Udaipur rewards travellers who slow down. The "City of Lakes" is as much about experiences — drifting across Lake Pichola, watching folk dancers spin under lantern light, learning to cook a Rajasthani thali — as it is about ticking off monuments.
Here are the 10 best things to do in Udaipur. For the landmarks themselves, see our guide to the places to visit in Udaipur, and time your trip using our best time to visit Udaipur guide.
The 10 best things to do in Udaipur
Take a boat ride on Lake Pichola
The quintessential Udaipur experience. Board at Rameshwar Ghat inside City Palace and glide past Jag Mandir and the Taj Lake Palace. The sunset cruise is the most popular, so arrive early to get tickets.
Watch the sunset at Ambrai Ghat
Cross to the far bank of Lake Pichola for the postcard view of the City Palace and Lake Palace glowing in the evening light. Grab chai or dinner at a rooftop café and watch the palaces light up after dark.
See the City Palace sound-and-light show
On most evenings the courtyards of City Palace host a sound-and-light show that narrates the 1,500-year story of Mewar and its legendary ruler Maharana Pratap — an atmospheric way to end a day of sightseeing.
Catch the Dharohar folk dance at Bagore ki Haveli
Each evening this lakeside haveli stages a one-hour show of Rajasthani folk dance, puppetry and the famous Bhavai dance, where a performer balances a stack of pots on her head. Book a little ahead in peak season.
Visit the Vintage and Classic Car Museum
Explore the royal garage of Mewar, with Rolls-Royces, a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Cadillac used in the James Bond film Octopussy, and the solar-powered phaeton. A fun, photogenic stop for car lovers.
Take a Rajasthani cooking class
Several home cooks and havelis run hands-on classes where you learn to make dal baati churma, gatte ki sabzi and chapatis from scratch, then eat your creations. A favourite for couples and food-loving travellers.
Explore the old city on foot or by bicycle
Wander the lanes around Jagdish Temple and the ghats, browsing for miniature paintings, silver, leather-bound journals and block-printed textiles. Early-morning walks catch the city at its quietest and most photogenic.
Ride the Karni Mata ropeway
A short cable-car climbs from Doodh Talai to the Karni Mata temple on Machla Magra hill, opening up a sweeping aerial view over Lake Pichola, the City Palace and the surrounding Aravalli hills — best at sunset.
Drive up to the Monsoon Palace for sunset
Time a late-afternoon trip to Sajjangarh, the hilltop Monsoon Palace inside a wildlife sanctuary, for a panoramic sunset over the lakes and city. The winding drive up is part of the experience.
Take a day trip to Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur
Pair the mighty Kumbhalgarh Fort — whose wall is among the longest in the world — with the breathtaking marble Jain temple at Ranakpur, with its 1,444 carved pillars. A long but unforgettable day trip from Udaipur.
How to fit it all in
Most of these experiences cluster around Lake Pichola and the old city, so you can pair sightseeing by day with a cruise or show in the evening. A typical plan: City Palace and a boat ride on day one, the Monsoon Palace and Ambrai Ghat sunset on day two, and a day trip to Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur on day three.
Save energy for the evenings — Udaipur truly comes alive at golden hour, when the palaces reflect in the water and the ghats fill with light. To make the most of it, stay close to the lake; see our roundup of the best resorts in Udaipur.
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