Nicknamed ‘The Blue City”, Jodhpur is a relatively quiet and exciting place to visit in India’s Rajasthan region. I have a feeling you’ll quickly fall in love with the narrow winding roads, pops of blue, and all of the incredible places to visit in Jodhpur.
Sadly, I only had time to explore the best places to visit in Jodhpur in two days during my two month trip in India, but I felt that 48 hours was more than enough time to see the best in the city.
So if you also only have a couple of days to spare, here is an ultimate list of things to do, places to eat, and places to stay to fill up a two day Jodhpur itinerary.
But before you go, check out my India Travel Tips for some helpful travel advice.
Without further adieu – here are the best things to do in Jodhpur in two days!
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click my links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Learn more on my disclosure page. Thank you for your support!
Where to Stay in Jodhpur
Here’s a quick list of the best hostels in Jodhpur.
Bob Hostel – Cheap Cheap Cheap
About $3/night
Bob Hostel is a mega-budget option for those traveling to Jodhpur on the cheap. They’re rooms start around $3/night and serve up a decent 8.4 review on Booking.com. They have a good location and decent amenities.
Moustache Hostel – Budget Accommodation
About $5-8/night
Moustache is a backpacker hostel staple in India, with locations in nearly every popular city. They’re affordable, social, and offer a lot of nice services for travelers such as laundry, tours, transportation booking, etc. They also have a walking tour to take you to the best things to see in Jodhpur and help you take some beautiful photos. Their walking tour is 250 rupees / $3.50 USD.
Yogis Guesthouse – Popular Jodhpur Hostel
About $5-8/night
Yogis Guesthouse is a super cute hostel located in a traditional haveli Indian building. They have a nice rooftop with good views and are in a good location. As with Moustache, they aren’t the cheapest accommodation in the city but offer a good price for flashpackers or travelers with a higher budget.
Rani Mahal – Mid-Range Hotel
About $50/night
Rani Mahal is a pretty traditional haveli that I mentioned above in the where to eat section! Their rooftop and great central location go over well with travelers, and their pricing starts around $50 USD per night, which if split with another person is still pretty decent for nice quality accommodation.
This fort was by far my favorite in Rajasthan – a must visit place to see in Jodhpur
9 Best Places to Visit in Jodhpur in Two Days
To assist you with your Jodhpur itinerary planning, here is a list of the best Jodhpur attractions that you can easily see in two days.
1. Mehrangarh Fort
600 Rupees + 200 Rupee Camera Fee ($6.40 / $1.40)
The famous Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur is one of the largest in all of India. Built in the 1400s, it’s built high above the city and fortified by impressively thick walls. The architecture inside is very intricate and beautiful. You can tell a lot of care and hard work went into building this massively impressive fort.
Mehrangarh is open every day from 9 am – 5 pm and costs foreign visitors 600 rupees / $6.40 USD (the price increased early 2019). If you have a camera, you’ll have to pay an additional 100 rupees / $1.40 USD. This will be your most expensive excursion in India but it’s worth it. The entrance fee includes an audio guide that provided some pretty cool history. We spent over two hours wandering the fort and enjoyed our time there.
2. Maa Jwalamukhi Devi Temple
Free
This temple doesn’t seem to show up on many places to see in Jodhpur lists which is surprising because I thought this was one of the coolest spots in Jodhpur! While on our walking tour with Moustache Hostel, we wandered through the blue streets and narrow alleyways up to this temple situated on an elevated ridge.
From the temple, you can see the fort behind and above you and the bright blue city below you. It’s a great place to visit for sunset views and cool photography! The walk here takes you through small alleyways in the heart of the blue city, which in and of itself is pretty cool.
3. Umaid Bhawan Palace
50 Rupees ($0.70)
The Umaid Bhawan Palace is one of the largest privately owned residences in the world. It’s a pretty unique set up. The palace is home to the royal family but also houses a hotel by the same name and a museum for visitors who want to see the grounds and the expensive goodies owned by the royal family.
I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a must-see attraction, but if you have the time, or even can afford a night or two in the Umaid Bhawan Palace Hotel, I say go for it! It’s absolutely beautiful.
4. Jaswant Thada
Free
Jaswant Thada is a large and opulent cenotaph located near the Mehrangarh Fort. It’s white and very intricately detailed architecture was built in 1899 to honor the passing of royal Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Today the surrounding grounds are very well kept – astoundingly green for being next to a desert rock park – and the building is a joy to wander around in. If you’re already visiting the fort, it’s just a short hop over to Jaswant Thada via tuk-tuk.
5. Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
100 Rupees ($1.40)
Sitting just next to Mehrangarh Fort, Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park is a neat little place to wander around. Established as a means to restore the local ecology, and now is a great place for people to walk around and enjoy the local flora and fauna.Entry costs only 100 rupees / $1.40 USD and their hours are 7am – 6:30pm April – September and 8am – 5:30pm October – March.
6. Stepwell in Middle of City
Free
The Jodhpur Stepwell or Toorji Ka Jhalra Bavdi is a historical site located in the heart of Jodhpur. The depth of the water varies with the time of year, and you can catch views of kids jumping from the very top into the deep waters below for a swim!
It’ll give you a heart attack but watching the kiddos have fun cooling off was cool to see. There is no entrance fee or opening hours and the best views are from the Stepwell Cafe right next door.
7. Mandore Gardens
Free
The Mandore Gardens are home to ancient temples, ruins, and tomb-like structures built to honor past rulers of Jodhpur. The gardens are the site of an old, abandoned ancient city that was thriving centuries earlier.
It’s located about 9 km out of the center of the city, but a tuk-tuk or uber ride shouldn’t cost you too much. The parks are only open during the day and there isn’t an entrance fee. Watch out for naughty monkeys while you’re there!
8. Sadar Market + Ghanta Ghar Clock Tower
Free
I felt that Sadar Market was one of the best places for shopping in while I was traveling around India! They had some of the most reasonable prices and the shop owners were actually pleasant to haggle with (unlike my experience in Jaipur! They were aggressive there!)
When visiting the market, be sure to take a gander at the Ghanta Ghar clock tower, as it’s one of the important monuments in the city. You also MUST – it’s non-negotiable – stop for a quick snack from the famous Jodhpur Omelette Man. Beware of posers trying to steal his customers! He’s located right outside of the gates and had a signposting that he was “shop #153”. He charged 40 rupees for an omelet and toast while we were there.
9. The Old Blue City
Free
Jodhpur is famously known as the blue city so obviously, you have to go see the blue city! Not every single building in Jodhpur is painted blue but there are pops of color scattered around the neighborhoods. I recommend exploring the Chandpole area and the neighborhoods near the Maa Jwalamukhi Devi Temple for the bluest photo ops!
If you book a stay with Moustache Hostel Jodhpur, they offer a walking tour for 250 rupees / $3.50 to show you where the famous blue spots are as well as give you some historical information about why exactly locals began painting their homes blue. Brief summary: the color blue is associated with Lord Shiva, helps reflect heat and keeps away the bugs (who knew?).
Where to Eat in Jodhpur
One of the best things to do in Jodhpur is explore the local food! Whether or not you’re on a budget or have money burning a hole in your pocket, street food is def the way to go.
Here are some of the tastiest places to eat in Jodhpur.
Rani Mahal
Map.
Rani Mahal is a boutique haveli, Indian guesthouse, with an in-house restaurant that’s highly rated on TripAdvisor. The food is good quality and delicious, but what really gets visitors in the door is their rooftop with amazing views of the Mehrangarh Fort and Blue City walls. Who doesn’t love a restaurant with a good rooftop view?
Stepwell Cafe
Map.
The Stepwell Cafe is a great place to take a break from the heat and refresh with a cooling cup of iced coffee. The cafe is super cute and Insta friendly and is right next to the famous Jodhpur Stepwell. We loved watching the local kids swimming and jumping into the water from the steps above – even if it did give us a heart attack!
The Blue Turban
Map.
Another rooftop restaurant in Jodhpur with fabulous views, The Blue Turban is another favorite stop for travelers. The restaurant is part of a 2-star hotel and offers a cozy place to enjoy your meal. Even if you’re not hungry, The Blue Turban is one of the best places to visit in Jodhpur just for the epic views of the elevated blue city.
Namaste Cafe
Map.
What do we have here? ANOTHER super duper cute rooftop cafe in Jodhpur. The people know how beautiful their city and is and do a fabulous job showing it off. Reviewers love how friendly the staff is and the delicious food.
The Omelette Man
Map.
Let’s take a step back from the cute and trendy restaurants and talk about the real star of the city, the famous Omelette Man of Jodhpur. His stand is located outside of the front entrance to Sadar Market and his reputation truly precedes him – even the guide books rave! He serves up a mean omelette with toast for 40 rupees / $0.56 USD.
Shahi Samosa
Map.
Shahi Samosa is another famous street food stand in Jodhpur. Pick up one of their famous-amongst-locals samosas for only 20 rupees / $0.28 USD. They make for a great snack or even a full meal if you get a few. Samosas were my addiction in India.
The Laughing B Bar
Map.
The Laughing B Bar is a great place for cocktails in Jodhpur if you’re feeling the need to wet your whistle in this predominantly dry area of Jodhpur. It’s honestly not the best place for a meal – they serve up sub-par western food for an expensive price – but it IS alcohol and western food, which after weeks in India you may just need a bit of. The best part is they host a ladies’ night on Thursday where women drink free.
Backpacking Travel Tips for Jodhpur
1. Check all resources before booking accommodation
Dates/season affects the prices in India. Be sure to check both booking.com and hostelworld.com as well as the local India websites like OyoRooms to ensure you get the best budget price in Jodhpur.
2. It’s usually best to book tours and accommodation in person
We often found going to the physical tour places or hostels and booking in person got us the best price. However, there were instances when they were sold out or did have a better deal online. The best thing to do is to ask around, check both in-person and online and book a day or two in advance after you’ve arrived at that destination.
3. Eat street food
If your stomach can bear it, this is honestly the best way to not only save money, but to get to know the culture. Indian food is delicious you should eat it up while you can!
4. Walk/Tuk-Tuk instead of Uber
Again, one of the best ways to save money in Jodhpur. Try splitting tuk-tuk rides with other hostel peeps too for an even cheaper ride.
5. Try to spend at least 2 days in Jodhpur
If you have the time, try to budget at least two days in Jodhpur to properly see all of the best attractions and to enjoy the slow pace of the city. There aren’t really that many Jodhpur tourist attractions, but just sitting at the best restaurants or strolling the markets was a lot of fun.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click my links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Learn more on my disclosure page. Thank you for your support!
I hope you enjoy exploring all of the best places to visit in Jodhpur! Share below if I missed anything.
This is such a nice blog & Images it’s really great. Thank you for sharing with us keep posting – JCRCAB
Thanks so much for your kind words! I appreciate the support 😍
Hi Brit
I assume you had a wonderful stay in Jodhpur.
The post you have created has everything a person who is visiting Jodhpur should need to know…
Wonderful!
Hi Rajat, thank you so much for your kind comment!! I had a truly wonderful time in Jodhpur! I hope to visit again someday soon! 😀