Are you planning a trip to India and are wondering if Jodhpur is a must-do? I certainly did when I was planning my journey to India. When I saw all the wonderful places, India, more precisely Rajasthan has to offer, I was debating wether or not Jodhpur is worth to be skipped or not. But seeing pictures of all the highlights of Jodhpur, I simply had to see these places with my own eyes.
So let me do the very same thing for you! Right here, you will find all the top highlights of Jodhpur listed and why you shouldn’t miss them. In this post you will also find more information about how to travel India safely as a woman, where to stay and how to make the most of your time in Jodhpur.
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FAQ about the Highlights of Jodhpur
How to Get to Jodhpur?
Jodhpur is one of the stops you make on my 14-Day India Itinerary, so once we had spent two days in Jaipur, Jodhpur was the next stop along the way. So naturally, we got there by car. When planning your road trip through India, make sure to book via a trustworthy travel agency and make sure you get a decent driver. Our driver, Chagan, was a wonderful driver who took us from city to city as safely as one can and that in a climatized car (which you will need!).
If you are not getting to Jodhpur by car, you can also get there by plane via Jodhpur airport. To get there, you must book a domestic flight, as the airport doesn’t operate internationally.
Where to Stay in Jodhpur?
We spent our three nights in Jodhpur in the Radisson Jodhpur, and this was the best decision we could have made! The hotel is not only incredibly beautiful to look at, as it was built in a style similar to most sights in Jodhpur, but also comes with all the amenities and comforts one needs when travelling in India. It is fully air-conditioned, which is a blessing, considering Jodhpur was by far the hottest stop on my 14-Day India Itinerary. Furthermore, you have a pool and a wonderful spa centre, where I got a life-changing deep tissue massage. We also had dinners included here, and the buffet was incredible.
When to Visit Jodhpur?
The best time to experience all the highlights of Jodhpur is from March to October, during India’s Winter months. Then you can expect „colder“ temperatures (I am saying it like this, because my pale German butt got burned under the Indian heat even in winter). Our stay in Jodhpur, which is described here, took place in October.
What to Wear in Jodhpur?
When traveling India, I wanted to be considerate and dress modestly, despite the impressive Indian heat. That means, I opted for covered knees, shoulders and upper arms for most of my outfits. Although I do admit that I was very glad to be wearing mostly dresses in a wrap style that allowed me to be less overheated.
How to Get Around in Jodhpur?
Getting around in Jodhpur is as expected in India. Most of the major sights are spread far apart from each other, so getting there requires a car. With Chagan already being our driver, we didn’t have to take care of booking a driver for our time in Jodhpur. However if you are only visiting Jodhpur, I recommend booking a driver for the day.
Jaswant Thada
Let‘s start this list strong with my absolute favourite highlight of Jodhpur. Like the Taj Mahal, the Jaswant Thada is a Mausoleum made of white marble. Located on top of the same hill that also holds Meherangarh, the white marble of this beautiful structure almost glows in the sun. With incredible views of the city and the nearby fort, this place feels like stepping into a dream. Due to its elevated position up the hill, you usually have a slight breeze cooling you down.
The whole complex consists of the white-marbled main building and the surrounding gardens. Here you will find gazebos offering wonderful panoramic views throughout the garden. My extra tip for visiting Jaswant Thada is to take your time and marvel at all the details of this place. Whether it is the marble details of the Mausoleum, its gazebos or even the wooden doors of the complex. You will find wonderful details all around here for sure!
Mehrangarh Fort
Almost directly next to Jaswant Thada, you will find Mehrangarh Fort, the most impressive and breathtaking sight of Jodhpur. The fort, built out of red stone, is as impressive from the outside as it is from the inside. When you approach it, its impressive facade towers over you, looking almost like a beehive. On the inside, you will find numerous courtyards with impressive carvings and details for you to explore.
As Mehrangarh Fort remains in the hands of the Maharaja, it is very well preserved, and the attached museum has an impressive collection of relics for you to marvel at when visiting it. Upon entering, you also get a free audio guide, which I enjoyed a lot. Hearing more about the place instead of only seeing it made our stay even better. With the audio guide, you will also learn more about hidden details, like the dents from cannon balls on the fort, from a battle against Jaipur long ago.
Umaid Bhavan Palace
The next highlight of Jodhpur is the breathtaking Umaid Bhavan Palace. You might have already seen it from above when visiting the Jaswant Thada. Built for the Jodhpur royal family, the complex houses a museum and a luxury hotel. It is very impressive to walk through and explore the museum’s exhibits.
Only having been finished in 1943, the Umaid Bhavan Palace is quite new in comparison with other sights you will see when travelling India. But I think you will not find its grandeur lacking in any way. Still, we enjoyed walking around the palace and its wonderful views!
Mandore Garden
Another wonderful highlight of Jodhpur is the Mandore Gardens. As a former seat of the ruling family of Jodhpur, Mandore was an important area until it was moved to Mehrangarh Fort. Today, its most beautiful highlights are the temples located in the local park.
The complex is a wonderful mixture of gazebos and temples that you can walk around in and explore. As with most places in India, it is a place where you can feel history long past present today, which always leaves me in complete awe. However, I must also admit that with the Indian heat and the abundance of pigeons and their „left-overs“, it was a bit hard to enjoy the Gardens as much as I would have liked. We were, in fact, very happy to be back in the car on our way back.
Blue City
As it already happened to me when exploring Jaipur, I wasn’t spared the joys of a sensitive tummy that will be irritated when in India. That’s why we skipped one of the highlights of Jodhpur, which the city is most famous for. The Blue City of Jodhpur is a district of the city where most buildings are colored in a pastel blue, making it a marvellous place to walk through, especially during the golden hour before sunset.
Luckily, we got a glimpse of it when visiting Mehrangarh Fort. From the fort, you can see the indigo colored houses from above.
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