This is travelogue of my road trip to Rajastan from Pune.
Day 1: Pune-Udaipur via Shirdi, Dhule, Ratlam
Day 2: Udaipur local sightseeing
Day 3: Udaipur-Jodhpur via Haldighati, Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur
Day 4: Jodhpur local sightseeing and departure to Jaisalmer
Day 5: Jaisalmer to Tanot, Longewala in morning session. Kuldhara, Sam sand dunes in evening session.
Day 6: Jaisalmer local sightseeing in morning and leave for Bikaner.
Day 7: Bikaner to quick visit to Karni Mata Temple early morning [6-8 AM]. Morning visited Junagarh fort in Bikaner and left for Jaipur
Day 8: Jaipur local sightseeing
Day 9: Jaipur to Chittorgarh, visited Chittorgarh fort.
Day 10: Chittorgarh to Pune via Ratlam, Dhule, Shirdi
All stays in RTDC hotels with no prior booking.
Some tips while you are travelling in Rajastan
1) Watch out for cattle on roades.
2) Guides are not required anywhere, they add little value addition to your knowledge. Could be irritating if you are into photography because they are in hurry to finish your tour to catch next tourist.
Below is my route map.
City Palace
Checkout at 6 am from Hotel Panna after tea and bread toast and started our journey back to home. This was our 10th day out of home we didn't realized how quickly passed those days. Even my 3 yr old daughter is bored and started asking when will we reach home. Don't know why she suddenly asked this question on last day of our trip.
Surprisingly we saw so many camel karwas in MP on our return day which we didn't even saw in our earlier 8 day journey in Rajastan :)
This journey again bit boring as those harvesters started from Punjab are still with us till Lebad before we left the Indore highway to connect to Agra-Mumbai highway. Lebad-Manpur was smooth ride with no one on road. Again on Agra-Mumbai Highway truck traffic was there but manageable. Nice drive till we enter Maharashtra. Ones we enter Maharashtra 2 wheeler traffic starts and all truckwals move to first lane and your avg speed drops significantly. 4 lane till Malegaon, took left turn at Malegaon towards Manmad, Shirdi single road with truck, 2 wheeler and car traffic. Had dinner around 8 pm in Kopargaon. Crossed Shirdi after 9 pm, lot of potholes on road and bit truck traffic was there. Reached home around 1 am which was our 11th day of trip, hussss. Good Night!!!
Day 1: Pune-Udaipur via Shirdi, Dhule, Ratlam
Day 2: Udaipur local sightseeing
Day 3: Udaipur-Jodhpur via Haldighati, Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur
Day 4: Jodhpur local sightseeing and departure to Jaisalmer
Day 5: Jaisalmer to Tanot, Longewala in morning session. Kuldhara, Sam sand dunes in evening session.
Day 6: Jaisalmer local sightseeing in morning and leave for Bikaner.
Day 7: Bikaner to quick visit to Karni Mata Temple early morning [6-8 AM]. Morning visited Junagarh fort in Bikaner and left for Jaipur
Day 8: Jaipur local sightseeing
Day 9: Jaipur to Chittorgarh, visited Chittorgarh fort.
Day 10: Chittorgarh to Pune via Ratlam, Dhule, Shirdi
All stays in RTDC hotels with no prior booking.
Some tips while you are travelling in Rajastan
1) Watch out for cattle on roades.
2) Guides are not required anywhere, they add little value addition to your knowledge. Could be irritating if you are into photography because they are in hurry to finish your tour to catch next tourist.
Below is my route map.
Day 1: Pune-Udaipur
We started from home at 4 am. Crossed Shirdi before 8 AM, so we didn't encountered any traffic on Nagar road as well as on Shirdi. Nagar bypass was in very bad condition, so while returning we entered Nagar city (not great improvement in time required to cross city lol). Touched Mumbai-Agra highway around 9:30 AM and all 4 lane good road till Udaipur except 35 km Nimbahera-Mangalwad before 60 km of Udaipur.
Nimbahera-Mangalwad is single road with lot of speed barkers. Number of cattle on road either returning from somewhere to nowhere, discussing next day strategy or settling on road for rest of the night as we were there around 7 pm. In one of blog someone cautioned about cattle on road and I realized what it means, for next 8-9 days I saw at least one body of holy cow lying on road :(. I am not writing this to scare you, just slowing a bit will help you to cross them comfortably, honking may create chaos.
Day 2: Udaipur local sightseeing
We stayed in RTDC Hotel Kajari, which has huge parking facility.
Breakfast included in tariff, so took breakfast in Hotel itself. Hired a auto for local sightseeing for ₹600 just in front of Hotel. Who showed us below places in same order
- Pichola Lake
- Pratap Smarak : Maharana Pratap Memorial
- Fateh Sagar Lake
- Saheliyon ki Bari - garden - can be skipped
- City Palace - ₹250 entry fees per person and ₹250 for camera. I hired a guide for ₹250 and I regret my decision because he is always in hurry to finish my tour in 1 hour and I wanted time to click some photographs in relax mode. Whatever knowledge he shared is of no or little value addition. Most of things we already know or written on walls/boards. Then I never hired a guide at any other place in Rajastan.
- Jagdish Temple - Located 150 meters north of City Palace
Pichola Lake
City Palace
Around 2 PM had our lunch and took rest at for some time in our room.
At 5 PM went for Sajjangarh in our vehicle which is ~14km from Hotel. ₹300 entry fees including vehicle. Sajjangarh also known as The Monsoon Palace situated on hilltop. Lot of people were there to see sunset. Road to Sajjangarh is steep ghat, hairpin turns and very narrow at some places, so after sunset we spent some time on fort itself to let all people get down.
Sajjangarh Palac also known as Monsoon Palace
Udaipur city view from Sajjangarh
Reached hotel in half an hour to take rest for onward journey.
Sajjangarh Palac also known as Monsoon Palace
Udaipur city view from Sajjangarh
Reached hotel in half an hour to take rest for onward journey.
Day 3: Udaipur-Jodhpur via Haldighati, Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur
Next day we took breakfast in RTDC Hotel itself and started for Kumbhalgarh. Plan was to visit Kumbhalgarh and continue to Jodhpur, but we found that Haldighati is just 13 km off (one way) the road to Kumbhalgarh, so decided to visit Haldighati which took extra 2 hrs.
Kumbhalgarh built in Aravali (अरावली) mountain Range, so road is very scenic, ghat section and single road that's why it takes longer time than google maps :)
On the way to Kumbhalgarh Fort
While climbing Kumbhalgarh fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort
This is on Kumbhalgarh - Ranakpur road
We were in Ranakpur around 6 pm and reached Jodhpur at 11pm. Took 5 hrs to cover just 160 km. Kumbhalgarh Fort to Ranakpur is around 35 km which took around 2 hrs to cover. Pathetic road near Ranakpur but very scenic and thick forest. So if you are planning to do Ranakpur along with Kumbhalgarh try to start as early as possible.
Day 4: Jodhpur local sightseeing and departure to Jaisalmer
We stayed in RTDC hotel Ghoomer. Morning we took breakfast in same hotel and checkout at around 9 am.
First visited Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, whenever you ask locals about direction of Umaid Bhawan Palace ask them about museum otherwise you will enter thru gate which is not accessible to all.
1 hr is enough for this.
Do visit Vintage car section (from where I took above pic), no pic posted as I couldn't capture any descent photo due to glare on glass and all cars are kept behind glass.
Mehrangarh fort - ask locals preferably autowala for direction and don't rely on app for road to Mehrangarh.
Entry ticket is ₹100 and camera ₹100, we didn't hired guide and could do photography peacefully. There is lift facility for additional ₹40 to climb to top 4th floor of museum and descend by walk, helpful for senior citizen. Climbing is not by steps its just plain road inclination you can see in one of pic below.
View of blue city Jodhpur
They were singing - pallo latake re maro pallo latake... (पल्लो लटके)
Kheench meri photo...
Huge cannons on top of fort
blue...
View of Mehrangarh from Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada or cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II - While returning from Mehrangarh hill top you need to go bit off path for this, will require around 30 mins to cover.
We were back down to main road which is Jodhpur-Jaisalmer road around 1 pm, had a very nice lunch and left for further journey.
Manager at RTDC hotel suggested us to go via Osian, Phalodi, Ramdevra and this was fantastic road with no traffic. Toll road till Phalodi, post that wide road till Jaisalmer I guess maintained by Army. Some road repair work was in progress from Pokhran to Jaisalmer so need to took some time. Started at 2 pm from Jodhpur and reached Jaiselmer RTDC hotel Moomle at around 7:30pm
Sunset near Jaisalmer
Day 5: Jaisalmer to Tanot, Longewala in morning session. Kuldhara, Sam sand dunes in evening session
Manager at RTDC hotel Moomal Mr. Shyam Thanvi is very nice person, he suggested us the the itinerary and we could cover maximum in minimal time. He made our 2 days in Jaisalmer best part of our Rajastan trip. He has deep knowledge of history of the area and just ask him about silk route :).
I just asked him whats the reason behind the strange name Hotel Moomal. He told me nice history behind it - a love story between Moomal and Mahendra. Moomal was an extremely beautiful girl from Lodhruva (old name of Jaisalmer state) and her lover Rana Mahendra the ruler of Umer Kot in Sindh (now in Pakistan).
And here is the pic of RTDC hotel Moomal.
We had our breakfast in hotel Moomal and started towards Tanot and Longewala around 9 am.
Superb road towards Tanot/Longewala with minimum speed of 100 :) hardly crossing any vehicle.
Longewala War Memorial
Pakistani Tank captured in 1971 war
Sam (सम) Sand Dunes:
We reached at one resort booked for us by Shyam sir and quickly wend for jeep ride actually it was Thar. Adventurous 4*4 ride enjoyed by us. Charged Rs 1200. After ride we took camel ride which was included in package of camel ride, dinner and cultural program Rs 600 per person.
After elephant ride back to resort, had tea and snacks. Cultural program started immediately around 7 pm which includes Rajastani songs, folk dance some adventurous sports activity.
Around 9 pm we had our lunch and left the place at 10 pm. Reached Jaisalmer in 40 minutes. Shyam sir told us in Xmas week it takes around 3 hours to cover same distance so you can imagine crowd at that time. Beware of touts at this place they will tell you will give camel ride in just Rs 50, ones you sit on camel they will tell your ride ends, if you want to go to that point pay Rs 1000. So before finalizing on camel ride first confirm how much distance will be covered and how much time will it take.
Day 6: Jaisalmer local sightseeing in morning and leave for Bikaner
Next day had breakfast and check out from Hotel Moomal around 9 am.
First we visited patwon ki haveli. Palace of businessmen from the area who was so rich some he use to finance King of Jaisalmer (as per local people)
Loose rocks kept on fort walls, to be used in war as weapon to attack enemy.
Don't know what is written on this
We parked our vehicle on road near fort and went to fort by auto he charged us Rs. 30 and returned by walk. After fort museum we visited visited jain temple near museum where photography was not allowed. Back to our vehicle around 1 pm, and had a lunch at one hotel and proceeded towards war museum.
Jaisalmer War Museum: This museum is around 12 km away towards Pokaran.
A short film on war played in auditorium around 15-20 minutes.
3 pm we started towards Bikaner. Road till Phalodi is in great condition but from Phalodi road widening is in progress so it took us lot of time to reach Bikaner, we reached Bikaner RTDC Hotel Dhola-Maru at 9 pm.
Day 7: Bikaner to quick visit to Karni Mata Temple early morning [6-8 AM], visited Junagarh fort in Bikaner and left for Jaipur
Again a love story behind Hotel name Dhola-Maru, please read below.
Again very friendly hotel manager at Dhola Maru Mr. Hinglaj Dan Ratnau (introduced by Mr. Shyam Thanvi ji over phone from Jaisalmer). He is writer / poet and working as part time (read it 24*7) for RTDC. In very short span of conversation with him he told me so many things about history of Rajastan which usually you won't find it on internet / books (you have to be researcher to get such knowledge).
As I allocated just half day for Bikaner, I asked him what I can cover in this much time. He suggested me to visit Karni Mata Temple in Deshnok early in the morning (which opens at 5 am) and return back to hotel, get ready, do break fast and checkout, visit fort Junagarh in Bikaner and proceed to Jaipur.
Earlier Karni Mata temple was not in plan, but as it can be covered in early morning I decide to do quick visit. I started from Hotel at 6 am, reached temple in 45 mins, half and hour visit and returned back to Hotel at 8 am, before city traffic starts.
As we reached early we need not to search for parking, no one is there to collect fees for camera so did free visit otherwise you have to pay for camera everywhere in Rajastan (except Jaisalmer).
Back to Hotel Dhola-Maru at 8 am, checkout after breakfast around 10 am. Visited Junagarh fort which is just 1.5 km from hotel.
80 kg gold used to paint this hall.
Around 1 pm we were out of fort, had lunch and left for Jaipur at 2 pm.
One of the best road I covered in Rajastan is Bikaner-Jaipr, covered 330 km distance in ~4 hours.
There are two RTDC hotels in Jaipur few hundred meters from each other, we stayed in Hotel GanGaur (गणगौर). Entry to this hotel is bit tricky as road ahead of this hotel is turned to one way in evening, so don't rely on mobile apps ask autowala for exact direction. From Hotel Gangaur there is sweet mart called Rawat misthan bhandar approx 300 meters we had lot of Rajastani sweet especially ghevar and namkeen left no space for dinner.
Day 8: Jaipur local sightseeing
Next day we booked RTDC city tour bus for Rs 500 per person which covers Birla temple, Jantar-Mantar, City Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Amer or Amber Fort (आमेर क़िला). Trip was bit boring but had no choice as travelling in city in own vehicle is difficult task, either you do it by auto / cab or RTDC bus. One benefit with RTDC bus is trained guide will be with us at all the places.
Jantar-Mantar
City Palace:
Jaigarh Fort:
The Jaivana (जयवाण) cannon - Largest non-mechanized cannon in the world. Fired just ones in peace time for demo purpose.
Amer or Amber Fort (आमेर क़िला):
We were back to Hotel Gangaur around 6 pm. Had dinner at Hotel Rawat, just behind Rawat Mistan bhandar. Packed some namkeen and sweets from mistan bhandar for our return journey.
Day 9: Jaipur to Chittorgarh, visited Chittorgarh fort
We started from Jaipur around 6 am, just behind hotel approx 1 km there is road called Ajmer road again ask for autowala, ones you connect to this road it will take you straighet out of city to 6 lane Jaipur-Ajmer road and then to Chittorgarh (immediate left turn from Kishangarh toll otherwise you will proceed towards Ajmer).
Had breakfast on the way. This journey was tiresome as lot of truck traffick on the way and worst so many karwa of harvestors moving from Punjab towards MP. Took 6 hrs including breakfast and lunch break to reach Chittorgarh fort. Road till Kishangarh is superb six lane, after that 4 lane with many potholes with heavy traffic of trucks as well as harvester.
Reached Chittorgarh fort top at 2 pm. Before you start ascending for the fort few bikers follow you to guide you for the fort. They start at Rs 200 then 100, 50 finally some one told me just give us Rs 21. I didn't entertained them went straight to the fort. I asked about this to one ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) employee he told me "Saar, chai bhi 10 rupaye ko miltai hai, ye 50 rupaye me aapko kya itihaas batayenge, aapko sidha le jaayenge kisi handloom ki dukan me". (in short just avoid those guides, if you want guide hire licence holder guide at entry gate their charge is 500+). It is very simple and straight and marking is present on fort and you travel in your own vehicle.
Vijaya Stambha (विजय स्तंभ)
Meera temple
Museum
At 5 pm we reached RTDC Hotel Panna. Took early dinner and went to rest as next day we have looooong return journey.
Day 10: Chittorgarh to Pune via Ratlam, Dhule, Shirdi
Kumbhalgarh built in Aravali (अरावली) mountain Range, so road is very scenic, ghat section and single road that's why it takes longer time than google maps :)
On the way to Kumbhalgarh Fort
While climbing Kumbhalgarh fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort
This is on Kumbhalgarh - Ranakpur road
We were in Ranakpur around 6 pm and reached Jodhpur at 11pm. Took 5 hrs to cover just 160 km. Kumbhalgarh Fort to Ranakpur is around 35 km which took around 2 hrs to cover. Pathetic road near Ranakpur but very scenic and thick forest. So if you are planning to do Ranakpur along with Kumbhalgarh try to start as early as possible.
Day 4: Jodhpur local sightseeing and departure to Jaisalmer
We stayed in RTDC hotel Ghoomer. Morning we took breakfast in same hotel and checkout at around 9 am.
First visited Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, whenever you ask locals about direction of Umaid Bhawan Palace ask them about museum otherwise you will enter thru gate which is not accessible to all.
1 hr is enough for this.
Do visit Vintage car section (from where I took above pic), no pic posted as I couldn't capture any descent photo due to glare on glass and all cars are kept behind glass.
Mehrangarh fort - ask locals preferably autowala for direction and don't rely on app for road to Mehrangarh.
Entry ticket is ₹100 and camera ₹100, we didn't hired guide and could do photography peacefully. There is lift facility for additional ₹40 to climb to top 4th floor of museum and descend by walk, helpful for senior citizen. Climbing is not by steps its just plain road inclination you can see in one of pic below.
View of blue city Jodhpur
They were singing - pallo latake re maro pallo latake... (पल्लो लटके)
Kheench meri photo...
Huge cannons on top of fort
blue...
View of Mehrangarh from Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada or cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II - While returning from Mehrangarh hill top you need to go bit off path for this, will require around 30 mins to cover.
We were back down to main road which is Jodhpur-Jaisalmer road around 1 pm, had a very nice lunch and left for further journey.
Manager at RTDC hotel suggested us to go via Osian, Phalodi, Ramdevra and this was fantastic road with no traffic. Toll road till Phalodi, post that wide road till Jaisalmer I guess maintained by Army. Some road repair work was in progress from Pokhran to Jaisalmer so need to took some time. Started at 2 pm from Jodhpur and reached Jaiselmer RTDC hotel Moomle at around 7:30pm
Sunset near Jaisalmer
Day 5: Jaisalmer to Tanot, Longewala in morning session. Kuldhara, Sam sand dunes in evening session
Manager at RTDC hotel Moomal Mr. Shyam Thanvi is very nice person, he suggested us the the itinerary and we could cover maximum in minimal time. He made our 2 days in Jaisalmer best part of our Rajastan trip. He has deep knowledge of history of the area and just ask him about silk route :).
I just asked him whats the reason behind the strange name Hotel Moomal. He told me nice history behind it - a love story between Moomal and Mahendra. Moomal was an extremely beautiful girl from Lodhruva (old name of Jaisalmer state) and her lover Rana Mahendra the ruler of Umer Kot in Sindh (now in Pakistan).
And here is the pic of RTDC hotel Moomal.
We had our breakfast in hotel Moomal and started towards Tanot and Longewala around 9 am.
Bada Bagh - Just 6km from Hotel Moomal towards Tanot - It contains a set of royal cenotaphs, or chhatris of Maharajas of Jaisalmer state.
Superb road towards Tanot/Longewala with minimum speed of 100 :) hardly crossing any vehicle.
Tannot Mata is a temple
Longewala War Memorial
Pakistani Tank captured in 1971 war
Started return journey towards Jaisalmer at 1 pm. Had a lunch at Ramgarh in Hotel Hinglaj just right side when you touch to Tanot-Jaisalmer road from Longewala. Mark it on your left side while going towards Tanot there is no other place to eat in that area. One of the best food I had in Rajastan in this roadside dhaba.
Reached Jaisalmer at around 3:30 pm get refreshed and quickly started for Kuldhara, Sam Sand Dunes.
Mr. Shyam Thanvi ji booked Camal ride, cultural programme including evening tea / snacks and dinner for us for 600 rupees per person and we took Jeep ride for 1200 rupees.
Haunted village of Rajastan - Kuldhara
Kuldhara is an abandoned village in the Jaisalmer district toward Sam sand dunes. Established around 13th century, it was once a prosperous village. It was abandoned by the early 19th century for unknown reasons, possibly because of dwindling water supply, or as a local legend claims, because of persecution by the Jaisalmer State's minister Salim Singh.
We spent 30-40 minutes and left for Sam.
Sam (सम) Sand Dunes:
We reached at one resort booked for us by Shyam sir and quickly wend for jeep ride actually it was Thar. Adventurous 4*4 ride enjoyed by us. Charged Rs 1200. After ride we took camel ride which was included in package of camel ride, dinner and cultural program Rs 600 per person.
After elephant ride back to resort, had tea and snacks. Cultural program started immediately around 7 pm which includes Rajastani songs, folk dance some adventurous sports activity.
Around 9 pm we had our lunch and left the place at 10 pm. Reached Jaisalmer in 40 minutes. Shyam sir told us in Xmas week it takes around 3 hours to cover same distance so you can imagine crowd at that time. Beware of touts at this place they will tell you will give camel ride in just Rs 50, ones you sit on camel they will tell your ride ends, if you want to go to that point pay Rs 1000. So before finalizing on camel ride first confirm how much distance will be covered and how much time will it take.
Next day had breakfast and check out from Hotel Moomal around 9 am.
First we visited patwon ki haveli. Palace of businessmen from the area who was so rich some he use to finance King of Jaisalmer (as per local people)
Different astrological instruments used while travelling on silk route for business purpose to calculate time, direction.
Jaisalmer Fort: It is one of the largest fully preserved fortified cities in the world, still hundreds of families lives inside fort.
Some pics inside fort museum.
Loose rocks kept on fort walls, to be used in war as weapon to attack enemy.
We parked our vehicle on road near fort and went to fort by auto he charged us Rs. 30 and returned by walk. After fort museum we visited visited jain temple near museum where photography was not allowed. Back to our vehicle around 1 pm, and had a lunch at one hotel and proceeded towards war museum.
Jaisalmer War Museum: This museum is around 12 km away towards Pokaran.
A short film on war played in auditorium around 15-20 minutes.
3 pm we started towards Bikaner. Road till Phalodi is in great condition but from Phalodi road widening is in progress so it took us lot of time to reach Bikaner, we reached Bikaner RTDC Hotel Dhola-Maru at 9 pm.
Day 7: Bikaner to quick visit to Karni Mata Temple early morning [6-8 AM], visited Junagarh fort in Bikaner and left for Jaipur
Again a love story behind Hotel name Dhola-Maru, please read below.
Again very friendly hotel manager at Dhola Maru Mr. Hinglaj Dan Ratnau (introduced by Mr. Shyam Thanvi ji over phone from Jaisalmer). He is writer / poet and working as part time (read it 24*7) for RTDC. In very short span of conversation with him he told me so many things about history of Rajastan which usually you won't find it on internet / books (you have to be researcher to get such knowledge).
As I allocated just half day for Bikaner, I asked him what I can cover in this much time. He suggested me to visit Karni Mata Temple in Deshnok early in the morning (which opens at 5 am) and return back to hotel, get ready, do break fast and checkout, visit fort Junagarh in Bikaner and proceed to Jaipur.
Earlier Karni Mata temple was not in plan, but as it can be covered in early morning I decide to do quick visit. I started from Hotel at 6 am, reached temple in 45 mins, half and hour visit and returned back to Hotel at 8 am, before city traffic starts.
As we reached early we need not to search for parking, no one is there to collect fees for camera so did free visit otherwise you have to pay for camera everywhere in Rajastan (except Jaisalmer).
galam galam Pyaj Kachori, yummm....
Back to Hotel Dhola-Maru at 8 am, checkout after breakfast around 10 am. Visited Junagarh fort which is just 1.5 km from hotel.
80 kg gold used to paint this hall.
Around 1 pm we were out of fort, had lunch and left for Jaipur at 2 pm.
One of the best road I covered in Rajastan is Bikaner-Jaipr, covered 330 km distance in ~4 hours.
There are two RTDC hotels in Jaipur few hundred meters from each other, we stayed in Hotel GanGaur (गणगौर). Entry to this hotel is bit tricky as road ahead of this hotel is turned to one way in evening, so don't rely on mobile apps ask autowala for exact direction. From Hotel Gangaur there is sweet mart called Rawat misthan bhandar approx 300 meters we had lot of Rajastani sweet especially ghevar and namkeen left no space for dinner.
Day 8: Jaipur local sightseeing
Next day we booked RTDC city tour bus for Rs 500 per person which covers Birla temple, Jantar-Mantar, City Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Amer or Amber Fort (आमेर क़िला). Trip was bit boring but had no choice as travelling in city in own vehicle is difficult task, either you do it by auto / cab or RTDC bus. One benefit with RTDC bus is trained guide will be with us at all the places.
Jantar-Mantar
City Palace:
Jaigarh Fort:
The Jaivana (जयवाण) cannon - Largest non-mechanized cannon in the world. Fired just ones in peace time for demo purpose.
Amer or Amber Fort (आमेर क़िला):
We were back to Hotel Gangaur around 6 pm. Had dinner at Hotel Rawat, just behind Rawat Mistan bhandar. Packed some namkeen and sweets from mistan bhandar for our return journey.
Day 9: Jaipur to Chittorgarh, visited Chittorgarh fort
We started from Jaipur around 6 am, just behind hotel approx 1 km there is road called Ajmer road again ask for autowala, ones you connect to this road it will take you straighet out of city to 6 lane Jaipur-Ajmer road and then to Chittorgarh (immediate left turn from Kishangarh toll otherwise you will proceed towards Ajmer).
Had breakfast on the way. This journey was tiresome as lot of truck traffick on the way and worst so many karwa of harvestors moving from Punjab towards MP. Took 6 hrs including breakfast and lunch break to reach Chittorgarh fort. Road till Kishangarh is superb six lane, after that 4 lane with many potholes with heavy traffic of trucks as well as harvester.
Reached Chittorgarh fort top at 2 pm. Before you start ascending for the fort few bikers follow you to guide you for the fort. They start at Rs 200 then 100, 50 finally some one told me just give us Rs 21. I didn't entertained them went straight to the fort. I asked about this to one ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) employee he told me "Saar, chai bhi 10 rupaye ko miltai hai, ye 50 rupaye me aapko kya itihaas batayenge, aapko sidha le jaayenge kisi handloom ki dukan me". (in short just avoid those guides, if you want guide hire licence holder guide at entry gate their charge is 500+). It is very simple and straight and marking is present on fort and you travel in your own vehicle.
Vijaya Stambha (विजय स्तंभ)
Meera temple
Museum
At 5 pm we reached RTDC Hotel Panna. Took early dinner and went to rest as next day we have looooong return journey.
Day 10: Chittorgarh to Pune via Ratlam, Dhule, Shirdi
Checkout at 6 am from Hotel Panna after tea and bread toast and started our journey back to home. This was our 10th day out of home we didn't realized how quickly passed those days. Even my 3 yr old daughter is bored and started asking when will we reach home. Don't know why she suddenly asked this question on last day of our trip.
Surprisingly we saw so many camel karwas in MP on our return day which we didn't even saw in our earlier 8 day journey in Rajastan :)
This journey again bit boring as those harvesters started from Punjab are still with us till Lebad before we left the Indore highway to connect to Agra-Mumbai highway. Lebad-Manpur was smooth ride with no one on road. Again on Agra-Mumbai Highway truck traffic was there but manageable. Nice drive till we enter Maharashtra. Ones we enter Maharashtra 2 wheeler traffic starts and all truckwals move to first lane and your avg speed drops significantly. 4 lane till Malegaon, took left turn at Malegaon towards Manmad, Shirdi single road with truck, 2 wheeler and car traffic. Had dinner around 8 pm in Kopargaon. Crossed Shirdi after 9 pm, lot of potholes on road and bit truck traffic was there. Reached home around 1 am which was our 11th day of trip, hussss. Good Night!!!
