Cover These 10 Offbeat Destinations When Touring Rajasthan (2024)
Rajasthan has a mood of its own, every time we hear the word tourism. Rajasthan is truly a tourist-friendly destination filled with history, culture, and tradition interlinked with its local architecture and beauty. Everything about Rajasthan is mesmerizing, its colourful turbans, the royal palaces, and even the people. And because of its beauty, Rajasthan has attracted a lot of tourists, and nobody would like to be surrounded by hundreds of people clicking pictures all around them. Therefore, these days, it has become a trend to explore the unexplored, so people are looking for places where very few tourists follow.
Cover These 10 Offbeat Destinations When Touring Rajasthan
Traveling around the most significant state in India can be exhilarating, and then on top of that, deciding which places to visit can become challenging. So, here we have compiled a list of the top ten offbeat destinations in Rajasthan.
1. Dundlod Fort
Located approximately 150km from Jaipur, this heritage village fulfills all your desires to live in a royal lifestyle. The Dundlod fort has been converted into a heritage hotel owned by Thakur Raghuvendra Singh. It welcomes its guests with riders on horseback wearing their Calvary dresses, giving you the perfect offbeat atmosphere. Many documentaries have been made about this place as well. Hence it has been visited by celebrities as well as photographers for the serene environment it provides. Thakur Raghuvendra Singh also leads a safari on horses so that you can explore around Dundlod and go along on a heritage walk in the city. It is an incredible experience to live in the same place where royal members of the family live and have meals that are prepared in traditional Rajasthan manner.
2. Kumbhalgarh Fort
It is the jewel in the crown of Mewar, its pride, the magnificent Kumbhalgarh fort. The fort also happens to be the birthplace of Great Maharana Pratap; therefore, it is an essential location for the people of Rajasthan. It is located around 90km from Udaipur and is a UNESCO recognized heritage site. Though many would not know it, this fort has the second most massive pre-modern walled construction after the high wall of china. You can visit this fantastic fort, which has a light and sound show explaining the history of the place. In contrast, wildlife enthusiasts can visit the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and spot some sloth bears, leopards, or chinkaras. There many short trips and places to visit around the fort area; hence Kumbhalgarh fort is a perfect offbeat location to visit when in Rajasthan.
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3. Ranthambore Forest Reserve
Ranthambore is the most vibrant place of Rajasthan, offering everything you could wish to see in Rajasthan. Forts? Check! Temples? Check! And Tiger? Check! It is the complete package better than any tour. Ranthambore forest is situated in Sawai Madhopur, around 200 km from Jaipur. It has terrific resorts to relax and enjoy with your family, an excellent market place and lakes to visit. The Ranthambore Fort is a sight to behold, situated on top of a hill surrounded by forest and tigers. It also a very romantic location during the winter season because of the light breeze and greenery around the forest. It also happens to be a top destination for wildlife photographers; hence you will find people with huge cameras hunting tigers like Kings in the earlier eras used to track tigers with guns. It truly a fantastic experience and worth the hype. The perfect offbeat destination in Rajasthan.
4. Village of Kuldhara
We dare you to visit this place at night. Rajasthan is known for its dangerous areas, and this offbeat destination is one of them. Nobody knows what happened to this village, it remains a mystery, people say that the local town folk left this place in ruins never to return again and since then this town has been vacant, situated around 40km from the city. Though we suggest you visit it during the day, those who are courageous enough can look around at night to clear their doubts. We promise you; you’ll come back from this place, having a few ghost stories to share with your friends.
5. Dhalop Village, Padampura
It is one of the lesser-known places in Rajasthan, which is worth mentioning in Rajasthan’s list of best offbeat destinations. Situated near Udaipur, this village lies around 84 abandoned villages that were left by the people. Dhalop village has a serene lake that provides water for the whole town. It has a tradition of drinking opium water in the morning to help you focus, and if you are an early riser, you could drink the juice from the village elders. They say that it helps the men focus better and hence has become a tradition for the people. You can camp on the outskirts and witness a sky full of stars, which will be an experience of a lifetime.
6. Ramthara Fort
This fort has received its epitome in latticework and traditional Rajasthani peasant artistry. It has been converted to a heritage hotel where you can enjoy the varieties of dishes. It is constructed on a hilltop overlooking the Kalisil Lake. It also has national parks located all around it as it is 80km from Sawai Madhopur. The fort offers sophisticated décor and breath-taking views all around for your family to enjoy their little vacation in royal style. This restored historic building will give you ample time to reflect and absorb the beauty around. People stay here close to nature and spend their time in the Ganesh temple and Shiva Mandir. You can also spot birds and dears around, and if you’re lucky, you’ll hear wolves howling in the night.
7. Longewala
Situated 120km from Jaisalmer is a historic place where a battle between India and Pakistan occurred in 1971. This place offers no hotels to stay in and hence is a complete offbeat place in Rajasthan. You’ll have to stay in tents, and organizers have a lot of activities planned during the day, you can also go the border and see where the battle took place you take a walk in the Thar Deserts and play in dunes early in the morning. It offers you a fantastic alternative to enjoy like the locals in the area so remote and discover how it feels to live in the desert.
8. Bhap Village, Phalodi District
One of India’s last villages along the Rajasthan border, this offbeat destination, allows you to explore the salt lakes in India. You can see the worker’s difficult work as they toil under the unforgiving sun. These salt lakes make the sunset in the desert seem more beautiful and are a sight to behold. The evening sky is so mesmerizing that it will want you to sketch it out or capture the image in your eyes.
9. Nagaur
This city is situated between Jodhpur and Bikaner and is known for its spices being rich in mineral resources. It has its fort, which is a sight to behold. It also has its own Jal Mahal situated where you can go for boating and even spot some crocodiles in the water. You can also go around the city, exploring different temples and the famous Raza masjid. You can also visit Pushkar from here, which is a pilgrimage site that attracts lots of foreigners also. There is also an annual camel fair, which is held in autumn for seven days.
10. Churu
Churu is situated 180km away from Bikaner, and reaching it can be a daunting task, but it has its advantages with well-maintained colorful Havelis and gorgeous temple complexes. You can stay in Malji Ka Kamra, which is converted into a hotel and organizes trips around the city and helps you explore. Churu is also known as the doorway to the Thar Desert. You can also enjoy the fresco paintings unique to this place.
Conclusion
Rajasthan is truly an incredible destination with multiple places to visit with something for everybody. There are hidden gems in Rajasthan, areas that are yet to be explored. Rajasthan has a special kind of effect on people; hence to decide your offbeat destination can be an issue. So, to decide, look for things that interest you, look for places that will give you an experience you want, places that you want to explore and excite you. Your destination can change according to the people who are accompanying you; it depends on whether you are visiting with your family friends or on a solo trip.
