Jaipur, the Pink City

Jaipur the pink city is the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. The cities nick name: "Pink City" was given because many of the buildings are build with sandstone which gives the city a pinkish colour.

The city was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber with a population of more than 4 million today. The city is for many travelers the entrance to explore Rajasthan.

Street scene in Jaipur

I've been twice to Jaipur, the first time I only to get a glimpse of the beauty, the second time I had more time to explore the colourful city and the Rajasthan state. Contrary to many other cities in India, the streets are wide and open giving space to people and movements.

Street life in Jaipur

The city is build in the semi desert areas of Rajasthan by the Amber rulers, who's Amber Fort is still to be visited just north outside the city. The city has several magnificent gates:

Jiapur City Gate, a show of strength of the maharajas

Even today you can still see much of the former glory of the maharajas. The city gate, Hawa Mahal, royal palace and the way the city was build all show the wealth and vision of the maharajas. At almost every street corner you see the (former) wealth of the city. Some of the palaces are now in use as hotels.

Inside the city it's a typical incredible busy thing. And there is a lot to see, palaces, temples, fortresses, museums, gardens and more.

One of the most impressive buildings without a doubt is the Hawa Mahal, originally indented to let the royal ladies observe everyday life, hence the nick name: the observatory. It's a 5 storey building of 15 meters high, which was in use as royal palace and summer retreat for the maharajas.

Jaipur: Albert Hall Museum, I thought it was worth the afternoon I spend inside.

The city palace (including the Chandra Mahal) is worth a visit, it gives you an idea of the wealth of the maharajas which is very contrasting to the poverty of the ordinary people.

A must visit is the nearby Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Jal Mahal palace.

Getting there

Jaipur is a 235 km from Agra and 264 km from Delhi. These are the two main roads for going north out of Rajastan. Should you want to go south, Ahmadabad is 660km away with a good stop in Aimer 131 km from Jaipur. After that you will travel to Udaipur, which is a must see. Most people head west to the Blue City: Jodhpur and Jaisalmer and maybe Bikaner (the rat city).

Street life in Jaipur

The airport is located south of the city center. The city is well connected by bus to many cities. It's about 3 hours to Agra or Delhi.

The railway can connect you to many main cities in India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmadabad, Pune and others. One of India's most famous and luxurious trains The Palace on Wheels, also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur. I've never done this train so I can't comment here.

Should you cycle in Rajasthan, make sure you bring on the way enough water, especially in the summer it can be very hot in the open flat lands. There are plenty of villages on the road but you don't want to take the risk.

Stay in Jaipur

Some of the former palaces are nowadays in use as hotels. Other older buildings are in use as guesthouses. Have a look at what we recommend:

Back to the top of Jaipur, the Pink City

Continue traveling to Fatehpur Sikri or Pushkar

Back to traveling in India

Back to the Bicycle Adventures.com homepage

Custom Search