Top 5 Offbeat Places to Udaipur the land of royalty preserved in its original grandeur – Rajasthan. But that is not the reason why I am coaxing you to choose Udaipur as your next travel destination. Do you know that there are many more intriguing reasons than one to pick this most lake city of India as the next travel spot?
A city soaked in history, culture, and architecture; a land dotted by three mesmerizing lakes, lush green gardens, and majestic forts & palaces; a place that is home to ancient temples; a region with stunning romantic backdrops to come up as one of the amazing wedding as well as honeymoon destinations of India; the region of amazing food delights and folklore – Welcome to the capital city of Mewar – the majestic Udaipur Tour Packages named after Maharaja Udai Singh II.
And my travel story this time will take you to visit the best places in Udaipur as well as the best places to visit near Udaipur. And you will be surprised to know that all these are very much near the best hotels in Udaipur, so you can rest assured of an easy journey to each one of these Top 5 Offbeat Places to Udaipur.
Kumbhalgarh
Kumbhalgarh is a fortress located in the Aravalli Range of Rajasmand district in Rajasthan. A Merwar Fortress, Kumbhalgarh is one of the World Heritage Sites and is the second-largest fort in India after Chittorgarh Fort. Covering around 12 square kms, the walls of the fort stretch over an area of about 36 kms and is one of the longest walls in the world, second only to China’s Great Wall!
Built during the reign of Rana Kumbha in the 15th century, Chittorgarh is also one of the largest fort complexes in the world. Located 82km from Udaipur, it makes for a great one day trip.
If you are interested in some adventure, don’t miss out on the foot tracking and horse safari organised in the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. The Safari starts from the Kumbhalgarh Fort and reaches Ghanerao while cutting across the sanctuary. The best part of this safari is the chance to spot Antelopes, Chinkaras and Neelgais Top 5 Offbeat Places to Udaipur.
Haldighati
The famed mountain pass where the valiant horse of Maharana Pratap jumped across mountains to save his master’s life and died in the process, Haldi Ghati is a scenic place with folk and history making it ripe. It is also the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and home to the battlefield where his army of a mere 20,000 fought off 2 lakh Mughals Top 5 Offbeat Places to Udaipur.
The soil itself is reddened by all that blood and gore, even today. Located 40 km from Udaipur, Haldighati lies in the Aravali mountain passage and can be reached within an hour. The famous Haldighati Museum is a must visit for its stunning relics, audio visuals and a tour of Maharana Pratap’s personal items, including the magnificent armour he wore.
Eklingji Temple
The Eklingji temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is believed to have been the deity of the rulers of the Mewar Kingdom. The original temple is believed to date back to the 8th century when it was constructed by Bappa Rawal, the founder of the Mewar kingdom. However, the temple was desecrated and ruined by continuing invasions. The temple in its current form was rebuilt by Rana Raimal, the son of Rana Kumbha in the 15th century Top 5 Offbeat Places to Udaipur.
Nathdwara
Famously known as the Apollo of Mewad, this little charming temple town situated in the hills of Mewad is the perfect getaway, 52 km from Udaipur. Home to the deity Shrinathji, a life size 7-year old Shri Krishna swaroop, Nathdwara is famous for the Shrinathji Temple, where even on the most normal days you would find a maddening crowd for darshan Top 5 Offbeat Places to Udaipur.
The markets surrounding the temple are famous for things like meenakari handicrafts, picchwai paintings, leheriya and bandhini sarees, mothda fabric and seva shringar. Eateries like chowpatty and local dining halls are famous for things like sabudana wada, fried kand, potato chips, Gujarati thali, poha, jalebi and dhokla. The tea vendors here serve the best tea, especially after an early morning mangala darshan of Shrinathji at 5 am. Nearby places to visit include Lal Bagh, the Tilakayat Museum, Bhul-bhulaiya maze at Vrindavan Bagh and Eklingji Temple.
Badi Lake
Badi Lake may not feature among the must-see attractions on your Udaipur travel map. But that doesn’t make this serene water body any less attractive. It is an artificial freshwater lake that was built by Maharana Raj Singh I as a measure against the shattering effects of a famine. The lake was named Jiyan Sagar to honor Jana Devi, the mother of the Maharana.
With an embankment of 180 m and an area of 155 sq. km, the lake boasts of three beautifully created pavilions. You can easily include it in your list of places to visit in Udaipur in one day. But we are sure you will find it hard to leave behind the lake and proceed towards other destinations. Such is the charm that this lake weaves on the visitors!