Jaipur Weekend Trip Budget: Cost, Route from Delhi and a 2-Day Plan for Every Budget

Jaipur is the easiest big weekend out of Delhi. It is close enough to reach on a Saturday morning, compact enough to see the best of it in two days, and has accommodation at every price from a hostel bunk to a palace suite. It is also easy to overspend in, because the city is very good at selling things to visitors. With a plan and a group to split costs, it is one of the best-value trips in north India.

Getting there from Delhi

By road Jaipur is roughly 270-280 km from Delhi. The traditional route is NH48 through Gurugram, Behror and Shahpura; the newer Delhi-Mumbai Expressway spur gives another option. Expect around four to five hours either way, longer if you leave Delhi in the morning rush or come back on a Sunday evening. Volvo and state buses run through the day and night.

Trains are often the better choice for a weekend. Several fast day trains connect Delhi and Jaipur in roughly four and a half to five hours, and leaving on a Friday night or a very early Saturday train gives you a full first day. Book ahead for weekends, when the popular trains fill quickly.

A 2-day plan

Day 1: Amer, Nahargarh and the walled city

Start early at Amer Fort, about 11 km north of the old city. Get there at opening time and you beat both the heat and the coach groups. The climb up from the road is a pleasant walk; give the palace courtyards, the Sheesh Mahal and the views over Maota Lake two to three hours. Jaigarh Fort sits on the ridge above if you have the legs for it.

Come back towards the city for lunch, then head up to Nahargarh Fort in the late afternoon. It is on the ridge overlooking Jaipur and the sunset view over the city is the best free spectacle in town. Come down after dark, carefully - the hill road is narrow and busy at that hour.

Day 2: Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar and the bazaars

The walled old city - the Pink City - is walkable. See the Hawa Mahal facade from the street opposite in the morning light, then go inside for the view back out through its latticed windows. Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century astronomical observatory and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a short walk away and makes much more sense with a guide or the audio guide. The City Palace next door is still partly a royal residence and has its own separate ticket.

Spend the afternoon in the bazaars - Johari Bazaar for jewellery, Bapu Bazaar for textiles and juttis, Tripolia for brass and lac bangles. Bargaining is expected in most shops, politely. Leave the last couple of hours for a Rajasthani thali before the train or drive home.

The composite ticket

Rajasthan tourism sells a composite ticket that covers several of the state-run monuments in Jaipur - including Amer Fort, Nahargarh, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar - and is valid for a couple of days. If you plan to visit three or more of them it usually works out cheaper than buying each ticket separately. Indian students generally get a concession with valid ID. Check the current price and the list of included sites at the counter before you buy. The City Palace is privately run and is not included.

When to go

• October to March is the season. Pleasant days, cool evenings, and nights that can get properly cold in December and January.
• April to June is very hot, often well above 40°C. If you must go, do the forts at opening time and stay indoors in the afternoon.
• July to September brings some rain and greener hills, fewer tourists and lower room rates.
• Weekends and long weekends in the winter season push room prices up sharply. A Friday-Saturday trip is often cheaper than Saturday-Sunday.

Budget: low, mid and high

All figures are per person for a 2-day, 1-night weekend from Delhi, sharing rooms and local transport in a group of three or four.

Low budget

• Getting there and back (sleeper or general-class train, or ordinary bus): ₹600-1,400
• Stay (1 night in a hostel dorm or budget room, shared): ₹500-1,200
• Food (street food, dhabas, one thali): ₹600-1,000
• Local transport and entry tickets (shared autos or app cabs, composite ticket): ₹800-1,500
• Buffer: ₹300-600

Total: roughly ₹3,000-5,500 per person.

Mid budget

• Getting there and back (AC chair car train or AC bus): ₹1,500-3,000
• Stay (1 night in a comfortable hotel or heritage guesthouse, shared): ₹1,200-2,500
• Food (restaurants, a rooftop dinner): ₹1,200-2,000
• Local transport, entry tickets and a guide (cab for the day split four ways, composite ticket, City Palace): ₹1,500-2,500
• Buffer: ₹600-1,000

Total: roughly ₹6,000-11,000 per person.

High budget

• Getting there and back (private car with driver, or premium train class): ₹3,000-6,000
• Stay (1 night in a heritage hotel or palace property, shared): ₹5,000-12,000
• Food (fine dining and hotel restaurants): ₹2,500-4,500
• Local transport, tickets, guides and experiences: ₹2,500-4,500
• Buffer: ₹1,000-2,000

Total: roughly ₹14,000-29,000 per person.

Ways to spend less

• Stay inside or near the walled city. You can walk to Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, City Palace and the bazaars, and save a day of cab fares.
• For Amer and Nahargarh, hire one cab for the half-day and split it rather than taking separate autos.
• Be wary of drivers or touts who want to take you to a particular shop or "factory". The commission is built into the price you pay.
• Eat where locals eat. Kachori, pyaaz ki kachori and lassi for breakfast cost a fraction of a hotel buffet and are better.

If you have more than a weekend, Jaipur is the natural first stop on a longer loop - the Rajasthan road trip guide covers the circuits beyond it.

Going with a group

A Jaipur weekend is almost the perfect group trip: the car, the cab for Amer and a family room all cost the same whether two or four of you use them, so a full group roughly halves the per-person cost. If your friends cannot make it, find a group heading there for the coming weekend, or post your own trip with your dates and budget. Settle the money rules before you leave with how to split trip costs fairly.