my next stop

Rajasthan

Mandawa (Shekhawati)

Open-air gallery of frescoed merchant havelis

HeritageOffbeatCulture

Best time to visit Mandawa (Shekhawati)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

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

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Mandawa (Shekhawati) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Ideal for walking between painted havelis all day without the desert sun wearing you down.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Semi-arid plains heat is severe. Nearby Churu has recorded some of India's hottest days.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Jun-Jul holds 38-42C with too little rain to break it; Aug-Sep eases to the mid-30s and the haveli hotels are cheap and empty.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Cooling off by November, with good soft light for photographing the painted facades.

What Mandawa (Shekhawati) is actually like

Haveli homestays and painted-mansion walks; peaceful and quiet, not very social.

Things to do in Mandawa

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

  • Mandawa Fort

    Fort · in town

    1755 fort in the middle of town, now a hotel; walk up for the painted gateway and the rooftop view over the haveli quarter.

  • Murmuria Haveli

    Heritage · in town

    Frescoes of Nehru on horseback and a Venice gondola on the outer walls; morning light is best and a small tip gets you in.

  • Binsidhar Newatia Haveli

    Heritage · in town

    1920s frescoes of an early aeroplane and a boy on a telephone, painted by men who had seen neither; visible from the street.

  • Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli

    Heritage · in town

    Half ruined haveli with erotic panels tucked into the upper frescoes; the caretaker points them out and asks about 50 rupees.

  • Nadine Le Prince Haveli

    Heritage · 24 km out

    1802 haveli in Fatehpur restored by a French artist, the cleanest frescoes around; there is a ticket, shared jeeps run there.

Getting to Mandawa (Shekhawati)

4h drive/bus from Jaipur or Delhi via Sikar

Practical ways in: road

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
380 m
State
Rajasthan
Coordinates
28.0553, 75.1425

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mandawa (Shekhawati)?

November to February is peak season in Mandawa (Shekhawati). March and August to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to July. Cooling off by November, with good soft light for photographing the painted facades.

How many days do you need in Mandawa (Shekhawati)?

2 days is the usual stay. Haveli homestays and painted-mansion walks; peaceful and quiet, not very social.

How do you get to Mandawa (Shekhawati)?

4h drive/bus from Jaipur or Delhi via Sikar. Practical ways in: road.

Is Mandawa (Shekhawati) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

What are the best things to do in Mandawa?

Mandawa Fort, Murmuria Haveli, Binsidhar Newatia Haveli, Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli and Nadine Le Prince Haveli. 1755 fort in the middle of town, now a hotel; walk up for the painted gateway and the rooftop view over the haveli quarter.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Rajasthan

All 49 destinations in Rajasthan