. It is a venture meant to promote and save the indigenous arts and crafts of the region. Saheliyon ki Bari is a beautiful park decorated with fountains and trees, and should be visited during tours of the city.

There are several religious spots in and around the city. These include the Jagdish temple, the Eklingji temple complex the Saas Bahu temples at Nagda, and the Srinathji temple at Nathdwara. Shilpagram is an interesting tourist spots in Udaipur. It is a venture meant to promote and save the indigenous arts and crafts of the region. Saheliyon ki Bari is a beautiful park decorated with fountains and trees, and should be visited during tours of the city.

Transportation

Air :
The Dabok airport is situated at a distance of 25 kilometers from the city center. It is connected to Delhi via Jodhpur and Jaipur by the Indian (Indian airlines) flight. Indian also has a flight to Mumbai from Udaipur. Jet airways also has a flight from Udaipur to Delhi via Jaipur and a direct flight to Delhi. Jet also flies you to Mumbai from Udaipur. You can get transportation for the city at the airport, including air-conditioned luxury taxis.

Train :
Reaching Udaipur by railway is very convenient as the city is well connected with the rest of the country by a large number of trains. Chetak express and Delhi Ahmadabad Express are the trains connecting Udaipur with Delhi. Ranakpur express, Aravalli express, Ahmadabad Jammu express, and Ahmadabad Jodhpur Express are the trains connecting Udaipur with Mumbai, Ahmadabad and other important destinations in west India.

Road :
Road access to Udaipur is provided by a large number of long distance buses operated by the state of Rajasthan as well as the neighboring states. Private buses and taxis are also available from various nearby destinations like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Abu, Jaisalmer, Bharatpur and Bikaner. Luxury coaches are available to distant cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Bhopal and Ahmadabad.

Climatic Conditions

The climate of Udaipur is a tropical one. The summer season is tolerably hot, with the average temperature hovering around 38.3° C (max) to 28.8° C (min). The climatic conditions of Udaipur, Rajasthan are quite pleasant in winters. The average temperature falls in the range of 28.3° C (max) to 11.6° C (min). Udaipur weather experiences scanty rainfall in the monsoon season, somewhere around 61 cm, approximately.

Tourist Attraction in Udaipur

Amongst the numerous tourist attractions of Udaipur, the more prominent ones are:

Lake Palace :
Built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1743, Lake Palace is situated on the Jag Niwas Island in the middle of Lake Pichola. It was constructed to serve as a summer palace for the royalty and covers an area of 1.5 hectare. Textiles and handicrafts used in ethnic themes all over the palace make it a mesmerizing sight. Presently, the palace has been converted into a five star hotel.

City Palace :
A fusion of Medieval European and Chinese architecture, the City Palace was built by Maharaja Udai Singh. This marble monument is situated on the eastern banks of Lake Pichola. Numerous balconies, towers and cupolas of the palace provide a marvelous view of the lake and the city below. A triple arched gate called Tripolia, built in 1725, provides the entry to the palace.

Lake Pichola :
Udaipur, Rajasthan sightseeing tour is incomplete without a visit to this lake. An artificial lake, Lake Pichola was constructed by Maharana Udai Singh II after he founded the city of Udaipur. The lake is 4 km long and 3 km wide and encloses the Jag Niwas Island and the Jag Mandir. One of the most scenic spots of Udaipur, Lake Pichola also houses the City Palace on its eastern banks.

Jag Mandir :
Built by Maharana Karan Singh, Jag Mandir was meant to serve as a hideout for Prince Khurram, the estranged son of Emperor Jehangir. Located on the other island palace in Lake Pichola, the palace has some exquisite carvings. The examples of carvings include a row of carved elephants guarding the island, grey and blue stone carved chhatri, etc.

Fateh Sagar Lake :
Built by Maharana jai Singh in 1678, Fateh Sagar Lake lies to the north of Lake Pichola. Maharana Fateh Singh reconstructed it later. The attractions of the lake include the beautiful Nehru Island as well as an islet housing a solar observatory.

Sahelion Ki Bari :
Sahelion ki Bari, the garden of maidens, was built by Maharana Sangram Singh in the mid 18th century. Pools with elegant kiosks, flowerbeds, lawns, pools, fountains, along with an array of trees make this garden eye-catching. There is also a sitting room decorated with paintings and glass mosaics in the garden.

Jagdish Mandir :
Maharana Jagat Singh I built the Jagdish temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, in 1651. It houses an image of Lord Vishnu in black stone, along with a brass image of Garuda, his carrier. Covering the exterior and the plinth are base relief of alligators, elephants, horsemen and celestial musicians, rising in rows. It is the largest temple in Udaipur.

Bagore ki Haveli :
One of the places to see in Udaipur is the Bagore ki Haveli. Amir Chand Badwa, the Prime Minister of Mewar built this palace on the waterfront of Lake Pichola at Gangori Ghat. An eighteenth century monument, it has on display an array of costumes and modern art. Delicate and exquisite glass and mirror work adorn the interiors of the Haveli. After the death of Badwa, Maharana Shakti Singh of Bagore occupied the building. It was then that the palace acquired the name of Bagore-ki-haveli (the house of Bagore).

Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir :
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir is a museum exhibiting a collection of folk arts, consisting of folk outfits, curios, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments and beautiful paintings, etc.

Devigarh Fort Palace :
Devigarh Fort Palace of Rajasthan is situated at a distance of approximately 28 km from Udaipur. It serves as one of the three corridors that lead to the city of lakes, Udaipur. Dating back to the 18th century, this fort palace stands enveloped by the massive Aravalli range of Rajasthan. This important principality was bestowed to Sajja Singh of Gujarat in recognition for his valiance and loyalty. He stood by Maharana Pratap Singh against the Mughal emperor Akbar, at the battle of Haldighati (1576) and was honored by the award of Devigarh. However, the construction work on the fort palace got underway only in the 1760s, under Raghudev Singh II.

After the initial construction, successive rulers made many additions to the Devi Garh Fort Palace. After merging into the state of Rajasthan in the 1960s, the palace was later abandoned. However, after years of restoration and reconstruction, it has now been converted into the Devi Garh Palace Heritage Hotel, near Udaipur. The mingling of the modern design with the age-old heritage, gives a special touch to the palace hotel. Devigarh Palace Hotel of Rajasthan is a unique all-suite boutique hotel. A stay in this heritage hotel will bring you all the comforts of a hotel, while, at the same time, giving a taste of the rich royal legacy of the state.

Eklingji Temple :
Approximately 22 km from Udaipur is the Eklingji temple complex. Built in 734 AD, this complex encompasses 108 temples carved out of sandstone and marble. It is dedicated to Eklingji (a form of Lord Shiva), the guardian deity of Mewar. There is a four-faced black marble idol of Shiva in the main temple. The one facing west represents Brahma, north facing is Vishnu, south facing is Maheshwar and east facing is Surya (Sun).

Shrinathji Temple Nathdwara :
Nathdwara (gateway to the Lord) is approximately 48 km from Udaipur. Built in 17th century, it is devoted to Lord Krishna. It is believed that the Lord, himself, defined this spot. Lord Krishna’s image was being relocated from Vrindaban to protect it from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. On reaching this spot, the vehicle’s wheel got stuck in mud and refused to move further. The escorting priest comprehended that the Lord had chosen this spot and a temple was built here.

Kumbhalgarh Fort :
Situated 84 km from Udaipur is the Kumbhalgarh Fort. Maharana Kumbha got this fort constructed in the 15th century. The fort towers over the Aravalli Hills and has number of temples in it. There are also seven great gates guarding the fort’s entrance. Nearby the fort lies the Kumbalgarh Sanctuary and the Badal Mahal (Cloud Palace).

Haldighati :
Haldighati is situated 40 km from Udaipur. Haldighati is famous for a fierce battle between Maharana Pratap and Mughal Emperor Akbar that took place here in 1576. There is a white marble Chhatri dedicated to the determined hero and his devoted horse.

Shilpgram :
Excursions around Udaipur, Rajasthan include Shilpgram (Craftsmen's Village). It is famous for its exquisite crafts, arts and culture. The specialty of the village is the terracotta work done in dark red and dark brown sand materials and the wooden carvings.

Karni Fort :
Karni Fort is situated in Bambora village, approximately 50 km from Udaipur. The fort has strong links with Rajput history and now stands turned into a heritage hotel. Providing a plethora of facilities, the fort hotel serves as the perfect place for relaxation.