Rajasthan's Desert Forts: The Complete Guide to the Land of Kings

Rajasthan is India at its most theatrical — a state of epic scale, cinematic landscapes and history layered so thick you can barely scratch the surface. The Thar Desert spreads west from Jaipur and Jodhpur towards the Pakistani border, and from it rose a civilisation of extraordinary beauty: fort-cities rising from volcanic rock, lake palaces floating on monsoon reservoirs, and carved merchant mansions called havelis that rival the finest buildings in Europe.

Jaipur: The Pink City

Built in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II, Jaipur was India's first planned city. The old city is painted terracotta-pink in honour of a royal visit. Amber Fort (1592), 11 km outside the city, is Rajasthan's most visited monument — a hillside citadel with mirrored halls and views of the Aravalli Range.

Jodhpur: The Blue City

Brahmpuri neighbourhood is painted indigo-blue — the colour used to deter mosquitoes and indicate Brahmin houses. Above it rises Mehrangarh Fort, described by Salman Rushdie as "perhaps the most magnificent fort in India." The views from the battlements are breathtaking.

Jaisalmer: The Golden City

Rising from the Thar Desert is a honey-coloured sandstone fort-city that looks unchanged since the 15th century. Three hundred families still live inside the fort walls. Sam sand dunes, 42 km west, are the desert's showpiece — camel safaris reach the dunes at sunset for a view that belongs in a film.

Udaipur: The City of Lakes

Often called India's most romantic city, Udaipur is built around a series of monsoon lakes. The Lake Palace — a white marble floating palace — is now a luxury hotel. The City Palace complex, stretching along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola, is the largest in Rajasthan.