Seven days is enough for Rajasthan’s four best-known cities if you travel in a loop: Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, with Kumbhalgarh Fort on the way between Udaipur and Jodhpur. This itinerary starts in Jaipur and ends in Jaisalmer, keeps each road day under about 400 km, and gives two nights to the places that need them most.
Know before you go
- Route: Jaipur (2 nights), Udaipur (2 nights), Jodhpur (1 night), Jaisalmer (2 nights).
- Total road distance: about 1,250 km from Jaipur to Jaisalmer on this route, by OpenStreetMap routing.
- Longest drive: Jaipur to Udaipur, about 390 km.
- Start and end: Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur have airports, and Jaisalmer has a railway station.
- Best season: the cooler months from October to March.
- UNESCO sites on the route: the Jaipur City walled city, and Amer, Kumbhalgarh and Jaisalmer forts, part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan.
- Last checked: 27 October 2026 (sources under Official resources below).
In this Article
- Rajasthan 7 day itinerary at a glance
- Day 1: Jaipur old city
- Day 2: Amer and Jaigarh
- Day 3: Jaipur to Udaipur
- Day 4: Udaipur
- Day 5: Udaipur to Jodhpur via Kumbhalgarh
- Day 6: Jodhpur and on to Jaisalmer
- Day 7: Jaisalmer Fort and the dunes
- Shorter and longer versions
- Where to stay
- Getting around Rajasthan
- When to go
- Rajasthan itinerary FAQs
Rajasthan 7 day itinerary at a glance
| Day | Base | Plan | Road distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaipur | Old city, Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Nahargarh at sunset | |
| 2 | Jaipur | Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort | |
| 3 | Udaipur | Drive Jaipur to Udaipur, evening at Lake Pichola | about 390 km |
| 4 | Udaipur | City Palace, lakes and old city | |
| 5 | Jodhpur | Drive via Kumbhalgarh Fort | about 270 km |
| 6 | Jaisalmer | Morning at Mehrangarh, drive to Jaisalmer | about 285 km |
| 7 | Jaisalmer | Jaisalmer Fort and the dunes at sunset |
Distances are road distances from OpenStreetMap routing, rounded. Allow extra time for stops, city traffic and slower village roads.
Day 1: Jaipur old city
Spend the first day inside Jaipur’s walled city, the pink-painted old town that UNESCO lists as a World Heritage Site. Start at the Hawa Mahal, the palace facade with hundreds of small windows on the main bazaar road, then walk to the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory next to it. Our Jaipur forts and museums guide covers these in detail.
In the late afternoon, go up to Nahargarh Fort on the ridge above the city for the sunset view. See our Nahargarh Fort guide for tickets, timings and how to reach the top.
Day 2: Amer and Jaigarh
Amer Fort sits in the hills north of Jaipur and is part of the UNESCO Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Go early, as the fort is large, with courtyards, halls and the mirror work of the Sheesh Mahal. Our Amer Fort guide has the details.
Jaigarh Fort is on the ridge above Amer and is linked to it by fortified walls. It is known for the Jaivana cannon. In the afternoon, you could also stop at the Jal Mahal, the palace in the Man Sagar lake, on the road back to the city.
Day 3: Jaipur to Udaipur
The drive from Jaipur to Udaipur is the longest of the trip, about 390 km. Leave early. If you prefer not to spend a day on the road, Jaipur and Udaipur both have airports, but check flight times and whether a direct flight runs on your date.
Arrive in time for an evening by Lake Pichola. The ghats and rooftop restaurants of the old city face the water and the City Palace.
Day 4: Udaipur
Udaipur is the city of lakes. Spend the morning at the City Palace complex on the east bank of Lake Pichola, which has a museum and views over the Lake Palace hotel on its island. In the afternoon, take a boat on the lake, walk the lanes of the old city around the Jagdish Temple, and see Fateh Sagar lake to the north.
Our Udaipur guide covers the City Palace, the Lake Palace and the other sights.
Day 5: Udaipur to Jodhpur via Kumbhalgarh
Kumbhalgarh Fort is in the Aravalli hills, roughly on the way from Udaipur to Jodhpur, and adds only a little to the drive: about 270 km for the full day instead of about 250 km direct. It is another of the UNESCO Hill Forts of Rajasthan, known for the long wall that runs over the hills around it. Allow two to three hours there. Our Kumbhalgarh Fort guide has the tickets and what to see.
Continue to Jodhpur for the night.
Day 6: Jodhpur and on to Jaisalmer
Mehrangarh Fort stands on a rock above Jodhpur’s blue-painted old city. The fort’s museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00 every day, so be there at opening. Walk down to the clock tower market afterwards. Our Jodhpur guide also covers the Umaid Bhawan Palace and the stepwell.
After lunch, drive about 285 km west to Jaisalmer in the Thar Desert.
Day 7: Jaisalmer Fort and the dunes
Jaisalmer Fort is built of yellow sandstone on a hill above the town and is still lived in, with homes, shops, hotels and Jain temples inside its walls. It is the third UNESCO hill fort on this route. Spend the morning inside, and see the havelis, the carved merchant houses, in the old town below.
In the afternoon, head west to the dunes for sunset. The Sam dunes are the best known, with camel rides and desert camps. Khuri, further south, is a smaller alternative.
From Jaisalmer, you can return by train to Jodhpur or Jaipur, or drive back to Jodhpur, about 285 km, for flights.
Shorter and longer versions
Rajasthan itinerary for 5 days
Drop Jaisalmer. Spend two nights in Jaipur, two in Udaipur and one in Jodhpur, and fly home from Jodhpur. Or skip Udaipur and do Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.
Rajasthan itinerary for 10 days
Add a night in Pushkar between Jaipur and Udaipur, a second night in Jodhpur, and Chittorgarh Fort, another UNESCO hill fort, as a day stop on the way to Udaipur. You could also add a night at a desert camp outside Jaisalmer, or Bikaner after Jaisalmer.
Where to stay
- Jaipur: inside or near the walled city for the old town sights, or near MI Road for easy access to restaurants and transport.
- Udaipur: around Lal Ghat and Gangaur Ghat on Lake Pichola, so you can walk to the City Palace and the lakefront.
- Jodhpur: in the old city below Mehrangarh, where many guesthouses have rooftop views of the fort.
- Jaisalmer: inside the fort for the atmosphere, or in the town below for more space and road access. A night at a desert camp near the dunes is another option.
Heritage hotels in converted havelis and palaces are found in all four cities, at a wide range of prices.
Getting around Rajasthan
- A hired car with a driver is the most flexible option for this route, as it lets you stop at Kumbhalgarh on the way.
- Trains connect Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, and Udaipur is on the network as well. Book on IRCTC.
- Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur have airports with domestic flights.
- In cities, use autorickshaws or app cabs for short trips.
When to go
The cooler months from October to March are the main travel season in Rajasthan. Days are pleasant and desert nights can get cold in December and January, so take a jacket for Jaisalmer. April to June is very hot, especially in the desert. The monsoon, from about July to September, brings green hills around Udaipur and Kumbhalgarh but higher humidity.
Book hotels early for late December and the Diwali period, which can be busy.
Rajasthan itinerary FAQs
Is 7 days enough for Rajasthan?
It is enough for the four main cities, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, if you accept three long road days. For a slower trip, drop one city or take 10 days.
Which is the best route for a Rajasthan trip?
A loop that avoids backtracking works best. This one goes Jaipur, Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. You can also run it in reverse.
How far is Jaisalmer from Jodhpur?
About 285 km by road on OpenStreetMap routing.
Which month is best for Rajasthan?
The cooler season from October to March. December and January are the coldest months, and nights in the desert can be chilly.
Can I do Rajasthan by train?
Yes, for Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Kumbhalgarh needs a car, and a car with a driver is easier for the Udaipur to Jodhpur stretch.
Official resources: UNESCO: Hill Forts of Rajasthan; UNESCO: Jaipur City, Rajasthan; Mehrangarh Museum Trust: visit.
Photo credits
Featured image: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 1: Jaipur old city: Marcin Białek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 2: Amer and Jaigarh: Manukrishnan80 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 2: Amer and Jaigarh: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 4: Udaipur: Navneet Sharma / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 5: Udaipur to Jodhpur via Kumbhalgarh: Kanika Gaur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 6: Jodhpur and on to Jaisalmer: Knowledge Seeker / Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Day 7: Jaisalmer Fort and the dunes: Clément Bardot / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 7: Jaisalmer Fort and the dunes: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would much appreciate if you send me an email tagooty@yahoo.com or write on my talk page, for my information. Please contact me before commercial use. Please do not upload an edited image here without consulting me. I would like to make corrections only at my own source to ensure that the changes improve the image and are preserved.Otherwise you may upload an edited image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day 7: Jaisalmer Fort and the dunes: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
