Last Updated on February 29, 2024 by Natalia
Known as the City of Lakes, Udaipur is one of India’s most romantic cities full of wonderful places to visit in a 2 day itinerary. The best places to visit in Udaipur in 2 days are scattered around the city – from the stunning City Palace beside Lake Pichola to Monsoon Palace to Badi Lake. There are many great cities to visit in Rajasthan such as Jaipur and Jaisalmer, but Udaipur really stands out. Find out exactly how to spend your time in the city with the best places to visit in this 2 day Udaipur itinerary!
2 Day Udaipur Itinerary
Day 1
The stunning City Palace is the perfect place to visit to begin your 2 day itinerary in Udaipur. Situated on the shores of Lake Pichola and built over the course of nearly 400 years, it’s the largest palace in Rajasthan.
Built entirely from granite and marble, the palace complex features an array of terraces, courtyards, gates, and gardens, as well as many beautiful and intricately decorated rooms. On top of that, the architecture of the palace as a whole is impressive in its own right.
The Maharana ruled their kingdom from the Udaipur City Palace, making it one of the city’s most significant landmarks. There’s so much to see inside, with particular highlights being the stunning ‘blue room’ and the exquisitely designed Mor Chowk courtyard.
As well as the above, you can expect to see a collection of different artefacts in the City Palace Museum, from weapons to clothes to jewellery. The palace is also known for making an appearance in the James Bond film, Octopussy.
The City Palace is the most visited attraction in Udaipur and a must see place to visit in this 2 day itinerary, so we recommend arriving when it opens at 9.30am – that way you can avoid the crowds.
There is an entrance fee of 300 rupees per person, with a guide costing 250 rupees per hour or an audio guide costing 200 rupees. With so much to see you can easily spend 2-3 hours exploring this fascinating palace complex.
Once you’ve finished exploring the City Palace, we recommend heading to the impressive Jagdish Temple – a Hindu temple opened in 1651. It’s one of the largest temples in Udaipur, and it’s conveniently located just a short walk from the City Palace.
Next up we recommend stopping for lunch at a rooftop restaurant, which is a must do during your 2 days itinerary in Udaipur. There are several to choose from, with many offering amazing views of the City Palace, Taj Lake Palace and Lake Pichola, as well as the city itself.
After lunch walk over to Ambrai Ghat, which is situated on the edge of Lake Pichola. From here you can enjoy lovely views of the City Palace and Taj Lake Palace, so it’s well worth a quick visit.
As part of your 2 day Udaipur itinerary we definitely recommend getting a 2 hour guided boat tour across the lovely Lake Pichola to find out more about the rich history. Click here to book this tour with Get Your Guide!
Spend the rest of your afternoon visiting the famous Monsoon Palace – another filming location for Octopussy. Located on top of a hill, the palace offers some amazing panoramic views of the area and is definitely one of the best viewpoints of Udaipur.
The palace itself is reasonably impressive from the outside, but we found the inside particularly underwhelming, especially in comparison to the beautiful City Palace. Fortunately, it’s well worth making the trip for the wonderful views of Udaipur. From this high up you can appreciate the vast diversity of the city, with its rolling mountains, green hills, and lakes.
To get from Udaipur to Monsoon Palace you need to take a taxi or tuk-tuk to the entrance, which should cost around 300-400 rupees for a round trip. Your driver will drop you off at the ticketing office at the base of the hill, where you need to pay an entrance fee of 300 rupees.
On top of the ticket price, you also need to pay around 100 rupees for a return journey in a share taxi/van to take you a few kilometres uphill to the palace itself. It’s a bit of a thrilling ride, as the drivers take the sharp bends a bit too quickly for our liking!
Once you’re at the top, explore the palace and then just sit back and enjoy the views. If it’s not too cloudy then stick around for sunset, but if not head back to where the taxi/van dropped you off and wait to be taken back down to the entrance.
If you’re looking for an easier way to complete the first day of this itinerary then you can book a private tour that visits all of these spots via Get Your Guide. These tours start from as little as 3000 rupees per person, with entry fees included in the price depending on the option you select.
Click here to book a private tour of the City Palace and much more via the Get Your Guide website!
Day 2
The second day of this Udaipur itinerary takes you to two of our favourite places to visit in the city – Badi Lake and Animal Aid Unlimited. Both spots are outside of the city so you will need to take a tuk-tuk or taxi, which should cost around 700 rupees in total.
Badi Lake is around a 45-minute drive from the city, and is one of the hidden gems of Udaipur. The city is well known for its lakes, and Badi Lake is by far the most beautiful lake we saw in the area.
If you want to escape the city’s busy streets then this is the perfect place to come. It’s substantially quieter than the lakes in the city so it’s relatively peaceful, and when we visited there were only a few other locals around.
What makes Badi Lake so beautiful is the breathtaking scenery surrounding it, and the best point to admire this from is Bahubali Hill. It’s an incredibly picturesque spot, with 360 degree views of the lake and surrounding hills as far as the eye can see. Visiting Badi Lake is a place you must visit on a 2 day itinerary in Udaipur.
Click here to read our guide to visiting Badi Lake and Bahubali Hill!
After you finish up at Badi Lake get your driver to take you to Animal Aid Unlimited, which is around 20 minutes away. If you’re not an animal lover then you may prefer to return to the city itself and explore, but for anyone that does like animals we can’t recommend this place enough!
Animal Aid Unlimited is an organisation set up in 2002 to help treat and rescue sick, injured or stuck animals in the Udaipur area. They look after a range of animals on site, including dogs, cats, donkeys and buffalo – all of which have been rescued from the streets or were in need of urgent medical attention.
They do some truly incredible work rescuing and taking care of these animals, and you can learn all about the work they do on a tour.
Travelling around India one of the things you’ll notice is the number of stray dogs and animals on the streets, so it’s important organisations like this exist and are supported.
When we were in Jodhpur we discovered a severely injured donkey in the road, but unfortunately there are no organisations like Animal Aid in the area so, despite our best efforts, we couldn’t do anything to help.
Tours at Animal Aid Unlimited cost nothing, so visiting is definitely one of the best free things to do in Udaipur. Donations are encouraged to help support the good work they do, and they also have t-shirts for sale with the profits being used to care for the animals.
For an animal lover this place is a must visit as well as a great thing to do when visiting Udaipur.
If you have more time in Udaipur then you can also volunteer at Animal Aid Unlimited, so make sure to visit their website to find out about visiting and volunteering!
How to get to Udaipur
Domestic flights to Udaipur are available from a number of Indian cities including Mumbai, New Delhi and Ahmedabad. Prices will vary but are often quite reasonable, especially if you book in advance.
Click here to search for great flight deals to Udaipur from a number of cities in India!
Although it is possible to fly from Jaipur, we recommend avoiding unnecessary air travel where possible. Thankfully the train is a cheap and reliable alternative, so click here to read our guide on how to get from Jaipur to Udaipur!
Unfortunately there are no direct trains from Jodhpur to Udaipur. If you’re coming from Jodhpur we recommend taking a taxi between the two cities as it gives you the chance to stop off at the magnificent Ranakpur Jain Temple on the way. Click here to book a taxi from Jodhpur to Udaipur with a stop at the stunning Ranakpur Jain Temple!
Find out more with our guide on getting between Udaipur and Jodhpur!
Best time to visit Udaipur
The best time to visit Udaipur is between the months of October and March, as the temperatures are more bearable at this time of year. Between March and June it can get very hot in the city, and so it can make going out and exploring uncomfortably warm.
Monsoon season in Udaipur runs from around June to September, which is important to consider before you visit. The rainiest months tend to be July and August, but if you visit in September you may escape the worst of the rain.
Visiting in monsoon season has some advantages as the landscape in places like Badi Lake is covered with lush greenery, which makes it even more beautiful!
Where to stay in Udaipur
Budget
Shiv Palace Guest House
Shiv Palace Guest House is undeniably one of the best budget accommodation options in the city. Its rooftop restaurant serves delicious local food and has a lovely view over Lake Pichola towards the City Palace.
The friendly and helpful staff at the property will do all they can to make sure you have a wonderful stay in Udaipur.
Click here to see Shiv Palace Guest House on Booking.com!
Hotel Mewari Villa
Hotel Mewari Villa is a good budget bed and breakfast option in Udaipur. The highlight of the property is the rooftop restaurant and terrace, which is a brilliant spot to watch sunset from.
Click here to take a look at Hotel Mewari Villa on Booking.com!
Mid Range
Little Garden Guest House
Situated inside a haveli, the Little Garden Guest House is consistently rated as one of the best places to stay in Udaipur. Rooms at the property have been restored and beautifully decorated to ensure a comfortable stay.
Both the owner and staff at the guest house are incredibly helpful, and will do anything they can to make your visit as memorable as possible. All rooms at the property have air conditioning, and there’s also a rooftop terrace with nice views for you to enjoy.
Click here to book a stay at the Little Garden Guest House on Booking.com!
Kankarwa Haveli
Kankarwa Haveli is one of many heritage hotels in Udaipur, making it a brilliant place to stay during your time in the city. The hotel is inside a renovated mansion, which has belonged to the Kankarwa family for nearly 200 years.
Situated just a 5 minute walk from the City Palace, the hotel is in a great location for exploring the city. There’s a rooftop restaurant and terrace at the property, which offers great views of Lake Pichola.
Prices vary depending on the room type and the date of your visit, so click here to see up-to-date pricing at the property on Booking.com!
Treat yourself!
Taj Lake Palace
Famously featured in James Bond’s Octopussy, the Taj Lake Palace is perhaps the most iconic heritage hotel in Udaipur. Situated in the middle of Lake Pichola, the hotel is extremely exclusive and can only be accessed by boat.
Stays at the Taj Lake Palace are incredibly luxurious, with spacious and elegant rooms, a swimming pool, spa, several dining options and much more! It lives up to the expectations of staying in a palace, and you’ll feel like royalty throughout your stay thanks to the attentive staff.
Heritage walks around the hotel are fascinating, and sunset boat tours around the lake can be arranged too if you wish. If you’re looking for an amazing stay in Udaipur, then the Taj Lake Palace is certainly one of the best options!
Click here to book an unforgettable stay at the Taj Lake Palace on Booking.com!
The Leela Palace Udaipur
Named as the best hotel in the world in 2019, the Leela Palace is unquestionably one of the best places to stay in Udaipur. Situated on the shores of Lake Pichola, the hotel is a luxurious escape from the busy streets of the city.
The hotel’s wonderful architecture and stunning interior make it a truly fascinating place to stay. Everything you need and more is on offer, including a large outdoor swimming pool, spa, 2 restaurants, a bar and a tour desk.
There are various room types available at the hotel, from lake view rooms to lavish suites. The hotel also provides wonderful views of the City Palace and Lake Pichola, with many rooms having wonderful views too.
Click here to book a stay at the amazing Leela Palace Udaipur on Booking.com!
Alternatively, VRBO have some fantastic accommodation options if you want to rent a property instead of staying at a hotel during your 2 day Udaipur itinerary! Click here to see the amazing options on the VRBO website!
Looking to go elsewhere in India? Check out our 2 week Rajasthan itinerary.
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