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The grandiose of Udaipur comes from its majestic lakes, opulent palaces, and stunning temples. As a result, Udaipur has been called many names like “City of Lakes”, “White City”, “Pearl of Rajasthan” etc. From figuring out the history of Udaipur and its palaces to enjoying a plate of Dal Baati Churma, here are the top 12 things to experience in Udaipur.
Top Things to Experience in Udaipur
There are a lot of top things to do in Udaipur for family travelers and even for solo and couples. Situated in the state of Rajasthan in India, Udaipur has become one of the most visited places in the world. As per the Rajasthan Tourism Board official records, 11,85,606 tourists visited Udaipur in 2019, before the spread of COVID-19.
1. A Walk by The Fateh Sagar Lake (One of the Best things to experience in Udaipur)
Fateh Sagar Lake is a well developed lake and it also serves as a water reserve for the nearby residents. A walk by the lake stretches for over 1.5 km. It is also not as much crowded as Lake Pichola and there are other things you can do like speed boating and checking out the water aquarium. The lake is open 24/7 and the best time to visit is early morning and evening during sunset.
Three small islands exist within the boundaries of Fatah Sagar Lake, the largest of these is Nehru Park, which is a popular tourist destination and covers an area of 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi), the second island, which is only 15 acres in size, is home to a public park with an impressive water-jet fountain, and the third island, which covers an area of 1.2 km2, is the location of the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO).
Also around 2 km from the lake is the Mumbai Bazaar (one of the most unique things to experience in Udaipur), opposite the lake. A long line of small restaurants-cum-food street vendors are ready to serve you all kinds of Mumbai style platters, be it café grubs like maggie, and sandwiches, to Italian pizza and pastas. And the special Coffee served in Kullad (cup sized earthen pot) is to die for.
A meal in the Mumbai Bazaar by the Fateh Sagar Lake, in the evening along with kullad coffee accompanied by a pleasant breeze makes you forget all the worries in life.
Opening for Mumbai Bazaar: Saturday-Thursday
Timings for Mumbai Bazaar: 10:30am – 11pm
2. Visiting Moti Magri – Maharana Pratap Memorial
Moti Magri (Pearl Hill) is situated on the eastern coastal part of the Fateh Sagar Lake. This place pays homage to the Battle of Haldighati between the forces of Maharana Pratap and Maan Singh in 1575. This is a great place if you take interests in the history of Maharana Pratap and Mewar Kingdom.
The first thing you’ll see will be the Moti Magri museum. The museum itself does not showcase the history in detail but it is very well built and it helps you know the history on the surface level.
Next, you can enjoy some folk dance if you like. The dance performance lasts about 30 min and after each performance, the crew takes a 10-15 min break. The ticket for the folk dance can be collected at the entrance gate of Pearl Hill or at the site of the performance.
After the traditional folk dance performance, walk up to the 11 feet high statue of Maharana Pratap sitting on his beloved horse “Chetak”, at the top of the hill. This spot is a main tourist attraction as you can look down on the breathtaking view of the Fateh Sagar Lake and city of Udaipur.
Fun Fact: The statue of Maharana Pratap riding horse Chetak is entirely made from bronze and weighs 7 tonnes.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 9am – 6pm
Light Show: 7:30pm – 8:15pm
Ticket Price: Rs 20 / o.25 USD for adults and Rs 10 / 0.12 USD for children
Light Show: Rs 35 / 0.4 USD for both adult and child
Best Time to Visit: 2pm-5pm and light show
3. Wandering in Saheliyon ki Bari (Garden of The Maidens)
Resting on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake, Saheliyon ki Bari is an architectural masterpiece full of lush greenery and different kinds of plantations. This historic landmark was built in the 18th century between 1710 and 1734 and designed by Maharana Sangram Singh himself for his queen and her 48 maidens.
This foundation was built in a large area and has beautiful fountains, huge marble elephants and of course gardens. There is also a museum located inside the premise with beautiful paintings of the Queen and her maidens enjoying in the gardens. In addition to paintings, photographs and artefacts, the museum also has a collection of stuffed animals that are worth viewing.
The main attraction point in Saheliyon ki Bari are the fountains. Each fountain is different from the other and has its own uniqueness. But the most popular one is the Lotus Fountain which is know for its enormous size and sunning design.
The best time to visit the Garden of Maidens is in the morning. The place remains less crowded and the colors of the garden and greenery shoots up and it seems as if the plants have come to life.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 9am – 7pm
Ticket prices: Rs 10 / 0.12 USD for Indians and Rs 50 / 0.60 USD for Foreigners
Best Time to Visit: Morning
4. Climbing Up to Neemach Mata Temple (One of the most Unique things to do in Udaipur)
As the name suggests this temple is dedicated to Neemach Mata Devi (Goddess) and it sits at the top of Dewali hill. One has to climb up 900 meters of long stairs (you can also choose ramp) to reach the Neemach Mata Temple. In the temple there also resides an idol of Lord Ganesha and a 3 faced tiger made of stone. Around half way up there is a sub temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is a must in unique things to do in Udaipur.
It is a free of cost trip and at the top of the hill you get an amazing view of the Udaipur City as well as the Fateh Sagar Lake.
Tip: You can buy Prasad (a religious offering of food to the god) from the people sitting at the starting point.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 4am-10pm
Best Time to Visit: Early Morning
5. Exploring the City Palace (A Must in top 12 things to experience in Udaipur)
Roaming in the City Palace and knowing the history of Udaipur comes under the must do things in Udaipur in everyone’s list. With a facade that is 244 m long and 30.4 m high, the palace complex comprises of 11 smaller palaces, thus making City Palace the largest palace in Rajasthan.
Situated on the banks of Lake Pichola, City Palace took over a period of 400 years to complete the palace after the construction began in 1559. Maharana Udai Singh II laid the foundation and it was established simultaneously with Udaipur city.
You can choose a guide to bring along with you and it roughly takes 1.5 hours to explore the palace. There is also a shop inside the premise where you can buy traditional clothes, hand crafted products, and decorative stuff for your home.
Tip: You can catch the ‘Mewar Sound and Light Show’ at 7pm to 8pm
Opening: All Week
Timings: 9:30am-5:30pm
Ticket Prices: Rs 300 / 3.6 USD for Indians, Rs 600 / 7.3 USD for Foreigners + optional Rs 500 / 6 USD for the guide
Best Time to Visit: 11am-3pm and the Light Show at 7pm
6. Boating at Lake Pichola
Just behind the City Palace is the Lake Pichola. Pichola’s name, which means “the backyard” in literal terms, is said to have been inspired by a nearby village known as Picholi. This lake is known for its enormous size and the boating experience. Boating at the Pichola Lake is a great must do thing in Udaipur.
Opening: All Week
Timings for Lake Pichola and Boating respectively: 9am-6pm and 10am-5pm
Ticket Prices for Boating: Rs 400 / 5 USD for adults and Rs 200 / 2.5 USD for children (No entry fees for Lake Pichola).
Best Time to Visit: 3pm-6pm
On the Jag Niwas Island, which sits in the centre of the Lake, is the imposing Lake palace. A very charming and romantic palace that has been converted into a heritage hotel dates back 250 years. The lake palace features the greatest marble and mosaic design. It is currently a hotel owned by the Taj Group’s flagship.
The Jag mandir and Mohan mandir are two islands that are common, similar to the Jag niwas. The palace at Jag Mandir on Lake Pichola bears the same name. The island where the King would witness the yearly Gangaur celebration is called Mohan Mandir and is located to the north-east of the lake.
Tip: Plan your trip to Udaipur with this Ultimate 3 nights 4 days Udaipur Itinerary.
7. Folk Dance at Bagore ki Haveli
Situated at the Gangaur Ghat at Pichola Lake, Bagore ki Haveli was built in 1751 and was the residence of Maharana Pratap II’s prime minister Amarchand Badwa. He lived in the Haveli for 27 years. In the year 1878 Maharaj Shakti Singh of Bagore reconstructed the Haveli.
Bagore ki Haveli museum is full of amazing 18th century stuff. You get to see the armory, weapons, shields, body armors of that time as well as their culture and traditions followed then. The rooms where the prime minister Amarchand ate, slept, and where the King would meet him, kitchens, the hidden pathways etc. all comes under the package.
Ticket Prices: Rs 60 / 0.7 USD for domestic adults, Rs 30 / 0.35 USD for domestic children (age 5-12), Rs 100 / 1.2 USD for foreign adults, Rs 50 / 0.6 USD for foreign children (age 5-12), plus Rs 50 / 0.6 USD for camera.
But the Folk Dance performed at the Haveli is the main crowd puller and a lot of tourists visit the Haveli just to witness the dance. The Folk Dance is titled ‘Dharohar’ and shows the mastery of the dancers and musicians in their art. The performance is held all week from 7pm to 8pm and the tickets go on sale at 6:15pm.
Ticket Prices for Folk Dance: Rs 90 / 1 USD for domestic adults, Rs 45 / 0.5 USD for domestic children (age 5-12), Rs 150 / 1.8 USD for foreign adults, Rs 75 / 0.9 USD for foreign children (age 5-12), plus Rs 150 / 1.8 USD for camera.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 10am-6:30pm
Best Time to Visit: 4pm-6pm
8. Jagdish Temple
Jagdish Temple is a Hindu temple, situated in the middle of Udaipur and just 200m away from City Palace. The temple was built in 1651 under the reign of Maharana Jagat Singh who ruled Udaipur from 1628 to 1653. A total of Rs 15 lacs / 18121 USD were donated in the construction of this temple at that time.
The temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu (known as the preserver of the universe). The idol of Lord Vishnu is made out of a single piece of black stone and it sits in the central shrine in the temple. There are four other smaller shrines located just beside the main shrine devoted to the Sun God, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Shakti respectively.
Jagdish temple is celebrated as the largest temple in Udaipur consisting of 3 stories and it is a popular monument where people from all walks of life come and worship Lord Vishnu.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 5am-9pm
Best Time to Visit: 9am-1pm
9. Shopping at Hathi Pol Market
One of the top things to experience in Udaipur is visiting the Hathi Pol Market. This market attracts people from all around the world. That’s because it’s famous for its handicraft products, its clothes and fashion, and most importantly its food.
The handicraft products and clothes are supplied here from all around India. You can buy home decorating products, paintings, toys made from cotton and jute etc. and in fashion, you can go for something traditional like sarees, salwar kameez etc. They can also provide you raw designed cloth and you later custom make it to your own liking.
Opening: Monday-Saturday
Timings: 10am-9pm
Best Time to Visit: 11am-7pm
10. Shri Nath Ji Temple
As already mentioned in the Udaipur itinerary, around 5000 devotees all around the world visit the Shri Nath Ji temple on daily basis. That’s how popular this temple is! The temple is devoted to Lord Krishna and many shrines have been constructed residing his idol in the temple.
The temple is sited at a place called Nathdwara which outside the borders of Udaipur but this comes under top things to do in Udaipur. There are long ques of hundreds of devotees waiting in line for 1-3 hours to enter the temple and get glimpse of Lord Krishna and to worship him. It takes around two hour to see the whole temple.
Tip: You’ll find local guide nearby the temple. They’ll take some extra money but they will help you skip the long que.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 6am-6pm
Ticket Prices: Rs 100 / 1.2 USD to Rs 500 / 6 USD per head
Best Time to Visit: 10am-3pm
11. Statue of Belief (A new addition in Unique things to experience in Udaipur)
Statue of Belief is a newly constructed site in the city called Nathdwara (same as Shri Nath Ji Temple). The statue opened on 29 October 2022. Currently, the Statue of Belief is the tallest statue of Lord Shiva in the World with a height of 370 feet. As this is a recently built spot, so not many people know about this place but this is rapidly becoming very popular day by day.
There are restaurants and food court where you can eat, gardens with wide variety of plantations, and adventure activities like rope gliding. All in all this can be an amazing place to visit for one day trip and has become a new addition in unique things to experience in Udaipur.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 9am-5pm
Ticket Prices: Rs 400 / 5 USD to Rs 1500 / 18 USD per head
Best Time to Visit: 11am-4pm
12. Haldighati Museum
Udaipur has a long history that dates back to 1500s and obviously there were of lot of kings that ruled the kingdom, but one King named Maharana Pratap became the most popular because of his bravery and accomplishments especially during the Battle of Haldighati against Maan Singh.
To celebrate King Maharana Pratap and his achievements Haldighati museum was inaugurated on 19th June, 2003. The museum tells the story of Maharana Pratap from his birth to his end in a very very engaging way of light and sound show and has become one of the top things to do in Udaipur.
Opening: All Week
Timings: 7am-7pm
Ticket Prices: Rs 130 / 1.5 USD per head
Best Time to Visit: 11am-3pm
Top Restaurants & Cafe’s in Udaipur
Udaipur holds a huge variety of traditional as well as international cuisines. The restaurants in Udaipur are some of the best in the world and provide the finest dining experiences. Enjoying food at these retaurants can provide you some of the most unique things to experience in Udaipur. If you are planning to visit Udaipur check out these eateries:
- Mumbai Bazaar at Fateh Sagar Lake (famous for kullad coffee, pizza, pasta, street food)
- Khamma Ghani at Ambamata (famous for Lehsuniya Palak, Gatta Masala, Bhujma Mutton, Laal Maas)
- Tribute at Ambamata (famous for Laal Maas, Chcken Lababdar)
- Rainbow Rooftop at Laal Ghat (famous for Fresh Farm Pizza, LIIT)
- Charcoal by Carlsons at Laal Ghat (famous for Millets meal cooked on coal)
- Kotra Haveli at Jagdish Chowk (famous for non-veg)
- Harigarh at Hambrai Road (famous for Rajasthani traditional dishes)
There are also some restaurants famous for their cocktails and you can catch live music on weekends also. They are:
- Sun n’ Moon at Gangaur Ghat (famous for Continental, Mexican, Chinese)
- Sangria at Hotel Swaroop Vilas (famous for live music, veg, non-veg)
- Soul at Haridas Ji ki Magri (famous for live music, White pasta, Pizza)
Some of these top eateries provide only veg if you don’t like the smell of non-veg. They are:
- Jheel Café at Gangaur Ghat (famous for Lemon Ginger Tea, Cold Coffee, Pizza)
- The Big Pot and Café Bliss at Haridas Ji ki Magri (famous for cocktails, live music, Tandoori Platter)
Eating together at cafés and restaurants among people from different sides of the world are the best things to experience in Udaipur.
How much does Udaipur Cost ?
Udaipur can be a moderate expensive place to spend your time especially during the peak time. You can choose to stay in luxury hotels and eat expensive food but there are also cheap options for you.
- Hotel: Rs 2000 / 24 USD to Rs 7000 / 85 USD per night
- Hostel: Rs 600 / 7 USD to Rs 2000 / 24 USD per night
- Food: Rs 300 / 4 USD to Rs 500 / 6 USD per meal
- Travel: Rs 400 / 5 USD to Rs 700 / 8 USD per day
- Entrances: Rs 300 / 4 USD to Rs 700 / 8 USD per day
You can enjoy all the top 12 things to experience in Udaipur with this budget in mind.
What is The Best Time to Visit Udaipur ?
The best time for all these top things to experience in Udaipur would be in winter season between October to February. It is also the peak time when the inflow of tourists are the highest. The temperature ranges from 5 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius and the climate remains pleasantly cool during the day but becomes cold in the evening.
Also the monsoon season can be very pleasant if you are planning to visit Udaipur in the early months. The best time then would be between July to September. The temperature remains between 23 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius.
Tip: Visiting the Monsoon Palace in the monsoon season is also a top things to do in Udaipur.