Udaipur: Getting There

If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered over the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions…, I should point to India.

– Friedrich Max Müller

Udaipur or the “City of Lakes” is a quaint city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Known for its exquisite palaces and picturesque lakes, Udaipur is steeped in history and grandeur. Udaipur’s fame can be traced back to the 16^th century when it was established as the capital of the Mewar kingdom by Maharana Udai Singh II. Prior to this, Chittorgarh used to be the capital before it was besieged by Akbar. For over two centuries afterward, Udaipur continued to be Mewar’s capital.

There are a plethora of reasons to visit Udaipur – its lakes being just one of them. In fact, for its intricate structure of lakes, Udaipur is often referred to as the “Venice of the East”. Of these, Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola, Swaroop Sagar Lake, Rangsagar, and Doodh Talai Lake are the most famous.

 

Udaipur is about 665 km from New Delhi. The drive up there could take up to 12 hours. The best way to get to Udaipur is the train. A number of trains commute between the two cities every day, and the fastest train, the Chetak Express, gets you there in about 12 hours. Even though the drive takes roughly the same amount of time, I prefer the train as it’s a very convenient overnight journey. This way, you arrive in Udaipur nice and fresh in the morning, rather than groggy and irritable in the evening after a day-long drive through incessant traffic.

Udaipur also has an airport – the Maharana Pratap Airport. Flights start at about INR 2000 and the travel time is just about 1.5 hours. This is a great option too if you’re pressed for time, though flight fares can go up sharply closer to the date.

Rajasthan typically faces hot and arid climate, and so winter is really the best time to visit any city in Rajasthan. September to March offers pleasant conditions to enjoy Udaipur.

Through the rest of the blogs in this series, we’ll talk about where to stay, what to see, and what to eat in Udaipur. Stay tuned!