Jodhpur Travel Guide
Plan your visit to Jodhpur, Rajasthan: the best time to go, how to reach, what to see, and practical, current tips from the Way to India Travel Desk.
When to visit Jodhpur
The best months are October to March, when the desert city is pleasant for the fort and the bazaars. April to June is fierce Thar heat.
- October to March: the peakPleasant, sunny days and cool nights, ideal for the fort, the Blue City and the markets. The busiest weeks are around the winter holidays and the wedding season, so book ahead.
- April to June: fierce heatThar Desert summer, often above 40 C, hot and tiring. Rates fall, but see Mehrangarh early in the morning and rest in the afternoon, carrying water and a hat.
- July to September: the monsoonSome welcome rain and cooler air, with softer crowds and prices. The light on the blue houses after a shower is lovely, though a few days can be humid.
The Marwar Festival (around October) and the Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) at Mehrangarh (around October, near the full moon) fill the fort with music. Wonderful to catch, but book early as the city fills.
How to reach Jodhpur
Jodhpur has its own airport and a central railway station, and is the classic hub for a Marwar-and-desert trip with Jaisalmer and Udaipur.
- By airJodhpur airport (JDH) is only about 5 km from the city, with flights from Delhi and Mumbai. A short taxi ride brings you into town.
- By trainThe central Jodhpur railway station is well connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and beyond, including overnight trains. Handy and close to the old city.
- By road and as a loopJodhpur pairs with Jaisalmer (about 285 km) for the desert and Udaipur (about 250 km) for the lakes, with the Osian temples and Bishnoi villages nearby. We arrange the car and the transfers.
Fly into Delhi or Mumbai and connect to Jodhpur (JDH), or arrive overland on a Rajasthan tour. Jodhpur is the Blue City and the gateway to the Thar.
Connect via Delhi or Mumbai to Jodhpur. An easy add-on to a Rajasthan or desert trip for the diaspora.
Direct flights and trains reach Jodhpur, and the roads link it to Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Jaipur.
Mehrangarh Fort and the Blue City
Jodhpur is the towering Mehrangarh Fort, the white-marble Jaswant Thada beside it, the Umaid Bhawan museum, and the blue old town and bazaars below.
- Mehrangarh FortOne of India's mightiest and best-presented forts, with a superb museum of palaces, armoury and miniatures, and sweeping views over the blue city. Allow two to three hours; the entry bundles the museum and, for foreigners, the audio guide.
- Jaswant ThadaThe serene white-marble royal cenotaph just beside the fort, with its lake and gardens, a lovely, gentle stop to pair with Mehrangarh.
- Umaid Bhawan (the museum only)A grand 20th-century palace that is part Taj hotel, part royal residence and part small museum; only the museum and vintage car collection are open to general visitors, not the hotel or the family's home.
- The Blue City and the Clock TowerThe lanes of blue-painted houses below the fort (around Brahmpuri) and the bustling Sardar Market around the Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) are the soul of old Jodhpur, made for a slow wander.
Mehrangarh has a lift to the upper level for a small one-way charge, so older visitors, anyone with weak knees, or families with a pushchair can reach the palaces and the views without the steep climb. Ask at the entrance. Umaid Bhawan, by contrast, is mostly a hotel and royal home, so do not expect to tour the palace itself.
Mehrangarh with the audio guide
The defining Jodhpur experience is Mehrangarh done properly: take the audio guide (or a fort guide), use the lift if you need it, and time it for the late-afternoon light over the blue city.
- Take the audio guide or a guideThe Mehrangarh audio guide is one of the best in India, and it is included for foreign visitors and a small extra for others. It turns the fort from a pretty view into a story. Allow two to three unhurried hours.
- Use the lift if you need itIf the steep ramp and steps are too much, take the lift to the upper level for a small charge, then explore the palaces at leisure. It makes the fort senior-friendly.
- Time it for the late lightLate afternoon bathes the blue city below in gold and softens the heat. The ramparts are the best place in Jodhpur to watch the sea of blue houses light up.
- Walk down into the Blue CityAfterwards, wander the blue lanes below the fort and the Sardar Market by the Clock Tower, ending with a saffron makhaniya lassi. The classic Jodhpur afternoon.
The bazaar, the food and the desert edge
Around the fort, Jodhpur offers a famous food trail, the Clock Tower bazaar, the Mandore gardens and the desert villages and parks on the city's edge.
- The Jodhpur food trailMawa kachori, mirchi vada, gatte ki sabzi and the thick saffron makhaniya lassi are Jodhpur specialities, best from the old-town institutions around the Clock Tower. A delicious, easy walk.
- Sardar Market and the Clock TowerThe bustling bazaar around the Ghanta Ghar sells spices, textiles, silver and the famous Jodhpuri mojari slippers. Bargain gently and soak up the colour.
- Mandore Gardens and Jaswant ThadaThe old Mandore Gardens with their royal cenotaphs, and the marble Jaswant Thada by the fort, are calm, green and gentle, lovely for a relaxed morning.
- The desert edgeThe Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park below the fort, the Osian temples and a Bishnoi village safari give a taste of the Thar and rural Marwar, an easy half-day add-on.
Mistakes to avoid in Jodhpur
Jodhpur is easy and rewarding, but a few simple missteps trip up first-time visitors.
- Do not expect to tour Umaid Bhawan PalaceIt is mostly a Taj hotel and the royal family's home; only the small museum and car collection are open to general visitors. Plan for the museum, not a palace tour.
- Do not skip the audio guide at MehrangarhIt is included for foreigners and a small extra for others, and it transforms the visit. Without it, the fort is just a view; with it, it is a story.
- Do not climb if the lift will helpIf knees or heat are a worry, take the fort lift to the top for a small charge. There is no need to struggle up the ramp in the sun.
- Do not sightsee in the midday summer heatFrom April to June the Thar sun is brutal. See the fort early, rest in the afternoon, and walk the Blue City and bazaar in the cooler evening, carrying water.
Jodhpur for every kind of traveller
Jodhpur is the Blue City and the gateway to the Thar, and suits very different visitors. Here is what it offers you, and the one tip that matters for each.
- PhotographersThe fort above the sea of blue houses is one of India's great views, best in the late-afternoon light from the ramparts and from rooftops in the old town. The Blue City lanes are endlessly photogenic.
- Couples and heritage loversA heritage-haveli or palace-hotel stay, the fort by day and a rooftop dinner overlooking the blue city make a romantic, characterful break.
- Families with childrenThe fort (with the lift), the cannons and the views, the bazaar and the desert park entertain children. Keep them close in the busy market lanes and the heat.
- Senior travellersMehrangarh is very doable thanks to the lift to the upper level; take the audio guide, go slowly, and pair it with the gentle Jaswant Thada and Mandore Gardens. Let a car handle the transfers.
- Budget travellersStay in an old-town guesthouse with a fort-view rooftop, walk the Blue City and the bazaar, and graze the famous street-food trail around the Clock Tower.
- History and architecture buffsThe Marwar story runs deep here; take the fort audio guide in full, add Mandore and Osian, and a good guide for the Rathore history. Pair with Jaisalmer and Udaipur.
Planning Jodhpur from abroad
Jodhpur is the Blue City and the gateway to the Thar, an easy, rewarding stop for overseas and NRI travellers, with one of India's best-run fort museums and a senior-friendly lift.
- Fit it into a Rajasthan loopFly into Delhi or Mumbai and connect to Jodhpur (JDH), then loop with Jaisalmer for the desert and Udaipur for the lakes. Jodhpur is the heart of Marwar.
- Know what is included and what is openThe Mehrangarh ticket bundles the museum and, for foreigners, the excellent audio guide; Umaid Bhawan is mostly a Taj hotel and royal home, with only a small museum open to visitors.
- Senior-friendly fortMehrangarh has a lift to the upper level, so older visitors can enjoy the palaces and views without the steep climb. Take the audio guide and go at your own pace.
- Walk the Blue City and eat wellWander the blue lanes below the fort and the Clock Tower bazaar, and try the famous Jodhpur food trail (mawa kachori, makhaniya lassi). A rooftop fort-view dinner is the perfect end.
Tour packages that visit Jodhpur
Every journey below is private, hand-crafted and fully customizable. Tell us your dates and we tailor the itinerary, the pace and the priests or guides around you.
9D / 8NRajasthan Tour By Car
- Visit City Palace, Hawa Mahal & Jantar Mantar at Jaipur
- Visit Kumbhalgarh & Chittorgarh Forts near Udaipur
4D / 3NJodhpur Jaisalmer Tour
- Visit Jaswant Thada
- Visit Umaid Bhawan Palace
11D / 10NRajasthan Desert Safari
- Visit Akshardham Temple
- Visit Chokhi Dhani
10D / 9NRajasthan Luxury Tour Package
- Visit City Palace
- Visit Hawa Mahal
12D / 11NHorse Safari in Rajasthan
- Visit Ranakpur
- Visit Kotri
8D / 7NBest of Mount Abu Tour
- Visit Nakki Lake and Sunset Point
- Visit Famous Jain Temple
11D / 10NRajasthan Tour Package 10 Days
- India Gate
- Badi Mahal