6 best day trips from Jaipur

Day trips compared

The day trips

160 km · About 2–3 hours by train or road

1.Ranthambore National Park

One of India's best parks for seeing wild tigers, Ranthambore combines dry forest, lakes and a ruined 10th-century fort. Safaris run in jeeps or open-top canters in morning and afternoon slots, so most visitors stay at least one night.

Getting there

Train to Sawai Madhopur, or a car with driver

Best for

Families, Couples, First-timers

145 km · About 2.5–3 hours by road

2.Pushkar and Ajmer

Pushkar is a small holy town of whitewashed ghats around a sacred lake and one of the few temples in India dedicated to Brahma. Nearby Ajmer has the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the shrine of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti. The Pushkar Camel Fair takes place around the Kartik full moon, usually in November.

Getting there

Car with driver, or train to Ajmer then taxi

Best for

Culture, Solo travellers, Budget

95 km · About 1.5–2 hours by road

3.Abhaneri (Chand Baori)

Chand Baori is a vast 9th-century stepwell with around 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect triangles descending 13 storeys. The Harshat Mata temple ruins stand beside it. It makes a natural stop on the Jaipur–Agra road.

Getting there

Car with driver, often on the way to Agra

Best for

Culture, First-timers

85 km · About 2 hours by road

4.Bhangarh Fort

The ruined 17th-century town of Bhangarh, with its bazaar street, temples and palace on the edge of Sariska's hills, is famous across India as a 'haunted' fort. Visits must finish before sunset. It pairs well with Abhaneri.

Getting there

Car with driver

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

80 km · About 2 hours by road

5.Sambhar Salt Lake

India's largest inland salt lake is a flat, shimmering landscape of salt pans and narrow-gauge salt railways. In winter it attracts flamingos and other migratory birds, and the small town of Sambhar has old temples and a colonial bungalow.

Getting there

Car with driver

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples

42 km · About 1 hour by road

6.Samode

A village in the Aravalli foothills dominated by Samode Palace, a painted and mirrored 19th-century palace now run as a heritage hotel. Non-residents can usually visit for a meal, and the village has a small hill fort.

Getting there

Car with driver

Best for

Couples, Luxury, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Book trains on the Indian Railways IRCTC system several days ahead in peak season.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask