Why the evening light is so good here
Rajasthan is built of stone that loves the low sun: pink sandstone in Jaipur, yellow in Jaisalmer, red in Bikaner, white marble in Udaipur. At sunset every city changes colour.
Our grandfather had a rule for every journey: never be in the car at sunset. Stop the drive, find a wall or a dune, and watch. We still keep it, and we plan our guests' days so that the last hour of light is always spent somewhere beautiful.
Dry air: in the cool months the desert air is clear, so the sun stays bright and golden until it touches the horizon.
Facts to know
- Winter sunset
- Around half past five in Jaipur
- Summer sunset
- Around seven or later
- Time zone
- One for all India, so the west sets later
- Monsoon
- Dramatic skies, but often cloudy
- Dust and colour: a little fine dust in the air turns the sky orange, pink and violet after the sun has gone.
- Flat horizons: across the Thar and the plains there is nothing between you and the sun, so the light lasts to the very end.
- Coloured stone: the forts, palaces and havelis were built of local stone, and each city glows in its own colour at sunset.
- One clock, one country: all of India keeps a single time, so the sun sets about twenty minutes later in Jaisalmer than in Jaipur, far to the east.
Jaipur and Amer
Jaipur goes up to watch the sunset. From the ridge forts, the whole grid of the Pink City turns from rose to gold below you.
Nahargarh Fort, the classic view
Why: built in 1734 on the ridge above the city, Nahargarh is where Jaipur families go to watch the sun go down over the walled city.
- What you see: the pink grid spreading out below, kites circling and, as the light fades, the evening call to prayer rising from the old city.
- How to have it calm: arrive an hour early, find a corner of the ramparts away from the main terrace and stay after the crowds leave.
Jal Mahal at dusk
- The water palace: Jal Mahal stands in Man Sagar Lake on the road to Amer, with the Aravalli hills behind.
- The hour: come at dusk, when the hills turn blue and the palace's reflection settles on the water. In winter, migrant birds gather in the shallows.
A rooftop at Badi Chaupar
- In the old city: a rooftop across from Hawa Mahal, with a cup of masala chai, watching the walls turn from pink to rose to ochre.
- Who it suits: travellers who prefer the life of the bazaar to a wide view.
The Sun Temple above Galtaji
- A local favourite: above the temple tanks of Galtaji, the small Surya Mandir, the temple of the sun, looks west over the city.
- Go with a guide: the path climbs through the hills, and the macaques are bold, so keep food out of sight.
Udaipur, the city of sunsets
Udaipur has more good sunset points than any other city in Rajasthan, because it has water, hills and white palaces all in one view.
A boat on Lake Pichola
- Our first choice: a private boat that is mid-lake as the sun drops behind the western hills and the City Palace turns gold.
- How: set off about an hour before sunset, stop at Jag Mandir, and be back on open water for the moment itself. Our boat on Pichola page explains it.
The Monsoon Palace, the widest view
- Where: Sajjangarh, on its hilltop to the west, looks over Pichola, Fateh Sagar and the Aravallis together.
- Timing: drive up through the forest an hour before sunset. On the way back, stop at the foot of the hill, where the last light often catches the water of Pichola.
Ambrai and Hanuman Ghat
- The palace facade: on the western shore, these ghats face the City Palace directly, and photographers gather here at dusk.
- Stay late: come half an hour before sunset and stay until the palace lights come on, one window at a time.
The Karni Mata ropeway and Fateh Sagar
- From above: the ropeway climbs Machhla Magra hill on the eastern shore to a small temple, with the old city and the whole length of the lake below.
- With the city: the embankment of Fateh Sagar is where Udaipur's families stroll at sunset, eating roasted corn. Our journal on Udaipur sunset spots has more.
Jaisalmer and the Thar
In the desert the sunset is the main event of the day. In twenty minutes the sand moves from white to gold to copper to a cold violet.
Vyas Chhatri, facing the golden fort
- Why: on the ridge just north of the walls, a cluster of cenotaphs named after the sage Vyasa looks straight across at Jaisalmer Fort.
- When: it is busy at sunset, so we bring guests for the half hour after, when the crowds leave and the fort's lights come on one by one.
Bada Bagh, among the cenotaphs
- The scene: rows of royal chhatris on a low hill outside the city, gold on gold at sunset, with modern wind turbines turning on the horizon.
- Read more: our Bada Bagh guide explains the rulers remembered here.
Khuri, the quiet dunes
- Calm: Khuri has far fewer camps than Sam. Our guides walk you out of the village onto high ground away from any camp and let the evening come.
- Take off your shoes: the sand cools quickly once the sun goes down, and a shepherd may bring his flock home below you.
Sam, done the right way
- The crowd: the dunes nearest the road at Sam are packed at sunset in peak season, with jeeps, camels and loudspeakers.
- Our answer: walk beyond the first ridge, set up a private dinner on a far dune, or come at dawn instead, when you will have Sam almost to yourself.
Manvar, Osian and Khimsar
On the road west: at Manvar, a jeep takes you across sand tracks to a high dune for sunset with something cold to drink.
- Near Jodhpur: Osian pairs its old temples in the afternoon with a camel ride over the dunes at sunset.
- Khimsar: a jeep drive from the fort to a dune with a wide view, tea waiting, and blackbuck in the fields on the way home.
Jodhpur and Bikaner
In the two great Rathore cities, the sunset belongs to the forts. One glows red-brown on its cliff, the other turns the old city's sandstone the colour of embers.
Jodhpur, a rooftop facing Mehrangarh
- The view: from a rooftop in Brahmpuri or a hotel terrace facing the fort, Mehrangarh turns gold on its rock, then floodlights come on as the blue city darkens below.
- Kaylana Lake: west of the city, the lake is a calm place for a drink at sunset with the rocky hills behind.
Bikaner, Devi Kund Sagar and Lalgarh
- Devi Kund Sagar: the royal cenotaphs beside a tank outside Bikaner are a peaceful place to end the day after the camel research centre.
- Lalgarh: the red sandstone of the Lalgarh Palace glows deep red in the last light.
Pushkar, Mount Abu and the Aravalli forts
In the hills the sunset is a climb. You earn it on a temple staircase, a fort wall or a crowded viewpoint, and it is always worth it.
Pushkar, Savitri temple and the ghats
The climb: the Savitri Temple sits on a hill above town. Sunset from Savitri is famous, and it can be crowded. The dawn climb is quieter.
- The ghats: the evening aarti on the ghats of Pushkar Lake, with bells, lamps and chanting, is the town's own way of saying goodbye to the day.
- The dunes: a camel cart or jeep ride into the dunes west of town is the gentlest option.
Mount Abu, Sunset Point
- The famous one: Sunset Point and Honeymoon Point face west over the plains, and at dusk they are crowded with families.
- Quieter: watch from a quiet point on the ridge or from your hotel terrace, or by Nakki Lake as the light fades on the hills.
Kumbhalgarh and Chittorgarh, on the walls
- Kumbhalgarh: the great walls of Kumbhalgarh snake over the hills, and walking a stretch of them at sunset is one of the finest evenings in Mewar.
- Chittorgarh: spend a full day on the plateau of Chittorgarh and finish as the sun sets behind the towers.
Bundi, Sukh Mahal on Jait Sagar
- Kipling's view: Sukh Mahal, the small pavilion where Kipling stayed in 1887, looks over Jait Sagar. At sunset, with egrets in the shallows and the hills behind, it is one of the most peaceful scenes in Rajasthan.
- Or a rooftop: every haveli roof in Bundi looks up at the palace and Taragarh, glowing in the last light.
Salt, wetland and granite
Some of the most beautiful sunsets in Rajasthan are in places with no monument at all, just water, salt or rock and a very big sky.
Sambhar, on the salt
- The dam: at Sambhar Lake, drive out along the dam as the light softens, look for flamingos in winter and settle in with chai.
- Almost nobody else: couples often tell us it was the most romantic evening of their trip, precisely because no one else was there.
Jawai, on the granite
- Sundowners: after the evening leopard drive, many camps at Jawai set up a fire and drinks on a granite outcrop with the reservoir below.
- Watch the rock: the granite turns orange and then purple, and a leopard may appear on a ridge as the light goes.
Ranthambore and Bharatpur
- The last safari: the evening drive in Ranthambore ends as the light turns gold over the lakes and the ruined walls of the fort.
- Keoladeo: at Bharatpur, the wetland at dusk fills with the calls of birds settling to roost.
Shekhawati, over the mustard fields
- In late winter: around the painted towns of Shekhawati, the mustard fields turn yellow in February, and the low sun sets them glowing.
- From a roof: in Alsisar or Mandawa, climb to the haveli roof for sunset over the plain, then stay for the stars.
Beyond Rajasthan: the Taj, Orchha, Kutch and Varanasi
Many of our journeys reach beyond the state. These sunsets are worth building a day around.
The Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh
- Across the river: from Mehtab Bagh, the garden on the far bank of the Yamuna, the marble of the Taj turns gold and pink.
- Timing: the garden closes around sunset, so arrive about an hour before.
Orchha's chhatris on the Betwa
- The silhouette: the royal cenotaphs of Orchha stand on the river bank, and at sunset they turn to black shapes against an orange sky.
The White Rann of Kutch
- Salt to the horizon: in Kutch, the white salt desert turns pink and blue at sunset, and on a full moon it glows silver.
Varanasi, the evening aarti
- On the river: in Varanasi, watch the evening Ganga aarti from a boat as lamps are raised to the river at dusk.
Before you go out for the sunset
A sunset outing looks simple. A few small things decide whether it is lovely or wonderful.
Check the sky: high cloud can make a sunset spectacular, but a thick haze or dust storm hides it. We check the forecast each afternoon.
Tickets and closing times: forts and gardens such as Mehtab Bagh close around sunset, and their rules change. We confirm on the day.
Facts to know
- Arrive
- About an hour before sunset
- Allow
- Ninety minutes at the spot
- Wear
- Closed shoes for walls, dunes and steps
- Carry
- Water, a shawl, a small torch
- Steps and slopes: Savitri temple, the Galtaji path and the walls of Kumbhalgarh involve climbs. Go up slowly and come down before full dark.
- Sun in your eyes: sunglasses and a hat help in the last hour, when the sun is low and straight in your face.
- Mosquitoes: near lakes and wetlands in the warm months, bring repellent for the evening.
Sunsets through the year
Every season paints a different sky. Here is what to expect, month by month.
October and November: clear, warm evenings after the rains. The sky is washed clean, the light is long and gold, and Diwali lamps light the cities after dark.
December and January: the sharpest light of the year, with early sunsets and a quick drop in temperature. Bring a shawl to every sunset, and a down jacket to the desert.
- February and March: our favourite months. Mild evenings, soft light and the mustard fields of Shekhawati glowing yellow at dusk.
- April to June: the hottest months, when the sunset is a relief. Haze and dust soften the light, and the colours after sunset can be spectacular.
- July to September: the monsoon brings huge cloudscapes, storms rolling over the hills and sudden shafts of light. Sunsets are unpredictable but unforgettable in Udaipur and Bundi.
- Festivals at dusk: Gangaur processions to the lake in Udaipur, Diwali lamps on the ghats, kites over Jaipur on Makar Sankranti. Our festival calendar has the dates.
Photographing a Rajasthani sunset
The sunset is never the best picture. The best picture is usually behind you, on the wall, the face or the dune lit by the sun.
Turn around: the low sun lights forts, palaces and faces from the side. Some of the best images face away from the sunset.
Wait for the afterglow: the colours in the sky often peak ten to twenty minutes after the sun has gone.
- Use silhouettes: chhatris, camels, temple spires and turbaned herders make perfect shapes against a bright sky.
- Mind the exposure: expose for the sky and let the foreground go dark, or bracket your shots.
- Ask first: always ask before photographing people, especially women. Our photography tips and our photographer's journey have more.
Local tip
On a dune, walk a little way along the ridge from everyone else. Footprints ruin a sunset photograph, and the untouched sand is always just over the next crest.
And when sunrise is better
Some places are crowded at sunset and empty at dawn. For these, we set the alarm.
Sam at dawn: the camps are asleep, the jeeps are parked and the sand holds the cold of the night. In winter this is the single best hour in the Thar.
Savitri at dawn: the climb is cool and quiet, and Pushkar wakes up below you with bells and conch shells.
- The Taj at sunrise: the marble turns from grey to pink to white, and the garden is calmer than in the afternoon.
- Hawa Mahal at sunrise: the morning light falls full on the facade, and the street below is still sleeping.
- Gadisar at dawn: a rowing boat on Jaisalmer's old lake as the fort turns gold behind the chhatris.
What most visitors miss at sunset
Most people take one photograph of the sun touching the horizon and walk back to the car. The best of the evening is still to come.
The afterglow: ten to twenty minutes after sunset, the sky often turns its deepest pink and violet, and the stone keeps glowing.
The belt of Venus: in the east, opposite the sunset, a pink band rises above the blue shadow of the earth on clear evenings.
- The lights coming on: at Nahargarh, Vyas Chhatri and Ambrai Ghat, the forts and palaces light up one window at a time after dusk.
- The sounds: temple bells, the call to prayer, peacocks going to roost and herds coming home with their bells all fill the half hour after sunset.
- The cold: in winter the temperature drops fast once the sun has gone, especially on dunes and hilltops. The shawl you thought you would not need is the one you will want.
- The moon: check the calendar. A full moon rising in the east as the sun sets in the west, over the dunes or Pichola, is one of the great sights of Rajasthan.
Local tip
Don't rush back to the car. Our drivers are used to waiting, and the drive is far calmer once the sunset traffic has cleared.
Who will love it
Everyone loves a sunset. The trick is matching the place to the person.
Couples: a private boat on Pichola, a dinner on a dune at Khuri or the dam at Sambhar. Our Rajasthan for Two journey builds them in.
Families: Nahargarh's ramparts, a camel cart on the dunes or the ropeway in Udaipur. Children love the ride as much as the view.
- Photographers: Vyas Chhatri, Bada Bagh, the chhatris of Orchha and the walls of Kumbhalgarh.
- Travellers who dislike crowds: Khuri, Bundi, Sambhar and private dunes. Avoid Sunset Point in Mount Abu and the front dunes at Sam.
- Limited mobility: Jal Mahal, a hotel terrace facing the City Palace in Udaipur, Mehtab Bagh and a boat on Pichola need almost no climbing.
How we plan your sunsets
We plan every day of a journey backwards from the last hour of light. It is the most useful habit our family has.
The timing: we check the sunset time for each place and date, and plan drives so that you arrive with an hour to spare.
At a glance
- We check
- Sunset times and the weather for each day
- We arrive
- About an hour before sunset
- We bring
- Shawls, water, chai or cold drinks
- We avoid
- Being on the road at sunset
- The spot: our guides know the quieter corners of the famous viewpoints, and the places with no crowd at all.
- The comfort: rugs and bolsters on a dune, a table on a terrace, chai or something cold, and a shawl when the air turns cool.
- The journey: our Mewar Lakes and Temples and Under the Thar Sky journeys are built around some of the finest sunsets in the state.
Sunset manners
The best sunset points are often temples, ghats and village land. A little care goes a long way.
Temples: at Savitri, Galtaji and the hilltop shrines, remove your shoes where asked and keep your voice down during the evening prayers.
Ghats: the evening aarti is worship, not a show. Watch quietly, and ask before photographing priests or pilgrims.
- Dunes: take every bottle and wrapper back with you. Sand hides litter for a day, then the wind spreads it for miles.
- Camels: ride only with owners who care for their animals. Our ethical animal encounters page explains what we look for.
- After dark: don't wander off alone on the dunes, ridges or fort walls once the light has gone. Bring a small torch.