Why children love Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a place where the stories children read are real. The forts sit on mountaintops, with secret passages and dungeons, and there are palaces made of mirrors, a pink city, a blue city and a golden fort rising out of a desert.
Real castles: forts with hidden staircases, cannon on the walls, ramparts to walk and views that stretch for miles.
- Real animals: tigers in the jungle, camels in the dunes, peacocks on the lawns, monkeys on the temple steps and blackbuck in the Bishnoi villages.
- Children are adored: Indian families travel together, grandparents and cousins included, so a child opens every door. Shopkeepers offer sweets and village grandmothers want to hold the baby.
- Welcome everywhere: children are welcome at almost every restaurant and hotel, and nobody minds a little noise at dinner.
- The real challenge: not whether children will enjoy Rajasthan, but planning it so they enjoy every day of it.
- What doesn't work: the classic adult itinerary of long drives and three monuments a day exhausts children by the fourth day.
- What does: fewer places, more nights in each, shorter drives and a pool at the end of the afternoon. Our family journeys are built on that idea.
When to go with children
School holidays that fit: the October half-term, Christmas and the February half-term all fall in the cool season.
Christmas and New Year: the busiest and most expensive weeks of the year. The best family rooms go nine to twelve months ahead, so book early.
- Best season
- October to March
- Our favourite
- February
- Busiest weeks
- Christmas and New Year
- Book family rooms
- Nine to twelve months ahead for Christmas
- Avoid
- April to June, often above 40°C
- Cold mornings
- December and January
- February: especially lovely, with warm days, cool nights and the clearest light of the year.
- Easter: late March or April is still possible if the days are planned around the warmth, with sightseeing early and the pool in the afternoon.
- April to June: very hot, often above 40°C. We would not suggest a classic family tour then.
- The monsoon, July to September: green, humid and quiet. It can suit families with older children who don't mind showers, especially around Udaipur.
- Pack for dawn: December and January mornings are cold, so children need warm layers for dawn safaris and desert evenings. Our weather and climate guide explains each month.
How we pace a family journey
Fewer places, more nights: two or three nights in each stop, so you unpack properly and children settle.
Short drives: most family drives stay under about four hours, with a stop every ninety minutes. Longer legs are split with an overnight.
- Early mornings for the sights: it is cool and quiet, and children are at their best before ten.
- Long lunches and free afternoons: time for the pool, a nap or a game on the lawn.
- Short guided visits: our guides know how to tell a fort's story to a seven-year-old, and when to stop.
- Something to make or do every day: a kite, a block-printed handkerchief, a puppet or a camel ride.
- A rest day every four or five days: nothing planned at all, which children love more than adults expect.
- Fly or take the train for the longest legs: so no day is spent entirely in the car.
What works at each age
Babies and toddlers
Slower, but quite possible: palace hotels with gardens, pools and space to run are the heart of the journey.
- Carrier over pushchair: old cities and forts have steps, ramps and uneven stone. A light folding pushchair still helps in hotels and airports.
- Short outings, long rests: and fewer moves between hotels.
- Supplies: nappies, baby food and formula are sold in city supermarkets and pharmacies, but brands differ, so bring a supply of anything your child relies on.
Children from five to eleven
The golden age for Rajasthan: old enough to remember it, young enough to believe every story.
- What they love: the cannon at Jaigarh, the mirrors of the Sheesh Mahal at Amber, the secret corridors of Nahargarh, the camels at Jaisalmer and the tigers at Ranthambore.
- Keeping busy: craft workshops, puppet shows and kite-flying fill the gaps between sights.
- Pure magic: a night in a desert camp, with a campfire and a sky full of stars.
Teenagers
Real stories, not simplified ones: we look for guides who can talk about Rajput battles, Mughal politics and how Jaipur's astronomers measured time.
- Adventure: jeep and camel safaris, cycling tours, zip lines where they run, rock climbing near Jawai, street-food walks and photography.
- Space: connecting rooms, or a separate room close by, matter more than ever.
- Wi-Fi: not a luxury in their eyes, so we check it at heritage hotels, where old walls can weaken the signal.
Three generations
The Indian way: many families travel with grandparents, and Rajasthan welcomes them warmly.
- Two speeds a day: a slower option for grandparents and something energetic for the children.
- Meeting point: hotels where everyone gathers at the pool or on the terrace each evening. Our multi-generation journeys explain how.
The places children love most
Jaipur, the city of forts and kites
Amber Fort: the mirrored hall and the long ramparts, best as the gates open.
Jaigarh Fort: the Jaivana cannon, one of the largest cannon on wheels in the world.
- Nahargarh: a maze of identical queens' apartments joined by corridors, perfect for hide and seek with a guide.
- Jantar Mantar: giant stone instruments, where children can watch a sundial's shadow move across the scale.
- Also: a puppet show, a block-printing morning in Bagru and kites on a rooftop. On 14 January the whole city flies them.
Ranthambore, for tigers
The highlight of many family journeys: a jeep at dawn and the chance of a tiger among the lakes and ruins of the old hunting grounds.
Keep expectations gentle: sightings are never guaranteed, and the birds, deer and crocodiles are wonderful too.
- Cold dawns in winter: bring hats and blankets for the open vehicles.
- Rules change: park rules on ages and seating can change, so we check them for your dates and plan shorter outings for little ones.
- Afternoons: lodges have pools and gardens for the hours between drives.
Jaisalmer and the desert camps
A living fort: a golden fort where families still live, with lanes too narrow for cars.
- The dunes: a camel ride at sunset, a campfire, folk musicians and a sky full of stars, the memory most children take home.
- Choosing a camp: proper tents and attentive staff. See our luxury desert camps.
- Winter nights: cold in the desert, so pack warm clothes.
Jodhpur and Mehrangarh
A giant's fort on a cliff: cannon, palanquins, weapons and the blue city spread out below.
- Battle stories: children love the tales of sieges and the views from the ramparts.
- The Bishnoi villages: a morning with a Bishnoi family near Jodhpur, where blackbuck graze near the houses, is a lovely way to talk about protecting animals.
Udaipur, the city of lakes
Gentle and beautiful: the easiest city in Rajasthan for small children.
- On the water: a boat ride on Lake Pichola, with the palaces rising from the shore.
- Evenings: folk dance and puppets at Bagore ki Haveli.
- Up high: a cable-car ride to the hill above the lake suits every age.
Bharatpur and Jawai, for young naturalists
Bharatpur: children ride cycle-rickshaws with expert naturalists along quiet paths through the wetland, spotting owls, storks and jackals.
- Jawai: leopards rest on granite rocks above Rabari villages, and the lodges are small and personal.
- Bring binoculars: one pair per child saves a lot of arguments.
Agra and the Taj Mahal
Silence, even from tired children: the Taj Mahal works on every age, especially at sunrise.
- Keep it short: an hour or so, and tell the love story as you walk.
- Fridays: the Taj Mahal is closed.
- Getting there: the fast Gatimaan Express from Delhi, which children love.
Things to make and do
Fly a kite from a rooftop: every Jaipur child learns, and the walled city's rooftops are the best playground in Rajasthan. We arrange a kite-maker and an expert flyer. See our kite-flying experience.
Watch a puppet show: kathputli, Rajasthan's string puppets, are worked by families of puppeteers who tell old stories of kings and heroes with songs and drums. See our puppet theatre page.
Try the puppets: after a private show in a haveli courtyard, children can usually try working a puppet themselves.
- Print and paint: a morning with a block-printing family in Bagru, a blue pottery class in Jaipur or a miniature painting lesson.
- Tie a turban: a turban-tying session gives children a photograph and a story to tell.
- Cook and eat: rolling chapatis, shaping laddoos and frying puris in a family kitchen. Our haveli cooking class can be tailored for children.
- Ride and explore: a camel ride in the dunes, a camel cart through a Shekhawati village or a jeep in the desert, with handlers who care for their animals.
- Cycle: gentle rides on safe, quiet routes through the countryside. See cycling tours.
- Look at the stars: desert nights far from city lights, and a guide with a telescope to show the rings of Saturn. See stargazing.
Animals, and how we talk about them
No elephant rides: we don't book them at Amber Fort or anywhere else. The elephants that carry visitors work long days on hot stone.
No captive-animal shows: no dancing bears, snake charmers or performing monkeys.
- What we offer instead: tiger and leopard safaris with good naturalists, camel rides with caring handlers, birding at Bharatpur and visits to Bishnoi villages.
- The Bishnoi story: blackbuck graze near Bishnoi houses because the people have protected them for centuries. Children understand it immediately. See ethical animal encounters.
- Hands off: teach children not to touch or feed street dogs, monkeys or cattle, however friendly they seem.
- Temple monkeys: at Galtaji and other temples, macaques can snatch food and bags, so carry nothing that looks like a snack.
- Bites and scratches: any animal bite or scratch needs prompt medical attention. Talk to your own doctor before you travel about what is right for your family.
Hotels that work for families
Rambagh Palace, Jaipur: once the home of the Jaipur royal family, with peacocks strutting on the lawns.
The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur: walled grounds that feel like a private village, with room to roam.
- Look for
- Pools, gardens, family suites
- Ask for
- Connecting rooms for teenagers
- On request
- Cots, extra beds, babysitting
- Check first
- Minimum ages at some camps and lodges
- Watch out
- Steep stairs and low parapets in old forts
- Udaipur's lake hotels: they make the city feel like a holiday. Our Udaipur luxury hotels guide compares them.
- Heritage hotels and village forts: magical for children, with turrets, terraces and the families who run them, but very young children need watching on the stairs.
- Plain food on request: we choose kitchens that will happily make simple meals for small appetites.
- Minimum ages: some camps, lodges and smaller hotels limit children in certain rooms, and we check before we book.
- More choices: our pages on palace hotels and wildlife lodges describe the properties we know best.
Food, water and keeping well
Familiar food: hotels and good restaurants serve rice, dal, chapatis, plain pasta, toast, eggs, peeled fruit and cheese toasties.
New favourites: many children discover they love paneer, mild dal, puris and sweet lassi. Our food guide explains what to eat.
No chilli: ask for food bina mirch, without chilli, and the kitchen will oblige.
- Water
- Sealed bottled or filtered only
- Say
- Bina mirch, without chilli
- Safe choices
- Hot, freshly cooked food, peeled fruit
- Hospitals
- Good private care in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur
- Before you go
- See your own doctor or a travel clinic
- Water: sealed bottled or filtered water only, including for brushing teeth.
- What to skip: raw salads, buffets that have sat for hours and cut fruit from street stalls.
- Clean hands: wash or sanitise before every meal and snack, and after touching animals or handrails.
- The heat: hats, sun cream, water bottles and shade, with a rest at midday.
- Medicines: pack a small medical kit and any medicines your children use, with prescriptions. Our health and safety guide has general guidance.
- If anyone falls ill: good private hospitals and children's doctors are available in the big cities, and your planner will help at once.
Getting around with children
By car
Room to move: a large car or van gives children space to sleep or play.
- A second car: we can add one so teenagers can have their own.
- Child seats: not standard in Indian touring cars. Tell us in advance and we bring the right seats for your children's ages.
- Seat belts: in the back as well as the front. Our page on road distances shows how long each drive takes.
By train
Children love Indian trains: the platforms, the chai-sellers and the views from the window.
- The fast ones: the Gatimaan Express from Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin reaches Agra in under two hours, and fast trains link Delhi and Jaipur.
- Safety: keep children away from the open doors on older trains. See our trains guide.
By air
- Save a day: short domestic flights cut long legs such as Jaipur to Udaipur, about six hours by road, to about an hour.
- No dawn starts: we time flights to avoid very early wake-ups. See airports and flights.
Practical things to pack and know
A baby carrier: pushchairs struggle with the steps, ramps and cobbles of forts and old cities.
For the car: favourite snacks, a refillable water bottle and a small toy or book.
- Visas
- Every child needs their own
- Visa portal
- indianvisaonline.gov.in
- One parent travelling
- Carry a consent letter from the other
- Temples
- Modest dress, shoes off, for children too
- Winter layers: warm layers, hats and gloves for mornings, safaris and desert nights from December to February.
- Sun protection all year: sun hats, sunglasses and high-factor children's sun cream.
- Insect repellent: one suitable for children, especially after the monsoon.
- Documents: copies of passports and visas for every child. Apply for visas only through the official portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in.
- Travelling as one parent: carry a letter of consent from the other parent, and check your own government's advice.
- Temples: modest clothes apply to older children too, and shoes come off at every temple door.
A family journey we often plan
Days 1 to 2: Delhi, slowly
- Arrive and rest: sleep, swim and recover from the flight.
- One gentle morning: the old city on a cycle-rickshaw, ending with a picnic in a garden.
Days 3 to 6: Jaipur
Forts: Amber Fort and the cannon at Jaigarh.
- Making things: kites on a rooftop and block printing in Bagru.
- Fun and rest: a puppet show and a free afternoon at the palace pool.
Days 7 to 8: Ranthambore
- The drive: about three and a half hours from Jaipur.
- Safaris: two or three, with time between them for the lodge garden and pool.
Days 9 to 12: Udaipur
Fly in: from Jaipur to Udaipur, about an hour.
- The lakes: a boat on Lake Pichola, the City Palace, a cooking class and folk dance at Bagore ki Haveli.
- Fly home: through Delhi or Mumbai.
- The full versions: our Jaipur, Ranthambore and Udaipur family journey, and our family adventure journey adds the desert for older children.
Before you go
Tell the story first: read children a few tales of Rajput kings, the Taj Mahal's love story or the Bishnoi tree-huggers before you leave. They arrive already curious.
Learn a greeting together: khamma ghani is the Rajasthani hello, and children who say it are greeted with delight.
- Talk about difference: cows on the road, people sleeping on station platforms and crowds in the bazaar can surprise children. A gentle conversation beforehand helps.
- Agree on screens: long drives are easier with a downloaded film or audiobook, saved for the last hour of the road.
- Give them a job: a camera, a sketchbook or a list of animals to spot keeps older children engaged.
- Share your child's needs: allergies, fears, sleep routines and favourite foods. We pass them to every hotel and guide on the journey.
Who a family journey suits
You will love it if: your children are curious, you enjoy slow days and you are happy to trade a monument for a swim.
Best of all for: children of about five and over, who remember the trip and believe every story.
- Think twice if: you need every day to be predictable, or your family struggles with heat and long car days. A shorter journey may suit better.
- With very small children: choose two or three bases and stay longer in each.
- For a first taste: a week of Delhi, Jaipur and Ranthambore, or Jaipur and Udaipur, shows whether your family loves it before a longer trip.
- Ready to plan?: start a conversation on our plan my journey page, and our journal on Rajasthan with children has more stories.