District · Rajasthan

Jodhpur travel guide

The Blue City: Mehrangarh, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan, Mandore and Osian.

  • 15 places to visit
  • HQ Jodhpur
  • Best time October to March
Open Jodhpur on the map Plan travel to Jodhpur

Places to visit in Jodhpur

15 places, grouped by kind. Each one shows how well it is verified: an official source, two independent sources, or not yet verified.

District headquarters 1

  1. Jodhpur (district headquarters) Two sources

    Location: Jodhpur · district headquarters

    Headquarters of Jodhpur district; formed date to confirm.

    On the map · Directions ↗

Forts and palaces 5

  1. Jaswant Thada Official source

    Highlight · Location: below Mehrangarh · city

    Marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, commissioned in 1899 (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  2. Mehrangarh Fort Official source

    Highlight · Location: rock above the old city · city

    Fort on a 410-ft rock with seven gates; Incredible India cites Time magazine calling it the "Best Fortress in Asia" in 2007 (claim).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  3. Umaid Bhawan Palace Official source

    Highlight · Location: Chittar hill · city

    Palace blending Indian and European styles (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  4. Mandore Official source

    Location: north of the city · 15 km

    Earlier Rathore seat; Rao Jodha founded Jodhpur in 1459 (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  5. Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) Official source

    Location: Sardar Market · city

    Clock tower built 1880-1911 by Maharaja Sardar Singh (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

Temples and shrines 2

  1. Osian Official source

    Location: Osian tehsil

    Oasis town of Hindu and Jain temples (Incredible India, filed under Jaisalmer; Osian is a Jodhpur tehsil per Wikipedia).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  2. Mahamandir Temple Official source

    Location: Jodhpur · city

    19th-century Shiva temple on 84 carved pillars (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

Museums, havelis and culture 3

  1. Toorji ka Jhalra Official source

    Location: old city · city

    Stepwell believed built in the 1740s (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  2. Arna Jharna Desert Museum Official source

    Location: Moklawas village

    Ten-acre museum of desert traditions, established 2000 (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  3. Sardar Government Museum Official source

    Location: Jodhpur · city

    Museum of royal weapons and miniatures (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

Lakes, wildlife and nature 4

  1. Chokhelao Bagh Official source

    Location: Mehrangarh · city

    18th-century garden of Maharani Chokha Bai (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  2. Dhawa Doli Wildlife Sanctuary Official source

    Location: Jodhpur district · 45 km

    Sanctuary (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  3. Kaylana Lake Official source

    Location: west of the city

    Lake created in 1872 under Pratap Singh (Incredible India; its 84 sq km figure is a claim).

    On the map · Directions ↗

  4. Machiya Safari Park Official source

    Location: Machiya forest block · 8.5 km

    Biological park of 41 ha conceived in 1982-83 (Incredible India).

    On the map · Directions ↗

In depth: Mehrangarh Fort

Jodhpur, the Blue City founded by Rao Jodha in 1459, lies below Mehrangarh Fort; Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan, Mandore and the desert temples of Osian are nearby (Incredible India).

At a glance

Type
Hill fort (Incredible India) Official source
Height
On a 410-ft rock (Incredible India) Official source
Gates
Seven (Incredible India) Official source

History and significance

1459
Jodhpur founded by Rao Jodha (Incredible India). Official source
1740s
Toorji ka Jhalra (Incredible India). Official source
1899
Jaswant Thada commissioned (Incredible India). Official source

What to see

Mehrangarh Fort
Fort on a 410-ft rock with seven gates; Incredible India cites Time magazine calling it the "Best Fortress in Asia" in 2007 (claim).
Jaswant Thada
Marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, commissioned in 1899 (Incredible India).
Umaid Bhawan Palace
Palace blending Indian and European styles (Incredible India).
Mandore
Earlier Rathore seat; Rao Jodha founded Jodhpur in 1459 (Incredible India).

Visiting

Timings, fees
Not published on the pages read. Confirm locally. Not yet verified

Festivals

Festivals
To document. Not yet verified

Visitor guidelines

  • Remove shoes at temples, dargahs and Jain shrines and dress modestly; Jain temples may have further rules at the gate (estimate).

How to reach Mehrangarh Fort

By air
Jodhpur Airport (JDR) (Incredible India). Official source
By rail
Jodhpur station (JU) (Incredible India). Official source

Month by month

MonthTemp °CSunriseSunsetVerdict
Jan5.0-30.207:2718:06Good: cool days, cold nights
Feb7.0-34.007:1518:30Good: clear and mild
Mar12.2-39.206:4918:46Warming; Holi
Apr17.7-43.106:1619:01Hot
May22.4-45.005:5219:16Very hot: avoid midday
Jun22.7-44.705:4519:31Hottest; dust storms possible
Jul23.5-40.805:5419:33Monsoon; humid
Aug23.4-37.706:1019:16Monsoon; lakes fill
Sep22.0-39.006:2318:44Rain easing
Oct15.6-39.006:3618:11Good: post-monsoon
Nov10.1-35.306:5617:49Good; Pushkar Fair season
Dec6.2-31.707:1817:48Good: cool; cold desert nights

Suggested plans

One day
Mehrangarh and Jaswant Thada; clock tower market; Toorji ka Jhalra.
Two days
Add Umaid Bhawan museum, Mandore and Osian.

How to reach Jodhpur

By train
See the sources for the nearest station.
By air
Jaipur International Airport (JAI) is the main gateway (Incredible India).
By road
National and state highways; route details to confirm.
Headquarters
Jodhpur
Coast
Interior district

Find trains, flights, buses and tours to Jodhpur

Best time to visit Jodhpur

Best time
October to March (estimate).
Climate
Hot, dry summers (above 40 C in May-June in Incredible India's tables), short monsoon July-September, cool winters with cold desert nights (estimate).

Dates to plan around in Rajasthan

  • Pushkar Fair — Pushkar, Ajmer: About seven days around Kartik Purnima (Wikipedia); Kartik Purnima is 24 Nov 2026
  • Jaipur Literature Festival — Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur: 14-18 Jan 2027 (The Telegraph, 9 Oct 2026)
  • Desert Festival — Jaisalmer and Sam dunes: Three days; 2027 dates to confirm (Incredible India)
  • Thar festival — Barmer: March (Wikipedia)
  • Mallinath cattle fair — Tilwara, Balotra: April, about two weeks (Wikipedia)

Where to stay in Jodhpur

RTDC Hotel Ghoomar Two sources

Jodhpur

Hotel run by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (Wikipedia list). Contacts and rates to confirm.

Quick answers about Jodhpur

What is Jodhpur known for?

The Blue City: Mehrangarh, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan, Mandore and Osian.

What is the one place not to miss in Jodhpur?

Mehrangarh Fort. Fort on a 410-ft rock with seven gates; Incredible India cites Time magazine calling it the "Best Fortress in Asia" in 2007 (claim).

Which is the nearest railway station to Jodhpur?

See the sources for the nearest station.

Which is the nearest airport to Jodhpur?

Jaipur International Airport (JAI) is the main gateway (Incredible India).

When is the best time to visit Jodhpur?

October to March (estimate).

How many places are there to visit in Jodhpur?

Our guide lists 15 places in Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, across district headquarters, forts and palaces, temples and shrines, museums, havelis and culture, lakes, wildlife and nature.

Nearby, in neighbouring districts

  • Phalodi (district headquarters), Phalodi — Headquarters of Phalodi district; formed 7 August 2023 (Wikipedia).
  • Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Qila), Jaisalmer — Built in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal; a living fort where many residents still live; World Heritage as one of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Wikipedia). Incredible India's fort page returned "page not found" on 2 November 2026.

Official links and sources