Udaipur is small, and that is the point
You can walk most of what matters in Udaipur. The City Palace, Jagdish Temple, the ghats and the old city sit within about a kilometre of each other, and the lake ties them together. Two days covers the city comfortably. The reason people stay longer is what sits outside it.
Udaipur in 2 days
Day 1 — the lake and the palace. Start at the City Palace early, before the tour groups. It is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan and the museum route takes about two hours. Come out into the old city, walk down to Gangaur Ghat, and spend the afternoon at Jagdish Temple and the bazaars around it.
Take the boat on Lake Pichola for sunset. It is touristy and it is still the best hour of the day — the light on the palace walls from the water is the reason people fall for Udaipur.
Day 2 — gardens and viewpoints. Saheliyon ki Bari in the morning, then Fateh Sagar Lake. In the late afternoon go up to the Monsoon Palace for the view back over the city and the Aravallis. Bagore ki Haveli does a folk dance show in the evening that is genuinely good rather than merely tolerable.
Udaipur in 3 days
The third day is where Udaipur stops being a city break and becomes a proper trip. Two options, and they are quite different.
Kumbhalgarh — about two hours out. A hill fort with the second-longest continuous wall in the world after China, running 36 km along the ridge. Combine it with the Ranakpur Jain temple on the way back, which is one of the finest pieces of marble carving in India. This is the fuller day of the two. It is covered in our Udaipur Kumbhalgarh package.
Chittorgarh — about two and a half hours. The largest fort in India by area and the most historically loaded site in Rajasthan, with the Vijay Stambh tower and the story of three sieges. Heavier going than Kumbhalgarh and more rewarding if you like history. See the Udaipur Chittorgarh package.
If you cannot choose: Kumbhalgarh for landscape, Chittorgarh for history.
Udaipur in 4 days
Do both of the above, and add a slower morning. The fourth day is best spent either at Eklingji and Nathdwara — two working temples about 25 km north, and a very different side of the region from the palaces — or simply not moving, which Udaipur is unusually good for.
Our Eklingji and Nathdwara package covers the temple route.
What is worth your time, and what is not
Worth it: the City Palace museum route, the sunset boat, Bagore ki Haveli, Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur.
Overrated: the vintage car museum unless you are specifically interested in cars, and the various “sunset points” that are laybys with a tea stall. Shilpgram is fine for children and skippable otherwise.
Underrated: just walking the old city between the ghats in the early morning, before it wakes up.
When to go
- October to March — the season, and the right answer for most people.
- July to September — the monsoon, and the one time Udaipur beats the rest of Rajasthan. The lakes fill, the Aravallis go green, and the city looks like the postcards.
- April to June — hot. Manageable if you plan around the middle of the day.
Fitting Udaipur into a wider trip
Udaipur sits in the south, away from the desert cities. Jaisalmer to Udaipur is a 9 to 10 hour drive, which is why a seven-day Rajasthan itinerary usually has to choose between the desert and the lakes. Nine days lets you have both — the reasoning is in our Rajasthan trip planning guide, and the route is the Grand Rajasthan package.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are enough for Udaipur?
Two days for the city itself. Three if you want Kumbhalgarh or Chittorgarh, which is the version most people are happier with. Four lets you do both without rushing.
What is the best Udaipur itinerary for 3 days?
Day one for the City Palace, old city and the sunset boat. Day two for the gardens, Fateh Sagar and Monsoon Palace. Day three out to Kumbhalgarh with Ranakpur on the way back.
Is Udaipur worth visiting in the monsoon?
More than any other Rajasthan city. The lakes are full and the hills are green, which is exactly what the rest of the year does not give you.
Kumbhalgarh or Chittorgarh from Udaipur?
Kumbhalgarh if you want the landscape and the wall, and it pairs well with Ranakpur. Chittorgarh if you want the history — it is the bigger and more sombre site.
Can you visit Udaipur without a car?
Within the city, yes — it is walkable and autos cover the rest. For Kumbhalgarh, Chittorgarh or Ranakpur you want a cab; public transport to them costs you the day.
Plan your Udaipur trip
We run Udaipur as a private tour with your own cab and driver, and can extend it into the wider Rajasthan circuit. Tell us your dates and how many days you have.