For those who wish to go beyond the standard sights of the Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Jantar Mantar (observatory), walking is one of the best ways to experience the crowded and energetic “Pink” walled city.
Although walking is a bit hazardous – the sidewalks being often broken in parts and overcrowded and one has to keep hopping off on to the road and back, and dodge the crush of pedestrians, hawkers, bicycles, cars, rickshaws, hand carts, cows, and shops that spill out of their premises – the only way to penetrate the tiny lanes and bazaars of the walled city is to do it on foot. And with a guide.
A variety of organized walks take you through the walled city’s havelis (often belonging to merchants and traders, the life blood of the city), the temples at every street corner, craft-specific and street food specific streets, the jewellers’ bazaar, the textile bazaar, and other random experiences such as turban shops and traditional kitchen utensil shops, many of them dating back to when the city was founded, to give you a flavour of a few slices of frozen-in-time Jaipur.
If you decide to experience one of these walks, we would be happy to book one for you. In the peak tourist months of December and January, walks have to be booked well in advance. Savista’s car will take you to the rendezvous point where you will meet your tour guide, and we will pick you up when you are finished. We make sure that – armed with drinking water and a packed lunch/snack – you do not need to miss any of the frenzy of Jaipur city before you return to the calm and quiet of the Savista estate.