Udaipur City Palace is one of the best things to see in the city of Udaipur and is one of the best historical attractions in Rajasthan.
Established in the 16th century CE, it was from Udaipur City Palace that the Mewar Dynasty ruled over a large chunk of Northern India all the way up until the 20th century.
Famous for its size and architecture, Udaipur City Palace is still owned and maintained by that same former-royal family, and is open for the public to explore.
In this complete guide to Udaipur City Palace, I’m providing you with everything you need to know to visit the so-called ‘Palace of Palaces’.
Table of Contents
Brief History of Udaipur City Palace
To get the most value out of your visit to Udaipur City Palace, it helps to have a little backstory…
You’ll hear Udaipur City Palace being described as a ‘Mewar’ palace, but what does this mean?
Mewar is a term you’ll hear a lot when visiting historical sites in Rajasthan, because it was the name of the last major power in the region before the British takeover.
The Mewar Kingdom dates as far back as the 7th century CE, but for hundreds of years it was a tiny kingdom, little more than a city state. It was continuously invaded, seeing multiple empires come and go.
But by the 14th century the Mewars had become one of the major powers in Northern India, ruling a land similar in size to modern-day Rajasthan.
It was during this hey-day that the Mewar Maharanas (or Rajputs – meaning ‘royalty’) moved the capital to Udaipur and began building the City Palace, with the first stone being laid in 1559.
Udaipur City Palace wasn’t built all in one go, but rather gradually developed over the centuries by subsequent rulers. By the time the British took over in the early 1800s, the City Palace was among the largest in Northern India, and had become known as the ‘Palace of Palaces’.
Even though the British took over, the party didn’t end for the Mewar Maharanas, as their kingdom continued to rule as a ‘princely state’ in the British Raj.
The Mewar dynasty would continue to rule from this Palace until 1949, when all the princely states were merged into the modern-day nation of India – revoking their royal status.
While they may have lost their royalty, the members of the Mewar dynasty still got to keep the buildings, and this former royal family still owns Udaipur City Palace to this day.
Best time to visit Udaipur
The best time to visit Udaipur is between September and March.
Rajasthan is a dry, mostly desert, region and the summers can get HOT. While you can still visit between April and August, you can expect it to be hot enough to make your daytime adventures a very uncomfortable experience.
While it can get a little cold at night during Udaipur’s winter, the daytime temperatures are much more agreeable.
Udaipur is also one of the best places in India to celebrate Holi Festival.
If you’re not familiar, Holi is a yearly Hindu festival celebrated across India that involves a lot of partying and tonnes of powdered dye. It’s an iconic experience and should be a bucket list item for anyone interested in travelling India.
Holi Festival takes place around the beginning of spring, which usually means in March, but the date is slightly different every year.
You can check upcoming dates for Holi Festival here.
How to get to Udaipur
Udaipur is one of the major cities in Rajasthan, which makes it easy to reach, and you have 3 main options for getting there.
Train
Udaipur Train Station is located in the downtown area and connects Udaipur to most other nearby cities, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Mumbai.
The cost of your train ticket to Udaipur depends on where you’re coming from and what class of ticket you purchase.
As an example, a first class AC ticket from Jaipur should set you back around $8 to $12 USD.
If you’ve got a lot of distance to cover, consider booking an overnight sleeper ticket. This means you can save time by moving between cities while you sleep and saving your days for exploring.
You can book your train ticket to Udaipur on 12Go.Asia.
The distance between Udaipur Train Station and the main tourist area of the city, where the City Palace is located, is too far to walk. Thankfully, you’ll find no shortage of taxi driver’s offering you a lift as soon as you exit the train station.
Bus
While India’s rail network is extensive, it doesn’t go everywhere. Thankfully, it’s easy to catch a bus between most major cities, and it’s just as cheap.
In India, you can get a bus anywhere, and getting a bus between major cities will cost you around the same as a train ticket. And just like a train, you have the option of booking an overnight sleeper ticket.
The cost of your ticket will depend on where you’re coming from. As an example, an overnight sleeper bus from Jaipur will cost you around $10 – $15 USD.
When you book a ticket online, you’ll have to get yourself to the departure point, which is usually located in a central location, and identify your bus by its number plate. The attendant will check your ticket and you’ll be on your way.
You can book your bus ticket to Udaipur at 12Go.Asia.
Fly
If you’re coming from afar, or simply have room in your budget, flying to Udaipur is also an option – and certainly the fastest.
The cost of your flight to Udaipur will of course depend on where you’re coming from. As an example, an economy class flight from Delhi to Udaipur will take about 1hr and 15 min, and cost you around $50 – $60 USD.
Udaipur Airport is located quite far outside the city, about a 30min drive from where you want to be. Thankfully, finding a taxi at the airport is never an issue, and uber is also available. An uber from Udaipur Airport to the main tourist area will cost you around $8 USD.
You can search for flights to Udaipur on Skyscanner.
Hotels near Udaipur City Palace
Udaipur is a major tourist hotspot in India, which means you have plenty of options for accommodation.
When you book your hotel, make sure it’s in the old town and not further out. This is where all the main tourist attractions are, near the north-eastern shores of Lake Pichola.
Here’s some suggestions for hotels near Udaipur City Palace, depending on your budget…
High Range
If money’s not an issue and you’re looking for the absolute best hotels in Udaipur, you’re in for a treat.
Udaipur is considered a very ‘royal’ city, and its high-range accommodation reflects this.
If you’re looking to treat yourself like a Maharana (royal), then you’ll want to book a night at Udaipur’s premiere 5-star hotel: The Oberoi Udaivilas.
This hotel is located in a very central location, right on the lake, and the building is so spectacular it rivals Udaipur City Palace. The picturesque complex and its Rajasthani architecture is part of the experience.
Rooms at The Oberoi Udaivilas start at around $400 USD per night.
Mid Range
If you’re looking for a decent hotel room but want to keep a reasonable budget, there are still many options to choose from.
Personally I stayed at Kankarwa Haveli and can’t recommend it enough.
It’s a family-run hotel in a former ‘haveli’ (Rajasthani term for mansion), right on the water’s edge. It may not compare to the grandeur and luxury of The Oberoi Udaivilas, but it’s clean, has all the basic amenities you need to feel comfortable, and offers some of the best views of the lake.
A night at Kankarwa Haveli starts at around $50 USD, and can be booked here.
Budget
If you’re a backpacker or have a strict budget, there are multiple backpacker hostels in Udaipur for you to choose from, offering a mix of both dorms and private rooms.
On one of my visits to Udaipur I stayed at Madpackers Hostel and can vouch for its value for money. Not only is it clean for an Indian backpackers hostel, but it also boasts a great rooftop restaurant and common area, with amazing views of the lake.
A bed in a dorm at Madpackers will cost you around $5 per night, and be booked through Hostelworld.
Udaipur City Palace Ticket Price
The Udaipur City Palace ticket price is the same for both locals and foreigners – a rarity in India.
At the time of writing, the Udaipur City Palace ticket prices are:
- 400 INR – Adult
- 150 INR – Child
- 250 INR – Senior (over 60)
- 150 INR – Student (with ID)
- 250 INR – Defence (with ID)
- Free – Disabled
The Udaipur City Palace ticket price is open to change, but you can check the prices, and purchase your ticket, on the City Palace Museum website.
You can also purchase your Udaipur City Palace ticket at the front entrance.
Udaipur City Palace Opening Hours
Udaipur City Palace opening hours are 9am to 9pm, 7 days a week.
Like the price, opening hours are subject to change, but you can check the opening hours on their website.
What to expect when you arrive
Now that you’ve got the logistics of your trip planned out, let’s cover some information that it’s helpful to know before you arrive.
Entrance
Udaipur City Palace has multiple gates, but you can only enter through one of them.
The entry to Udaipur City Palace is the gate on the north side of the complex. Here you can purchase your ticket (or collect it, if you purchased online), and book a guide.
The streets of Udaipur can be convoluted, with winding passage ways and dead end streets. So if you try to enter the Palace from any other direction other than from the north, you may find yourself on an elaborate route through the streets to try and find your way around to the main entrance.
Designated path
While you do get to explore most of Udaipur City Palace, the grounds are not open for you to wander around freely.
Rather, after entering the interior of the palace, there is a designated path that takes you on an elaborate route through the best rooms, and eventually back out again.
While this may sound restrictive, you’re still able to explore each room freely. You just have to explore them in a particular order.
Tours
If you want to learn more about Udaipur City Palace as you explore it’s grounds, there are 2 types of tours on offer:
- Guided Tour – The tour guides at Udaipur City Palace are more informative and professional than any government-run historical attraction. For a reasonable fee, they’ll show you around the massive palace and feed you insightful information along the way.
- Audio Tour – If you want the information a tour guide offers but want to explore Udaipur City Palace at your own pace, there’s also an audio tour available.
Both types of tours can be bought at the entry where you buy your ticket.
Avoiding the Crowds
Depending on when you visit Udaipur City Palace, this historical site can get crowded. On certain days of the year it can get so crowded that it can ruin your visit.
While celebrating Holi festival in Udaipur is an amazing experience, visiting the City Palace around this time or other public holidays means the site will be extremely crowded.
Personally, I made the mistake of visiting Udaipur City Palace the day after Holi, and the crowds were so intense that every room was squeezed with as many people as possible, standing shoulder to shoulder, making it an uncomfortable experience.
You can avoid this situation by not visiting Udaipur City Palace around any special public holidays or festivals, or by arriving as early as possible to beat the crowds.
Things to see at Udaipur City Palace
There’s a reason Udaipur City Palace was called the ‘palace of palaces’. This place is HUGE.
In addition to the extensive and picturesque palace grounds, the interior seems to have countless rooms to explore.
There are so many attractions to see inside the grounds of Udaipur City Palace. Here are a few highlights…
Manek Chowk
Manek Chowk is the huge, grassy courtyard you’ll find yourself in after passing through the main entrance, and it’s arguably the most scenic place on the palace grounds.
Manek Chowk is sort of like the ‘red carpet’ entrance into the palace complex, it’s best architecture on display.
Since the 17th century, Manek Chowk has been public meetings, ceremonial processions, horse cavalry, elephant parades, and other events for the royal family.
Kanch Ki Burj
Historically, Rajasthani artisans have been known for their glass-making skills, and that artistry and skill is on full display in this room.
Once the winter bedroom for the Maharanas (rulers), this spectacular room is covered, floor to ceiling, in colourful glass panels and mirrors.
While mesmerising, it’s hard to understand why the Maharana would want such a place for their bedroom.
Badi Mahal
Baddi Mahal, also known as the Garden Palace, is an open courtyard located at one of the highest points in the palace grounds.
This part of the palace was one of the later additions, being built in 1699 CE, and was used for special events such as royal banquets and birthdays.
It’s also the area of the palace with the best views over Lake Pichola.
Rai Angan
Rani Angan is the oldest part of Udaipur City Palace
While most other places you’ll explore were added over the centuries, this part of the castle was the foundation, being built in the 1500s.
As soon as you enter this area, its age becomes obvious. It looks and feels much older than the rest of the palace grounds.
