I am going Udai with the family, and our stay there has been planned for five days, although I think that we would not be spending more than two days there. I would rather be prepared knowing what my family is like and find out about places to visit near Udaipur. We would have some 3-4 extra days left to spend somewhere, so please suggest according to the days.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! Udaipur is a beautiful city, set amidst the backdrops of different lakes and mountain ranges. Yet, two to three days would be enough to fully explore the city and then, what else can you do? Well, there are plenty of places that you can visit around Udaipur, full of history and beauty, much like the lake city. Here are some of the best places to visit near Udaipur: Places to Visit Near Udaipur 1. Chittorgarh - This city is about 112 kilometres away from Udaipur, so just about two hours of driving away. With such a long and winding history behind it, Chittorgarh is a must visit place near Udaipur. Once the home to the Sisodia dynasty, the city has witnessed plenty of battles and tragedies amidst it. There's the Chittorgarh Fort or simply Chittorgarh, which translates to literally the Chittor Fort. There are plenty of stories around this fort, which adds to the eery and mystic vibe of it. Meera Bai, Rani Padmini, Rani Karnavati and Panna Dhai, these are just some of the names that come up with the mere mention of Chittorgarh Fort. Their stories are quite long and needs detail but in a nutshell, they are examples of the extreme bravery and sacrifice that people have done in order to save their honour and their loved one's honour. My favourite story would have to be Panna Dhai's, her sacrifice led to the saving of the life of the future leader of the city, which was Prince Udai Singh. Since the prince was about to killed, she switched the position of her own baby, Chandan, with the royal baby's cradle. And so her own son was murdered right in front of her. Knowing these stories are important before visiting the fort, supposed to be the largest of its kind in India as well, so that you can fully understand and appreciate its beauty. Inside the fort, you can also visit other attractions like the Meera Temple, where supposedly the poison given to Meera Bai turned into nectar. There's also the Padmini's Palace, where the beauty of Rani Padmini was seen by Allaudin Khilji and lead to the most tragic self-immolation of the queen and her caretakers. You need a vehicle though in order to explore the fort because of its huge size. Allot at least a day or two to fully explore all its nooks and corners. Lastly, there's the Sita Wildlife Sanctuary, a few kilometres away from Chittorgarh. It is famous for spotting the flying squirrel, although it's rare to find that animal here. If you have visited other wildlife sanctuaries other Rajasthan, then the Sita Wildlife Sanctuary might not interest you as much. Must visit places - Chittorgarh Fort and Sita Wildlife Sanctuary Related thread - n/a Chittorgarh Fort 2. Kumbhalgarh - This fort city is about 82 kilometres away from Udaipur. The Kumbhalgarh Fort is the longest fort in the country, which is why it has been named as the Great Wall of India. It is also the second longest fort in the world, after the Great Wall of China. Its history is a bit obscure though but it is known to have been built around the 6th century. Remember the story I mentioned above about Panna Dhai and her sacrifice? Well the Kumbhalgarh Fort was the refuge centre into which Prince Udai Singh was taken after the murder of Chandan. The fort was so strong that it was impregnable all throughout history. It was just abandoned one time due to shortage of water and the attacks of combined dynasties. There were also over 300 temples within the fort but only some of them remain now. There are a combination of Jain and Hindu temples, the best to visit ones are the Parshuram Temple and the Vedi Temple. Outside the fort, you can visit the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. You can spot animals like panthers, leopards, sloth bears and chitals here. Unfortunately, Kumbhalgarh isn't as well visited unlike other destinations in the state despite its beauty and history. Must visit places - Kumbhalgarh Fort and Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Related thread - Less Known Historical Places in India Kumbhalgarh Fort 3. Delwara - This town is just 26 kilometres away from Udaipur or about 40 minutes of driving away. For a time, the little town had over 1,000 temples, earning it the name of The Town of Gods. Even today, you can still spot many temples around the town which is why it has been one of the most important pilgrimage centres in the state. Almost all the temples here are over hundreds of years old, noteworthy of mentioning are the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Rishabhdev Temple and Parshwanath Jain Temple. The intricacy of the carvings around these temples are mesmerising and can blow you away. Photography is not allowed inside them though. There's also the Devi Garh Fort and Palace, which has now been turned into a heritage hotel. Originally though, it was built around the 18th century and was since then renovated by several more rulers. You can also explore other places like the Palera Talab, the main water source of the town during the pre-colonial era and the Indra Kund, an ancient step well with stone carvings. Must visit places - Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Rishabhdev Temple, Parshwanath Jain Temple, Devi Garh Fort & Palace, Palera Talab and Indra Kund. Related thread - n/a Parshwanath Jain Temple in Delwara 4. Ranakpur - This town is about 95 kilometres away from Udaipur. It is also home to one of the most intricately carved Jain temples in the country, which is the Ranakpur Jain Temple Complex. It is a huge temple complex, with over 29 halls and about 1,440 carved pillars. It was built around the 15th century by Dharma Shah. What sets this temple complex apart is that it is covered entirely in unique carvings. As such, you won't be able to find any two carvings that are alike. If you think about it, especially considering the time that it was constructed, this intricacy took a lot of time and effort. Made from white marble, the entire temple complex has varying patterns from geometric shapes, deities, animals and many more. Just next to the temple complex is the Surya Narayan Temple, dedicated to the Sun God. It has a few carvings worth exploring as well although nowhere as intricate as the former. Lastly, there's also the Ranakpur Dam, a bit further away from the temples. You can view some birds while enjoying the lush greenery around here. Must visit places - Ranakpur Jain Temple Complex, Surya Narayan Temple and Ranakpur Dam. Related thread - Places to Visit in Udaipur Carvings in Ranakpur Jain Temple Complex 5. Mount Abu - This hill station is about 170 kilometres away from Udaipur. It can take you around 3 to 4 hours to cover this distance by driving. It's a refreshing change from the desert areas and heat of the plains of the state. The temperatures here are milder and so the climate is cooler. You can easily spend your remaining days here and just relax. But if you'd like to do some sightseeing, there are also some attractions around here that you can visit. There's the Nakki Lake, where you can enjoy boating or just dining around the numerous eateries here. There's also the Guru Shikhar Peak, the highest point in Mount Abu. You need to climb over 100 steps to reach its peak but it's all worth it as the views from the top are stunning. You can also visit the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can spot animals like sloth bears, monkeys and alligators. At the end of the day, visit the Sunset Point for clearer views of the mountains with the sun setting behind it. Must visit places - Nakki Lake, Guru Shikhar Peak, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary and Sunset Point. Related thread - Attractions in Mount Abu Nakki Lake in Mount Abu Enjoy your excursion out of Udaipur.
As above explained very well, all places are nearer to Udaipur to visit. Personally, i would like to go either mount abu - a hill station or Chittorgarh as it has many things to explore. You can also plan your trip to Jaipur as it has many palaces and activities to explore for family like amber fort, city palace, hawamahal, elephant ride, ballon safari, jeep safari and many more. It is 6 to 7 hours journey to reach Jaipur from Udaipur. Your family can shop many things in Jaipur, as it is famous to shop world class jewellery, traditional clothes, hand-printed sarees and bed-sheets and blue pottery. One more thing i want to add is mouth watering food dishes like Daal-baati-churma, pyaz kachori, Lassi and more.
