The Best Places to Visit in Bundi, Rajasthan

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The incredible places to visit in Bundi and its off-the-tourist-path location makes Bundi one the most underrated cities in Rajasthan.

Bundi was one of the first stops on my two month backpacking trip in India, and I’m so glad I didn’t skip out on this cute and charming little town in Rajasthan. Although small, there are actually so many worthwhile things to do in Bundi. We instantly fell in love with the friendly people, delicious restaurants, and chill vibes throughout this historic town.

If you’re headed to Rajasthan, you won’t want to miss Bundi. And I’ve got you covered with the best things to do, places to eat, and where to stay. For more India travel tips, peep my other guide!

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 Bundi

Surprisingly, there are a lot of cozy places to stay in Bundi, most of which are guesthouses that are a part of locals homes. If you like to plan and book ahead, check out these three lodging options in Bundi.

The Castle View Homestay is a great option for travelers visiting Bundi as it’s clean, has friendly hosts and a great view of the castle. Homestays in India are a classic way to visit a new city and you’ll find them more than hotels or hostels.

Bhavyam Homestay & Cafe is a guest favorite in small little Bundi and it’s especially popular amongst backpackers looking to be social and meet others. $3/night doesn’t get much cheaper than that!

Hotel Bundi House is a beautiful new building that’s been designed in the classic Indian Haveli (traditional guesthouse) style. It’s situated right next to the lake offering great views and the rooftop restaurant is fantastic.

8 Best Things to do and Places to Visit in Bundi

Some of the best places to visit in Bundi include palace ruins, bustling markets, and spiritual landmarks. Prepare for an exciting adventure and be on the look out for monkeys!

1. Garh Palace / Chitrashala / Ratan Daulat / Elephant Gate.

The Garh Palace is definitely one of the best places to visit in Bundi. The entrance fee is 500 rupees / $7 USD and it’s open between 8am – 5pm. We had so much fun sneaking up all of the many staircases that led to dilapidated upper floors. Many areas of the palace have been left to deteriorate naturally so it was cool to see how parts of the building has fared over the years.

Once you’re in the palace, you aren’t allowed to leave without marveling at Chitrashala (a room of well-preserved historical paintings), Ratan Daulat (a huge white marble pavilion overlooking the palace/city) or the Elephant Gate (I think the name speaks for itself)! These are some of the most famous ‘landmarks’ inside the palace. They’re not super well marked or mapped out, but they’re not hard to find with a good wander. 

2. Taragarh Fort.

From the palace, there’s a trail that leads to the Taragarh Fort, built in the 14^thcentury. It’s free / included in the palace fees as far as we could tell!  It’s about a 20+ minute “hike” up a steady incline so bring lots of water and wear good walking shoes. Beware of the naughty monkeys that run around the trail and the overgrown, scratchy brush.

The fort was also such a cool thing to do in Bundi. Here everything has truly been left to nature and between the various structures and cracks, plants have grown free – so don’t expect a single epic intact fort. It’s a great place for the imagination to run wild while wandering between the ruins.

On the edge of the grounds, there’s a tall tower at the top of a giant ramp that offers some pretty cool views of the city from below. You should be able to easily spot it from the fort grounds, and make your way to it. Have fun!

3. Sadar Bazar and Markets.

For as small as Bundi is, there was an abundance of street stalls lining most of the city center streets. There were all different things to buy from Indian gold jewelry (I got a cute nose ring here!), cheap clothes, cute trinkets, various foods and more.

Walking the streets taking in the amazing architecture and checking out the shops was really enjoyable. I highly recommend it as one of the top attractions in Bundi.

4. Visit one of many stepwells.

Bundi has been dubbed the city of stepwells, and has more than 50 of these ancient wells for visitors to see. The most popular one is Raniji Ki Baori and has an entrance fee of either 100 or 200 rupees. I swear we were told 200 in person but when I googled to confirm, it says 100. Sorry for the uncertainty folks!

Best to prepare for both possibilities – we actually encountered many price discrepancies for tourist attractions since the government has recently increased the fees in early 20u19. But price confusion aside, Raniji Ki Baori is famous for its stunning stone carvings and intricate design and is well regarded as the best in the city.

Unfortunately, we skipped it in the name of saving money and instead decided to visit the giant free stepwell called Dhabaiji ka Kundlocatedin the middle of the city. It’s massive and makes for good photography fun. The other major stepwells to consider visiting are; Naval Sagar, Purushottam Ki Baori, Chand Baori, Manohar Ji Ki Baori, Sukhi Baori, Sisodia Ji Ki Baori

5. Nawal Sagar.

Nawal Sagar is a picturesque lake in Bundi located at the base of the fort and palace and you can actually see it from above while on the palace grounds. Built in the middle of the lake, completely surrounded by water is the ancient temple of Lord Varuna. If you’re up for it, we were told you can hire a boat to take a ride around the temple.

6. Sukh Mahal.

An ancient summer palace built during the reign of Umed Singh, this lake side palace has been left to ruins. It’s a pretty sight to behold and is well worth the 15-minute walk to get there from the city center. A good addition to any 2 day Bundi itinerary.

7. Get Henna.

During one of our lunch stops, we befriended the family who owned the restaurant and quickly learned that the daughter was well known in town for her skillful henna abilities. At first hesitant, we were all onboard once we learned the price was only 150 rupees /$2.15 per henna design for me and my two friends.

A pretty good deal for India, and thanks to the fact that Bundi is not a popular tourist destination at all. If you’re up for a bit of henna, you should get it in Bundi at the Sanvariya restaurant – as well as some killer chai and hospitality. 

8. Try Bhang.

Bhang is an edible form of marijuana and is a cultural institution in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Illegal in smoking form and hard to find in many other states in the country, there’s no shortage in Rajasthan nor here in Bundi. If you’re up for a little bit of a cultural trip, consider trying the local bhang cake or lassi.

If that’s not your cup of tea, it’s all good! But take a gander at the local government bhang shop and maybe even have a nice chat with the owner to learn more about the historical and cultural significance of weed in the area.

Where to Eat: The Best Restaurants in Bundi

Now that we’ve covered what the best things to do are, let’s get down to my true favorite pastime and cover the best restaurants in Bundi. While the town has too many street stalls and restaurants to really give thorough recommendations, these were a few places that deserved a shout out for their fame, delicious goodies and hospitality. 

Mangi Lal Samosa Center.

Famous for being some of the best samosa in Bundi, you’ll most likely arrive to a massive crowd/line waiting for a few of these tasty fried goodies You first must pay, 10 rupees / $0.14 for two, and then you’ll receive a green chip.

Take your token to the samosa counter immediately next to the till, scramble for someone’s attention (you will get skipped and overtaken so you gotta fight for it!), get your samosa and enjoy!

Sathi Lassi.

Near the entrance to Garh Palace, Sathi Lassi is famous for their tasty lassis. Pay 50 rupees / $0.72 for a flavor explosion in lassi form. A nice refreshing way to take a break and refuel during the day.

Ringo Starr Restaurant. 

This little restaurant doesn’t look like much, but don’t you dare miss the opportunity to eat one of the fresh, local and homecooked dishes served up at Ringo Starr. The owner makes and prepares EVERYTHING from scratch (included dough people!), so that means your meal will take some time, but it’s worth the wait.

For four people it probably took us over an hour to all have received our food – just as a heads up. He has Uno and board games in the shop for your waiting enjoyment. Seriously, we loved it so much we came back despite the long wait.

Sanvariya Restaurant.

Stopping originally for a nice little chai break, we ended up staying much longer than anticipated due to the insanely friendly hospitality of the family who owns the shop. We were fed big portions, got henna on our arms, and were given a private rooftop tour of their home!

It was one of those completely unexpected moments that ended up being one of my favorite memories in Bundi. Not sure you’ll have the same experience, but worth it in any case – the restaurant has outdoor seating right on the main street!

How to get to Bundi

It’s hard to tell you exactly how to get to Bundi because it’s all dependent on your route – there are millions of ways to see India. But to give you the gist of how to get to Bundi from two major hubs in Rajasthan, Udaipur and Jaipur, I’ll cover the basics here.

Jaipur to Bundi by Train + Bus.

Jaipur is the biggest city in Rajasthan and is part of the Indian golden triangle making it a very popular tourist destination. From Jaipur, you can actually catch a direct bus or a direct train to Bundi. 

Direct Train from Jaipur to Bundi: The direct train only leaves on Fridays, so you’ll have to keep that in mind for your travel planning. The travel time is about 9 hours and the cost for the sleeper class (seats that lay down and are without A/C) is 265 rupees / $3.85. You can buy the tickets at the train station or online at the irctc.co.in transportation website.

Train to Bundi with a transfer in Kota: If traveling on a Friday doesn’t suit your schedule, you should consider the train from Jaipur to Kota (about 3.5 hours and 200 rupees for sleeper) and then Kota to Bundi (about 40 min and 150 rupees for sleeper). These trains depart daily and have a few time options.

Direct bus from Jaipur to Bundi: There are also numerous bus options for you to get from Jaipur to Bundi that range from 3.5+ hours and 300+ rupees. Redbus is a great website for you to search and see what buses are available. I recommend booking at the station though as the Redbus website is sometimes difficult to use.

Udaipur to Bundi by Bus + Train.

Direct train from Udaipur to Bundi: When I was traveling in India, I actually came from Udaipur and took the direct train. The train is about 5-6 hours depending on the route, and should run you about 200+ rupees for the sleeper class (which I recommend for budget travelers. I don’t recommend general – the lowest class). 

Direct Bus from Udaipur to Bundi: There are also direct buses you can take if it suits your schedule better. The buses are about a 7+ hour ride and run about 200 rupees too. The train will be faster for you but the bus is also a viable option.

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 this comprehensive guide to the best places to visit in Bundi helps you on your adventure! Leave any questions or comments below.