Jodhpur is the historic capital of the Marwar kingdom and Rajasthan's second city, known as the Blue City for the indigo-washed old town spread beneath Mehrangarh Fort.
Jodhpur announces itself from miles away: Mehrangarh Fort, one of India's most impressive hilltop fortresses, standing four hundred feet above a city painted a hundred shades of blue. The Rathore dynasty built to intimidate, and five centuries later it still works.
Below the ramparts, the old city hums — spice markets around the clock tower, hidden stepwellsStepwellA well reached by a long descending staircase, so that water can still be drawn as the water table falls.Read in the glossary, artisan workshops in lanes barely wider than their doorways. Jodhpur is Rajasthan with its sleeves rolled up.
Signature Experiences
- ◆Mehrangarh Fort and its museum collections
- ◆Blue City heritage walk
- ◆Jaswant Thada marble memorial
- ◆Traditional market exploration
Optional, By Arrangement
- ◆Zipline across Mehrangarh's ramparts
- ◆Bishnoi village visit
- ◆Marwari cooking class
- ◆Evening folk music performance
Where We Place Our Guests
- Umaid Bhawan PalaceOne of the world's largest private residences — Art Deco beneath a golden dome, the royal family still in one wing.
- RAAS JodhpurA contemporary heritage haveli directly below Mehrangarh Fort, with red-sandstone jharokhas and rooftop views of it.
The Table
- Traditional Marwari lunch
- Heritage rooftop dinner
- Royal Rajasthani thali
Curator's Advisory
Combine Mehrangarh's grandeur, the bazaars' vibrancy and the Blue City's winding streets — and take the fort early, before the light hardens.
In & Around Jodhpur
Jodhpur sits within our Rajasthan region guide.
Attractions
Where to Stay
Journeys Through Jodhpur
The Journal
Related Reading
Rajasthan's Hidden Estates: Beyond Jaipur, Jodhpur & Udaipur
Past the famous three cities lies a quieter Rajasthan — marble Jain temples, forgotten forts, and private estates where you may be the only guests.
The Palace Circuit of Rajasthan: Jaipur, Jodhpur & Udaipur
The three great royal cities of Rajasthan, each with its own colour and character — and the case for experiencing them as a single, unbroken palace journey.
Jodhpur: How to Read the Blue City
Most visits to Jodhpur are a fort in the morning and a drive out after lunch. The city rewards considerably more than that — and the blue houses are not decorative.