How to Spend 2 Days in Jaipur, India: 10 Things to do in Jaipur

Jaipur, India’s first planned city sits outside New Delhi, and is known for its markets, palaces, temples, and wildlife sanctuaries. It’s also a part of India’s Golden Triangle, a tourist trifecta including Delhi and Agra. The name comes from their triangular formation on a map and is a popular circuit for those visiting India. After visiting India for the second time in recent years, I feel like I finally have the lay of the land.

If you start in Delhi, it takes over three hours by car to arrive in Agra, then closer to four hours to get to Jaipur. We hired a driver (worth it) for the 5-day trip around the Golden Triangle and spent 2-3 days in Jaipur and then two days in Agra. After my most recent trip, I’m sharing 10 Things to do in Jaipur, India.

Logistics for Visiting Jaipur

Where to stay in Jaipur: Narain Niwas Heritage Hotel

We stayed at the Narain Niwas Heritage Hotel, one of India’s top heritage hotels. We felt like royalty staying here, but the rooms run at an affordable rate of ~$200/ night. As you can see from the photos, the colorful buildings made for a great photo opp.

The palace was built in 1928 by General Amar Singh Ji, the Thakur of Kanota at the time. It was designed in the Anglo-Indian style, popular in the Victorian era, and the palace served as the country resort for Kanota royalty. Today, it’s the best traditional restaurant in Jaipur.

This historic hotel offers incredible amenities in addition to authentic Indian furnishings, bold colors, and luxury suites like shopping, folk dance and puppet shows, and four on-site restaurants. If you want the shopping royal experience, stop by the Hotel Narain Niwas Palace for its Shopping Arcade. Expect to see eccentric hand-crafted items, textiles, jewelry, bags, silverware, and more.

In addition to shopping, the hotel offers Folk Dance and Puppet Shows that are famous around the globe and provide quite the show. The professional dancers will help you further appreciate the rich culture in Jaipur. While the colorful wood puppets tell stories of Rajasthani culture based on the lives of early kings and queens. If you’re looking for a different activity than a museum or walking tour, these shows definitely check that box.

Finally, this hotel delivers in the food and drinks department. Bar Palladio, a candlelit haven, offers super dreamy vibes with authentic food and drinks. Next step outside under the twinkling lights, Shikar Bagh offers an inside-outside elevated bar and restaurant experience perfect for an afternoon drink, lunch, or dinner if you’re craving Indian or Italian with its pizza and pasta offerings.

Getting to Jaipur from New Delhi

From New Delhi, it’s about a four-hour drive or an hour flight to Jaipur. I recommend getting a driver if you opt for this route. We actually booked our entire India trip via local travel agency Cans International. You can reach out to them via email at cansinternational@gmail.com. It was such a dream having everything organized – we also felt so safe and taken care of the whole trip!

10 Things to Do in Jaipur, India

Things to do in Jaipur #1: Hawa Mahal: “The Palace of Breeze”

Hawa Mahal, or The Palace of Breeze, was built in 1799 as an extension to the Royal City Palace of Jaipur. This building allowed the royal ladies, who at the time strictly observed “pardah”, to watch any processions and activities on the street without being seen by the public.

Here’s what you need to know:

Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Admission: Indian: Rs.10, Foreigners: Rs.50
Pro Tip: Explore the building across the street. If you can skip the cafes, do so, as they’re super chaotic, and the waiters are pretty pushy/rude. Tattoo Cafe and Wind View Cafe (platform) offer the best viewpoints.

Things to do in Jaipur #2: Jaipur Stepwell “Panna Meena Ka Kund”

This 16th-century stepwell can be found in the shadow of the Amber fortress. Back in the day, women came here to fill water pots, and travelers utilized the stepwell as a resting spot due to its cooler temperatures. Today, this hidden gem offers a pretty great photo opp.

While you might have seen photos in the past of people walking down the steps, to prevent injury and preserve the steps, you can no longer step on the stepwell itself. Security nearby will make sure of it.

Address: XVR2+FGV, Amer, Rajasthan 302028, India.
Hours: 7 am to 6 pm daily
Admission: Free
Pro Tip: While we didn’t run into this scam, other travel bloggers have written that security tried to charge them a “fee” to visit. This is a scam and do not fall victim to this.

Things to do in Jaipur #3: Amer Fort / Amber Palace

The Amber Palace is one of India’s most visited forts. It was once the capital of princely Jaipur state, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013.

To enter from the top, you can walk uphill or travel by golf cart or vehicle. While the walk isn’t for the out of shape, traffic jams are common, so keep this in mind and don’t be afraid to get some steps in.

Hours: 8 AM – 5:30 PM daily
Admission: ~250 rupees (about $3) for foreigners and 50 rupees for Indians during the day.
Pro Tip: The price is slightly cheaper at night if you want to visit and see the sound and light show or enjoy dinner there.

Things to do in Jaipur #4 + #5: Take a tour of the City Palace and catch a traditional puppet show

In the center of the Old City, you’ll find City Palace, the perfect place to catch a traditional puppet show. You may be wondering…why go to a puppet show? These 3-5 minute mini shows offer the perfect taste of an Indian Puppet Show.

The MSMS ll Museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm and you can buy tickets online. You can find the different types of tickets, timing, shopping, food, and more on the website.

As a note, a private tour is the only way to access the Instagram-famous blue room (pictured above). It’s quite expensive but includes rooftop tea, which was a nice experience if that’s up your alley.

Things to do in Jaipur #6: Have dinner and drinks at Bar Palladio

Add this bar to your list for a good dinner or nightcap. It’s located inside the hotel and making a reservation is encouraged.

Bar Palladio Jaipur is a vibey spot that offers delicious food, drinks, and a spot to hang out after a long day of sight seeing. What I loved about this spot was it provided my favorite type of food: Italian. Think soups, penne all’arrabiata, and spaghetti carbonara. They hand make all of their fettuccine, gnocchi and ravioli. The key to my Italian heart. Don’t sleep on this incredible spot.

Things to do in Jaipur #7: Visit the Jaigarh Fort

Jaigarh Forts sits at the cape called Cheel ka Teela overlooking the Amer Fort and Maota Lake and offers incredible panoramic views and houses the world’s largest cannon.

If you’re big on forts, you can easily visit Jaipur’s three most famous forts in one day. Start at Amer, make your way to Jaigarh Fort, then Nahargarth (see below).

The ticket prices are included in the Foreign Tourist Composite Ticket and you have the option of walking or catching a ride up the hill. Depending on your energy levels and time, either method is pretty easy. Allot for 25 minutes if you plan to walk up the hill.

Things to do in Jaipur #8: Nahargarth Fort

Last on our fort tour, we have Nahargarth Fort. From Jaigarh you can take a car to the bottom of Fort Road and then walk or drive up to this fort. The cab fare is negotiable, but be aware the car ride back up is much longer and costs around 300 INR.

You can’t beat the views of the Jal Mahal and the driver will stop for photos upon request. They’ll likely start to pull over before you even ask and offer their photography skills.

Admission: Like the other forts, the ticket is covered under the Foreign Tourist Composite Ticket. There’s also a ticket office through the archway. This fort’s grounds are massive, so get ready to explore.
Pro Tip: If you want to catch the sunset, post up at one of the cafes open from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm. Make sure to order something to eat and drink while you wait and watch.

Things to do in Jaipur #9: Relax at the Gaitor Cenotphs

You won’t find this hidden gem on everyone’s list but it was one of our favorite stops. Royal Gaitor is one of the most stunning examples of Jaipur architecture, so I’m shocked I don’t see more travel bloggers and tourists stopping here for a photo opp.

Like many of the stops on our list, the Royal Gaitor holds significance to the royal family of Jaipur. In this instance, as a funerary space. The cenotaphs you’ll see inside are each made out of one marble stone. It’s incredible to see how one stone can be turned into such a work of art.

Hours: 10 AM – 5:30 PM daily
Admission: INR 30 for Indians & Foreigners

Things to do in Jaipur #10: Take photos at The Patrika Gate

Finally, you have to visit arguably one of the prettiest stops on our tour, The Patrika Gate. The vibrant sketches paint a picture of the city’s history and a glimpse into the Rajasthan culture. It’s often referred to as “the most colorful door in India”.

Many people visit here to take photos, especially for weddings and engagements, as well as for the lightshow. At night you can see the monument in a whole new light (no pun intended) as it changes different colors.

The Patrika Gate is located about 30 minutes outside of the city center and does not cost anything to get in. It’s open all day, but we recommend visiting early morning or late afternoon to avoid the harsh sunlight.