Jaipur has so much to offer, the notorious Amber Fort, City Palace and Panna Meena Ka Kund are top of the list. Experience the local hospitality, elephant sanctuary and the explosive celebration for the Diwali, the Festival of Light.
Far better to live your own path imperfectly than to live another’s perfectly.
Amber Fort & City Palace
Amber (pronounced Amer) Fort of Rajasthan is situated on a natural ridge 11km north of Jaipur and is definitely an iconic attraction of the city. The fort dates back to the 16th century and is an eclectic mix of Hindu and Mughal architecture. The complex comprises of a sprawling palace with pink and yellow sandstone, exquisite marble, decorative mirrored inset panels and stunning arches overlooking the expansive view of the city and the Maota Lake.
There are many temples and historic sites that lay at the bottom the Amber Fort. Panna Meena Ka Kund is a beautiful 8-storey step well with criss-cross steps on 3 sides and recessed doorways. This hidden gem is close to the Jaipur-Amer road and should not be missed!
Local Indian Lunch and Elephant Sanctuary
It was a treat to be welcomed into the home of Raju and JiJi, the daal lunch was delicious and their hospitality heart-warming. They keep cows in their backyard, great source of milk. The uncle lived next door and holds the accolade of being the best pigeon-fancier in the region!
We headed to the elephant sanctuary, so lovely to stroke the big, beautiful animals, they seem so chilled. The stunning colourful art on the bumpy skin is super pretty. For decades, the elephants have ferried visitors up and down Amber Fort and there has been much criticism about their mistreatment, it truly was great to see them in this environment where they are looked after without chains on their feet.
Diwali Festival in Jaipur
Diwali is a five day Hindu festival in late Autumn to honour Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, it’s a time to wear new clothes, spring-clean and exchange gifts. Lamps are lit to help Lakshmi find her way into people’s homes that are left open to make it possible for her to enter.
The most perfect location to take in the Festival of Light all over the city is at The Narahgarh Fort. The fireworks were going off, the lights were flashing, the whole city just sparkled… wow! We spent our last couple of hours on the roof of our hotel playing with the firecrackers and getting in the spirit of it, the bustling street below sounded like a war zone… Happy Diwali!
>> Read about taking to the streets of Jaipur on motorbikes and Holy City of Pushkar.
>> Follow me on Instagram for more travel inspiration
>>Trip organised by Trekkup // Photos with Trekkup logo courtesy of Piotr
. . . . . . . . . .
Get 5% off travel insurance
Always make travel insurance a priority! I’ve partnered with World Nomads to offer you 5% discount for first time customers. I can’t recommend them enough, the contract is easy to under and most of all they are responsive when you need to contact them from abroad to resolve an issue. Click to claim your World Nomads 5% travel insurance discount.
. . . . . . . . . .
Save for later, pin it!
5 comments
I’ve read about that festival recently. So interesting. I would love to see elephants in a sanctuary. What a great experience.
I love Amber Fort and Jaipur. Such a colorful place, especially during Diwali or wedding season, with elephants walking the streets, lights, and beautiful, colorful clothing.
Very very informative piece. Diwali is to be honest the best festival of India and everyone needs to experience it once!
I have never been but would love to experience a very religious ceremony in India. I’ve seen the photos somewhere and it’s magical.
One of those with the strongest cultures! Amazing travel destination indeed!