Jaisamand Lake and the carvings at Jagat
Udaipur · 7 hrs · Cab included · Pickup from your stay
From ₹2850 for the whole vehicle, up to 8 people. The price is per car, not per person.
Vehicles
- Swift Dzire: Sedan. Best for a couple or a small family. ₹2850 for the vehicle.
- Tata Sumo: Rugged 8-seater. The most room for the money. ₹3250 for the vehicle.
- Innova or Ertiga: The comfortable one on a long hill day. ₹4500 for the vehicle.
The quiet day on the Udaipur list
Jaisamand is the lake nobody books. Dhebar Lake, finished in 1685, was the largest artificial lake in Asia for two and a half centuries, and the marble embankment still carries its six carved elephants, with two summer palaces built for the queens on the hill above.
On the way, Jagat: a small 10th century temple to Ambika Mata, covered in figure carving fine enough that people call it the Khajuraho of Mewar. It is usually empty, and it is the reason to make this trip rather than another lake drive.
This is the quiet day on the Udaipur list. No monument queue, no darshan window and almost no other visitors, and that is the whole point of it.
Your day, stop by stop
1. Ambika Mata Temple, Jagat
A 10th century temple on a stream, its outer walls covered in apsaras and musicians carved with a confidence that does not match its size. Restored, open and almost always empty.
2. Jaisamand embankment and the elephant cenotaphs
The marble steps down to the 1685 dam, with six carved elephants facing the water and a small Shiva shrine at the centre.
3. Hawa Mahal and Ruthi Rani ka Mahal
The two summer palaces on the hill above the lake, built for the queens of Mewar. Ruined, open to the wind, and the best view of the water.
Nothing, but the climb is unshaded
4. Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary edge
The hills across the water are a sanctuary, and the drive along its edge is where the birds are, thickest from November to February.
Sanctuary entry, if you go in
5. Jaisamand boating
A local contractor runs small boats towards the islands when the water is high enough and the weather allows. It is not reliable and we never promise it.
Boat fare at the jetty, and only if boats are running
In your price
- Private vehicle with driver for the full day
- Pickup and drop at your stay in Udaipur
- Fuel, tolls, driver allowance and parking
- The sanctuary edge drive, which is the part a hired taxi will not do
- GoExplorer support number for the day
Not included
- Sanctuary entry
- The boat fare
- Guides
- Meals
- Anything personal
What you pay on the day
- Sanctuary entry, if you go in
- The boat fare at the jetty, and only if boats are running that day
- Offerings at the temple
- Lunch and anything personal
Who this suits
Anyone who would rather see one good carving with nobody around than three famous things in a queue. The embankment steps and the palace climb are unshaded and uneven, so good shoes matter more here than anywhere else on the Udaipur list.
What to bring
A packed lunch, because the food at Jaisamand is genuinely poor. Shoes with grip for the embankment steps and the palace hill, sun cover, water, and binoculars from November to February if you care about birds.
The lake level decides what you see
After a weak monsoon Jaisamand drops a long way, the boats stop and the embankment stands well clear of the water. The drive and the carving are unaffected and the day still runs, and we would rather you knew that than arrived expecting an inland sea. November to February is the best window, for the water and the birds both.
Cancellation
- More than 24 hrs before: Full refund
- Within 24 hrs: 50% refund
- After the start time: No refund
Safety and the operator
Licensed commercial vehicle, a driver who runs these routes regularly, and a GoExplorer support number live for the duration of the booking. Seat belts fitted in all three vehicle classes.
Questions
Will the boats be running?
Often not. A local contractor runs them when the water is high enough and the weather allows, and nobody can confirm it a day in advance. We never include it in the price and never promise it. If they are running, you pay at the jetty.
Is there anywhere decent to eat?
Not really. This is the one day on the Udaipur list where we suggest asking your hotel for a packed lunch. There are dhabas on the highway and they are fine, not more.
Is Jagat worth the detour?
It is the reason for the day. The temple is small and the carving on its outer walls is as good as anything in Rajasthan at that date. If you have seen Ranakpur and want the opposite experience, this is it.
Can we see leopards in the sanctuary?
Realistically, no. Jaisamand sanctuary has them, and sightings are rare and unscheduled. The drive is for the birds and the water, and anyone promising you a leopard here is selling something.