Things to Do in Udaipur Beyond the Sightseeing
Cooking classes, boat rides, sunset points, folk shows, hill treks, scooty rides and street food. The best experiences in Udaipur, with real ticket prices and tips from our local team.
More Than Palaces and Temples
Last updated: November 2026
Most visitors come to Udaipur for City Palace and the lakes, but the days you remember are usually the ones spent doing something: cooking a thali, crossing Lake Pichola at sunset or riding a scooty up to Monsoon Palace.
This page brings every kind of activity together in one place, grouped by type. Ticket prices are the ones we checked in November 2026 and can change, so confirm at the counter before you go. For the main sights, see our places to visit, and for planning the whole trip, our Udaipur travel guide.
Our Top Picks
The experiences our team would choose first.
Evening Boat on Lake Pichola
We have done the boat rides at every lake, and the sunset ride on Pichola is still the one we recommend first.
A Rajasthani Cooking Class
Cooking is close to our hearts. Making dal baati or a thali yourself is the best way to understand Mewar food.
Scooty to Monsoon Palace
Ride up the hill to Sajjangarh for sunset, then back past Fateh Sagar on Rani Road.
Dharohar Folk Dance
An hour of Rajasthani music and dance at Bagore Ki Haveli, every evening from 7 PM.
Street Food on 100 Ft Road
Our tip for an evening snack crawl: the stalls on 100 Ft Road near Swagat Vatika.
A Morning Hill Walk
Start early with a short trek in the Aravalli hills around the city before the day warms up.
Classes and Workshops
Hands-on experiences where you go home with a skill, a recipe or something you made yourself.
Rajasthani Cooking Class
A cooking class is one of the most rewarding things to do in Udaipur. Most classes run in a family home, take around two to three hours and end with you eating what you cooked. Expect dishes like dal, a sabzi such as gatte or ker sangri, and a Rajasthani bread. Ask in advance if you need a fully vegetarian menu.
Options listed on booking platforms include Raj and Gita’s home cooking class (about three hours) and several family-run classes in the old city. We have not reviewed these classes ourselves yet, so compare recent guest reviews before you book.
Miniature Painting Workshop
Udaipur is known for Mewar miniature painting, done with fine brushes and natural colours. Short workshops let you paint a small piece of your own under a local artist. One listed option is Pacific Art near Chand Pole and Ambamata, where classes take about one and a half to two hours. Many art shops around Gangaur Ghat and Jagdish Chowk also show artists at work.
Photography Walks
The old city lanes, ghats and havelis make Udaipur one of the most photogenic cities in Rajasthan. Guided photo walks and e-bike photography tours of the old city are offered on booking platforms, and local photography groups also hold public photo walks from time to time, which we list on our events page. On your own, go early: the ghats are quiet and the light is soft just after sunrise.
Turban Tying and Mehendi
In the market lanes around Jagdish Chowk and at cultural venues, you can try having a Rajasthani pagdi tied or mehendi applied. Agree on the price before you start.
Boat Rides and Lakes
Each of Udaipur’s lakes has its own kind of boat ride. These are separate tickets with separate counters.
Lake Pichola Boat Ride (Doodh Talai)
A round on Lake Pichola of about 15 to 20 minutes, with views of City Palace and the ghats. Normal boat: ₹198 per person for Indians and ₹396 for foreign visitors. Luxury boat: ₹396 and ₹792. Go around sunset for the best light.
Jagmandir Island Excursion
A longer boat trip to the island palace of Jag Mandir. Morning excursion ₹600 per adult (₹300 child), evening ₹800 (₹450 child), plus ₹50 per person complex entry. This is a different ticket from the Doodh Talai ride. Read our Jag Mandir guide for timings.
Fateh Sagar and Nehru Park
On Fateh Sagar, a boat takes you to the island garden of Nehru Park: ₹250 for Indian adults, ₹108 for children aged 3 to 8 and ₹430 for foreign adults. Entry to the park itself is free. Smaller paddle and motor boats also run on the lake.
Badi Lake and Jaisamand
For a quieter lake, ride out to Badi Lake on the edge of the city, or make a half-day trip to Jaisamand, one of the largest lakes in the region.
Sunset Points and Views
Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace)
The hilltop palace is Udaipur’s classic sunset spot. Entry is ₹194.63 for Indians and ₹630.24 for foreign visitors. Vehicles pay a separate entry fee: ₹379.25 for a car or jeep and ₹82 for a two-wheeler. Open 9 AM to 5:30 PM in winter and until 6 PM in summer. The Sajjangarh Biological Park at the foot of the hill is a separate ticket and is closed on Tuesdays.
Karni Mata Ropeway
A short ropeway ride up to the Karni Mata temple with a wide view over Lake Pichola. Return ticket ₹119.70 per person, ₹59.85 for children below 110 cm. Parking is ₹10 for a two-wheeler and ₹20 for a car.
Eklavya Vatika and the Lakeside Parks
Our own favourite. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Park and the neighbouring Eklavya Vatika near Lake Pichola are quieter than the ghats. Eklavya Vatika entry is ₹20 for Indians and ₹100 for foreign visitors, and it is open to everyone for morning walks.
Ambrai Ghat and Gangaur Ghat
Both ghats face the old city across the water and fill up in the evening. Ambrai is best for the view of City Palace lit up after dark.
Shows, Museums and Culture
Dharohar Folk Dance Show
A one-hour show of Rajasthani folk dance and music at Bagore Ki Haveli, daily from 7 to 8 PM. Tickets ₹125 for Indian adults, ₹250 for foreign tourists and ₹75 for children, plus ₹125 for photo or video. The counter opens at 4 PM, and seats go quickly in season. The haveli museum is a separate ticket. See our Bagore Ki Haveli guide.
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal Puppet Show
A folk art museum with regular puppet and folk shows, a good stop with children. Museum and show together cost ₹230 for Indians and ₹380 for foreigners. The show alone is ₹120 to ₹140 for Indians and ₹250 for foreigners. The museum is open 9 AM to 5:30 PM, and the last evening show finishes around 7:15 PM.
Moti Magri Light and Sound
The Maharana Pratap memorial on Moti Magri hill overlooks Fateh Sagar. Entry ₹150, and the evening sound and light show is ₹100 (7:30 PM in winter, 8:15 PM in summer).
Shilpgram Crafts Village
A rural arts village with traditional houses from across western India. Entry ₹60 for Indian adults and ₹150 for foreign adults, open 11 AM to 7 PM daily, with free parking. It is busiest during Shilpgram Utsav in late December.
More to See
Saheliyon Ki Bari garden (₹20 Indian, ₹100 foreign), the Vintage and Classic Car Collection (₹330 adult) and the Under The Sun aquarium (₹174 Indian adult, open 8 AM to 11 PM) are easy additions to a city day. For the big palace visit, read our City Palace guide.
Treks, Rides and the Outdoors
Trekking and Hill Walks
Udaipur is ringed by the Aravalli hills, and short treks are one of our favourite ways to start a day. Easy options include the Bahubali Hills walk near Badi Lake and the climb to Neemach Mata temple above Fateh Sagar (a ropeway also runs there, ₹220 adult return). Go early in the morning, carry water and wear proper shoes, as the paths are rocky.
Exploring by Scooty
A scooty is the most fun way to see the outer side of the city: Fateh Sagar and Rani Road, the climb to Monsoon Palace, and the drive to Badi Lake. You can rent one from Udaipur Ride from ₹400 a day, delivered to your hotel. See scooty on rent in Udaipur for routes and rules.
Horse Riding
Countryside horse rides are offered at farm stays in the hills around the city, such as Krishna Ranch, about 5 km from Udaipur. We have not tried these ourselves yet, so check recent reviews and confirm the ride length before booking.
Cycling and E-Bike Tours
Guided cycle and e-bike tours of the old city and the villages outside it are offered on booking platforms. Mornings are best, before traffic builds.
Street Food, Markets and Shopping
Street Food Evening
Our tip for street food is 100 Ft Road near Swagat Vatika, where evening stalls serve local snacks and chaat. For a full meal, try unlimited dal baati at Honey Dal Baati, which at the time of writing costs ₹100 for as much as you can eat.
Markets
Hathi Pol, Bada Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar are the main markets for textiles, juttis, silver, miniature paintings and souvenirs. Bargaining is normal, but keep it friendly.
Rooftop Dinner by the Lake
End at least one evening at a rooftop restaurant in the old city facing Lake Pichola. Book ahead in December and on long weekends.
Evenings, Cafes and Events
Udaipur’s evenings range from quiet lakeside cafes to club nights, live music and festival celebrations. What is on changes every week, so check our Udaipur events calendar for parties, concerts, expos and festivals happening during your dates.
Day Trips
With an extra day, head to Kumbhalgarh Fort and Ranakpur, the temples of Nathdwara and Eklingji, or Chittorgarh Fort. Our travel guide covers distances, and Udaipur Ride’s itineraries have ready-made day plans with a taxi.
Things to Do in Udaipur: FAQ
An evening boat ride on Lake Pichola, followed by the Dharohar folk dance show at Bagore Ki Haveli at 7 PM, makes a perfect first evening.
The normal Doodh Talai boat ride costs ₹198 per person for Indians and ₹396 for foreign visitors for about 15 to 20 minutes. The Jagmandir island excursion is a separate ticket from ₹600 per adult plus ₹50 entry (checked November 2026).
Yes. Several family-run cooking classes teach Rajasthani dishes, usually in a home kitchen over two to three hours, ending with a meal of what you cooked.
Daily from 7 PM to 8 PM at Bagore Ki Haveli, Gangaur Ghat. The ticket counter opens at 4 PM. Tickets are ₹125 for Indian adults and ₹250 for foreign tourists.
Watch the sunset from Monsoon Palace or Eklavya Vatika, take a sunset boat on Lake Pichola, see the Dharohar show or the Moti Magri sound and light show, try street food on 100 Ft Road, or check our events page for parties and concerts.