Rajasthan rewards the traveller who goes by road. The distances between its great cities are long enough to feel like a journey and short enough to enjoy: a morning among the camels and mustard fields, a lunch stop at a highway dhaba serving dal baati, and by evening the ramparts of another fort glowing in the low sun. A Rajasthan taxi service with a driver who knows the state turns that into a holiday rather than a logistics exercise. RutzIndia.com arranges Rajasthan tours by car with driver from Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur or Jodhpur, in sedans, Innovas and group vans.
Rajasthan tour by car: what it costs
A Rajasthan tour by car with driver is billed per kilometre, with at least 250 km per day: Rs 36/km in a sedan, Rs 42/km in an Ertiga, Rs 57.6/km in an Innova Crysta and Rs 78/km in a tempo traveller. A 10-day Delhi to Jaipur circuit via Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur costs about Rs 90,000 Pay Now to Reserve by sedan or Rs 1,42,500 Pay Now to Reserve by Innova, before GST.
Touring fares are straightforward. We add the kilometres of your itinerary, compare them with 250 km for each day the car is with you, and bill the larger figure at the class rate. On top come the driver's night allowance (Rs 1,500 a night), tolls, Rajasthan's entry tax for outstation tourist vehicles where it is collected, monument parking, and 5% GST. Hotels, entry tickets and guides are yours to choose; we are happy to suggest options in every budget, from heritage havelis to modern chains.
Sample 10-day Rajasthan itinerary from Delhi
This is our most requested loop. Distances are approximate road kilometres.
- Day 1, Delhi to Jaipur (about 280 km). Leave after breakfast and reach the Pink City by mid-afternoon. Evening at the bazaars around Hawa Mahal. Our Delhi to Jaipur taxi page covers the highway in detail.
- Day 2, Jaipur (about 50 km). Amer Fort early, before the heat and crowds, then Jal Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Nahargarh for sunset.
- Day 3, Jaipur to Pushkar (about 145 km). Via Ajmer's Dargah Sharif if you wish. Walk the ghats of Pushkar Lake and visit the Brahma temple.
- Day 4, Pushkar to Jodhpur (about 190 km). Arrive in time for the Blue City lanes below Mehrangarh.
- Day 5, Jodhpur to Jaisalmer (about 285 km). Mehrangarh Fort in the morning, then west across the Thar. Sunset over the golden fort.
- Day 6, Jaisalmer (about 90 km). Patwon ki Haveli, the living fort, then Sam or Khuri dunes for a camel ride and a desert camp dinner.
- Day 7, Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (about 285 km). A relaxed return, with Umaid Bhawan and Jaswant Thada in the afternoon.
- Day 8, Jodhpur to Udaipur via Ranakpur (about 260 km). The marble Jain temple at Ranakpur is a highlight of the whole trip.
- Day 9, Udaipur (about 40 km). City Palace, a boat on Lake Pichola, Bagore ki Haveli's evening dance.
- Day 10, Udaipur to Jaipur (about 395 km). Drive back for an evening flight or train from Jaipur, or break at Chittorgarh on the way. See the Jaipur to Udaipur taxi route for this leg.
Fare maths. Driven distance is about 2,020 km. Ten days at 250 km is 2,500 km, which is higher, so 2,500 km is billed.
| Car class | Rate | 10-day fare (2,500 km) | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact sedan | Rs 36/km | Rs 90,000 Pay Now to Reserve | 2 to 3 travellers |
| Ertiga / Carens | Rs 42/km | Rs 1,05,000 Pay Now to Reserve | 4 to 5 with luggage |
| Innova Crysta | Rs 57.6/km | Rs 1,42,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Families of 5 to 6 |
| Tempo Traveller | Rs 78/km | Rs 1,95,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Groups of 9 to 16 |
| Force Urbania | Rs 102/km | Rs 2,55,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Premium groups of 10 to 16 |
Add nine night allowances (Rs 13,500 in total), tolls, parking, state entry tax where collected, and GST on the fare. For a family of four in an Innova, the car works out to under Rs 36,000 each for ten days before those extras.
Shorter Rajasthan trips
Six days from Jaipur: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur. Jaipur sightseeing (about 50 km), Jaipur to Jodhpur (about 340 km), a Jodhpur day (about 40 km), Jodhpur to Udaipur via Ranakpur (about 260 km), an Udaipur day (about 40 km), and back to Jaipur (about 395 km). About 1,125 km driven against a 1,500 km minimum: Rs 54,000 Pay Now to Reserve by sedan or Rs 85,500 Pay Now to Reserve by Innova.
Golden Triangle plus Rajasthan. Add Agra to the start: Delhi, Agra, then Agra to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri, continuing west. Our Golden Triangle tour by car is the classic first-time India loop.
Udaipur and around. Kumbhalgarh's great wall, Ranakpur and Mount Abu in three or four days from Udaipur.
Shekhawati. The painted havelis of Mandawa and Nawalgarh make a good two-day detour between Delhi and Bikaner.
The 10-day loop at a glance
| Day | From and to | Approx km | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delhi to Jaipur | 280 | Jaipur |
| 2 | Jaipur sightseeing | 50 | Jaipur |
| 3 | Jaipur to Pushkar via Ajmer | 145 | Pushkar |
| 4 | Pushkar to Jodhpur | 190 | Jodhpur |
| 5 | Jodhpur to Jaisalmer | 285 | Jaisalmer |
| 6 | Jaisalmer and the Sam or Khuri dunes | 90 | Desert camp or Jaisalmer |
| 7 | Jaisalmer to Jodhpur | 285 | Jodhpur |
| 8 | Jodhpur to Udaipur via Ranakpur | 260 | Udaipur |
| 9 | Udaipur sightseeing | 40 | Udaipur |
| 10 | Udaipur to Jaipur | 395 | Departure |
Total: about 2,020 km driven, billed on the 2,500 km ten-day minimum.
Rajasthan tour packages by car class
Three itineraries cover most requests: a six-day Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur circuit starting in Jaipur, the ten-day desert loop above, and a fourteen-day grand tour adding Shekhawati, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Bundi and Ranthambore. Each is billed on its daily minimum, which in all three cases is higher than the kilometres driven.
| Car class | 6 days (1,500 km billed) | 10 days (2,500 km billed) | 14 days (3,500 km billed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact sedan, Rs 36/km | Rs 54,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 90,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 1,26,000 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Ertiga / Carens, Rs 42/km | Rs 63,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 1,05,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 1,47,000 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Innova Crysta, Rs 57.6/km | Rs 85,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 1,42,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 1,99,500 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Tempo Traveller, Rs 78/km | Rs 1,17,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 1,95,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 2,73,000 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Force Urbania, Rs 102/km | Rs 1,53,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 2,55,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 3,57,000 Pay Now to Reserve |
Add the driver's night allowance (5, 9 or 13 nights at Rs 1,500 Pay Now to Reserve), tolls, entry tax where collected, parking and 5% GST.
Fourteen-day grand Rajasthan tour
| Day | From and to | Approx km |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delhi to Mandawa (Shekhawati painted havelis) | 260 |
| 2 | Mandawa to Bikaner (Junagarh Fort, Karni Mata temple) | 190 |
| 3 | Bikaner to Jaisalmer | 330 |
| 4 | Jaisalmer fort, havelis and dunes | 90 |
| 5 | Jaisalmer to Jodhpur | 285 |
| 6 | Jodhpur: Mehrangarh, Umaid Bhawan, old city | 40 |
| 7 | Jodhpur to Udaipur via Ranakpur | 260 |
| 8 | Udaipur: City Palace, Lake Pichola | 40 |
| 9 | Udaipur to Chittorgarh | 115 |
| 10 | Chittorgarh to Bundi (stepwells and painted palace) | 160 |
| 11 | Bundi to Ranthambore | 140 |
| 12 | Ranthambore safari day | 20 |
| 13 | Ranthambore to Jaipur | 180 |
| 14 | Jaipur to Delhi | 280 |
About 2,390 km driven against a 3,500 km minimum. Safari vehicles inside Ranthambore are booked through the park's own system and are separate from your car, which rests on safari day.
Local packages in Rajasthan's main cities
If you fly into one city and want day tours rather than a full circuit, local packages apply. Jaipur and Jodhpur sit slightly below our base rates; Udaipur is at base.
| City | Sedan 8 hr / 80 km | Innova 8 hr / 80 km | Tempo Traveller 8 hr / 80 km | Innova airport transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | Rs 6,840 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 11,970 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 18,530 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 6,590 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Jodhpur | Rs 6,840 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 11,970 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 18,530 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 6,590 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Udaipur | Rs 7,200 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 12,600 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 19,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 6,930 Pay Now to Reserve |
Our Udaipur taxi service and tempo traveller in Udaipur pages cover lake-city transfers and wedding logistics.
Approximate road distances between Rajasthan's cities
| Between | Approx km | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi and Jaipur | 280 | 5 hours |
| Agra and Jaipur | 240 | 4.5 hours |
| Jaipur and Pushkar | 145 | 3 hours |
| Jaipur and Jodhpur | 340 | 6 hours |
| Jodhpur and Jaisalmer | 285 | 5 hours |
| Jodhpur and Udaipur via Ranakpur | 260 | 6 hours with the temple stop |
| Jaipur and Udaipur | 395 | 6.5 hours |
| Jaipur and Ranthambore | 180 | 3.5 hours |
Times are typical driving times without long stops; allow more in winter fog on the Delhi and Agra sides and during festival traffic.
Where to stay, and where the driver stays
Rajasthan has some of India's most memorable hotels: former palaces, fort hotels, havelis and desert camps, from grand to simple. When you choose, check two things for the car: whether the hotel has parking inside or nearby (many old-city havelis do not), and whether it offers a drivers' dormitory. The driver arranges his own room and meals from the night allowance either way, but a hotel with driver facilities makes early starts easier. For planning ideas beyond the classic circuit, the national Incredible India portal has destination guides for the state.
Rajasthan with children
Rajasthan is one of India's best family destinations: forts that look like storybook castles, camel rides, puppet shows and lakes with boats. A few adjustments help.
- Shorter driving days. Keep most legs under five hours, and break the Jaipur to Udaipur or Jodhpur to Jaisalmer runs with a lunch stop and a stretch.
- Morning forts, afternoon rest. Amer, Mehrangarh and Jaisalmer's fort are best early; children tire quickly in the afternoon heat.
- Hands-on stops. Block-printing workshops at Bagru near Jaipur, the puppet shows at Jaipur's cultural centres and Bagore ki Haveli's evening folk dance in Udaipur hold young attention.
- Space in the car. An Innova or Ertiga lets children stretch out and keeps snacks, games and a change of clothes within reach.
- Child seats. You are welcome to bring your own; tell us so the driver keeps a suitable seat free.
Practical notes for overseas visitors
- Cash and cards: cards and UPI are widely accepted in cities, but carry some cash for village stops, small temples and tips.
- Photography: some forts charge for cameras, and photography is restricted inside certain temples and palace museums; follow the signs.
- Dress: light cotton for the day, a warm layer for desert nights in winter, and clothing covering shoulders and knees for temples and the Ajmer Dargah.
- Water: drink bottled or filtered water; your driver will stop wherever you need to buy more.
- Guides: licensed guides are available at the main forts; ask the driver to point you to the official counter.
- Airports: Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur all have airports, so a one-way tour ending at any of them lets you fly out without driving back.
Wedding guests exploring Rajasthan
Destination weddings in Udaipur, Jaipur and Jodhpur often leave guests with a free day or two. A half-day Innova around Udaipur's lakes, a Jaipur day covering Amer and the City Palace, or a quick run from Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh fort make easy add-ons. Our wedding car rental in Jaipur desk can combine the wedding cars and the sightseeing cars on one booking.
Travelling in the off-season
Rajasthan does not close in summer or the monsoon, and prices at hotels drop sharply, but the plan should change.
April to June. Start every sightseeing day at dawn, retreat to the hotel pool or a museum between noon and 4 pm, and go out again at sunset. Skip the desert camp in favour of a sunset dune visit and a night in Jaisalmer town. Add Mount Abu, the state's only hill station, for relief from the heat, with its marble Dilwara Jain temples, boating on Nakki Lake and sunset views. The Innova's rear AC matters more than ever.
July to September. The Aravallis around Udaipur and Kumbhalgarh turn green, lakes fill, and monuments are quiet. Rain can be heavy for an hour and then clear; keep an umbrella in the car and a flexible order of sights. Desert areas get little rain, and Jaisalmer can still be hot and humid.
Shopping stops along the way
Rajasthan's crafts are part of the journey: block-printed textiles in Sanganer and Bagru near Jaipur, blue pottery and gemstones in Jaipur itself, bandhani and leather juttis in Jodhpur, miniature paintings in Udaipur, and embroidered textiles and camel-leather goods in Jaisalmer. Tell your driver which crafts interest you, and he can plan short stops at markets on the route. You are never obliged to visit any shop you did not ask for, and it is fine to say so politely at the start of the tour. Keep receipts for larger purchases, and ask shops to courier heavy items such as rugs or furniture home rather than loading them into the car.
Choosing your car and driver
For two travellers, a sedan is comfortable on Rajasthan's generally good highways. Four adults with suitcases for ten days need an Ertiga at least; an Innova is our recommendation for anyone over 55 or for families with children, because long travel days are easier with space to stretch. Groups of eight or more should look at a tempo traveller in Jaipur or Udaipur.
Your driver stays with you for the whole tour. Rajasthan drivers know which fort gate has parking, where the good lassi is in Jodhpur, and when Amer's elephant queues clear. They arrange their own meals and lodging from the night allowance; many heritage hotels also offer drivers' dormitories. All cars are commercially registered tourist vehicles within four model years.
Heritage, rules and practical notes
Rajasthan holds several UNESCO-listed sites: the walled city of Jaipur, Jantar Mantar, and the Hill Forts group that includes Amer, Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh and Jaisalmer. Monument rules and ticketing for centrally protected sites are published by the Archaeological Survey of India, while state museums, festivals and palaces are listed on Rajasthan Tourism.
- Old cities: Jaipur's walled city, Jodhpur's Blue City and Jaisalmer's fort have narrow lanes. The car drops you at the edge; walk or take an auto in.
- Entry tax: Rajasthan has continued to collect a tax from many outstation tourist vehicles at its border checkposts, despite central guidance on All India permits. If you start in Delhi, the driver pays it and it appears on your bill at the receipted amount.
- Driving hours: we plan every leg to finish in daylight. Highways across the Thar have long empty stretches, and animals on the road at night are a real hazard.
- Dress and customs: cover shoulders and knees at temples and the Ajmer Dargah; leather items are not allowed inside some Jain temples such as Ranakpur.
Pacing the trip: tips from the road
- Start early. Leave by 8 am on travel days. You reach the next city by early afternoon, rest through the heat and still catch the golden hour at the fort.
- One long day at a time. Avoid two 300 km days back to back; slot a sightseeing day between them, as the sample itinerary does.
- Eat where the driver eats. Highway dhabas on the Jaipur-Ajmer and Jodhpur-Jaisalmer roads serve fresh dal, bajra roti and ker sangri; your driver knows the clean ones with good washrooms.
- Carry water and cash. Desert stretches between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer have fewer fuel stations and ATMs than you might expect, and small village temples and stepwells often take cash only.
- Pack layers. Desert nights in December and January can drop close to freezing even after a warm afternoon; a light jacket and a scarf help at the dune camp.
- Book a guide at the big forts. Amer, Mehrangarh and the Jaisalmer fort are richer with a licensed local guide; your driver can point you to the official guide counters.
- Keep a flexible afternoon. Rajasthan is full of unplanned delights, from a village wedding procession to a pottery town, and a spare hour each day lets you stop without pressure.
Seasons and festivals
October to March is the classic season, cool and dry, with crisp desert nights in December and January. The Pushkar camel fair falls in the Hindu month of Kartik, usually October or November; the Jaisalmer Desert Festival comes in winter; and Holi in March is spectacular in Jaipur and Udaipur. April to June is very hot on the plains, though Mount Abu and early-morning sightseeing make it workable. The monsoon from July to September brings green hills around Udaipur and quieter monuments.
Wedding season from November to February means palace hotels in Udaipur and Jaipur book out; if you are attending one, see wedding car rental in Jaipur or luxury car rental in Udaipur.
Booking, payment and cancellation
Send us your dates, starting city, group size and must-see places through the online booker or on WhatsApp. We reply with a day-by-day route, kilometres and a written fare. Pay an advance by card or UPI; the balance is settled with the driver or online at the end. For NRIs and foreign visitors, we can meet you at Delhi, Jaipur or Udaipur airport with a name board, waiting free for 60 minutes after an international arrival or 30 minutes after a domestic one.
Plans change on long trips, so our cancellation policy is clear: free more than 72 hours before the tour starts, 10% of the fare within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours, and the full fare within 24 hours or on a no-show. Days can be added on the road at the same daily terms; just tell the driver and message the desk so the revised fare is confirmed in writing before you continue. For individual city legs, see our Jaipur taxi service and Jodhpur taxi service pages.
