Surrounded by a 16th-century city wall that stretches for 10 km, Jodhpur is a jumble of Brahmin-blue houses scattered along winding, medieval streets. In the centre of it all is the mighty Mehrangarh Fort, towering over the entire city like an architectural marvel that has been transported straight from an episode of Game of Thrones.
I travelled to Jodhpur more out of a sense of duty rather than an actual desire to visit. It was the closest big city to Udaipur and next on my itinerary of places that I had been told that I should see in Rajasthan. Surprisingly, my few days in Jodhpur turned out to be the best that I spent in India’s most flamboyant state.
We arrived in Jodphur on the final day of Gangaur, a two-week celebration of spring, harvest, and marital fidelity that is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan. While the party was in its death throes, the city was prepped for one final night of revelry. I emerged from my hostel to find marching bands sitting on the corner of a nearby street, sipping chai and checking their instruments in preparation.
At around 9 pm, the revelry began. Groups of women in vibrant sarees danced and drummed beside the stepwell before tipping pots of colourful flower petals into the water below and starting their march towards the centre of the city. Processions began to make their way from disparate corners of the neighbourhood, all converging on one centre point where the party would continue until 4 am the next morning. This celebration is my favourite memory from my time in India, and one that made me fall in love with this country.
That isn’t to say that the city is only worth visiting when it is celebrating; the buzz of the maze-like streets – scented by a heady mix of burning incense, pollution, fresh street food and sewers – of the old town is enthralling, never leading to where you expect. The bazaars heave with saris, trinkets and spices. Inside the blue-painted walls of this cerulean city, you’ll find hidden temples, havelis and palaces. It may not be as extravagant or chaotic as cities like Jaipur, but it is every bit as interesting, just without the hustle and annoyances of the major tourist hotspots.
Where to Stay in Jodhpur
Jodhpur isn’t short of high quality, budget guesthouses and hostels. Many of the best properties are concentrated in the winding alleyways north of Sardar Market. Most taxis from the train or bus station won’t take you into the narrow back streets, so book ahead of time and get dropped off at the clock tower or the northern gate and walk the rest of the way.
Yogi Guesthouse
I absolutely loved my stay at Yogi guesthouse, a 500-year-old haveli nestled beneath the walls of Mehrangarh Fort, washed in different shades of blue and converted into a quiet and peaceful backpacker hostel. The hostel boasts a lovely indoor and outdoor courtyard on the ground floor, as well as a rooftop cafe with incredible views of the fort. The owners are also friendly and helpful (they managed to organise a safe delivery of my passport, which I had stupidly left in Udaipur).
HosteLaVie
Another hostel with the obligatory rooftop restaurant, HostelLaVie offers a mix of stylish 4 and 6-bed dorms as well as private rooms, each with aircon, lockers and their own en-suite bathrooms.
Zostel
If you have read my other India guides, you will know that I’m a fan of the largest hostel chain on the Indian subcontinent due to the fact they’re usually clean, reasonably priced and have friendly, helpful staff. Zostel tends to be the safe choice for a place to stay in India and the Jodhpur branch is no exception. The hostel is located just 550 yards from Mehrangarh Fort and a short walk from the northern gate of the central market, meaning that it is perfectly placed for guests that want to explore on foot or by bike. As well as that, the rooftop restaurant has incredible views over the city.
Things to do in Jodhpur
Mehrangarh Fort
Perched on a rocky outcrop 120m above Jodhpur’s skyline, Mehrangarh is thought to be one of the most magnificent forts in all of India and is certainly one of the most spectacular buildings I have ever seen. The main entrance, Jai Pol, is a steep, 300m walk from the city or it is possible to take an autorickshaw there for around 120 Rs.
The Fort’s old palace is now home to the Mehrangarh Museum where you will find a network of beautiful courtyards surrounded by intricately carved facades. Inside the palace itself are a number of galleries, filled with textiles, armour, weapons and paintings, such as the gallery of miniature paintings, Daulat Khana Chowk and the Phul Mahal (Flower Palace). After visiting the museum, you are able to wander the ramparts of the fort, giving you a spectacular view over Jodhpur.
Toorji Ka Jhalra Stepwell
Toorji Ka Jhalra stepwell was built in 1740 but until recently, it was in a state of disrepair. The zig-zagging steps, built to follow the fluctuating water table had been completely submerged by stagnant, debris-filled water. Now that the well has been drained and cleaned, it is once again the centre of the community in Jodhpur, not as a source of drinking water, but as an open-air swimming pool for the local kids.
Read More: Feats of Daring at Toorji Ka Jhalra Stepwell
Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
This 72-hectare park in the shadow of Mehrangarh Fort has been lovingly created to showcase the vast array of native flora and fauna species present in the region. The park itself is a brilliant example of the growing eco-tourism trend in India and you can spend a couple of hours wandering the marked trails that zigzag around the area, giving you a little respite from the chaos of the city itself. As there is not a lot of shade in the park, make sure to visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the uncomfortable heat. For a more in-depth insight into the park, a local guide/ranger will give you a tour for 200 rupees.
For a view of both Jaswant Thada and Mehrangarh Fort at the same time, in my opinion, the best viewpoint in the city, ask a guide to take you to the far end of Deity Pond at sunset and walk up towards the city walls for a spectacular vista.
When: Open 8am – 6pm Daily.
Price: 100 Rs entry.
Zip-lining
If you want to see the city from a unique and slightly more daring perspective, Flying Fox has a circuit of 6 zip lines starting at the Chokelao Bagh that fly over the fort, city walls and desert rock park. I didn’t do the zip line tour myself, but Ellie from The Wandering Quinn has written about it extensively.
Price: 1750 Rs if booked in advance.
Clock Tower and Surrounding Market
Lining the northern side of the lake, along Main Market Road, Pushkar’s Sadar Bazaar is lined with shops selling everything from Indian souvenirs and touristy trinkets to hand-crafted, locally made jewellery. Many of the charming little shops are covered in beautiful, hand-painted signs.
For those that have been on the road for a while, Sadar Bazaar is the perfect place to stock up on supplies such as toiletries, clothing and a pair of the ubiquitous elephant-print trousers. As the market is fairly touristy, You’ll have to haggle for the best price.
Jaswant Thada
This spectacular white marble monument to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II sits 1km north of Mehrangarh, beside Deity Pond, is a nice, peaceful place to spend an hour or so after visiting either the Desert Rock Park or Mehrangarh Fort itself.
When: Open 9am – 5pm Daily
Price: 15/50 Rs entry Indian/Foreigner.
Explore the Blue City
When I heard that Jodhpur is known as the ‘Blue City’, I was expecting to see something along the lines of Chefchaouen in Morocco, but ultimately, the city isn’t quite as blue as its moniker suggests. Although from the vantage point of the city walls or the fort it may look cerulean, from the ground it is the usual mix of browns and greys that you normally find in Indian cities. Especially in the centre of town, beside the clock tower.
Where to Eat & Drink in Jodhpur
While I am an advocate for mostly eating street food for a fix of delicious but budget-friendly fare in India, there are scores of cheap restaurants and cafes in Jodhpur catering for the backpacker crowd. In the area directly north of the clock tower, you will find multiple rooftop places such as Namaste, offering chai, smoothies, sandwiches and smoothie bowls with incredible views of the fort, as well as some great cafes and bakeries. In the same part of town, you will find plenty of street food options but Shahi Samosas, just before the main gate to Sardar Market, serves wonderful samosas and always has a queue.
Shri Mishrilal Hotel
The Shri Mishrilal Hotel is a small cafe located just inside the southern gate of Sardar Market. It may not look like much from the outside, but this nondescript, 90-year-old food spot is known to serve one of the best makhaniya lassis in Rajasthan. Their secret is that they add a huge dollop of white, unsalted butter to make it that little bit richer and creamier. Apparently, the cafe can become packed later on in the day but when I visited mid-morning, it was easy to find a seat and be served.
Where: Sadar Market
When: 8.30am – 10pm
Omelette Stands
Standing either side of Sardar Market’s northern entrance, facing each other and constantly competing for the business of hungry passers-by are two equally good omelette stands. Trays of eggs are stacked high and used quickly as the chefs knock out omelette after omelette for the endless flow of diners. They do a range of different egg dishes, often combined with bread for anywhere between 15 – 30 rupees.
Where: North Gate, Sadar Market.
When: 9am – 10pm.
Stepwell Cafe
The regeneration of Jodhpur’s old city seems to centre around Jodhpurs ancient stepwell, Toor ji ka Jhalra. This inverted pyramid-shaped structure was left to crumble, filled with stagnant water and decaying for many years until Dhananajaya and Nikhilendra Singh, owners of the nearby Raas hotel, set about purifying the water and sandblasting the steps with some help from Jodhpur’s maharajah. Since then, a number of fancy shops and boutiques have sprung up in this newly spruced up area of town. One such place is the Stepwell Cafe, a modern, up-market cafe serving good coffee, excellent cocktails and a mix of Indian and Italian cuisine.
Where: Tunwarji ka Jhalra
When: Daily 12pm – 10.30pm
Indique
It may be a little more expensive than most restaurants in Jodhpur, but not many eateries in the city are as atmospheric as Indique, or offer views that are as spectacular. Set on the candlelit rooftop of the Pal Haveli Hotel, you can dine with a view of the illuminated Mehrangarh Fort on one side and the clock tower of Sardar Market on the other. The food more than lives up to the scenery, with the restaurant dishing out a good range of traditional Rajasthani dishes and thalis. The well-stocked bar will whip you up a great cocktail too.
Where: Pal Haveli Hotel
When: Daily 11am – 11pm.
Cafe Sheesh Mahal
Located Just outside the northern gate of Sardar Market in the upstairs of a narrow building, Cafe Sheesh Mahal doesn’t look like much from the outside and, if I’m honest, doesn’t from the inside either. This may be why you will usually find the cafe fairly empty, making it the perfect place to relax with a book and a coffee if the chaos of the city becomes a little much for you to take. The coffee is fairly good too, as is the mango lassi.
Where: 1 Pal Haveli Inn Opposite the Clock Tower
When: 9.30am – 10.30pm Daily
Nirvana
When we were sat on the rooftop of Nirvana Hotel in the dark, the only diners in this vast space overlooking Tambaku Bazar, I wasn’t expecting much from my meal. However, the Thali that I was served ended up being one of the best I had in Jodhpur. Nirvana shares a building with a Rama temple and a kitsch hotel of the same name. Although there is both an outdoor and indoor dining area, I recommend heading up to the roof for your meal.
Where: Tija Mata ka Mandir, Tambaku Bazar
When: 9am-10pm Daily
Getting In and Out
From Udaipur
Unfortunately, there is no direct train from Udaipur to Jodhpur or vice-versa. The bus or private car is your only option. A private car from Udaipur to Jodhpur will cost anywhere between 25,000 and 30,000 rupees, while an AC bus will only cost around 600 rupees (the journey takes 7 hours and there are around 10 buses each day). Government buses leave from the central bus stand opposite the train station. A higher standard, private bus can be booked through your hostel.
To/from Jaisalmer
Buses to Jaisalmer run hourly and cost around 300 rupees for the 5 and a half hour journey. Alternatively, the overnight train leaves Jodhpur at 11 pm and arrives in Jaisalmer at 6 am, costing 565 rupees.
To/From Jaipur
Buses run to Jaipur regularly between 5 am and midnight. The journey takes 7 hours and will cost around 340 rupees (AC 760 rupees). Alternatively, multiple trains run each day and take 6 hours to reach Jaipur at a cost of 625 rupees.
To/From Ajmer (nearest station to Pushkar)
Buses run hourly until 6.30 pm. The trip takes 5 hours and costs 200 rupees (AC 450 rupees). The train takes a little longer, clocking in at 5 and a half hours for between 185 and 510 rupees, depending on class. There are two trains a day at 6.35 am and 7 am.
3 Responses
In spite of having my roots in Jodhpur, I only discovered the Toorji Ka Jhalra Stepwell recently. It’s really one of a kind. You have manages to cover all aspects of Jodhpur quite well. Great job
Great article on one of my favourite cities, with lovely photos too. But someone saw you coming with that quote you got for a trip from Udaipur to Jodhpur ie 25,000-30,000 rupees. I hope you didn’t pay that. I’m paying Rs7000 from a reputable agent found on Trip Advisor.
Live & learn 🙂
Hi James. Thank you – I’m just going by the prices that I saw advertised in various agencies around the city. I think the cheapest I saw was around 20,000 but I’m sure it can be haggled or found a lot cheaper. I’d always say to get the bus anyway rather than fork out so much money.