Udaipur is beautiful. But Rajasthan around it is extraordinary.
Most travellers spend their entire trip within the city and leave without realising that some of the most spectacular places in the country are sitting within two hours of their hotel. If you have a day to spare, here is where you should go.
About 84 kilometres from Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh is home to one of the most remarkable forts in India. The wall surrounding it stretches for 36 kilometres, making it the second longest wall in the world after the Great Wall of China. The fort itself sits at an altitude of over 1,000 metres, which means the views on the way up are as rewarding as the destination itself.
Start early. The drive takes around two hours and the fort is best experienced in the morning before the heat sets in. If you time it right, you can also visit the Ranakpur Jain temples on the same day since they are roughly on the way back. The temples are among the finest examples of Jain architecture anywhere in the world and are worth at least an hour of your time.
Chittorgarh is about 115 kilometres from Udaipur and tells one of the most dramatic stories in Rajput history. The fort complex here is the largest in India by area and contains within it several palaces, towers and temples that speak to centuries of glory and sacrifice.
The Vijay Stambha, or Tower of Victory, is the centrepiece. Built in the 15th century to commemorate a military victory, it rises nine storeys and offers a view of the entire fort complex from the top. Budget at least three to four hours here because the fort is genuinely vast.
If Kumbhalgarh and Chittorgarh are about history, Nathdwara is about devotion. Located just 48 kilometres from Udaipur, it is home to the Shrinathji temple, one of the most important Vaishnav pilgrimage sites in India. The town around it has its own energy, with local markets, pichwai paintings and the particular warmth of a place that has welcomed pilgrims for centuries.
This one works well as a half-day trip if you want to be back in Udaipur for the evening.
The best day trips are the ones where you are not watching the clock. Book your cab the night before, start by 7 or 8 in the morning and give yourself the flexibility to stop when something catches your eye. Rajasthan rewards the unhurried traveller.
Aavre offers full-day cab hire starting at Rs 2,500 for 10 hours and 180 kilometres. Fixed price, pre-confirmed, professional driver. Book directly on WhatsApp in under a minute.
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