Jaipur — The Pink City
On the Palace on Wheels route: Day 2 of the 7-night, 8-day itinerary.
About
About Jaipur
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and, for most international visitors, the state's most recognizable city. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II founded it in 1727 as a planned capital, laid out on a precise grid according to Vastu Shastra principles — a rarity for its time. The nickname "Pink City" dates to 1876, when the old city was painted terracotta pink to welcome a visiting Prince of Wales, and the tradition has been maintained ever since.
The result is a city where 18th-century town planning, Rajput fort architecture, and a still-functioning royal family (the City Palace remains partly a royal residence) sit alongside modern Jaipur's traffic and bazaars. It's the anchor stop on almost every Rajasthan itinerary, and on Palace on Wheels it gets a correspondingly full day.
The Journey
Jaipur on Palace on Wheels
Palace on Wheels guests wake in Jaipur and head straight to Amber Fort, the honey-hued hilltop citadel overlooking Maota Lake, ascended by jeep or — where available — decorated elephant, a signature experience many international guests specifically book this journey for.
From the fort, the day continues into the walled City Palace and its royal museum, Jantar Mantar (an 18th-century astronomical observatory and UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Hawa Mahal, the five-story "Palace of the Winds." There's time built in for the bazaars — Johari Bazaar for gems, Bapu Bazaar for textiles — before returning to the train for an evening of onboard cultural entertainment.
Top Highlights in Jaipur
- Amber Fort (jeep or elephant ascent)
- City Palace & Royal Museum
- Jantar Mantar (UNESCO)
- Hawa Mahal
- Johari & Bapu Bazaar shopping
Climate & Best Time to Visit
Jaipur sits in a semi-arid zone: summers (April to June) are hot and dry, often exceeding 40°C, while the monsoon (July to September) brings brief, welcome relief. Winters (October to March) are the best time to visit — warm, sunny days around 20–25°C and cool nights that can dip close to freezing in December and January, so evenings call for a light jacket even on this desert-adjacent train route.
Food & Cuisine
Food in Jaipur
Famous Local Food
Jaipur's food is Rajasthani royal cuisine at its most refined: dal baati churma (lentils, baked wheat rolls, and a sweet crumble) is the signature dish, alongside laal maas (a fiery red mutton curry) and gatte ki sabzi (gram-flour dumplings in yogurt gravy). Ghewar, a disc-shaped sweet soaked in syrup, is a Jaipur specialty especially around festival season, and the city's kachori and pyaaz kachori stalls draw queues every morning.
Onboard on This Leg
Dinner aboard Palace on Wheels on the Jaipur leg draws directly on this Rajasthani royal repertoire — dishes rooted in the same courtly kitchens that once served the Maharajas whose forts guests toured that day. Expect a spread that leans into regional specialties rather than generic North Indian fare, timed to follow an evening of onboard folk music or dance in the lounge car.
On This Stop
Day 2 · Night 1
Best for: Forts, palaces & royal shopping
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