Considered the Lake Como of India, the ethereal city of Udaipur perches exquisitely on the pristine Lake Pichola. Framed by the Aravalli Hills, a trip to Udaipur feels like a trip back in time. After New Delhi, we spent three glorious days in this truly bucket-list destination and it was a completely otherworldly experience. If you’re planning a trip to Rajasthan, keep scrolling for my Udaipur luxury travel guide and, for more of India, see my Jaipur travel guide, our trip to the blue city of Jodhpur, and our journey with Aman.
The Best Luxury Hotels in Udaipur, India
TAJ LAKE PALACE: From the Royal Mansour to Borgo Santo Pietro to Ballyfin Demese, we have been lucky to have stayed in some of the most incredible hotels on Earth. But, none have ever had quite the same fairytale, otherworldly quality as the Taj Lake Palace. Constructed between in the 18th century by Maharana Jagat Singh II, the Taj Lake Palace was formerly used as a summer retreat of the royal family. Floating in the middle of the Lake Picchola and accessible only by boat, the Taj Lake Palace is an utterly dream-worthy bucket list luxury hotel.
OBEROI UDAIVILAS: If you’re interested in a new hotel with all of the trimmings, this Udaipur luxury travel guide would be remiss not to include the palatial Oberoi hotel which regularly tops the list of the best hotels in Asia.
The Best Places to Explore in Udaipur, India
UDAIPUR CITY PALACE: The top destination in Udaipur is the historic City Palace, still home to the royal family of Arvind Singh Mewar. Built in the 1500’s, the sprawling palace and fort has an eye-catching collection of sculptures, curios, antiques, and inscriptions. My personal favorite space in the palace was the strikingly beautiful blue room. We hired a private guide through our hotel which added so much to our experience.
SHOPPING: We loved getting lost in the charming streets of Udaipur and thoroughly enjoyed purchasing antiques at the Om Arts & Crafts Emporium and exploring the exquisite offerings of the Ganesh Handicraft Emporium, housed in a beautiful historic Haveli.
JAG MANDIR: Take a boat to the beautiful island palace of Jag Mandir in the middle of Lake Picchola. Built in the 16th century, this royal retreat was known as the ‘Lake Garden Palace’ and is a truly magical place to watch the sun set.
Boating in Udaipur, India
Last but not least for this Udaipur luxury travel guide, spending a morning or evening boating on Lake Picchola is truly one of the most serene and magical travel experiences you could have. The team at the Taj Lake Palace took us on several extraordinary boat rides that allowed us to watch the sun rise and set over the lake. It was also lovely boating through Udaipur and admiring the stunning historic havelis built over the water. If you follow our itinerary, I would recommend flying from Delhi to Udaipur (approximately 1.5 hour travel time) to avoid the long car or train travel time.
Udaipur luxury travel guide by Molly Carr Photography | Images via Minolta CLE and iPhone 14 Pro
