Rajasthan Itineraries for First-Timers 2024: from 5 to 14 Days

Rajasthan is in the Thar Desert area of western India. Most travelers prefer staying 10–14 days in Rajasthan on a return trip to India.

For a short stay, you're suggested to just cover 2–3 cities of Rajasthan. Combining Rajasthan with a golden triangle trip (Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) on a first India trip often works well. Read more on how to choose your destinations and plan your itinerary based on your trip duration below.

Where to Go in Rajasthan

Sunset views of Hawa Mahal palace

When you're planning a Rajasthan trip, you might see the most popular Rajasthan itineraries tend to include "pink city" Jaipur, "white city" Udaipur, "blue city" Jodhpur, and "golden city" Jaisalmer.

Once the ancient capitals of India, they house the most luxurious and intricate palaces. You can step back in time and get a deep insight into India's glorious history.

If you're planning a honeymoon or anniversary trip, you might not want to miss these Rajasthan activities: a candlelit dinner at the Amber Fort, a boat ride for sunset, and making your own rings in a local workshop. Contact us for more romantic experiences!

If travelling with your family, no Rajasthan trip is complete without a desert safari. Camel safaris and desert camping offer a thrilling adventure for kids. Away from the chaotic cities and crowds, you can fully indulge in the charming desert scenery and some memorable family time.

Sunset cruises are not just for romancing couples, but can also be fun-filled for family trips! Learning to cook authentic Rajasthan cuisine should increase your family bonding. But, riding a zipline in the desert is pure fun for kids.

For an In-Depth Exploration of Rajasthan...

Street corner of Bikaner

Bikaner, Pushkar, Mount Abu, and Ranthambore National Park are great excursions if you have more time.

If you like wildlife, go for a tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park. Mount Abu is a hiking paradise, no matter whether you're an amateur or an adventurous trekker. Bikaner and Pushkar are good places to have a desert safari with less crowding.

Unique Festival Experiences in Rajasthan

Explore a colorful camel fair in Pushkar

Celebrating the local festivals is beneficial to enrich your trip with exotic experiences and to get close to the local way of life. The colorful festivals of Rajasthan are great times for photography as well.

The Desert Festival is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan. Watching camel polo and camel races is quite interesting.

Camels play important roles in local's daily life in Rajasthan. You could experience a special Camel festival in Bikaner or the Camel Fair in Pushkar. During these festivals, local people decorate their camels lavishly and enjoy their folk performances.

10-Day Royal Rajasthan and Camel Festival Tour Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Pushkar - Jodhpur

Still Can't Decide?... Got Questions?

Click the Contact Us (page head) or Create My Trip (page foot) buttons. Our experienced travel consultant will reply to you within 24 hours via email, phone call, or video chat! He/she will help you select destinations based on your interests, budget, preferences, and other requirements.

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How Many Days to Spend in Rajasthan

First-timers to India are likely to spend 5–7 days in 2 or 3 cities in Rajasthan along with a golden triangle trip, typically including a tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park as well as Udaipur or Jaisalmer.

If you're making a return trip to India, you might prefer a more in-depth experience and a longer trip of 10 days to 2 weeks in Rajasthan. With 10 days, you could thoroughly explore a few major cities like Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner.

If you're looking for some off-the-beaten-track destinations, 2 weeks is enough to add Pushkar, Mount Abu, and Chittorgarh.

A Rajasthan Itinerary of 5-7 Days: Friendly to Families

5–7 days is just enough to discover 2 or 3 cities of Rajasthan. In order to make the most of their time, most people combine them with other major cities, such as Delhi, Agra, and Mumbai on their first India trips.

This tour is friendly towards families with kids and older relatives. Besides iconic historical attractions like the Taj Mahal in Agra, you could go on an exciting tiger safari and relax at lakeside resorts.

Owing to the convenient transportation in Rajasthan, you can avoid long drives, while guaranteeing a comfortable tour pace.

Here's the sample itinerary outline:

Days 1–2: Delhi sightseeing

Days 3–4: Drive from Delhi to Agra; Agra sightseeing

Days 5–6: Drive from Agra to Ranthambore; Ranthambore jeep safari

Days 7–8: Drive to Jaipur; Jaipur sightseeing

Day 9- 10: Fly to Udaipur; Udaipur sightseeing

Day 11: Fly to Mumbai or Delhi and connect with your return flight.

9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Ranthambore National Park

A Rajasthan Itinerary of 10 Days: Popular for Honeymoons/Anniversaries

For a romantic trip, Rajasthan will never disappoint you. You can have a romantic dinner in a royal palace/fort in Jaipur and surprise your love with a deluxe stay in a palace resort in Jodhpur.

What could be more romantic than holding your beloved by a bonfire while watching the Milky Way in the tranquil desert near Jaisalmer?

A sample Rajasthan itinerary of 10 Days:

Days 1–2: Arrival in Jaipur, cooking class experience, romantic palace dinner in an ancient fort

Days 3–4: Bikaner sightseeing with a heritage hotel experience

Days 5–6: Jaisalmer exploration with a camel safari, desert camping

Days 7–8: Jodhpur sightseeing

Days 9–10: Udaipur tour with a boat ride experience

Just tell us if you've been to Jaipur before. Your experienced travel consultant can customize some exclusive activities for you to make your Jaipur return visit fresh and interesting. Check out more details of our 14-Day Romantic Honeymoon Trip in India.

A Rajasthan Itinerary of 14 Days: Get Some In-depth Experiences

Beyond the popular sites, with 14 days, you could have the chance to get an insight into the interesting camel fair in Pushkar and hike around the local villages around Mount Abu (a scenic hill station).

Here's a 14-day Rajasthan sample itinerary:

Days 1–2: Arrival in Jaipur, Jaipur sightseeing and food tour

Days 3–4: Jaipur to Pushkar, join in the camel fair, visit holy Brahma Temple

Days 5–6: Bikaner sightseeing with a heritage walk

Days 7–8: Jaisalmer exploration with a camel safari

Days 9–10: Jodhpur sightseeing

Days 11–12: Mount Abu sightseeing

Days 13–14: Udaipur tour with a boat ride experience

14-Day Rajasthan Tour Package for Westners Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Udaipur

How to Get to Rajasthan

For European and American travelers, you could easily fly to Mumbai or Delhi first to connect with a direct flight to Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, or Udaipur. Most Rajasthan travelers fly to Jaipur first and leave from Udaipur, or vice versa.

How to Get around Rajasthan

When travelling in Rajasthan, road trips are necessary as only direct Jaipur–Jaisalmer and Jaipur–Udaipur flights are available. Private vehicle transfers are the most flexible and most convenient door-to-door option.

You might consider travelling by train. A luxury sleeper train is a good way to avoid checking into another hotel and to fully enjoy the scenery along the railway.

However, regular trains are more time-consuming and far more tiring than private transfers after adding waiting time etc. at the stations, the hassle of transfers between hotels and train stations, and frequent train delays.

Local buses are not recommended due to the inconvenience, especially when travelling with little kids and older relatives. Their frequent detours to pick up more passengers make buses the most time-consuming way. You also might have difficulty in getting to your destination with the language barrier and no English announcements.

Best Times to Visit Rajasthan

Sunset view of Lake Pichola

The best time period to visit Rajasthan is October to March, also known as the peak season. During this period, you can discover the gigantic forts with a very low chance of rainfall. The warm, sunny days are ideal for desert camping as well.

Due to the high demand, you'd better book your trip at least 6 months before in case of a shortage of rooms and experienced guides. Early-booking discounts also help to save some costs. With Asia Highlights, you enjoy 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights prior to 3 weeks before departure (detail⇒).

Travelling during the monsoon months (July to September) is still possible as Rajasthan receives only low to moderate rainfall (10 days each month at most). So, in the rainy months, you can still enjoy a lot of sunny time for sightseeing, exploring the highlights with lower crowds and better prices.

The hot season (April to June) seems to be the worst time to visit because of the scorching heat. However, the lowest prices and least crowding are on your rewards. Early morning and late afternoon visits are advisable to avoid heat. When choosing your destinations, you could opt for cooler places like Mount Abu (hill station) and Udaipur ("city of lakes"). You can read more details about Rajasthan weather>>>

Explore Rajasthan with Asia Highlights

Full of history and unique culture, Rajasthan is an incredible place to spend some quality family time or celebrate your milestone moments, like a honeymoon or anniversary.

Just tell us your interests and needs. Your 1:1 travel consultant will take all the uncertainty out of your planning, helping you navigate any travel restrictions. You can see the following popular tours for some inspiration.

• 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari
• 12-Day Family Holiday in India
• 14-Day Classic Rajasthan Tour: Explore the Land of Kings