Three friends, seven nights, one wedding in Beawar. Forts and food in Jaipur, a night under the stars in the Thar desert, and the lakes and palaces of Udaipur.
We attend one of the two in Beawar (near Ajmer). Each choice gets its own route. Both start with the same flight into Jaipur on 8 Dec.
Desert first: one big Jaipur day, the night train to Jaisalmer and a night in the dunes. Then a long drive east to the wedding in Beawar, and three slow days in Udaipur. Fly home from Udaipur.
Times include realistic road and train durations. Morning starts early on fort days to beat the crowds.
Eat · Eat before the flight. Late snack from the hostel café or Swiggy.
Eat · Breakfast: pyaaz kachori at Rawat Mishthan Bhandar · Lunch: Rajasthani thali at LMB, Johari Bazaar · Dinner: Masala Chowk street-food court (Ram Niwas Bagh), or laal maas at Peacock Rooftop
Book ahead · Overnight train Jaipur → Jaisalmer on IRCTC (book now)
Eat · Brunch: makhaniya lassi at Kanchan Shree, then a thali at Chandan Shree · Snack: ghotua laddoo at Dhanraj Bhatia Sweets · Dinner and breakfast: included at camp
Book ahead · Desert camp with camel safari, including station pickup and bag drop
Eat · Breakfast at camp · Lunch: mirchi vada and makhaniya lassi at a highway stop near Jodhpur · Dinner: at the wedding · Buy Beawar's famous til-patti (sesame brittle); December is peak season for it
Book ahead · One-way cab camp → Beawar (book ahead) · confirm the Beawar stay with the hosts
Eat · Lunch: on the road · Dinner: Ambrai at Amet Haveli (lakeside, reserve), or Upre rooftop for the view
Book ahead · Ambrai or Upre table for sunset
Eat · Breakfast: poha and kachori from the Jagdish Chowk stalls · Lunch: unlimited thali at Natraj Dining Hall · Dinner: Millets of Mewar (local grains, great dal-baati)
Book ahead · Sunset boat (buy at the jetty in the morning) · Dharohar tickets at the haveli counter
Eat · Breakfast: hostel café · Lunch: thali at a dhaba near Ranakpur · Dinner: Fateh Sagar street snacks, or Natraj again
Book ahead · Day cab Udaipur → Kumbhalgarh → Ranakpur → Udaipur (book a day ahead)
Eat · Breakfast and early lunch at a lakeside café
Lean lands right at the ₹30k budget. Comfort shows what upgrading everything would cost. Wedding gifts and shopping are not included.
| Item | Lean | Comfort | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | ₹13,750 | ₹13,750 | IX 1280 out, 6E 5324 back from Udaipur |
| Overnight train | ₹500 | ₹1,300 | Sleeper vs 3AC; it also saves a night's stay |
| Stays, 4 nights | ₹2,800 | ₹4,800 | Jaipur ×1, Udaipur ×3. Dorm bed ~₹700 vs a private triple room split 3 ways. Beawar night assumed hosted |
| Desert camp | ₹2,000 | ₹3,500 | Dinner, breakfast, camel ride and folk show included |
| Intercity transport | ₹4,700 | ₹5,700 | Camp → Beawar cab and the Kumbhalgarh day cab are shared 3 ways in both; lean takes the bus to Udaipur |
| Local autos and cabs | ₹800 | ₹1,800 | |
| Food | ₹3,500 | ₹5,000 | Wedding dinner and camp meals are covered |
| Entry tickets and boat | ₹1,800 | ₹2,600 | Comfort adds the sunset boat, audio guides and camera fees |
| Jeep dune safari | ₹0 | ₹800 | Optional, on top of the camel ride |
| Total | ₹29,850 ₹150 spare | ₹39,250 ₹9,250 over | Budget: ₹30,000 per person |
If the hosts can't put you up in Beawar, add ~₹800–1,500 per person. Mixing lean and comfort (private rooms, a cab or two) lands around ₹31–33k.
Fares seen on 2 Nov 2026, per person, economy. They will move, so book soon and directly with the airline.
| Plan | Date | Route | Flight | Time | Stops | Fare / person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both | Tue 8 Dec | Mumbai → Jaipur | Air India Express IX 1280 | 19:55 → 21:50 | Non-stop | ~₹7,700 |
| Both (backup) | Tue 8 Dec | Mumbai → Jaipur | Air India AI 413 | 21:15 → 23:05 | Non-stop | ~₹9,300 |
| Wedding | Tue 15 Dec | Udaipur → Mumbai | IndiGo 6E 5324 | 15:20 → 17:05 | Non-stop | ~₹6,050 |
| Wedding (later) | Tue 15 Dec | Udaipur → Mumbai | SpiceJet SG 621 | 19:00 → 20:45 | Non-stop | ~₹6,350 |
| Wedding (cheapest) | Tue 15 Dec | Udaipur → Mumbai | IndiGo 6E 5028 | 09:15 → 10:35 | Non-stop | ~₹5,650 |
| Reception | Tue 15 Dec | Jaisalmer → Mumbai | IndiGo 6E 6678 | 15:30 → 21:10 | 1 stop | ~₹5,850 |
| Reception (faster) | Tue 15 Dec | Jaisalmer → Mumbai | Air India AI 2564 | 12:40 → 14:20 | Non-stop | ~₹10,700 |
Hostels first, since we're friends travelling together, with a heritage pick in each city. Rough December prices; check live rates.
| City | Stay | Type | Why | Rough price (Dec) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | Zostel Jaipur | Hostel | Social common areas, dorms and private rooms, easy reach of the old city | Dorm ₹600–900 · private ₹2,500–4,000 |
| Jaipur | Moustache Hostel Jaipur | Hostel | Backpacker favourite with a café and events | Dorm ₹600–900 |
| Jaipur | Hotel Pearl Palace | Budget hotel | Triple rooms; Peacock Rooftop restaurant upstairs | Triple ₹3,000–4,500 |
| Udaipur | Zostel Udaipur | Hostel | In the old city near the ghats, with a lake-view rooftop | Dorm ₹500–900 · private ₹2,500–4,000 |
| Udaipur | Moustache Hostel Udaipur | Hostel | Social, a short walk from Lal Ghat | Dorm ₹500–900 |
| Udaipur | Jagat Niwas Palace | Heritage haveli | Old haveli right on Lake Pichola, rooftop restaurant | ₹4,000–7,000 / room |
| Udaipur | Amet Haveli | Heritage hotel (splurge) | On Ambrai Ghat with the best City Palace view; home of Ambrai restaurant | ₹8,000+ / room |
| Beawar | Ask the hosts first | Family / wedding block | Weddings usually arrange rooms for guests | Often free |
| Beawar | Ajmer hotels (backup) | Hotel | Ajmer is 1 h away and has far more choice | ₹1,500–3,000 / room |
| Jaisalmer | Day use only | Bag drop and shower | Neither plan sleeps in town. Ask the camp for its town office, or pay a hostel for a day-use shower | ₹0–500 |
| Desert | Khuri village camps | Desert camp | Quieter, with darker skies: the pick for stargazing | ₹1,800–3,500 / person |
| Desert | Sam Sand Dunes camps | Desert camp | Bigger dunes and cultural shows, but busier and brighter | ₹1,800–3,500 / person |
| Desert | Open-dune night with a camel-safari operator | Sleep on the sand | Cots and blankets on the dunes with no camp lights: the best night sky | ₹2,000–3,500 / person |
Dune rides, a camp, and the main event: the night sky over the Thar.
Sam has the biggest dunes but also floodlit camps and DJ nights. Khuri is quieter. For the darkest sky, ask for an open-dune overnight on cots, away from any camp.
New moon is around 9 Dec. On the wedding plan (camp on 10 Dec), there's almost no moon, so it's the darkest night of the month. On the reception plan (camp on 14 Dec), a thin crescent sets around 10 pm.
It's one of the year's best showers, active all week and peaking on the night of 13–14 Dec. Lie back after 10 pm, give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust, and keep phone screens off.
Desert nights in December drop to around 5–8 °C. Pack a warm jacket, a beanie and thermals, and check that the camp gives you proper quilts.
Anything marked “Book now” should be done this week.
| What | Plan | Book ahead? | When / how |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Mumbai → Jaipur, 8 Dec | Both | Book now | This week, on the airline's site. December fares climb fast |
| Return flight, 15 Dec | Both | Book now | Wedding: from Udaipur · Reception: from Jaisalmer |
| Overnight transport, 9 Dec | Both | Book now | Wedding: train Jaipur → Jaisalmer (IRCTC; the 60-day window is open) · Reception: sleeper bus or train Jaipur → Udaipur |
| Hostels / hotels | Both | Book now | Mid-December weekends fill up. Pick free-cancellation rates; for 3 people a private room often costs about the same as 3 dorm beds |
| Desert camp + camel safari | Both | 1–2 weeks ahead | Confirm pickup and drop, bag storage, tent type and blankets, and ask for a quiet camp with no DJ |
| Long cab: desert ↔ Beawar | Both | 1 week ahead | ~8 h one way. Agree a price that includes tolls and the driver's allowance |
| Beawar stay | Both | Confirm now | Ask the hosts whether rooms are arranged; otherwise book in Ajmer |
| Kumbhalgarh + Ranakpur day cab | Both | A day ahead | Through the hostel desk |
| Ambrai / Upre / Peacock Rooftop | Both | Same day / a day ahead | Ask for a sunset table |
| Amber, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh | Both | Walk-in | Tickets at the gate or online the same day; the composite ticket saves money |
| Udaipur City Palace, Jagdish Temple | Both | Walk-in | Go at the 9:30 opening |
| Lake Pichola boat | Both | Walk-in | Buy at the jetty in the morning; sunset boats sell out |
| Dharohar show, Bagore ki Haveli | Both | Walk-in | Counter opens ~6 pm; arrive early for seats |
| Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur | Both | Walk-in | Ranakpur opens to visitors at noon |
| Jaisalmer Fort, Jain temples, Patwon ki Haveli, Kuldhara | Both | Walk-in | The fort is free to enter; the Jain temples are open to visitors in the morning only |
| Street food and most restaurants | Both | Walk-in | Carry cash and UPI; small shops may not take cards |