Jaipur Activities
Entry fees, opening times and fares in India change often. Please check before you travel.
New Planning with ChatGPT or Gemini? Paste the plan and we'll price it with real hotels and a car. Price my itinerary Jaipur is the first of two stops on Jaipur & Udaipur 4 nights · with Udaipur · from ₹21,999 per person See it →Jaipur is a city of working craftspeople, and plenty of them will teach you. This page covers the things you do with your hands rather than look at: cooking classes, block printing, blue pottery, food walks, and the evening folk performances.
Cooking Classes
What You'll Learn
Typical Jaipur cooking classes cover:
- Dal bati churma, The Rajasthani signature dish
- Gatte ki sabzi, Gram flour dumplings in curry
- Ker sangri, Desert beans and berries
- Chapati/paratha, Breads
- Raita, Yogurt side dishes
Class Format
Most classes include:
- Market visit (spices, vegetables)
- Introduction to spices
- Hands-on cooking (3-5 dishes)
- Eating what you cook
- Recipe cards to take home
Duration: 3-4 hours Cost: ₹2,000-4,000 Group size: 2-8 people
Recommended Classes
Pink City Cooking Class Established school with professional setup. Multiple cuisine options.
Home Kitchen Classes Several Jaipur families teach in their own kitchens. Small groups, and more personal than a class run out of a restaurant.
Airbnb Experiences Various hosts. Read reviews. Look for "market visit included."
Tips
- Morning classes are cooler
- Specify vegetarian/non-veg when booking
- Book 1-2 days ahead
- Classes in homes are more intimate than restaurants
Block Printing Workshops
The Craft
Block printing uses carved wooden blocks dipped in natural dyes to create patterns on fabric. Jaipur is the craft's Indian capital.
Workshop Options
Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing (Amber) The best introduction. Tour the museum and watch the daily block-carving and printing demonstrations; hands-on workshops are suspended until further notice. Small entry fee. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:30 to 5, Sunday 11 to 4:30; closed Mondays and from 31 May to 15 July each year.
Sanganer Village (16 km from city) Working printing village. Visit artisans, longer workshops available. Half-day trip.
Various Tour Operators Book through Viator, Airbnb Experiences. 2-3 hour workshops. ₹1,500-3,000.
What You'll Do
- Learn about natural dyes and block carving
- Practice printing techniques
- Create your own scarf or fabric piece
- Take home your creation
Tips
- Wear clothes that can get stained
- Sanganer shows you working workshops rather than a demonstration
- Combine Anokhi Museum with Amber Fort (same area)
Art Workshops
Miniature Painting
Traditional Rajasthani miniature art, intricate, detailed, on paper or silk.
Where: Art galleries around the City Palace area offer lessons, the palace's resident miniature artists demonstrate the craft, or your hotel can arrange a session.
Duration: 2-4 hours Cost: ₹1,500-4,000
Blue Pottery
Jaipur's distinctive turquoise ceramic craft. No clay, made from quartz.
Where: Kripal Kumbh workshop, Blue Pottery Art Centre
What you'll do: Shape and paint a small piece. Firing takes days, so you may need shipping.
Duration: 2-3 hours Cost: ₹1,500-3,000
Mehndi (Henna)
Learn to apply traditional henna designs.
Where: Various artists, beauty salons, some homestays arrange
Duration: 1-2 hours Cost: ₹500-1,500
Folk Dance & Music
Chokhi Dhani
What: Rajasthani village recreation with continuous cultural performances.
Includes:
- Folk dancing (Kalbelia, Ghoomar)
- Puppet shows
- Magic shows
- Acrobatics
- Camel and elephant rides (extra charge on site)
- Unlimited Rajasthani thali dinner
Timing: entry from 5 PM; an evening affair Cost: packages ₹650-900 per person (waterpark add-on ₹150) Location: 20 km from city on Tonk Road
Best for: Families, and groups who want the whole spread in one evening
Note: Touristy but fun. The performers are the real thing even if the village is a recreation.
Hotel Cultural Evenings
Heritage hotels sometimes arrange private folk performances:
Ask your hotel, usually bookable for groups.
Raj Mandir Cinema
Occasionally hosts cultural programmes. Even without a show, a Bollywood film here is worth the ticket for the art deco auditorium alone.
Food Tours
What to Expect
Walking tour through old city markets and food stalls:
- 3-4 hours walking
- 8-12 food stops
- Local guide with stories
- Usually morning start
What You'll Try
- Pyaaz kachori
- Dahi vada
- Mirchi vada
- Lassi
- Sweets (ghewar, imarti)
- Masala chai
Recommended
Jaipur Food Walking Tours (various operators) Cover Chaura Rasta, Johari Bazaar, local spots.
Book through: Viator, GetYourGuide, Airbnb Experiences
Cost: ₹2,000-4,000 per person
Tips
- Come hungry
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Morning is cooler and food is fresher
- Tell guide about dietary restrictions
Day Trip Activities
Hot Air Balloon
Sunrise balloon ride over the countryside outside Jaipur, with forts and farmland laid out below.
When: September to April (take-off 6:15 am September to November, 6:45 am December to April); no flights in the monsoon or high summer Duration: 1 hour flight + setup Cost: ₹14,990 plus tax per Indian adult (child ₹9,990 plus tax); foreign nationals US$325 adult, US$275 child, tax included, SkyWaltz's own tariff Operator: SkyWaltz Balloon Safari
Tiger Safari at Ranthambore
Day trip possible but tight. Better as overnight.
Distance: 180 km (3.5 hours) Safari cost: per seat, set by the Forest Department by vehicle and zone; book at forestrajasthan.com Best time: October-June
Camel Safari
Short rides at Chokhi Dhani or longer desert experiences.
For longer safaris: Pushkar (3 hours away) offers better options.
Photography Tours
Guided Photo Walks
Photographers guide you to best spots, times, compositions.
Covers:
- Old city streets
- Hawa Mahal (best angles)
- Stepwells
- Local life
Duration: 3-4 hours (usually sunrise or sunset) Cost: ₹3,000-6,000
Best Without a Guide
- Panna Meena ka Kund (stepwell near Amber)
- Amber Fort at sunrise
- Nahargarh sunset
- Patrika Gate
Wellness
Yoga
Some heritage hotels offer morning sessions. Dedicated yoga centres:
- Art of Living Centre
- Various hotel spas
Ayurveda & Spa
Heritage hotels have excellent spas:
- Rambagh Palace (luxurious)
- Samode Haveli (traditional)
- ITC Rajputana (professional)
Meditation
Ashrams and retreats outside city. Requires multiple days.
Family Activities
With Young Kids
- Chokhi Dhani (all-ages entertainment)
- Nahargarh Biological Park (the zoo, out on the Delhi road; closed one day a week, Tuesday at the last check)
- Albert Hall Museum
- Cooking class (many are family-friendly)
With Teenagers
- Block printing workshop
- Photography walk
- Food tour
- Amber Fort exploration
Activity Summary
| Activity | Duration | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking class | 3-4 hours | ₹2,000-4,000 | Food lovers |
| Block printing | 2-3 hours | ₹1,500-3,000 | Craft enthusiasts |
| Chokhi Dhani | Evening | ₹650-900 | Families, groups |
| Food tour | 3-4 hours | ₹2,000-4,000 | Everyone |
| Hot air balloon | Morning | ₹14,990 + tax | The one splurge |
| Photo tour | 3-4 hours | ₹3,000-6,000 | Photographers |
For what to see, check our things to do guide.