Explore Udaipur City: A Budget-Friendly Guide To Free Adventures!

Udaipur, the City of Lakes, is a place where history, culture, and stunning natural beauty come together. But what if you're traveling on a tight budget? No worries! You don't have to spend a fortune to experience the charm of this royal city.
From scenic lake views and historic sites to vibrant streets and cultural hotspots, Udaipur offers plenty of attractions that cost absolutely nothing. If you're ready to explore without burning a hole in your pocket, here's how you can do it!
1.Take a Stroll Around Lake Pichola
One of the most beautiful and iconic spots in Udaipur, Lake Pichola is an absolute must-visit. Walking along its banks during sunrise or sunset is a magical experience. You can admire the grand Lake Palace floating in the middle, watch the changing colors of the sky reflected in the water, and even spot locals going about their daily routines.
If you're lucky, you might even catch a traditional boatman singing old Rajasthani folk songs while rowing across the lake. And the best part? It's completely free!
Quick Facts:
Lake Pichola was created in 1362 AD by a local Banjara tribesman.
The famous Lake Palace, now a luxury hotel, was once a royal summer retreat.
Best time to visit: Early morning or sunset for the best views.
2.Explore the Old City and Its Colorful Streets
Udaipur's old city is a maze of narrow lanes, filled with traditional houses, temples, and local markets. Walking through these bustling streets is like stepping into a living museum. You'll come across intricate wall paintings, beautifully carved balconies, and vibrant street art.
Make sure to visit spots like Gangaur Ghat and Ambrai Ghat, where you can relax by the lake and soak in the lively atmosphere. You'll also find small workshops where artisans create handmade crafts—just watching them at work is an experience in itself!
Quick Facts:
Udaipur's old city dates back to the 16th century.
The narrow lanes were designed to keep the city cool even in peak summers.
Gangaur Ghat is a popular spot for photography and evening cultural performances.
3.Visit Karni Mata Temple for a Panoramic View
If you love breathtaking views, a trip to Karni Mata Temple is a must. Located on a hilltop, this temple offers a panoramic view of Udaipur's skyline, lakes, and palaces. The best part? You can reach the top either by a ropeway (paid) or by taking a scenic uphill walk through a beautiful forested path—completely free!
Once at the top, spend some time soaking in the peaceful vibes of the temple and watching the city from above. Sunset from here is an unforgettable sight.
Quick Facts:
The temple is dedicated to Karni Mata, a Hindu sage worshipped as a goddess.
The walk up to the temple takes around 15-20 minutes.
Best time to visit: Late afternoon or sunset for stunning city views.
4.Watch Cultural Performances at Bagore Ki Haveli (Outside)
Bagore Ki Haveli is famous for its evening folk dance performances. While the entry to the show is ticketed, you can still enjoy the vibrant atmosphere outside. The open courtyard near the haveli often hosts impromptu musical performances, puppet shows, and local artists showcasing their talent.
Just standing outside and soaking in the energy of the place is a great experience. Plus, the haveli itself is a beautiful historical structure, perfect for photography.
Quick Facts:
Bagore Ki Haveli was built in the 18th century by the Prime Minister of Mewar.
The haveli has over 100 rooms with intricate mirror work and frescoes.
Folk performances here showcase Rajasthan's traditional dance forms like Ghoomar and Bhavai.
5.Discover the Hidden Beauty of Ahar Cenotaphs
Ahar Cenotaphs is a lesser-known but stunning historical site. This royal cremation ground houses more than 250 cenotaphs of the Mewar kings and queens, dating back over 350 years. The intricate marble structures, domes, and peaceful ambiance make it a great place to explore.
Unlike the crowded tourist spots, Ahar remains quiet and serene, making it a perfect place for some peaceful reflection and photography.
Quick Facts:
Ahar was the royal cremation site for the Mewar dynasty for over 400 years.
The site features cenotaphs of 19 maharajas of Mewar.
It is located just 2 km from the city center.
6.Enjoy the Gardens at Saheliyon Ki Bari
Saheliyon Ki Bari, or the Garden of the Maidens, is a peaceful oasis filled with fountains, lotus pools, and lush greenery. While entry inside the main garden requires a ticket, the outer area and some portions of the garden are freely accessible. You can sit by the fountains, admire the architecture, or just relax under the shade of ancient trees.
This place is a great escape from the city's hustle and bustle, offering a glimpse into the royal leisure of Udaipur's past.
Quick Facts:
Built in the 18th century by Maharana Sangram Singh for his queen and her attendants.
The fountains here work entirely on gravity without any pumps.
Known for its beautiful marble pavilions and elephant-shaped fountains.
7.Attend a Morning Aarti at Jagdish Temple
One of the most famous temples in Udaipur, Jagdish Temple is a magnificent example of Indo-Aryan architecture. Visiting the temple is free, and attending the morning aarti (prayer ceremony) is a deeply spiritual experience. The rhythmic chants, temple bells, and devotional music create a mesmerizing atmosphere.
Even if you're not religious, the architectural details of the temple—its intricately carved pillars, massive stone elephants, and stunning ceiling designs—are worth admiring.
Quick Facts:
Jagdish Temple was built in 1651 by Maharana Jagat Singh.
The main deity is Lord Vishnu, carved from a single piece of black stone.
Morning aarti takes place daily around 5:30 AM.
Final Thoughts
Exploring Udaipur without spending a single dollar is absolutely possible! With its free attractions, stunning natural beauty, and vibrant culture, this city offers endless opportunities to experience its charm without worrying about your budget. So put on your walking shoes, charge your phone for all those Instagram-worthy clicks, and get ready to discover the best of Udaipur—without spending a rupee!
Have you explored Udaipur on a budget? Share your favorite free experiences in the comments!

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The VIP darshan, even the special abhishekam (purifying the idol) at Kedarnath, was soul-stirring,' says Sarkar, who in one day went to the temple eight times, twice on a VIP pass arranged by the operator. She feels choppers are a boon for elderly and ailing pilgrims. Ajay Singh, 53, who took a 16-km trek to Kedarnath at an altitude of over 4,200 feet, didn't get a second to glimpse the idol. He says the priests pushed him out of the sanctum sanctorum, which was crowded with devotees who had no VIP passes. 'People have made this pilgrimage a joke. They cling to their VIP status even at god's door. I see crowds clicking selfies at the temple and hardly anyone pauses to inhale the fresh air that the place offers,' says Singh. The chopper business Abhishek Ahluwalia, the director of Diamond Hospitalities, which has been offering chartered helicopter rides for 15 years now, says there are 15-16 aviation companies running 25-30 single-engine helicopters for the Char Dham Yatra. He estimates they make about ₹400-₹500 crore collectively during the six-month season. This includes helicopter services, VIP passes, taxi services, and hotels. Ahluwalia says the supply always falls short of the demand from customers, who are usually non-resident Indians, corporate employees, politicians and their kin, bureaucrats, influencers, Bollywood personalities, and industrialists. 'This year, we had planned for an extraordinary rush but the yatra remained a bit disturbed, first due to the India-Pakistan tension and then due to bad weather and crashes,' he adds. The chopper companies use helipads constructed by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), formed by the Uttarakhand government in 2013. Companies pay the government for parking, landing, taking off, and hangar services, says Sonika, UCADA CEO. Chopper services generally operate in the initial 40 days of the yatra and remain suspended for the rainy season, from July onwards. They again start in the last month of the yatra, when the weather is suitable for flying. A senior official from the UCADA says the per-hour cost of running a helicopter in Uttarakhand is ₹1 lakh to ₹1.2 lakh. It takes 7-8 hours to complete the Char Dham circuit in a chopper. 'Choppers are expensive and accessible only to a few. To ensure that people who cannot afford the service but are unable to trek up, the government has started shuttle services. These fly from three spots: Phata, Sersi, and Guptkashi,' he says. Nine privately-owned companies run these shuttles, whose prices were kept between ₹6,000 and ₹8,000, he adds. This is almost the same as ponies and palanquins. Aryan Aviation and Kestrel Aviation have been suspended since the crashes. Each shuttle is allowed to run for eight hours, and they collectively ferry over 2,000 pilgrims to the Kedarnath temple in a day. Apart from this, over 8,000 registered ponies and palanquins also run on the temple route, taking the total business of ferrying pilgrims to the hill to around ₹100 crore, Uttarakhand government data show. The government estimates the Char Dham economy is worth ₹7,500 crore. Manoj Agarwal, 51, a solar panel supplier from Agra, booked the Kedarnath chopper shuttle for himself and his wife. He had tried to for many years, but had never been able to get seats. 'This year, when I saw an advertisement of IRCTC's (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) special Char Dham Yatra train, I booked. The train brought us from Agra to Rishikesh, from where a bus took us to Rudraprayag, and the helicopter shuttle took us to the Kedarnath temple. It was a divine experience,' he says. Then he pauses when he realises that the date of his return to Agra and a chopper crash that killed seven was the same: June 15. The challenges in the valley A veteran pilot employed in the shuttle service says flying on the Kedarnath route may be lucrative for companies, but is dangerous for pilots. He alleges that with no radar, air traffic control system, and real-time weather monitoring, it is risky. 'With weather changing every minute and unavailability of emergency landing spaces, flying a machine in Kedarnath is risking the lives of both the pilgrims and the pilot,' says another pilot, who was previously with the Indian Air Force. After the June 15 crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a regulatory body primarily responsible for safety, put out a press release that said the UCADA had been directed to hold a comprehensive review with all operators and pilots before any resumption of services. It also said that the UCADA will establish a command-and-control room to monitor real-time operations. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed the DGCA to post officers from Airworthiness, Safety, and Operations to oversee all helicopter activity in the Kedarnath valley. Atul Vikram, an advocate from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, who lost his 19-year-old daughter Tushi and mother-in-law Vinod Devi, 66, in the June 15 chopper crash, says the shuttle service provider didn't follow the rule of only flying after sunrise and never in bad weather. 'My father-in-law and son, who had gone along with them, but were travelling in a different helicopter, told me that they were running shuttles like tempos,' he says. Manish Rawat, a resident of Sersi, the village in Kedarnath valley from where one of the helicopter services operates out of, calls the choppers 'monsters destroying the flora and fauna of the abode of god'. He says in season, they are as common as birds in the sky. 'They land and take off one after the other. They are disturbing meadows, glaciers, and animals. How are you a devotee if you are contributing to the destruction of god's abode?' he says. The National Green Tribunal, in 2017, had directed the Uttarakhand government to ensure that no helicopter flies below the altitude of 600 metres in the Kedarnath valley, to mitigate noise pollution and potential disturbance to wildlife. The rule is frequently violated by the heli companies, says Brijesh Sati, general secretary, Uttarakhand Char Dhaam Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat, a group of Char Dham temple priests. 'Heli services were started as a pilot project for the elderly and ailing pilgrims. It has now become a way to generate money for the companies as well as for the government. These companies overload their machines,' alleges Sati, meaning they run choppers overtime. Politics on the pilgrimage When a reporter questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party's national general secretary and Uttarakhand head, Dushyant Gautam, about party's stand on the chopper crashes, he said, 'Jo log mar bhi rahe hain, dukh tho hai hi unka, lekin aap chalaogey helicopter jisme na marey log (The people who are dying — we are sad, but you go run a helicopter service in which people don't die).' The BJP is in power both at the Centre and in Uttarakhand. The Uttarakhand Congress condemned Gautam's 'irresponsible' remarks and alleged that the accidents took place due to a callous administration and poor rules. Suryakant Dhasmana, the vice president of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee, asked the government to strictly implement the air traffic control rules in the State and take strict action against companies that play with the safety of passengers. He also demanded timely safety audits of the machines. 'Chopper accidents happen every year and the government suspends licences of pilots, sometimes debars the aviation firm, but no action is taken against its own officials,' Dhasmana says. After the June 15 crash, the government filed an FIR against the aviation firm and cancelled the licence of two pilots for violating norms. Chetan Sharma, from Delhi who works at a public sector undertaking, has made the pilgrimage to Kedarnath every year since 2019, sometimes trekking, sometimes taking a chopper. He feels it doesn't matter how believers reach god. He cites the Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed at least 270 people. 'Life and death are ultimately in the hands of god,' he says. (With inputs from Jagriti Chandra) Edited by Sunalini Mathew Chopper accidents in 2025 on the Char Dham route May 8: Six people died when a privately-owned chopper ferrying six pilgrims from the Gangotri temple crashed near Gangnani. May 12: A privately-owned helicopter returning from Badrinath to Sersi with pilgrims on board was forced to make an emergency landing due to poor visibility; no casualties. May 17: An air ambulance crashed in the Kedarnath valley leaving the machine dysfunctional; no casualties. June 7: A helicopter on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway after developing a technical snag during take-off; the pilot was injured. June 15: Seven people died in a helicopter crash on its way back from the Kedarnath temple.