Jaipur Walking Tours: Pink City Bazaar Route

Start at Ajmeri Gate and keep walking: within a kilometre the arcades go from brass pots to camel-leather shoes to gemstones. The old city is compact and flat enough to cover on foot in half a day.

The route

  1. Ajmeri Gate is the western entry to the walled city, and the quietest place to begin.
  2. Kishanpole Bazaar sells brass ornaments and handicrafts.
  3. Bapu Bazaar is the place for juttis, the curled camel-leather shoes, and block-printed fabric.
  4. Johari Bazaar is the gem and silver quarter.
  5. Tripolia Bazaar and the lanes behind it have lac bangle makers, called Manihars, who heat resin over small charcoal fires.
  6. Finish at the Hawa Mahal facade, seen from Badi Chaupar. The view is free from the street.

Only this walled section is painted pink, a colour that dates from an 1877 municipal decree, so the walk really is the Pink City. The Jaipur entry on Wikipedia gives background on the city’s founding.

Food stops

A pyaaz kachori, the flaky pastry stuffed with spiced onion, costs about INR 40-60 at Rawat Mishthan Bhandar. Lassiwala on MI Road serves thick lassi in clay kulhad cups for about INR 60-100. Dal baati churma at a local eatery is INR 150-300. Carry sealed bottled water, because tap water is not safe to drink.

Guided options

A guided old-city walk of about 2.5 hours covers spice markets, block printers and lac jewellers, and runs about INR 800-1,500 per person. Browse options on Viator . A guide helps most with the back lanes, where signs are scarce and the best workshops are tucked into courtyards.

One scam to avoid

Some drivers and friendly strangers will offer a short cut to a “government emporium” with big discounts, or an export scheme that asks you to carry gems home for profit. The stones are glass or low-grade synthetics. Politely decline and keep walking.

Temple stop

Govind Dev Ji Temple holds daily morning and evening aarti with live devotional singing, and entry is free. Dress modestly, leave shoes at the door, and stand at the back if you are only watching.

Timing and comfort

An early walk gives you the city before the traffic builds and the light is gentle on the facades. Wear closed shoes, since lanes are uneven and share space with motorbikes. Between April and June heat reaches 40-45C, so finish before 10:30 or return after 17:00. The Pink Line metro to Badi Chaupar, run by Jaipur Metro Rail , drops you at the end of the route, though the line starts at Mansarovar and does not serve the airport.

Beyond the bazaars

For indoor stops that pair with this route, see our attraction tours page .

Tip: shop on the way back rather than the way out, so you carry nothing through the busiest lanes.