The rhythm of a good Kumbhalgarh day
Our grandmother had a rule for hill forts: never climb on an empty stomach and never come down without having sat still for ten minutes at the top. We still follow it. It is the difference between seeing Kumbhalgarh and remembering it.
The two best hours: the hour after sunrise on the wall, and the hour after dark, when the lit walls glow against the hills after the light and sound show.
The middle of the day: for driving, eating and resting. The ramparts have little shade and the hill road is best in daylight.
- Sunrise
- The hour on the wall
- Midday
- Driving, eating, resting
- About four
- Up to the fort
- After dark
- The show, then the lit walls
- Day bag
- Water, hat, torch, warm layer, cash
- In practice: arrive in the early afternoon, go up around four, stay until the lights come on and be back on the wall at first light.
- A second day: late morning and afternoon for the forest, the villages or a long lunch, and the evening for a fire on the lawn.
- The options in detail: our things to do at Kumbhalgarh guide.
- Time to sit: every plan leaves time on the terrace of Badal Mahal to look west into Marwar without a camera.
- A proper breakfast: every morning ends with one.
- The day bag: water, a hat, a warm layer in winter and a torch for the dark walk back after the show.
- A little cash: for chai, temple offerings and the musicians you meet on the way.
One night at Kumbhalgarh
- Arrive
- About three, rest an hour
- Fort
- From about four, until the lights
- Sunrise
- The wall, then Neelkanth Mahadev
- Ranakpur
- About an hour west
- Jodhpur
- About four hours via Ranakpur
- No night at all: see our day-trip plan below. It works, but it misses the lit walls and the sunrise, so we suggest it only as a last resort.
Day one, Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh
Morning: leave Udaipur after a relaxed breakfast.
On the way: the temples of Eklingji, the family deity of the Mewar rulers, and the carved Sas-Bahu temples at Nagda, or a long lunch at RAAS Devigarh in Delwara.
- Afternoon: reach your hotel below the fort by about three and rest for an hour.
- Around four: drive up and walk through the gates with our guide, past Ram Pol and Hanuman Pol, to Rana Kumbha's old palace and the rooms where Maharana Pratap was born.
- Late light: climb to Badal Mahal for the view over the wall and the plains of Marwar.
- Evening: the light and sound show, with our guide translating, then the lit walls.
- Back at the hotel: dinner by a fire on the lawn and an early night.
Day two, sunrise and onward
Morning: on the wall as the sky lightens, with a flask of chai and our guide, walking a quiet stretch as the mist lifts.
Neelkanth Mahadev: stop as local families arrive to worship, then return for a late breakfast.
- Afternoon: about an hour west through the sanctuary to Ranakpur and its marble temple.
- Onward: to Narlai for the night, or on to Jodhpur, about four hours from Kumbhalgarh via Ranakpur.
- Evening at Narlai: dinner by the lamplit stepwell is the perfect end to the crossing from Mewar into Marwar.
If you only have a day from Udaipur
- Leave Udaipur
- By seven
- At the fort
- About half past nine
- Day-trippers arrive
- Around eleven
- You will miss
- The lit walls and the sunrise
Early morning, the drive up
Leave by seven: with breakfast packed for the car or taken quickly at the hotel.
- Why so early: you reach the fort by about half past nine, before the heat and before most day-trippers, who tend to arrive around eleven.
- The road: it climbs through farmland and into the hills, and the first sight of the wall from the last bends is worth stopping for.
Mid-morning, the fort
The climb: up through the gates with our guide to Kumbha's palace and Pratap's birthplace, then Badal Mahal for the view.
- The wall: walk twenty minutes either side of the main gate, where the views of it looping over the hills are best.
- On the way down: Neelkanth Mahadev.
Lunch and the afternoon
Lunch: at one of the resorts below the fort.
- Option one: back to Udaipur by mid-afternoon, with a stop at Eklingji.
- Option two: on a long summer day, an hour west to Ranakpur before returning.
- Be warned: the second option makes a ten-hour day with a lot of driving, so we suggest it only for guests happy in the car.
Evening, back in Udaipur
- Timing: back by early evening, in time for sunset on Lake Pichola.
- The best ending: our boat on Pichola page explains it.
Two nights at Kumbhalgarh
Day one, arrival and the fort at dusk
The plan: as the first day of the one-night plan, with a slow drive from Udaipur, a stop at Eklingji or Devigarh, an afternoon rest, Badal Mahal in the late light, the show and the lit walls.
- Rest first: the afternoon at the fort is about four hours of walking, climbing and listening, and it goes better rested.
- One more look: on the way down after the show, ask the driver to stop at the last bend for the lit walls across the valley.
- Dinner: keep it simple. Tomorrow starts early.
Day two, the wall and the temples of the fort
Morning: a longer sunrise stretch of the wall, two or three hours with our guide, past bastions and ruined temples, with a vehicle waiting at the end.
The routes: our journal piece on the Kumbhalgarh wall walk.
- Afternoon: after lunch and a rest, the temples most visitors miss: the Vedi temple, the Parshvanath temple, the Bawan Devi shrines and the Mamadev temple, where Rana Kumbha was killed in 1468.
- A story on the spot: ask our guide for Panna Dhai's.
- Evening: a quiet dinner and time under the stars, very clear on winter nights.
Day three, the forest and onward
Morning: an early sanctuary drive with a naturalist, looking for nilgai, chinkara, langurs and perhaps a wolf or a leopard, and plenty of birds.
- Or people: a morning in a Bhil village or with Rabari herders.
- Afternoon: down through the forest to Ranakpur and on to Narlai, Jawai or Jodhpur.
Three days in the hills of Mewar
Day one, Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh
- The drive: up from Udaipur with a stop at Eklingji and Nagda, arriving in time to rest.
- The fort: the late afternoon, then the show and the lit walls.
Day two, the wall, the temples and the forest
Morning: a long sunrise walk on the wall.
- Late morning: the temples inside the fort.
- Afternoon: rest, then a late walk with a local guide through the fields and villages below the walls.
- Evening: dinner around the fire.
Day three, Pratap's country
Haldighati: north-east through the hills to the narrow pass where Maharana Pratap fought Akbar's army in 1576, and the memorial to his horse, Chetak.
The night before: read our piece on Maharana Pratap and Haldighati.
- Rajsamand Lake: built by Maharana Raj Singh I in the seventeenth century, with marble pavilions and a long inscription in stone.
- Nathdwara: Nathdwara, the pilgrimage town of Shrinathji and home of pichwai painting. Our pichwai painting page explains the art.
- Evening: back to Kumbhalgarh for a last night, or end in Udaipur.
Or day three, Ranakpur and Narlai
- Heading west: Ranakpur in the morning, with a stop at Muchhal Mahavir near Ghanerao.
- The night: at Rawla Narlai, with dinner by the stepwell.
Four days, from the fort to the leopards
- Day one
- Udaipur, Devigarh lunch, the fort at dusk
- Day two
- The wall, the temples, the sanctuary
- Day three
- Ranakpur, then Jawai
- Day four
- Leopards and Rabari country
- Ranakpur to Jawai
- About an hour and a half
Day one, Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh
Morning: leave Udaipur after breakfast, with lunch at Devigarh.
- Afternoon: rest below the fort, then climb to Badal Mahal in the late light.
- Evening: the show and the lit walls.
Day two, the wall and the forest
Morning: sunrise on the wall, then the temples of the fort.
- Afternoon: rest, then a late drive or walk in the sanctuary with a naturalist.
- Evening: dinner by the fire, and a night sky full of stars.
Day three, Ranakpur and Jawai
Morning: down through the forest to Ranakpur, to see the marble temple as it opens to visitors.
- Among the pillars: our Ranakpur temple guide explains what to look for.
- Afternoon: about an hour and a half on to Jawai, settling into SUJAN JAWAI among the granite hills.
- Evening: your first drive among the leopard hills at dusk, and dinner under canvas.
Day four, leopards and Rabari country
Morning: an early drive to look for leopards on the granite outcrops, then breakfast.
- Late morning: time with a Rabari herding family, or a walk by the Jawai reservoir, where crocodiles bask and winter birds gather.
- Afternoon: on to Jodhpur or Udaipur, or stay another night.
- More: our Jawai guide.
How the plans change with the season
- November to February
- Every plan works as written
- March to June
- Earlier starts, later fort visits
- From May
- Every walk shortened
- July to September
- Loose plans, extra road time
Winter, November to February
The classic season: every plan above works as written.
- Sunrise: start the walk in the dark with a torch, because the light comes quickly.
- Pack: gloves and a warm jacket for the walls and the evening show.
- Afternoons: warm enough for long village walks and lunches outdoors.
Spring and summer, March to June
Earlier and later: on the wall at first light and back by nine, rest through the middle of the day, and up to the fort only after five.
- Wildlife: forest drives give the best sightings in these months, but they must start at dawn.
- From May: we shorten every walk.
Monsoon, July to September
Keep plans loose: a morning of rain can be followed by an afternoon of extraordinary mist and light, and we change the order of the day to follow the weather.
- Off the table: long forest walks and some sanctuary tracks.
- At their best: village walks, temple visits and Badal Mahal in the clouds.
- Roads: allow extra time.
A slower week in the Aravallis
Nights one and two, Devigarh
Where: outside Udaipur at RAAS Devigarh.
- The day: Eklingji, Nagda and the villages of the Delwara valley.
- The afternoons: long ones by the pool, looking over the hills.
Nights three and four, below Kumbhalgarh
- The two-night plan: the walls at dusk and dawn, the temples inside and a forest morning.
- For walkers: the long descent through the sanctuary to Ranakpur, with the car collecting you at the end.
Night five, Narlai
The crossing: over the hills to Rawla Narlai, with Ranakpur and Muchhal Mahavir on the way.
- Late afternoon: climb the granite hill above the village.
- Dinner: by the stepwell.
Nights six and seven, Jawai
The finale: among the leopards and Rabari herders of Jawai.
- Then: on to Jodhpur, or fly home from Udaipur.
- Why we love it: one of the most complete short journeys we know, and it never feels rushed.
Variations for families, couples and repeat visitors
For families with children
The wall: keep the walk short, an hour at most.
Snacks: for the car, never for the ramparts, where the langurs are watching.
- What children love: the gates, the light and sound show, a jeep drive in the forest and a morning with herders.
- Where to stay: a resort with a pool and lawns, with the afternoons left free.
- More ideas: our family journeys and travelling with children pages.
For couples
Build around the light: Badal Mahal at golden hour, the lit walls after dark and a private dinner on a terrace or by the fire.
- Add: a night at Rawla Narlai for the stepwell dinner, and two at Udaipur's lake palaces before or after.
- How we do it: our honeymoon journey.
For repeat visitors
Seen the fort before: give your time to the forest walk to Ranakpur, the temple walk inside the walls and the Parshuram Mahadev cave temple.
- A slow loop: a night at Deogarh Mahal through the Mewar countryside.
- Built for you: our offbeat Rajasthan journey.
For keen walkers
- A full day: the forest walk from the fort to Ranakpur, in the cool months, with forest permission, an experienced guide and a vehicle waiting at the end.
- The day before: a long section of the wall.
For older travellers
The climb: take Badal Mahal slowly, with rests.
- The room: close to the car and the restaurant.
- The show: seated.
- The wall: skip the long walk and enjoy a short stretch near the gate at sunrise, and keep the drives short.
Where Kumbhalgarh fits in a longer journey
The usual way: from Udaipur after two or three nights by the lakes, then west through Ranakpur to Jodhpur and the desert.
Our journeys: the centrepiece of our Mewar and Marwar journey, and part of our Mewar lakes and temples route.
- From Udaipur
- About 85 km, two and a half hours
- To Jodhpur
- About four hours via Ranakpur
- To Jawai
- About two and a half hours west
- Chittorgarh
- A day from Udaipur, or towards Bundi
- Longer trips: on Royal Rajputana or Rajasthan in ten days, it gives one or two quiet nights between the cities.
- The other way: from Jodhpur, stop at Ranakpur, spend a night at Kumbhalgarh and reach Udaipur the next afternoon.
- Chittorgarh too: we usually plan Chittorgarh, the other great fort of Mewar, as a day from Udaipur or on the road to Bundi.
- Drive times: our road distances guide.
Where and what to eat along the way
From Udaipur: lunch at Devigarh is our first choice, with its terraces over the valley.
Below the fort: your hotel's kitchen is your restaurant.
- Ask a day ahead: for Mewari village food, maize rotis with white butter and jaggery, gatte curry, seasonal greens and a fierce garlic chutney.
- In October and November: look for village women selling sitaphal, custard apples, by the road.
- At Ranakpur: a simple vegetarian dining hall run for pilgrims, and thalis at the resorts nearby.
- At Narlai: dinner by the stepwell is the meal of the journey.
- At Jawai: the camp's kitchen is excellent, with much of the produce local.
- What you will be eating: our Rajasthani thali guide and our food guide.
Where to sleep on each plan
One night: a resort just below the fort, such as The Aodhi or the Radisson Blu Resort Kumbhalgarh, so the show and the sunrise walk are a short drive away.
Two nights: the same, with a room facing the hills, and perhaps a night at Rawla Narlai afterwards.
- Three nights: two below the fort, then one at Narlai or back in Udaipur, depending on your direction.
- Four days: two nights below the fort and two at SUJAN JAWAI for the leopards.
- A slow loop: add a night at Deogarh Mahal or RAAS Devigarh on the way to or from Udaipur.
- Every option compared honestly: our guide to luxury hotels near Kumbhalgarh.
Planning notes from our team
The road from Udaipur: narrow and twisting in the hills. Allow about two and a half hours, and longer in the monsoon.
Show times: they change with the season. We confirm them on the day and plan the afternoon around them.
Winter sunrise: start the walk in the dark, with a torch, so you are on the wall as the light comes up.
- A warm layer: for evenings from November to February. The hilltop is much colder than Udaipur.
- Ranakpur: fixed visiting hours for non-Jain visitors and strict dress rules. We time the drive accordingly.
- Forest and long wall walks: they need advance planning and, in some cases, forest permission. Tell us early.
- A guide matters: the fort has few labels, and much of its history lives in stories, Rana Kumbha's murder, Panna Dhai's sacrifice and Pratap's birth. We send our own guides with every guest.
- Their local knowledge: a good guide also knows the quiet temple paths and the best stretches of the wall for sunrise.
- By season: our best time to visit Kumbhalgarh guide.
- Where to sleep: our luxury hotels near Kumbhalgarh guide.
