Bundi - one of our favourite places in Rajasthan
There are places in Rajasthan to visit because they’re famous. And then there are places you stumble across and think, how come more people don’t know about this place? For us, Bundi has definitely been one of those places. It’s a small, laid-back city with indigo-painted houses, narrow lanes and a rather impressive Rajput fort perched above the old town, nestled in the Aravalli hills. The city is small enough that you can wander around without much of a plan, stop for a chai, get slightly lost down narrow alleyways and markets and generally just watch everyday Rajasthan doing its thing. After several days on the bikes, we stay here for three nights on our Rajasthan tours. It’s a chance to park up, slow the pace down a bit and absorb what is in our opinion, one of the coolest cities in Rajasthan.
What to do in Bundi?
Have a wander through the old city and its maze of little alleyways, explore incredible Bundi Palace and Taragarh Fort, check out some of the famous stepwells or take a stroll around the lake. Our team are there with you in the haveli to advise or accompany you throughout your stay. When we visit, we always make time to visit Sonny Gopal, a talented local artist who specialises in Mughal-style paintings. Sonny has been a friend of ours for 25 years and painted the cover of Steve’s book, Bitten by the Bullet. And then there’s the highly recommended activity of doing absolutely nothing for a while. Order a chai from one of the many street vendors and watch the world go by. You’ll be surprised how quickly an hour disappears.
Our home away from home in Bundi
We stay in a family-run haveli (traditional courtyard) that has been in the same family for many generations. We have known the family since 1998 when we first discovered Bundi and watched the current generation marry and grow their families. They’re incredibly warm and welcoming, and staying there feels much more like being a guest in someone’s home than checking into a hotel. Diksha, one of the owners, runs cooking classes in the kitchen and open-air dining area. You can learn some traditional Indian dishes in her kitchen, then sit down and eat the results. The dining area also has what we think are the best views in town up towards Taragarh Fort - stunning at night. And yoga classes can be arranged on the rooftop in the morning. A highly recommended way to start the day.
Why we keep coming back
Bundi is colourful, laid back and small enough to explore in depth in a few days - which is exactly how we like it. You’ll see cows wandering the streets, kids heading off to school, locals going about their day and plenty of the everyday business that makes India so special. It is a real taste of the old India, not polished up and packaged for tourists. Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be.
For us, that’s what makes Bundi special. And we think that’s a pretty good reason to keep coming back.
