Udaipur — City of Lakes
On the Palace on Wheels route: Day 4 of the 7-night, 8-day itinerary.
About
About Udaipur
Udaipur exists because Chittorgarh fell. After the fort's final sacking in 1568, Maharana Udai Singh II — who had already founded a new capital beside Lake Pichola in 1559 — moved the Mewar court there permanently, choosing a site protected by lakes and the Aravalli hills rather than an exposed hilltop. The result is widely considered one of India's most romantic cities.
Its centerpiece, the City Palace, was built up over nearly four centuries by successive Mewar rulers into a complex of eleven interlinked palaces — the largest royal residence in Rajasthan — while the lakes below hold two more, Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas, the latter now operating as the Taj Lake Palace hotel.
The Journey
Udaipur on Palace on Wheels
Palace on Wheels guests spend the day at the City Palace, including the Crystal Gallery — a collection of crystal furniture and fittings ordered from England in the 1870s by Maharana Sajjan Singh, said to have arrived only after his death and sat unopened in storage for decades before finally going on display.
From the palace, a boat ride across Lake Pichola passes both island palaces, offering the classic view of Udaipur's whitewashed skyline reflected in the water. It's a quieter day than most on the route — deliberately so, before the train turns west into the Thar Desert toward Jaisalmer.
Top Highlights in Udaipur
- City Palace Complex
- Crystal Gallery
- Lake Pichola boat ride
- Jag Mandir island palace
Climate & Best Time to Visit
Udaipur's lakes give it a slightly more moderate climate than the rest of Rajasthan, though summers (April–June) are still hot. Winters (October–March) are mild and pleasant, rarely uncomfortably cold, making this one of the more forgiving stops on the itinerary regardless of when in the Palace on Wheels season you travel.
Food & Cuisine
Food in Udaipur
Famous Local Food
Udaipur shares Mewar's culinary tradition — dal baati churma and laal maas again feature — but is equally known for lighter lakeside snacking: mirchi bada (a stuffed, batter-fried chili) and aloo dahi wada are common street-side finds around the ghats, alongside cafés serving up views of Lake Pichola alongside the food.
Onboard on This Leg
The Udaipur evening aboard Palace on Wheels tends toward a quieter register to match the day — high tea or a lounge-car cultural set rather than a heavy formal dinner, giving guests a lighter pause before the longer overnight run to Jaisalmer.
Book Your Palace on Wheels Journey
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