Udaipur Travel Vlog: “Palaces, Puppets, Pichola Sunsets – Why Udaipur is India’s Crown Jewel!”

Udaipur Travel Vlog: "Palaces, Puppets & Pichola Sunsets – Why Udaipur is India’s Crown Jewel!"

Heyyyy, squad! Cliff here, fresh off a rickshaw and ready to spill the chai on my latest adventure—Udaipur, the Venice of the East (but honestly, Venice wishes it had this much bling). Imagine a city where palaces float on lakes, elephants casually stroll past cafés, and every alley smells like jasmine and fried snacks. Buckle up, because I’m taking you on a 5-day romp through Rajasthan’s most romantic city. Spoiler: I cried at a sunset. Twice. Let’s dive in!

Day 1: First Impressions – "Wait, Is This Real Life?"

Landing in Udaipur feels like walking into a Bollywood movie set. The Aravalli Hills frame the horizon, Lake Pichola sparkles like a giant sapphire, and auto-rickshaw drivers yell “City Palace? 100 rupees only, sir!” like it’s a mantra.

Where I Stayed: The Taj Lake Palace (Because YOLO)
Okay, I splurged. Big time. The Taj Lake Palace is a 18th-century marble wonder literally floating on Lake Pichola. They picked me up in a vintage boat, handed me a rose, and I swear the doorman said, “Welcome to paradise, sir.” My room had a view of the City Palace, a bathtub bigger than my Mumbai apartment, and a butler named Rajesh who laughed at my terrible Hindi. Worth every rupee? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Evening Stroll at Gangaur Ghat
After dumping my bags, I hit Gangaur Ghat at sunset. Locals were lighting diyas, kids were diving into the lake, and a street musician played “Kal Ho Na Ho” on a flute. I sat on the steps, ate mirchi vada (spicy chili fritters) from a cart, and thought, “Yep, this is the life.”

Day 2: City Palace Complex – Royal Feels & Hidden Stories

Udaipur’s City Palace isn’t just a palace—it’s a maze of courtyards, museums, and secret balconies. I spent 4 hours here and still missed half of it.

Highlights:

Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard): Thousands of glass mosaics shaped into peacocks. The guide said Maharana Udai Singh partied here. I’d party here too if my backyard looked like this.
Crystal Gallery: A room full of untouched crystal furniture ordered in 1877. There’s a crystal bed, crystal chairs, even a crystal footstool. The Maharana died before it arrived. Dark, but kinda iconic.
Zenana Mahal (Queen’s Quarters): Hidden passages, stained-glass windows, and a view of the lake that’ll make you gasp. Fun fact: The queens watched street processions through tiny windows so no one could see them.

Pro Tip: Hire a guide! Mine, Mr. Singh, spilled tea on the royal family’s dramas. Did you know one prince eloped with a British nurse in the 1920s? Scandalous!

Lunch Break: Rainbow Restaurant
A rooftop joint near the palace with killer dal baati churma (lentils + crispy bread + sweet crumble). I ate like a king, then napped like a sloth.

Day 3: Boat Ride on Lake Pichola & Jag Mandir Island

Udaipur’s lakes are its soul. I booked a sunset boat ride (₹500) and pretended I was in a slow-mo rom-com.

Jag Mandir Island – The “Love Island” of Rajasthan
This 17th-century island palace is where Prince Khurram (later Emperor Shah Jahan) hid during a rebellion. Legend says he got the Taj Mahal idea here. The marble gardens, lotus ponds, and “I’m royalty” vibes are strong. I half-expected Shah Rukh Khan to pop out singing “Tujhe Dekha Toh…”

Dinner at Ambrai Ghat
Right across the lake, Ambrai offers candlelit tables under ancient trees. I ordered laal maas (fiery mutton curry) and a mango lassi while watching the City Palace light up. 10/10 would recommend for a date… or a self-date (no shame).

Day 4: Culture Overload – Puppets, Pottery & Pagal Markets

Udaipur isn’t just palaces—it’s a hub for artsy weirdos (like me).

Morning: Bagore Ki Haveli
This 18th-century mansion-turned-museum hosts a traditional dance show every night. I went for the 7 PM slot: Kathak dancers spinning like tops, puppet shows with mustachioed kings, and a lady balancing 9 pots on her head. The crowd clapped; I yelled “Encore!” like a dork.

Shibori Art Workshop
In the old city, I stumbled on a shibori dyeing workshop. Shibori = Japanese tie-dye, but Rajasthani-style. I made a blue scarf that looks like a smurf exploded on it. Unique? Sure. Fashionable? Debatable.

Shopping at Hathi Pol Bazaar
Udaipur’s markets are chaos incarnate. At Hathi Pol, I haggled for:

Puppets: Bought a mustachioed puppet named Raju. He now sits on my desk.
Silver Jewelry: “925 purity, sir!” (Spoiler: Probably 50% purity.)
Miniature Paintings: Tiny camels, tinier elephants. The artist painted one while I watched—skill level: godly.

Pro Tip: Haggle like your life depends on it. My tactic? Walk away. They’ll chase you.

Day 5: Day Trips – Kumbhalgarh Fort & Ranakpur Temple

Rented a car (₹3000/day) and dragged myself out of bed at 6 AM.

Kumbhalgarh Fort – The Great Wall of Rajasthan
This 15th-century fort has a wall stretching 36 km (second-longest in the world after China’s). I hiked to the top, sweated through my shirt, and got a view of the Aravalli range that’d make your Instagram followers weep. Fun fact: The fort’s temples have erotic carvings. My guide winked and said, “Ancient Kamasutra, sir.”

Ranakpur Jain Temple – Marble Heaven
An hour from Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur Temple is a marble masterpiece with 1,444 intricately carved pillars. No two are alike. I took off my shoes, tiptoed around chanting monks, and accidentally photobombed a French couple’s selfie.

Lunch at Ranakpur Riverside
Ate gatte ki sabzi (gram flour dumplings in curry) at a shady spot by the river. A cow tried to steal my roti. We struck a deal: I kept the food; she took my dignity.

Udaipur’s Food Scene: Spicy, Sweet & Everything Between

Rajasthani food is not for the faint-hearted. Here’s my hit list:

Dal Baati Churma: The state dish. Crush the baati (bread), mix with dal, stuff your face.
Mirchi Vada: Green chili stuffed with potato, deep-fried. Ate 3. Regretted 0.
Rajasthani Thali: At Natraj Dining Hall, they keep refilling your plate till you beg for mercy.
Jalebi Rabri: Crispy jalebis dipped in sweet, thickened milk. Diabetic coma? Maybe. Worth it? YES.

Coffee Fix: Jheel’s Ginger Coffee Bar near Gangaur Ghat. Their ginger coffee is wild—spicy, sweet, and tastes like Christmas in a cup.

Cliff’s Udaipur Survival Guide

Best Time to Visit: October-March (winter). Summers are hotter than a tandoor.
Transport: Auto-rickshaws for short rides. Rent a scooter (₹300/day) to explore freely.
Dress Code: Cover shoulders/knees at temples. Also, wear sunscreen. I turned into a lobster.
Avoid: Monsoons (July-Sept). Lakes flood, and humidity’s a killer.
Beware of: “Special price for you, sir!” scams. Stay sharp.

Final Take: Why Udaipur Stole My Heart (and SD Card)

Udaipur isn’t just a city—it’s a mood. It’s sipping chai as the sun dips behind Lake Pichola. It’s laughing with a puppeteer who calls you “beta”. It’s realizing that palaces aren’t just for fairy tales.

Would I go back? In a heartbeat. But next time, I’m bringing a bigger suitcase… and a date.

Your Turn!
Ready to book that ticket? Drop your questions below, smash subscribe, and keep chasing those sunsets! ✌️

Udaipur, often known as the city of lakes, is one of the prominent tourist attractions attracting due to its rich heritage, culture, beautiful architectures, palaces, its street foods and much more. Lately, you must have seen a lot of people visiting Udaipur to experience its beautiful heritage.

Udaipur has become the centre of attraction for most of the content creators lately. Due to its instagrammable-aesthetic view, it has gained a lot of attraction for the photographers. Trust me, for a photography enthusiast like me, the magnificent views of this city was a treat to my eye.
The grand forts, the Royal city palace, aesthetic cafés and the heart-stopping lake Pichola are one of the must go places on your Udaipur list.

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