Highlights of an Epic Rajasthan Road Trip in India

This incredible Rajasthan road trip will introduce you to the unmissable highlights of Rajasthan, along with a few of the must-see attractions en route in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, in the north of India.

Nothing quite prepares you for the pure assault on the senses, the kaleidoscopic chaos and irrepressible humanity of India.

A country of 1.3 billion people, many thousands of temples, and around five million roaming cows, India is quite simply, like nowhere else on earth.

It’s a country you experience through the senses in a way that rarely sees you in the same postcode as your comfort zone. But it’s also that overwhelming fusion of people, culture, cuisine, religion, and history that makes India so alluring.

Why visit Rajasthan?

Often the focal point of Indian tourism, Rajasthan and its surrounds boast some of the cultural and architectural highlights of India, if not the world.

The State of Rajasthan – literally ‘Land of the Kings’ – has some of the most incredible forts in the region. These mighty edifices, rising above cities or out of the desert landscape, like giant, abstract mountains of stone, often left us lost for words, and running out of memory on our SD cards.

It’s also impossible not to be captivated by Rajasthan’s diverse and incredibly rich array of cultural treasures. Whether it’s milling with hundreds of Muslim pilgrims at the shrine of a Sufi saint at Ajmer; being chased by macaques at the Hindu Galwar Bagh Monkey Temple in Jaipur; tiptoeing around thousands of pampered holy rats at the Hindu Karni Mata Temple near Bikaner; or wandering through the exquisitely carved, milky-marble magnificence of the Jain Chaumukha Mandir Temple in Ranakpur; Rajasthan’s cultural riches will blow your mind.

And if all that history and culture isn’t enough, Rajasthan will tantalise your tastebuds in a way few places can. We’ve got fond memories of eating spicy aloo chat from smiling street vendors, enjoying tasty parathas at every possible opportunity, and scoffing consistently delicious vegetarian curries just about everywhere. And let’s not forget the ubiquitous, impossibly sweet, yet almost impossible to resist jalebi desert . . . YUM!!

Deciding between public transport and a road trip in Rajasthan

When it comes to developing a Rajasthan itinerary, you’ll eventually arrive at the dilemma we had, which was deciding between public transport or a road trip.

There are definitely pros and cons with each. It really comes down to what you want to see, how you want to see it, the length of time you have, your budget, and how flexible you can afford to be.

Our Rajasthan travels were in December, and having heard a few stories of travellers being stuck in places for days due to fog-cancelled trains and other mishaps, we decided we would get more out of our time in northern India with a car and driver.

While this inevitably bumped up our daily budget, it really did turn out to be a good call, giving us the flexibility to explore more Rajasthan highlights, including its amazing forts, palaces and temples, as well as seeing some wonderful countryside and dozens of small bustling villages we might have missed if we travelled by train or bus.

If you do decide on a road trip like we did, it’s still worth making time in your Rajasthan itinerary for a train journey at some point if you can. Travelling India’s iconic railways is a fantastic way of getting to know India, and the interactions you have with local people on train journeys may be some of your most memorable experiences.

Our own Rajasthan road trip took place over three weeks, so if you follow the route below as it rolls out, you can expect to spend around the same amount of time on the road.

However, we’ve also taken the approach of capturing the highlights of each leg, so you can create your own itinerary with the time and opportunity you have.

To that end, we’ve also included rough distances and travel times between destinations. Let’s be clear though, this is India, and the amount of time it takes to get from one place to another can be affected by any number of things on the day: nature, weather, traffic, humans, cows on the road. Take the timings as a guide, but as with all road trips, factor in extra time and contingencies just in case.

Rajastahn Road Trip Itinerary

1. Pre-road trip: Getting Started in Delhi
2. Leg 1: Delhi to Jaipur
3. Leg 2: Jaipur to Pushkar via Ajmer
4. Leg 3: Pushkar to Bikaner
5. Leg 4: The Desert Road from Bikaner to Jaisalmer
6. Leg 5: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur
7. Leg 6: Jodphur to Kumbhalgarh via Ranakpur
8. Leg 7 – Kumbhalgarh to Udaipur
9. Leg 8 – Udaipur to Bundi via Chittorgarh
10. Leg 9 – Bundi to Ranthambore
11. Leg 10 – Ranthambore to Bharatpur
12. Leg 11: Bharatpur to Agra
13. Final Leg – Agra to Delhi via Fatehpur Sikri

Pre-road trip: Getting Started in Delhi

Like many visitors, we started our Indian adventure in the country’s capital, Delhi. When you get past the inevitable culture shock that comes with landing in a city of more than 11 million souls – especially when it feels like all those souls are talking, yelling, laughing, and honking their horns at the same time – you’ll begin to understand just what India is.

While Delhi can be completely overwhelming for the first time visitor, once you get used to the pace, the noise, the traffic, the smells, and the sheer number of people, you’ll discover a city bursting at the seams with colour, culture and a ton of things to see and do.

It’s almost impossible to pick highlights, but there’s something about the 17^th century Red Fort, with its immense sandstone walls, elaborate pavilions, and peaceful gardens, that always draws us back when we visit Delhi.

An early morning wander through the intricately chiselled hallways and huge courtyard of Delhi’s 360-year-old Jama Masjid Mosque is also pretty high on our list of the best things to do in Delhi.

And if you’re World Heritage fans like us, southern Delhi’s tomb of Humayun, thought to be the inspiration behind the Taj Mahal, is a delight.

For something a little different, be sure to also seek out one of Delhi’s remaining baolis, or stepwells. Our favourite, the 14^th century Agrasen ki baoli, is an easy walk from Connaught Place. Exploring this three tiered, 104 step masterpiece makes for a peaceful escape within the busy city, and is well worth making the effort to visit.

Our North India tour by car kicks off tomorrow, so we’ve arranged for our driver to collect us first thing in the morning.

Leg 1: Delhi to Jaipur

Aim to spend at least 2 nights in Jaipur.

Our Rajasthan road trip is underway! The journey from Delhi to Jaipur is around 280 kilometres and takes up to five hours, so settle in and enjoy your first glimpses of the countryside as you pass from Delhi, through the state of Haryana and into Rajasthan proper.

Exploring Jaipur, the Pink City

It’s handy having a car to explore the many sites in and around Jaipur. So even though it’s worth basing yourself here for a couple of days, you’ll definitely have use of the wheels.

My enduring memory of Jaipur is marvelling at the rocky mountainscape surrounding the Amber Fort (also called the Amer Fort), from the finely carved and multi-pillared audience hall. I can still distinctly remember a fresh breeze washing over me, taking some of the heat out of the day and causing me to linger and enjoy the moment.

You can get lost in the Amber Fort for hours, exploring marvellously designed and highly ornate gateways, courtyards, pavilions and temples. It’s a place where you’ll quite literally be dazzled by the intricately designed mirror tiles of the world renowned Sheesh Mahal, awed by opulent royal palaces, and wowed by incredible views on all sides.

One of those views looks up towards a ridgeline dominated by the many towers of Jaigarh Fort. With its imposing fortifications and incredible views over Amber Fort, which it was designed to protect, it’s definitely another unmissable stop on your Jaipur itinerary.

Take A Walk, Skip the Elephant Ride

The Amber Fort is reached by a wide, winding pathway up the mountainside. Jeeps run visitors up to the top, or you can take a slow stroll and stop for lots of pics along the way. You’ll also see elephants carting tourists up the path, and while this has long been considered a popular part of the fort experience, we ask you to think twice before joining the queue and #refusetoride.

Instead, consider visiting an elephant sanctuary like the Wildlife SOS rescue centre at Mathura near Agra. There, rescues – including elephants from Amber Fort – are given the care and freedom from chains they deserve. We’ve written in detail about the plight of working elephants in India in this story that we wrote for NOMADasaurus.

Back down at ground level, Jaipur has a multitude of other attractions that, depending on your pace, could easily take a few days to explore and fully appreciate. In the heart of Jaipur, the City Palace, with its many halls, courtyards and pavilions will leave you with a regal feeling, while UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory will help fix your place in both space and time.

Don’t leave without wandering by Hawa Mahal. It’s a place you’ll probably recognise even if you’ve never visited Jaipur, courtesy of it being the poster child for many a tourism campaign. This former royal retreat, all five stories and 900-plus windows of it, delightfully carved out of pink sandstone, is one of my favourite buildings in Rajasthan, perhaps even India, and it’s a must-see.

Leg 2: Jaipur to Pushkar via Ajmer

Overnight in Pushkar.

It’s a little under 150-kilometres to Pushkar from the Pink City, but along the way you’ll find one of Rajasthan’s oldest and perhaps, holiest cities, Ajmer.

The Holy City of Ajmer

On the day we visited Ajmer, the sheer number of pilgrims jostling their way through the ornate main gate of the Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti shrine, the city’s most revered site, was simply mind boggling.

Once you’ve visited the shrine and extracted yourself from the crowds, it’s worth exploring the city’s smattering of Jain temples, including quirky Soni Ji Ki Nasiyaan with its 1000kg City of Gold.

We also recommend taking in the atmosphere of one of India’s oldest mosques, the 12^th century Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra, with its delicately carved inscriptions and pillars.

On the way out of town, be sure to head up to nearby Taragarh Fort for incredible views over Ajmer and Lake Ana Sagar before heading further towards the Thar Desert and our ultimate destination today, the town of Pushkar.

A Pilgrimage to Pushkar

Centred around a sacred lake overlooked by Naga Pahar hill, Pushkar is quite literally the stuff of Hindu legend, making this ancient city – one of India’s oldest – an important and popular pilgrimage site.

Early morning is a great time to take a stroll around the lake before the heat of the day really kicks in. It’s worth grabbing a chai, finding a spot to sit, and watching the temples and ghats come to life as thousands of colourful pilgrims and other devotees bathe or perform their morning ritual or prayer.

Visitors are spoilt for choice in a city boasting many hundreds of temples. However no visit would be complete without a visit to one of India’s few Brahma temples, the 14th century Jagatpita Brahma Mandir, perhaps the most famous and visited temple in Pushkar.

As you wander around the frenetic, colourful streets that wrap themselves around Pushkar’s sacred lake, you’ll almost certainly notice the intricately carved decorative gopuram (tower) of Old Rangji Temple. It’s another place worth visiting to appreciate the unique architecture and beautiful craftmanship of the building.

Leg 3: Pushkar to Bikaner

Consider spending 2 nights in Bikaner.

After spending our morning in Pushkar, we set off on the long drive of some 250-odd kilometres (around 5-6 hours) to Bikaner.

Meet The Holy Residents of Karni Mata Rat Temple, Deshnok

As the shadows start to lengthen, you might be tempted to bypass quirky Karni Mata Temple (40 minutes south of Bikaner) in favour of that nice shower and hot meal you’ve been daydreaming about. Resist the temptation.

I’ll be honest though, Karni Mata Temple is not for the squeamish. Musophobics might like to keep driving at this point.

If you don’t mind sharing your space with twenty thousand or so rats though, Karni Mata is about as unique an experience as it gets.

Legend has it your rattie hosts are reincarnated descendants of Karni Mata, a 15^th century miracle worker revered as the incarnation of the goddess Durga.

In addition to dodging scuttling rats while keeping your eyes peeled for one of the rare, and especially holy white rats, be sure to appreciate the delicately carved marble entranceway and solid silver doors of the temple. Before you run for the safety of your car.

Oh and try to remember, if a rat does manage to scuttle across your bare feet, it’s considered incredibly auspicious!

Read more about our experience at Karni Mata Temple in this post.

Explore the Highlights of Bikaner

Sometimes overshadowed by its more famous neighbours in the Golden Triangle, the regal city of Bikaner is packed full of architectural gems that conjure up a tangible sense of the city’s royal past.

That palpable sense of history is immediately apparent when you enter monumental Junagarh Fort. Spending a few hours wandering through the many royal palaces, pavilions, temples, audience halls and courtyards here feels like a journey through Bikaner’s rich history, reflecting the variety of architectural and artistic influences that have shaped the city over hundreds of years.

While you’ll no doubt find your own favourite spots within the fort, it’s certainly worth lingering in the ornately carved and ambient Durbar Hall, and seeking out the beautifully painted walls and ceilings of Badal Mahal, the opulently adorned Anup Mahal, and the colourfully painted Gaj Mandir Palace.

Wandering through the tangled laneways and markets of the old city, dodging rickshaws, marvelling at impressive old havelis and shrines, while avoiding the occasional meandering cow was another of our highlights of visiting Bikaner.

Try to finish your stroll at the glorious marble façade of Bhandasar Jain Temple, famed for its ornate carvings, beautiful frescoes and acclaimed mirror work. It’s definitely a place not to miss.

From something a little offbeat, discover everything you never thought you needed to know about camels at the National Research Centre of Camel, around 9km from town. These cleverly-evolved beasties are studied and bred here, and in addition to the highlight of seeing baby camels (all the incentive we needed), you can also try out camel milk kulfi and lassis (surprisingly yum!) from the camel milk parlour.

Then enjoy the late afternoon sun at ambient Devi Kund, a royal crematorium where the beautifully designed cenotaphs are each dedicated to a different ruler.

Leg 4: Bikaner to Jaisalmer

Given the distance, it’s worth spending 3 nights in Jaisalmer.

It’s a long, long 330-kilometres (5+ hour) drive between Bikaner and the desert outpost of Jaisalmer, perched on the edge of the Great Thar Desert.

Pause to stretch your legs with the Khichan cranes

If you’re bird nerds like us, you might like to break up the journey with a mid-point stop at the dusty town of Khichan.

Here, between late August and March each year, thousands of demoiselle cranes migrate across the subcontinent, from beyond the Himalayas, to their favourite Indian holiday spot.

We’re not sure what it is about this dusty, middle-of-nowhere spot that draws these elegant birds, but you can read about our experience of Khichan’s cranes here.

Discover the desert outpost of Jaisalmer

It’ll be well into the afternoon before you spy the amazing Jaisalmer Fort, perched impossibly high above the surrounding desert plains like some kind of mirage on the edge of the desert.

There’s something quite magical about that first afternoon exploring the fort’s sites, including the intricate carvings of the golden sandstone Jain temple complex (seven interlinked temples, including Chandraprahbu and Parasnath) as well as the Maharaja’s Palace.

Before you get too immersed in your explorations though, be sure to allow enough time for a drive out into the surrounding plains for panoramic views of the fortress in all its glory as the walls turn golden in the late afternoon sun.

Then, take a drive ten minutes northwest of the city to the royal cenotaph site of Bada Bagh. Explore the ornate royal chhatris of Jaisalmer maharajas from the 18th century and enjoy the incredible views back towards the immense walled city as the sun drops.

Staying within Jaisalmer Fort

When we first travelled to India, we stayed in a lovely haveli built into one of the fort bastions of Jaisalmer. While it was a very cool experience, we’ve since learned that centuries of poor sewage and sanitation systems are causing the fort foundations to sink and the sandstone to degrade and crumble.

Steps are being taken to improve the systems and repair damage, but as travellers, we would certainly think twice about staying within the fort again and contributing to the damage. We recommend researching the matter further when it comes to choosing your accommodation and considering a stay in the town outside the fort walls.

You’ll likely want to spend at least another day within the fort precinct, exploring its wonderful labyrinth of narrow stone lanes, chai shops, and elaborately designed havelis, including beautiful Patwa-ki-Haveli, Nathmal-ki-haveli and Salim Singh-ki-Haveli.

Jaisalmer also has an abundance of interesting textile shops and, although not huge shoppers, we couldn’t help stopping by a handful of enticing shops selling beautifully embroidered wall hangings and bedding.

Camel Safaris in Jaisalmer

Camel tours are big business in Jaisalmer and you’ll certainly be hassled at some point about signing up for one.

We opted for a short afternoon camel ride to the Sam sand dunes for sunset. The scenery was lovely as the sun dropped, but if we had our time again, we’d probably explore one of the other options available for experiencing the western desert, like a camping experience or a 4WD dune adventure. Truth is, the slow lurching, lunging ‘camel massage’ isn’t an experience we particularly enjoy. Nor do the camels, judging by their grumbles and protests.

We leave it up to you, but recommend researching companies and their approach to the care and welfare of their animals before signing up for a tour.

Leg 5: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur

Consider spending 2 nights in Jodhpur

We’re into week two of our Rajasthan road trip, and this stretch serves up another epic 280-kilometres (4-5 hour) drive from Jaisalmer to the Blue City of Jodhpur.

Thanks to an early start we arrive late morning, so after dropping off our bags we have all afternoon to explore perhaps the most imposing fortress in all of Rajasthan, the mighty Meherangarh Fort.

It’s impossible not to be awed by Meherangarh, dominating the skyline from its perch 125-metres above the bustling city of Jodhpur.

That sense of awe increases as you navigate the incline through a series of immense gates, each with their own story to tell. The 19th century cannonball marks at Dodh Kangra Pol speak of a turbulent past; the intimidating spikes at Loha Pol conjure the dread that invading armies might have felt; while the handprints inside the same gate tell their own sad story of queens that have committed sati (self-immolation).

Make the best of the awesome audio tour to get the most out of the usual mix of impressive palaces, ornate halls, revered temples, relaxing gardens, and perhaps Rajasthan’s most eclectic and impressive museum.

The highlight for us was a stroll around the magnificent ramparts, where the panoramic views over the blue-painted houses of the old city below bring home the reason for Jodphur’s nickname: the ‘Blue City’ of Rajasthan.

We’d highly recommend ending your day on one of the city’s rooftop eateries, where you can digest the day’s adventure over a beer, with the ambiently lit fort as a backdrop.

Day 2 in Jodhpur

There’s plenty to see and do on a second day in Jodhpur, even though Meherangarh will never be far from your mind, or indeed your view.

Take a wander through the narrow alleyways of the Old City, overlooked by the Ghanta Ghar clocktower, before tempting yourself with textiles, spices, handicrafts and sweet offerings of Sardar Market.

It’s also worth checking out Umaid Bhawan Palace for a taste of the life of the maharajas: it’s still the vast home of Jodhpur’s former royals (India’s many royal families had their official royal status removed following Indian independence from Britain). Part of it is also an upmarket hotel, but you may well need the resources of a maharaja to stay there.

If you can’t resist one final, spectacular view of Meherangarh Fort (in our opinion, the most epic view), head to Jaswant Thadam, a beautifully carved white marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. The gardens here are lovely. The huge flocks of pigeons, not so much.

Leg 6: Jodphur to Kumbhalgarh via Ranakpur

Overnight in the town of Kumbhalgarh.

History nuts and fort aficionados will have to save their enthusiasm for epic Kumbhalgarh Fort for tomorrow morning. Our focus today is the exquisite Ranakpur Jain temple en route to Kumbulgarh town.

Ranakpur is around 3-4 hours’ drive and 155-kilometres from Jodhpur.

Marvel at the White Marble Elegance of Ranakpur’s Jain Temple

The main four-sided white marble masterpiece of the 15^th century Jain temple, Chaturmukha Dharana Vihara, literally took our breath away.

1,440 artfully carved columns support an elegant, interconnected series of engraved halls and domes that enfold a central sanctuary and shrine.

It’s really worth spending some time here to fully appreciate the artistry of the carved reliefs throughout the temple. If you have time, check out the two smaller temples nearby.

You may get lucky like us and have the place largely to yourself, with just a few busy green parrots for company.

It will most likely be late afternoon by the time you finish at the temple, and we’d highly recommend a short detour before recharging your batteries for the night in Kumbhalgarh.

There’s something special about ending a long busy day with a serene scene and a spectacular sunset, and Ranakpur Dam serves up both. It’s just near the temple.

Find a comfortable spot and enjoy the views across the tranquil waters of the dam, the sound of birdlife, and nature’s greatest show as the sun drops behind the Aravalli mountain range.

Kumbulgarh town is about an hour or so from the temple precinct, so we make our way there for the night. Tomorrow morning, we hit up Kumbhalgarh Fort.

Witness the Winding Walls of Kumbhalgarh Fortress

It’s only a short drive from Kumbulgarh to Udaipur today, so you’ll have plenty of time to wander the mountain fortress of Kumbhalgarh.

You’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve teleported to China as you gaze over the truly immense 36-kilometre defensive walls of this epic fort. They rise and fall over the hills as far as the eye can see.

This World Heritage-listed monolith has been standing guard from its 1,100-metre high perch in the Aravalli range for almost 600 years. You’ll need a couple of hours at least to climb the steep slope up to the fort and explore the palaces and Jain temples within. The real highlight here though is the view from the ramparts.

If you have more time and plenty of energy, it’s possible to walk a circuit of the walls in two days (!), and there are various walks and nature trails in the area, including Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Leg 7 – Kumbhalgarh to Udaipur

Dedicate three or more days to the beautiful city of Udaipur – there’s lots to do here.

From Kumbhalgarh, it’s 84-kilometres and two hours’ driving to the city of Udaipur (so it’s also possible to visit Kumbhalgarh as a day trip from Udaipur).

After two busy weeks on the road for our Rajasthan road trip, there was something extra special about slowing the pace in Udaipur. We kicked back on our first evening with a Kingfisher beer and a sunset of molten gold on a quiet rooftop overlooking Udaipur’s beautiful Lake Pichola. It was a ritual we went on to repeat every evening we were here.

Udaipur’s highlights are many, not least of which is that it’s a city on a lake surrounded by mountains – a welcome change after many long and dusty days in and around the Thar Desert. We spent three nights in this lovely city and would recommend giving it at least that to appreciate the sites in the city and the surrounding area.

Perhaps the biggest drawcard is Udaipur City Palace and Museum, the largest palace in Rajasthan. It’s an extraordinary labyrinth of history, architecture and intricate décor, including the unmissable Durbar Hall. City Palace is in an impossibly picturesque spot right on the edge of the lake, looking every bit like a giant cruise ship at port. Get here very early or wait until late in the day, as it gets seriously busy.

While you’re visiting City Palace, be sure to also seek out nearby Jagdish Temple, a 17th century masterpiece renowned for its architecture and incredibly detailed carvings.

No visit to Udaipur would be complete without a boat ride on Lake Pichola. There are a couple of islands to visit. We opted for a trip to Jag Mandir Island, the Lake Garden Palace. Built over the 16th and 17th centuries, it was a royal summer escape. Today, it houses a small hotel set amidst pretty gardens and offers lovely views across the lake towards the city and mountains.

Speaking of views, after a while most visitors to Udaipur find themselves gazing off into the distance wondering what it is that sits atop that mountain on the horizon. Give in to your curiosity if you have the time, and visit the lofty heights of the Monsoon Palace. This former royal retreat is definitely past its heyday, but the sweeping views over Udapiur are magic.

There’s so much more to see in and around Udaipur, but in the interests of brevity, our recommendations include the 18th century Bangore-ki-Haveli and, if you’re after more views, Sunset Point Park. It’s a brisk hill hike or you can take the cable car to Machla Magra hill. A short drive out of town is the ambient royal cremation ground at Ahar.

It’s pretty clear though, our next visit will to Udaipur will need to be for a month.

Leg 8 – Udaipur to Bundi via Chittorgarh

Aim to spend a night in Bundi.

It’s a long, 5+ hour drive between Udaipur and Bundi, covering around 270-kilometres. So we break up our journey around halfway, in the town of Chittorgarh. It’s here that you’ll find the largest fort in India, the World Heritage-listed Chittor Fort.

Be awed at Chittor Fort, India’s largest fortress

The site of three major sieges by Muslim invaders, Chittor Fort is set high on a hill and sprawls over some 700 acres. So you’ll need wheels, and around three or more hours, to get around and see all the key sites.

Highlights of the fort include Rana Kumbha palace, a vast 15th century structure; the 16th century Rana Ratan Singh palace; and the museum in Fateh Prakash palace.

Don’t miss the fort’s two iconic towers: the leaning, 15th century Vijay Stambha (Tower of Victory), and the much older Kirti Stambha (Tower of Fame).

If you’re travelling from Udaipur, you’ll likely arrive in Bundi late in the afternoon. We recommend spending the night in Bundi and saving your energy for exploring its highlights in the morning.

Discover the forgotten glory of Bundi

Waking to the huge rise of 16th century Taragarh Fort shrouded in the morning mist was probably the highlight of Bundi for us.

Before you hit the road again, organise a guide and spend the morning exploring the fort and Bundi Palace. It has some beautiful, still-colourful murals of scenes from the life of Krishna. These are hidden away behind locked doors, which can only be accessed by the palace’s keepers (more reason to have a guide).

It’s also worth taking some time to wander through the old town and search out Bundi’s famous stepwells. They’re extraordinary though, like the palace, some are fairly dishevelled these days.

For us, Bundi was a strange place. We seemed to be the only tourists there when we visited and, apart from our guide, we were accompanied only by the monkeys that inhabit the fort and palace, and the green parrots on the ramparts.

Rudyard Kipling’s famous quote about the palace is one that perhaps best captures our own sentiments: ‘the Palace of Bundi, even in broad daylight, is such a palace as men build for themselves in uneasy dreams — the work of goblins rather than of men.’

Leg 9 – Bundi to Ranthambore

If you want to max your chances of seeing a wild tiger in Ranthambore, aim to spend a couple of days here so you can go on a few safaris. 

It’s a three hour, 150-kilometre drive from Bundi to Ranthambore.

Escape to the wilds of Ranthambore National Park

We arrived in Ranthambore in the late afternoon, and as we’d organised our tiger safaris in advance for the next day, we got to enjoy a rare lazy afternoon.

Ranthambore National Park is one of the biggest and most renowned national parks in Northern India. The park is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, about 130-kilometres from Jaipur.

This was once a former hunting ground of Jaipur’s maharajas. Today, Ranthambore National Park is a major wildlife tourist attraction.

We set aside two days here so that we could up our chances of seeing a wild tiger by joining morning and afternoon safaris. We lucked out with a glimpse of just one tiger, and tantalising hints of others. We felt privileged to have even that experience, but actually, we were delighted to find a national park brimming with a huge range of other wildlife, from deer and monkeys to mongoose.

Check out this post where we describe our Ranthambore tiger safaris in more detail

Leg 10 – Ranthambore to Bharatpur

Overnight in Bharatpur.

It’s a long drive from Ranthambore to Bharatpur: around 200-kilometres and up to 5 hours.

You could opt at this point to continue straight on to Agra, another hour up the road. We chose to base ourselves at Bharatpur though, as our next highlight, Keoladeo National Park, is best visited very early in the morning.

The famous ancient site of Fatehpur Sikri is also just half an hour from Bharatpur. While we chose to visit this ambient place in the early morning on our last leg (read about it further on), you could visit it this afternoon instead.

Greet dawn with the birds at Keoladeo National Park

Dawn finds us greeting a misty scene in Keoladeo National Park, one of the world’s most important bird breeding and feeding grounds.

Like Ranthambore, this was once a royal hunting and game reserve for maharajas and the British Raj. Fortunately, in 1982 Keoladeo was declared a national park, and later listed as a World Heritage site.

Keoladeo is home to over 370 species of birds and animals, and while you can explore by foot or bike, we opted to go with one of the park’s eagle-eyed rickshaw guides.

Even if you aren’t bird nerds, cruising through the park in the early morn, spotting the park’s busy residents, whether winged, hoofed or scaled, is a wildlife highlight of a North India road trip. It ranks as one of our surprise favourite experiences on this journey.

Leg 11: Bharatpur to Agra

We’re squarely back in the state of Uttar Pradesh now and Agra is the last stop on our epic Rajasthan road trip. Spend a night or two here so you can make the most of the Taj Mahal and other sites.

It’s only 55-kilometres from Bharatpur to Agra, so we head in that direction once our bird watching tour is done.

Finish up with the epic wonders of Agra

A trip to northern India wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the world’s most renowned monuments, the Taj Mahal.

This 17th century monument to Shah Jahan’s most beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is the highlight of Agra, and it needs no introduction.

It is worth noting, however, that in spite of its popularity, a brief, crowd-free moment at this incredible monument is possible. Just make sure you are in the queue well before dawn, having purchased tickets at one of the nearby kiosks.

As soon as the gate opens, head into the complex, bypass the front-on view of the Taj – where most people will linger – and head straight for the eastern or western gates (to the right or left sides of the Taj itself). As one of the first there, those few moments of solitude, not to mention the crowd-free snaps, is priceless.

As the Taj is perfectly symmetrical, the view of the monument is similar from each gate, except from the eastern side, you’ll have the rising sun shining onto the white marble, while on the western side, the Taj will be in silhouette as the sun rises behind it. We’ve been on both sides at dawn and both are beautiful. You choose.

While you’re in Agra it’s worth taking a couple of hours to explore the dark red sandstone and marble pavilions of Agra Fort, along with the understated beauty of the baby Taj.

You can also enjoy sunset views of the Taj from the Mehtab Bagh gardens on the opposite side of the river. Or if you want a less crowded, better lubricated experience, order a beer and take in the view of the Taj from a rooftop bar nearby (low-key Hotel Kamal gets our vote).

Final Leg – Agra to Delhi via Fatehpur Sikri

From Agra, it’s a 3-4 hour drive of around 220-kilometres back to the capital Delhi, where this epic Rajasthan road trip ends.

If you’re game for an early start today though, there’s one final highlight worth exploring: Fatehpur Sikri.

Re-imagine the ancient glories of Fatepur Sikri

For us, the real benefit of an early start at Fathepur Sikri was that we had the mist-shrouded ancient city pretty much to ourselves.

Fatehpur Sikri is the 16th-century former capital of the Mughal empire, and it’s probably one of our favourite sites in India.

The city is particularly ambient in the early morning, when the low sun showcases the city in all its red gold stone splendour. You’ll need a couple of hours to really appreciate the ambient site, with its beautiful stone palace and temple buildings. They look as though they were carved yesterday.

After you’ve visited the palace complex, head to Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India. Walking up the steep stairs to the imposing, 54-metre high Buland Darwaza gateway is an experience in itself. The complex is a beautiful blend of Indian and Persian influences, and worth checking out before you continue on your way to Delhi and the conclusion of our epic Rajasthan road trip.

Extending Your Road Trip: The Road to Varanasi

We’ll forgive you for needing a rest at this point. It’s been an epic journey and you might well feel the beaches and backwaters of southern India calling.

But if you have a little more petrol in your tank (both literally and figuratively), and another week or so up your sleeve, we can highly recommend continuing the journey from Agra to Varanasi.

It’ll take you a few days to travel the 800 or so kilometres to Varanasi, but fortunately the trip is broken up by a couple of offbeat stops.

The first is Orchha, a small (by Indian standards), 16th century city with an opulent fort complex with temples, palaces and gardens. It’s around 5.5 hours from Agra and we spend a night here to break up the journey and explore the fort and town.

The next day we continue to the renowned, and slightly risqué, World Heritage site of Khajuraho. It’s a drive of nearly five hours from Orchha.

In Khajuraho, you’ll find three groups of thousand-year-old Hindu and Jain temples. The devil is in the detail here. Take the time to appreciate the exquisitely carved and highly detailed stonework on the temples, while keeping an eye out for the erotic sculptures that the site is famous for. We spend a night here too.

It takes most of a day to get to Varanasi, but when you do finally arrive, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most unique cities in India, if not the world.

Varanasi is a city to ponder. Sadhu ascetics colour the ghats with their orange garb and painted faces. The nightly Hindu Aarti ceremony brightens the riverbank of the Ganges with chant and flame. Hindu pilgrims from around the world make their way here to the river’s sacred ghats. This is the final stop before Nirvana and the most auspicious place for a Hindu to die.

Varanasi is a city to linger. It’s here, in this extraordinary, frenetic, eye-opening city, that we wrapped up a truly unforgettable journey through the India’s north.

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Happy Rajasthan road tripping! If you’ve got any questions or thoughts, drop us a line below!