Jal Mahal, Jaipur

Jal Mahal is located in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. Jal means water and the name clearly indicates the location of the palace. A stroll around the lake containing the palace is an important tourist activity here. Boating is an important romantic activity here.

• Where Jal Mahal is Located ?

  The palace is located 4 km away from Jaipur. It is located in the Amer Jaipur road. You can find buses, cabs, rickshaw and other transportations from any part of Jaipur to Jal Mahal.

• Best Time to Visit Jal Mahal ?

  The palace area is open throughout the day. The best time to visit is during sunrise and sunset. After sunset, the palace will be lit with lights, which make the place more beautiful. If you are planning to boat, the service is available throughout the day. During tourism season, you can find many boatmen from morning to night. The entry to the palace is open from 6 am to 6 pm only.

  The palace is open throughout the year. The best time to visit the palace is monsoon and winter. During monsoon, the water level will be higher and the view from the garden will be more pleasing. However, during heavy rains, boating will be stopped temporarily. Usually people prefer winter because of its pleasing climate.

• Entry Fees

  • Indian : INR 10
  • Foreign : INR 50

  The cost of boating changes from season to season.

• Why Jal Mahal is so famous ?

  The palace is famous for its architectural beauty. The structure was built with red sandstone. There are five stories in the building. Although the palace looks like one-storied building, there are five stories. The last four levels are submerged into the lake during monsoon season.

  A traditional boat ride to the palace during sunset is one of the romantic activities for couples. Now boating is open after several years of ban. You can ride on the traditional Jaipur wooden boats to the palace. You can stroll along the sides of the river. During strolling and boating, you can spot a few birds like Oriental darter, grey heron, little grebe, great flamingo, Eurasian spoonbill and others. It is an important spot for birdwatchers.

  The terrace garden is the main attraction in it. The garden is octagonal in shape. There is an ultra-luxury hotel and restaurant inside the palace. Once inside the palace, you can find many hallways, arched entrances and exotic view from the balconies. The bottom floors are restricted to the tourists even during summer. Very close to the lake, you can find Chowpatty. It is a street food market where you can find numerous delicacies and street food items. It is an important spot for foodies.

• History about the Jal Mahal ?

  In 16th century, water scarcity was an important problem in Amber. The rulers built dams to store the water. This palace was built with sandstone that has the capacity of holding back millions of liters of water. Madho Singh I used this as a resting spot during duck hunting. His son renovated the palace to the current structure. By late 20th century, the palace was in ruins. The tourism department renovated the palace and brought it back to its original glory.