Udaipur
Possibly no city in Rajasthan is quite as romantic as Udaipur. The French Impressionist painters, let alone the Brothers Grimm, would have loved this places. Founded in 1568 by Maharaja Udai Singh II following the final sacking of Chitorgarh by the Mughal emperor, Akbar, Udaipur rivals any of the world-famous creations of the Mughals with its Rajput love of the whimsical and its superbly crafted elegance. Udaipur is an enchanting city full of surprises, with lakes in the midst of sandy terrain and green forested hills. The city is replete with palaces straight out of fairy tales and rugged fortresses that recount its history.

Places of Interest : Lake Pichola, Jagniwas Island, Jagmandir Island, City Palace & Museums, Jagdish Temple, Fateh Sagar, Saheliyon ki Bari

Accommodation: Lake Palace, Udai Vilas, Shiv Niwas Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Shikarbadi, Rajdarshan, Trident Hilton, Udai Kothi, Paras Mahal.



Kumbhalgarh
About 84 km northe of Udaipur, this is the most important fort in the Mewar region after Chittorgarh. It's a secluded place, built by Maharaja Kumbha in the 15th century and, owing to its inaccessibility on top of the Aravalli Range at 100m, it was taken only once in its history. The walls of the fort stretch some 36km and enclose many temples, palaces, gardens and water-storage facilities. There's also a big wildlife sanctuary here, known for its wolves. The scarcity of waterholes between March and June makes this the best time to see animals. Other wildlife includes chowsingha (four-horned antelope), leopards and sloth bears.

Places of Interest: Fort, Wild Life.

Accommodation : Aodhi Hotel, Kumbhalgarh Fort.



Ranakpur
The exceptionally beautiful Ranakpur complex, 60 km north of Udaipur, is one of the largest and most important Jain temples in India. It is in a remote valley of the Aravalli Range and is certainly worth seeing. The main temple is the Chaumukha Temple, or Four-Faced Temple, dedicated to Adinath. Built in 1439, this huge, superbly crafted and well-kept marble temple has 29 halls supported by 1444 pillars - no two are alike.

Accommodation : Fateh Bagh, Maharani Bagh.

Deogarh
The attractive little town of Deogarh or Castle of the Gods, is 135 km north of Udaipur. Surrounded by lakes, hills and rugged countryside, it's and ideal place to take a break from the rigours of traveling in India. Deogarh has lots of pleasant walks and is known for its school or miniature painting. The small cave temple of Anjaneshwar Mahadev is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to be around 2000 years old. From the top of the hill there are good views of the countryside.

Accommodation : Deogarh Mahal.





Mount Abu
Mt. Abu, in the far south of the state, close to the Gujarat border, is Rajasthan's only hill
station. It's a pleasant summer-season retreat from the plains of both Rajasthan and
Gujarat. Mt. Abu has a number of important temples, particularly the breathtaking Dilwara
group of Jain temples, 5 km away. This is an important pilgrimage centre for Jains and
boasts some of the finest marble carvings in all of Rajasthan.

Places of Interest : Nakki Lake, Dilwara Temples.

Accommodation : Hillock, Connaught House, Rajputana Club Resort, Bikaner House.