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Jaipur tours, getaways, and places to see
Jaipur is a historical and cultural treasure house. It’s the capital of the great state of Rajasthan, gateway to the Thar desert, home of architectural marvels and UNESCO heritage sites, and so much more. I have planned this list of Jaipur tours, getaways, and places to see to showcase the best this magnificent city has to offer. The day tours include the arts and crafts of Jaipur, and the many talented artisans that work in the city and surrounding area. Jaipur is known for a wide range of products such as textiles, block printing, gemstones, jewellery, shoes, rugs, pottery, art, and much more.
About Jaipur
Jaipur was one of the world’s first planned cities when it was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727. Today the city is a colourful blend of magnificent forts and palaces, bustling bazaars and markets, and hip cafes and opulent hotels. Jaipur is known as the Pink City because the walls and buildings of the old city are all painted a terracotta-pink. A city of artisans, Jaipur is known for arts and crafts such as gemstones and jewelry, enamel work, block-print fabrics and hand-embroidered textiles, leather juttis and bags, stone sculptures and blue pottery, and much more. Jaipur is also a city of polo, and the star player is the young Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh “Pacho” Singh. Above everything, Jaipur is an extraordinarily colourful place. On its streets you see women in brilliant red and orange head coverings and sweeping skirts, and men in their equally vivid turbans and upturned moustaches. You can read more about Jaipur here.
About Breathedreamgo Bespoke
Breathedreamgo Bespoke is a custom tour company, incorporated in India in 2020. We can organize multiday tours across Rajasthan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.
Breathedreamgo Bespoke was founded by Canadian travel writer and tour operator Mariellen Ward, who has spent at least half of the last 20 years travelling and living in India.
Breathedreamgo Bespoke is for those travellers who want to experience authentic India. The tours are personally curated and based on a wealth of insider knowledge, tips, and relationships.
You can read more about Breathedreamgo Bespoke here.
Jaipur City tour 1: Royal Footsteps
This tour will take you to Jaipur’s iconic sites, and trace the city’s history from the medieval period to the present. Start your tour with a visit to UNESCO-listed Amer Fort, one of the most spectacular and well-maintained medieval forts and palaces in India. Amer, a small town about 11 kilometres from Jaipur, was the original settlement before Jaipur was built in the early 18th century. Afterwards, return to the Pink City to tour the magnificent City Palace, where the Jaipur royal family lives to this day.
The City Palace tour includes a visit to Jantar Mantar — an 18th century observatory with massive astronomical instruments. Built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, founder of Jaipur, Jantar Mantar is a UNESCO World Heritage site and houses the world’s largest stone sundial. You will also stop and see the lovely Hawa Mahal, Palace of Winds, an iconic structure that is often used as the emblem of Jaipur. Hawa Mahal was built in the year 1799 and was used by the women of the court to see festivals and processions on the streets.
- Duration: Half Day or Full Day
- Tour Leader: Local licensed guide
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
Jaipur City tour 2: Mountains and Monuments
Jaipur is surrounded on three sides by the Aravalli mountain range, one of the oldest geographic formations on earth. On this tour, we will head out of town to see some of the marvels of the countryside surrounding Jaipur such as Kishan Bagh Sand Dune Park, Galtaji (aka Monkey) Temple, and Sisodia Rani ki Bagh. A visit to Jhalana Leopard Safari Park can be added to this tour.
- Duration: Half Day or Full Day
- Tour Leader: Local licensed guide
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
Crafts, Shopping, and Artisans Tour
Jaipur is a shopper’s paradise. A city of artisans, Jaipur’s markets and bazaars burst with an astonishing range of locally made textiles, block-print clothes and fabrics, dazzling gemstones, hand-knotted rugs, leather shoes and sandals, lac bangles, and much, much more. We are shopping experts and we can take you to some of the best markets, stores, workshops, and showrooms in Jaipur. The tour is designed to be a fun and interactive cultural experience: you will learn a lot about the arts and artisans, and how things are made, along with the culture that inspired them.
- Duration: Half Day or Full Day (or multiple days)
- Tour Leader: Mariellen Ward
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
Block Printing workshop
Block printing is one of crafts that Jaipur is known for, and Qala Creatives can teach you how to do it. Qala means art in Hindi, and this small woman-owned company preserves age-old techniques while empowering individuals to bring their creative visions to fruition. Owner Rajshree offers educational tours and workshops in central Jaipur that showcase crafts such as block printing. A Qala Creatives experience includes a hands-on introduction to the art of block printing, stories of the heritage and cultural significance of Rajasthan’s crafts, and the chance to create and take home your very own printed piece.
- Duration:
- Workshop Leader: Rajshree or Qala Creatives team member
- Contact: Contact Qala Creatives here
Learn the crafts of Jaipur
Rajasthan Studio bridges the gap between expert local artisans and niche travel and art lovers. They offer specially-curated art events that take you on a journey with an art maestro. You can attend a hands-on workshop such as Dry Flower Art, Tie and Dye (Leheriya), Rajasthani Miniature Painting, Meenakari Jewellery Making and others, where you will learn about local crafts and make a finished product.
- Duration: 2-5 hours
- Workshop Leader: Various
- Contact: Contact Rajasthan Studio here.
Dawn Tour of Jaipur
At about 6 am, as the city awakens, your guide will meet you and take you on an exhilarating dawn tour of Jaipur by either bicycle or e-rickshaw (your choice). This tour is uniquely curated with a blend of culture, heritage, architecture, religion, cuisine and the daily lifestyle of local people. It is a lot of fun! You will experience the freshness of the morning air and the aromas of the vegetable and flower market, pickle street, traditional snacks market etc. Your taste buds will enjoy sampling local specialties and you will enjoy the music and prayers offered at the city’s premier temple, Govind Dev Ji, on the City Palace grounds.
- Duration: 3 hours
- Tour Leader: Umesh or Seagull Jaunt team member
- Contact: Contact Jeagull Jaunt here
Heritage Water Walks
Award-winning Heritage Water Walks are unique tours created by Neeraj to combine his passions for both water and storytelling, and to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is a highly populated desert state, which Neeraj calls a water civilization. On this two-hour storytelling tour, you will discover that water drives Rajasthani culture, art, and traditions. And you will get the chance to explore ancient water structures such as channels, roman aqueducts, stepwells, and storage reservoirs and learn about their purpose, architecture and history. Take a relaxed and entertaining walk in the jungle surrounded by natural beauty as you listen to the stories from an ancient desert culture.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Tour Leader: Neeraj
- Contact: Contact Neeraj and Heritage Water Walks here
Amer Untold: Secrets Beyond the Palace Walls into history
This tour offers a rare, unhurried glimpse into the original heart of Dhoondhar. Long before Jaipur rose to glory, there was Amer, the ancient capital of the Dhoondhar ruled by Kachwaha Rajput rulers, nestled among the hills of the Aravallis. Step beyond the famous Amer Fort into historic Amer, a living medieval town that continues to be inhabited.
The Amer Heritage Walk invites you to discover the soul of this settlement through its 14th–16th-century temples, a hallmark of local craftsmanship, ornate havelis, centuries-old step wells, and hidden courtyards. Its Rajput rulers commanded campaigns that stretched from the passes of Afghanistan to the plains of Bengal, shaping the course of Indian history. This walk is not sightseeing; it is storytelling on foot and a walk through the town among locals who are living custodians of traditions passed down through generations. If you are adventurous, climb to a scenic viewpoint to witness a stunning sunrise, see the fort from an angle that most visitors miss, and watch the fort walls snake dramatically up the hillside, tranquil Sagar Lake, where the Aravallis mirror themselves in still water, remains one of Amer’s best-kept secrets.
- Duration:
- Tour Leader: Arv
- Contact: Contact Jaipur Retold here.
Sair with Shristi
Sair is a Hindi word, meaning to explore, and the name Shristi means universe. Shristi is a local storyteller who creates experiences that are very personal, and that include seeing Jaipur from a female perspective. She says she can be controversial at times, “but I am glad that the guests who chose my tour are very receptive and positive about it.”
- Duration:
- Tour Leader: Shristi
- Contact: Contact Sair with Shristi here.
Jhalana Leopard Safari park
It’s hard to believe, but there is a leopard safari park right on the outskirts of Jaipur. The entrance is in a local neighbourhood, but once you drive around to the other side of the Aravalli hills, you find a thriving forest and leopard sanctuary. The reserve is spread over an area of 20 square kilometers, with immense flora and fauna present in the park. When I went, I saw leopards in three different places, for a total of about five leopards, plus many beautiful birds and other mammals, too.
- Duration: 2.5 hours, either morning or late afternoon
- Contact: Book tickets here for Jhalana Leopard Safari park.
Rajasthan (and India) Getaways
Breathedreamgo Bespoke can organize multiday tours across Rajasthan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. You can read more about Rajasthan here.
Ranthambore National Park (approx. 160 km / 3.5 hours):
Ranthambore National Park, located near the town of Sawai Madhopur, has rich biodiversity and is one of the top tiger reserves in India for jeep safaris and spotting tigers. It is a paradise for nature lovers and bird watchers and also history enthusiasts. Sawai Madhopur was founded in 1763 by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh due to its close proximity to the Ranthambore Forest. The Kachwaha Rajputs hunted tigers here until India became independent. Then, in 1973, the forest was given the title of tiger reserve and became a national park in 1980. Set inside the park, Ranthambore Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Duration: Two-three days is recommended
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
Pushkar (approx. 145 km / 3 hours):
A small town surrounded by desert, Pushkar is a prime destination for pilgrims, hippies, and tourists who like to relax and enjoy the small-town vibe. A small, sacred lake lined by ghats (steps) and temples sits at the centre of Pushkar. Watching worshippers on the ghats at dawn, as the sun rises over the lake, is a magical sight.
- Duration: Two-three days is recommended
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
Sariska Tiger Reserve (approx. 130 km / 2.5 hours):
Sariska is a 1,200 square kilometre tiger reserve, set in the Aravalli Hills northeast of Jaipur. It’s a stunning landscape of sharp ridges, deep narrow valleys, plateaus, and grasslands, covered in dry deciduous forest vegetation. The tiger reserve is home to a massive peacock population, as well as tigers, leopards, striped hyenas, jungle cats, golden jackals, sambar deer, chital (spotted deer), nilgai, wild boars, and the rare four-horned antelope. Sariska is also an important biodiversity area with over 200 bird species.
- Duration: Two-three days is recommended
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
Shekhawati (approx. 115 km / 2.5 hours):
The Shekhawati region, north of Jaipur, is famous for historic towns, such as Mandawa and Nawalgarh, that are home to many elaborately painted havelis, intricate stepwells, and forts built by wealthy merchants.
- Duration: Two-three days is recommended
- Contact: Contact Mariellen here
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