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Rajasthan

Jodhpur

Indigo lanes stacked under Mehrangarh's 120 m clifftop fort

HeritageDesertCity

Best time to visit Jodhpur

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Jodhpur season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Cool, dry, and clear: the best time to walk the fort ramparts and blue-city lanes.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Scorching past 42C; the thick fort walls help indoors, but street exploring is grim.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Rain is light but heat and humidity together make walking the blue lanes exhausting.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Temperatures drop fast through October into a comfortably cool November, RIFF festival time.

What Jodhpur is actually like

Blue-lane guesthouses under the fort make it easy to fall into a group within a day.

Things to do in Jodhpur

The local places worth your time in and around Jodhpur, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Mehrangarh Fort

    Fort · 1 km out

    Cliff top fort with the palace museum, Sheesh Mahal and old cannons on the ramparts; audio guide included, go at opening

  • Jaswant Thada

    Heritage · 2 km out

    White marble royal cenotaph on a tank five minutes past the fort gate; also the best view back at Mehrangarh's walls

  • Toorji ka Jhalra

    Heritage · 1 km out

    Restored 1740 stepwell with cafes round the rim; free to look, and local boys jump off the steps most afternoons

  • Sardar Market

    Market · in town

    Clock tower bazaar for spices, bandhani and chai, busy till late; Shri Mishrilal at the south gate does the makhaniya lassi

  • Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park

    Park · 2 km out

    Rehabilitated desert scrub under the fort walls, marked trails over volcanic rock; two easy hours, gate by Jaswant Thada

  • Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum

    Museum · 4 km out

    Art deco palace of 1943 still lived in by the family; only the museum wing and the car collection open, about 45 minutes

  • Mandore Gardens

    Garden · 9 km out

    Old Marwar capital where the royal cenotaphs are built like temples; free, city buses run out from the clock tower

  • Kaylana Lake

    Lake · 8 km out

    Man made lake on the Jaisalmer road, the local sunset with boats and chai stalls; buses drop you on the highway side

Getting to Jodhpur

Fly into Jodhpur or 5h train from Jaipur

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
3 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Busy at its peak
Solo travel
Easy solo
Altitude
231 m
State
Rajasthan
Coordinates
26.2389, 73.0243

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Jodhpur?

November to February is peak season in Jodhpur. March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to September. Temperatures drop fast through October into a comfortably cool November, RIFF festival time.

How many days do you need in Jodhpur?

3 days is the usual stay. Blue-lane guesthouses under the fort make it easy to fall into a group within a day.

How do you get to Jodhpur?

Fly into Jodhpur or 5h train from Jaipur. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Jodhpur expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs busy at the busiest time of year. Easy solo.

Is there a festival in Jodhpur?

Oct: Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF). Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Jodhpur?

Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Toorji ka Jhalra, Sardar Market, Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park and Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, and more. Cliff top fort with the palace museum, Sheesh Mahal and old cannons on the ramparts; audio guide included, go at opening.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Rajasthan

All 49 destinations in Rajasthan