Jaipur Itinerary 1 Day(2025) – Self Drive Guide, LMB Food Review, Costs & Travel Tips

 

Day 1 in Jaipur – First Impressions of Rajasthan 🚗✨

This Jaipur itinerary for 1 day is perfect for those planning a self-drive travel experience in Jaipur. From iconic landmarks like Hawa Mahal to authentic food at LMB, this guide covers everything including costs, parking tips, and travel advice.

Landing in Jaipur felt like stepping into a completely different rhythm of India — slower, warmer, and drenched in history. This was our Day 1 Rajasthan itinerary, and we chose to explore it our favourite way — self-driving. We travelled in the last 2 weeks of September and the weather felt hot in the mornings and cool, pleasant in the evenings.

In this blog:

- Jaipur arrival & self-drive tips
- LMB food review
- Hawa Mahal guide
- City Palace visit
- Cost breakdown
- FAQs

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Arrival in Jaipur & Self-Drive Car Pickup

We landed at Jaipur International Airport from Bangalore in the morning.

Instead of booking cabs, we picked up a self-drive car directly from the airport, which gave us complete flexibility for the trip ahead. We booked an XUV 500 since it was 4 adults and 2 kids with luggage for 11 days.

🚗 Self-Drive Tips (Very Important)

• Book in advance (local rentals but talk to them beforehand)
• Inspect the car and take photos/videos before driving
• Download offline Google Maps
• Prefer automatic cars for city driving
• Carry your DL + ID proof

💰 Cost Estimate

• Self-drive car: ₹5000/day(can be less if you choose a hatchback)
• Fuel (Day 1 city use): ₹500 – ₹800

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Hotel Check-in & Freshening Up

After checking into our hotel and settling in, we headed straight to experience what Rajasthan is truly famous for — its food.

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Lunch at LMB – Iconic Rajasthani Meal 🍽️

We went to Laxmi Misthan Bhandar (LMB), one of Jaipur’s most legendary restaurants located in Johari Bazaar.

What We Ate

• Dal Baati Churma
• Buttermilk (Chaas)
• Dal Kachori

Food Experience

The dal baati churma was everything you expect from a traditional Rajasthani meal — rich, indulgent, and deeply satisfying.

• Baati: crispy outside, soft inside, soaked in ghee
• Dal: flavourful panchmel dal
• Churma: sweet, crumbly, and perfectly balanced
• Chutney: garlic, spicy chutney elevated taste of the meal

The buttermilk was refreshing and essential to balance the richness.
The kachori was nothing like we had tasted before! Yummy stuffing inside but crispy on the outside.

💰 Cost

• Approx ₹600 – ₹900 for 2 people

🚗 Parking Tip

• Parking near LMB is tight and crowded
• Best option: park slightly away and walk 5–10 mins
• Avoid peak hours (1–3 PM)

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Hawa Mahal – Jaipur’s Most Iconic Landmark 🏰

Post lunch, we walked to Hawa Mahal.
This five-storey structure with hundreds of tiny windows (jharokhas) was built for royal women to observe street life without being seen.

Travel Tips

• Best visited: Morning or late afternoon for photos
• Entry ticket: ₹50 (Indians)
• Most people view from outside — worth stepping inside for views
• Guides available but we skipped.

🚗 Parking Tip

• No direct parking
• Use parking near Badi Chaupar / City Palace area

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City Palace Jaipur – Royal Heritage Experience 👑

Next, we visited the City Palace Jaipur, located just minutes away.
This palace beautifully blends Rajput and Mughal architecture and is still partially home to Jaipur’s royal family.

Highlights

• Peacock Gate (must-see for photos)
• Grand courtyards
• Royal costumes & artifacts

Travel Tips

• Guides are available. I would recommend a guide here since they tell about the history of the place and give a lot of information. We paid ₹500 for 4 adults and 2 kids. The guides charge on the number of people.

💰 Entry Cost

• ₹300 – ₹700 depending on sections
• Special tickets for premium areas available

🚗 Parking Tip

• Dedicated parking available nearby
• Easier to park here than near Hawa Mahal
• Closer to walk from Hawa Mahal

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Dinner at LMB – Traditional Rajasthani Dinner 🌙

We returned to LMB for dinner — and honestly, it was worth going twice in one day.

What We Ate

• Papad Mangodi Soup
• Ker Sangri Sabzi
• Panchmel Saag
• Phulkas

Food Experience

• Papad Mangodi Soup: warm, comforting, slightly tangy
• Ker Sangri: authentic desert dish, tangy and spiced
• Panchmel Saag: nutritious and flavourful
• Phulkas: soft and perfect with curries

This meal gave us a deeper taste of Rajasthan’s resourceful desert cuisine.

💰 Cost

• ₹800 – ₹1,200 for 2 people

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Total Cost for Day 1 (Approx)

Category	Cost
Car Rental	₹5000
Fuel	₹500 – ₹800
Lunch	₹600 – ₹900
Entry Tickets	₹300 – ₹700
Dinner	₹800 – ₹1,200
Total	appr. ₹7,600

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Self-Drive in Jaipur – Key Tips 🚗

• Roads in old city are narrow and crowded, heavy traffic
• Watch out for autos, pedestrians, and animals
• Use Google Maps + local judgement
• Avoid driving inside bazaars during peak hours
• Start early to cover major attractions

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Final Thoughts – Day 1 Highlights

Day 1 in Jaipur was the perfect introduction to Rajasthan:

• Authentic Rajasthani food at LMB
• Architectural beauty of Hawa Mahal
• Royal grandeur of City Palace
• Freedom of exploring via self-drive

It was a day filled with culture, history, and incredible flavours — and honestly, one of the most satisfying travel days we’ve had.

This 1 day Jaipur itinerary is ideal for anyone planning a self-drive trip in Rajasthan, combining culture, food, and practical travel planning.

Snow in Spring!!

Rocky Mountain National Park had been in the bucket list from a long time. It was in March that we decided to make a trip to Denver. Some research on the park and we booked the tickets for May. It would also be our anniversary trip! The only concern we had was about the weather. The weather keeps changing in the Rockies and you can go from cold to sunny in minutes. A friend from Denver was also joining us for the trip. If nothing, it would have been a first time cabin style vacation with some friends.
The day arrived and we were excited but a little nervous about taking a 2 year old on a flight. It wasn't our daughter's first time on a flight but it definitely was the first time after she had started to be vocal and conscious about her surroundings. It was an evening flight scheduled to land at 6 pm MDT. The plan was to get the car rental and reach Denver by 7:30 pm, pick up friends and reach the cabin by 10 pm. A cabin was booked at River Spruce Cabins, Estes Park. Estes Park is a good place to stay if you plan on taking some trails since its at the national park entrance. There are a lot of cabins and hotels to choose from but the availability also depends on the season. We had booked the cabin in March as well since the Rockies is well visited in spring. There are also outdoor sports shops for rentals which makes Estes Park a good location.
The flight was on time and we reached Denver around 5:55 pm and by the time we deplaned it was around 6:20 pm. The airport at Denver was a little different from the others we had been to. To get to the car rental, one has to catch a train to go to the main terminal, follow the directions to the specific car rental bus stop from where bus takes you to the car rental. By the time all that was done, it was 7:30 pm and we reached Denver around 8 pm. The drive to Estes Park from Denver is approximately 2 hours.
It was 10 pm when we reached the cabin. It was the first time for us in a cabin and it was a lovely cozy cabin. It had a well equipped kitchen, living area, 2 bedrooms, a loft with a queen bed and a bathroom. The weather had changed from warm at Denver to a chilling 0 degree C at Estes Park. But the cabin was warm enough to make us comfortable.
And the first day of the trip was coming to a end as we all chatted for a while over a late weekend dinner and went to bed hoping to do some good trails the next day.

My first time skiing!!!!!

It was a Sunday and the last day at Santa Fe. The only plan for the day was to ski. So there is Ski Santa Fe which is around 45 minutes drive from the city. If you don't wish to drive, there are buses as well from Santa Fe that will take to Ski Santa Fe. There are various ski programs for beginners to advanced skiers. There are rentals as well available. They have private lessons, group lessons, multi day packages, single day packages and programs for kids 3 years and plus. The rentals(except for the helmet) and lift tickets are included in the price for the package but if you choose to take the private or group lessons, you will have to buy helmet, ski, boots & pole rentals and the lift tickets separately. They also have a daycare which was around $90 for half a day, $110 for full day & $30 by the hour and a separate kids area where they can teach kids to ski. If you are someone who has never skied before(like me), you might want to go with the 'Never Ever' package that has 2 lessons in a day plus it includes all the rentals(except helmet) & lift ticket and also costs less than a private or a group lesson.

On the way to Ski Santa Fe!

We reached Ski Santa Fe around 7:30 am. The road to the ski resort was just beautiful. There was snow all around and there were just 2 colors in the surroundings - green and white! If you want to go for the 9 am lesson and if its your first time, I would recommend going a little early as the whole process takes some time. When we reached, we were directed towards the rentals. We filled out a form for each of us skiing and made the payment for the rentals. From there we moved on to the boot rental where we were asked for our shoe sizes and were recommended ski boots based on a size conversion. Next was the ski rental which is given based on the boot size. The boot size and ski size need to match since the boot has to get latched onto the ski. So if you get your boots changed because of a size misfit, do remember to ask about the ski as well. Next was the helmet and then the poles which depends on your height.

Just white and green!

After renting out all the required equipment, it was time to put them on. The helmet was pretty easy. The boots were weird. The rental guys instruct you on how to put the boots on. They were pretty heavy and you feel like you have tied your feet to huge rocks! And your gait automatically changes wearing the heavy boots! Since we had a 20 month old with us, we left her with my mother-in-law at the cafe which was right above the rental place.
We were yet to buy the package to ski. When you buy the package tickets, let them know that you have taken the rentals and they would deduct the rental amount from the package ticket amount. After taking the tickets, we went to the area where everyone was supposed to assemble for the 9 am ski lesson. I think there were around 10 of us including the ski instructor and 2 of them were supposed to shadow the instructor to learn instructing. Each of us from a different field, it was good interacting with them.
When the instructor came, he made us walk up a small slope. Walking up a slope is no major task but walking on an icy slope wearing ski boots with poles and ski in hand, is a task. When you walk on a slope upwards wearing the ski boots, you are supposed to walk on your toes which takes some time getting used to. And when you walk down a slope you are supposed to walk on your heels. He then then taught us how to latch the boots to the ski and made us take a small walk with just one ski. That was pretty easy! Then he made us latch both the boots to the skis and then I felt like my feet couldn't move without slipping!

The slope where beginners learn skiing

 We then made a small circle and we were asked to move for 2 rounds. Was doable again! Then we had to stand parallel and move parallel up a small slope and then ski down. This is where my adventure began! All I did was slip forwards! Everyone else in the batch had completed this and I was still stuck at this when I got one of the woman who was shadowing the instructor as my personal instructor! Fast forward, she gave me a few tips like I should never look down at my skis & instead my gaze should be in the direction I want my skis to move and that the upper body has to be straight lady-like. They were very useful tips! I finally did it and then we took a short water break. Being at high altitudes, you feel tired, thirsty and out of breath easily.
Then there was this area which had an escalator kind of thing that would take you up a slope and you could ski down. This was where all the beginners were being taught. We went up the escalator and then we had to stand in position to ski. They taught us about the pizza to stop the ski. I don't what happened but as soon as they finished with the instructing, I found myself skiing down the slope, almost hitting a tree and falling face down on the ice! My first fall was just as I had imagined it to be! The next time I was about to hit a woman and the next after that the tree again and then I fell quite a few times in the middle of the slope just trying to avoid going fast and hitting something or someone! When I could finally ski, I realized you should never ever look at your skis, keep your upper body straight and when you do the pizza, your weight should be on your legs.
I did not take the second lesson which was in the noon since I wanted to spend some time playing in the snow with my daughter and she was missing us as well. So that was all I could ski but it was something that I think everyone should give a try and it is fun once you get the hang of it.
We had a pizza lunch since there was nothing much vegetarian and then my husband went for the second lesson. I took the little one to build a snowman. She was extremely excited to see snow all around her since it was her first time. We built a snowman, played in the snow, took photographs and before we could realize it was 3 pm. After my husband finished with his lesson, we returned the rentals and were on the way back to the hotel.
We then got a dosa for our daughter from an Indian restaurant called Paper Dosa. And after her dinner, we took the shuttle to Tune-Up Cafe. It was a disaster last meal in Santa Fe. The waitress there didn't get us a drink that we ordered, the food tasted bad, the table was not cleaned and to top it all, we were over billed. I would definitely not recommend this place.
But the day will be in our memories forever with the ski and the snow play with the little one!

Tent Rocks monument, Georgia O'Keeffe and lots more(Part 2)....

Continuing from Part1, after the museum visit, we went to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi which is an 1800's era cathedral. The cathedral looks beautiful with stained glass and bronze door. We were in for just a few minutes and I didn't take any pictures of the interior for it being a place of worship. We then visited the Loretto Chapel and on the way we passed through a Native American market on the sidewalk near the plaza. There were many beautiful items like jewelry, textiles, carvings, baskets on sale. The turquoise jewelry looked amazing. There are also a lot of shops, restaurants and galleries around the plaza. They all looked pretty expensive! Moving on, the Loretto Chapel is a former Roman Catholic church known for its spiral staircase that is now used as a museum and a wedding chapel. The chapel is very beautiful on the inside and there is a $3 charge per person. The unique staircase rises to 20 feet to the choir loft making two full turns without the support of a newel or a central pole. Made mostly of wood, it is held together by wooden pegs and glue.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

The huge bronze door at the Cathedral

Loretto Chapel

The interior of the Loretto Chapel

It was now almost time for the little one to have her dinner and we thought of getting a grilled cheese sandwich for her. The closest place we could find was Del Charro. We took a to-go grilled cheese sandwich, called for the shuttle and we were back to the hotel in no time.  The sandwich was pretty good, crusty outside and all gooey inside, and came with some french fries (which became a snack for us than the kiddo).

Pueblo architecture found everywhere in Santa Fe

We had to try two more restaurants before bidding adieu to Santa Fe and now we had to choose because unfortunately we didn't know that most of the restaurants in Santa Fe are closed on Sunday! So make sure to remember about the restaurants being closed on Sunday when you plan a trip to Santa Fe. The two restaurants were Sabor Peruano and La Choza. I wanted to try the Peruvian cuisine because of two reasons, first it was a new cuisine to me that I wanted to try after seeing an episode of Chef's Table and second was the menu which looked simple but very appetizing. La Choza restaurant has been famous in Santa Fe for its New Mexican food but mainly for Pozole which is a traditional soup from Mexico that is made of hominy and meat served with red or green or Christmas chili and this was one of the few only restaurants in Santa Fe that served it in a vegetarian version as well! Difficult choice but we went with the La Choza restaurant.
We took the hotel shuttle to La Choza and found out that the wait time was approximately 45 mins. We decided not to wait and order to-go. So we took pozole that came with chili(peppers) & sopapilla and a tamale that came with refried beans, chili and sopapilla. Santa Fe is known for its chilies and the way chili is served in Santa Fe is different. There are three kinds of chili peppers - red, green and Christmas. The Christmas style chili is a mixture of red & green chilies and is super hot! The sopapilla is a Mexican flatbread that is deep fried. The New Mexican sopapillas are pillow shaped fried pastry dough and they were so delicious I could have had a meal just of the sopapillas! The chili, sopapillas and pozole are a must try in my opinion. The tamales were made of beans and cheese wrapped in masa and steamed in a banana leaf. It was my birthday and this was one delicious birthday celebration that I can never forget!
We ended one exciting day and were waiting for another exciting skiing day to begin!

Tent Rocks monument, Georgia O'Keeffe and lots more(Part1)....

It was the second day in the city of different, Santa Fe, and the plan was to make an early trip to the Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, be back by lunch and explore the city. Located about 40 miles southwest of Santa Fe near Cochiti Pueblo, Kasha Katuwe means 'white cliffs'. The layers at the monument were formed because of volcanic eruptions spewing gas, broken rock, lava and ash skyward. At times this mixture would be so dense that it would rush down the sides of the volcanoes in a flow of hot chaos, obliterating everything in its path (pyroclastic flow). In between volcanic eruptions, wind and water moved the debris downslope. As layer upon layer was deposited, the material hardened to form the rock type called tuff. In the last million years, uplifting, faulting and weathering has revealed the tuff and its layers. A fracture may have initially weakened the area of the slot canyon, but water excavated and sculpted its walls. Water is also the primary carver of the tent formations.

On the way to the Tent Rocks monument

A view on entering the slot canyon

The trail to the view point passes through a slot canyon which means as the day progresses and the crowd increases, it takes longer to complete the trail. We wanted to finish this by noon so that we could explore around Santa Fe for the rest of the day. We started from the hotel by around 8 am and were at the monument trail by 9 am. The park opens at 8 am and there is a charge per vehicle. Also depending on the season visiting it would be wise to carry a few bottles of water and some nuts. The length of the trail was 1.5 miles one way. The trail passes through an amazing slot canyon and then you see a cluster of the tent rocks! You slowly pass the tent rocks and reach to a view point where you can see all of the surrounding area. The view was absolutely gorgeous! We were back at the trail start by around 11:30 am and reached the hotel by 12:30 pm.

A narrow pathway in the slot canyon

One of the beautiful views that one can get from a slot canyon

Words fall short picture

The beautiful tent rocks on the way to the top of the trail

Tent rocks from the top of the trail

Slot canyon trail view from the top of the trail

Once at the hotel, we took the hotel shuttle to a vegan food truck called Root 66. A lot of blogs had mentioned about Root 66 and we wanted to try it out because this would have been our first ever food truck visit in the USA! They are available at the parking of the Santa Fe Brewing Co.'s Brakeroom location which is off the Galisteo Street and also it would be wise to check their status on Facebook since they close in the winter. Coming back to the food truck experience, we tried Impossible Mushroom Cheeseburger, Eggplant Marinara Panini and Tempeh Crabcake Sandwich all with a side of potato salad. The food was really good, I loved the crabcake sandwich and the best part was it was all 100% vegan! They also made up a dish of rice, eggplant and marinara for my daughter and didn't even charge for it! If you are a vegan/vegetarian wondering what to eat in Santa Fe, just head to this food truck and your taste buds will thank you for it!
After a hearty meal, we took a walk to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. Georgia O'Keeffe was an American artist also known as the 'Mother of American modernism'. Her paintings reflect flowers, New York skyscrapers, bones against the stark desert sky and New Mexican landscapes. The museum has many of her paintings and two videos featuring Georgia herself.

A painting from the Georgia O'Keeffe museum

Continued here....

The journey to Santa Fe

Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico state, is a city with Pueblo architecture and known for creative arts. The city has a lot of galleries and also the New Mexican cuisine that is found no where else. The city also has outdoor activities like skiing, white water rafting and horse-back riding. There are also spas that have hot tubs similar to the Japanese onsens. With so much on offer, we decided to travel to Santa Fe on a vacation.

The main reason for us to visit Santa Fe was the Pueblo architecture and skiing. Staying in Dallas, we do not get snow here, its just sleet! And nor do we get to see snow in Bangalore. And this being the last winter in the USA, we wanted to experience the snow! 

The distance of Santa Fe from Dallas is approximately 640 miles and it took us 11 hours with a few fuel breaks and lunch-breakfast breaks. Amarillo is almost mid way and we expected to reach Amarillo by lunch since there are no good options for vegetarian food either before Amarillo or after. We left Dallas around 5:45 am and we reached Amarillo by 12:00 pm. Schlotzsky's is my new found love because of their sourdough bread and that is where we had lunch and its right off the I-40. They have kids menu as well which made it easy for us to feed our almost 2 year old!

Hello, New Mexico!

Right after lunch we were on the historic 'Route-66' all the way till we reached the diversion to Santa Fe! That was a dream drive! Now Route-66 is the Mother Road or the Main Street of America. It was established in 1926 and ran through Chicago, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, ending in Santa Monica, California with a total of 2448 miles. After being removed from the U.S. Highway System, it has been replaced in its entirety by the Interstate Highway system and the one we were on was the I-40. 

When you enter New Mexico, you start seeing boards of "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" that invite the motorists to stay the night in one of the Tucumcari's motels. Tucumcari, the largest city on the highway between Amarillo, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been a popular stop for cross-country travellers on I-40. And as we passed Tucumcari, the land was covered in snow in bits here and there! I have to admit that it was my first time seeing snow and i had a child like excitement whenever i saw it or touched it!

Snow, snow, snow!!!

It was around 4 pm when we reached the hotel, Villas de Santa Fe. Its an apartment kind of hotel that is very close to the downtown and they offer shuttle service to the downtown and nearby areas. When it was dinner time, we thought of giving the shuttle service a try and it was very useful for all the times we had to go to downtown. Dinner was at Bumblebee's Baja Grill. Santa Fe is known for New Mexican food and there are a lot of restaurants to try if you eat meat. But since we are vegetarians, i had selected a few must try restaurants and the first one to try out was Bumblebee's. The restaurant has some good vegetarian and vegan food. We had the veggie especial burrito, veggie tortilla soup and veggie tacos. The tacos came with pinto beans and rice. The highlight of the meal was the tortilla soup made from vegetable broth. It had everything needed on a cold winter evening. They had a kids menu as well which was useful to us.

Bumblebee's Baja Grill

After dinner, we took a short walk to the plaza. Most of the shops were closed but all the eateries were open. The plaza was all lit up and with snow everywhere it was picture perfect. We were greeted by a Santa Claus which made the kiddo happy! We took a few pictures and then we were back at the hotel.

Santa Fe Plaza

It was a good day that ended well with getting to see snow, eating delicious food and a warm cosy bed to snuggle in!

Feeding a 1 year old while traveling..

Gone are the days when having a baby meant house arrest until the baby was old enough to travel! Traveling with a baby now is easier than it ever was. My first trip with my baby was to the United States when she was 5 months old. I did have some doubts on whether I could actually look after everything during the travel since it was a 24 hour journey with a 2 and a half hour layover.
It all started with the flight from Bangalore to Dubai which was a night flight. The night flights are a little easier if you are traveling with a baby as they can coincide with the sleep time of the baby. I did have a baby carrier which meant I could have my hands free. A stroller can also be useful since the baby can sleep in it during the layover and you can also use it as a temporary high chair. Since my baby was on formula, that did make things a little trickier. I had to have boiled water, formula powder, a transparent container in case the security didn’t let me through with the formula carton, sterilized bottles, a sterilizer. Bottle liners can also be used but I preferred to use the Milton solo travel steriliser with Milton sterilizing tablets. This steriliser could be used both with hot and cold water, hot sterilizing in a microwave and cold water sterilizing with the tablets. Also in flight once you clean the bottles, you can ask the stewardess to fill up the bottles with hot water. You can then close the bottles and keep them for half an hour as the steam from the hot water sterilizes the bottle. But do make sure the bottles are clean of all the formula residue before filling them with hot water. I also filled a thermos flask with hot water to make the formula. There are no restrictions on the quantity of baby products and also formula cartons pass the security check.
Next comes the solid food part. If your baby is on solids, do pack something your baby likes in case of delays or non availability on the flight. Some extra set of clothes, socks since the temperature can get cold at times, a small blanket (I prefer to use my own blanket even though some airlines do provide them) or a sweater, lots of diapers, some small toys, baby lotion. Also request for a seat with bassinet. This will give you some free time when the baby is asleep or you can use it for the baby when you need to use the restroom. Also the bassinet seats come with good legroom and large overhead bin space which is very useful when traveling alone with a baby. You might need some additional clothes for yourself as well.
Also I had read of how it’s important for the baby to suck on something during landing and take off but I didn’t see any discomfort in my baby. In fact, she was sound asleep for all the landings and take offs. In case this part of the journey concerns you, offer some milk which should do the trick of sucking. Some medicines for fever, upset stomach, thermometer, electrolyte solution specifically made for babies and any other medications the baby needs. I had her evaluated by the pediatrician and also asked him for a list of general medications needed during travel. Ask for an electrolyte solution that’s made for babies since there are some chances of dehydration in case the baby is extremely fussy in travel. I have heard of people giving Benadryl to make kids feel sleepy but I personally don’t prefer it since it can interfere in case of an emergency or otherwise. If possible pack a diaper bag that has all the baby stuff and a different bag for your things. I thought it was handy to have a small sling bag to keep my phone, some money and our passports.
These are the things that I used while traveling with my baby till she was 12 months old. I still use some of the things when traveling with her since she’s a toddler now. It’s a basic list that helps you modify it as and when the kids grow.

The short trail and the flight to DFW!

Grand Canyon has spectacular sunrises and sunsets. No wonder we did not want to miss on the sunrise after watching the beautiful sunset. Having a kid who is still an early riser did help us to catch the sunrise. There are various sunrise points both near the visitor center and on the Hermit Road like the Yaki Point, Mather Point, Pima Point and Mohave Point. We chose the Mohave Point because along with the sunrise it also had views of the canyon along with the Colorado river flowing through it. Also to note, usually during the peak seasons, there are shuttle buses that can take you anywhere in the national park since private vehicles are not allowed. But during winters, along with the shuttle buses you can drive around the national park in your Private vehicle.

The sunrise was around 7:30 am and we were at the Mohave Point by 7 am. There was sufficient parking for a few vehicles and since traffic was less, it wasn't much of a problem. The temperature was around -8 degree Celsius and layers of clothing is the best solution if you plan to be around for a while after the sunrise. The canyon has amazing views even before the sunrise with clouds surrounding the canyon top. You could see the Colorado river flowing through the canyon and it just made for the perfect picture. When you look at the river from the point, you feel amazed by nature that this river that you are seeing has carved out a canyon! And just as the sun began to rise, the canyon gave out stunning views in different hues of yellow and orange! There was a moment when I wanted to freeze the time, such was the beauty of the place.

The first rays of the sun falling on the Grand Canyon!

After the sunrise we thought of just driving along the Hermits Road up-to the Hermits Rest and back to the village visiting all the points along the way. We went to The Abyss next which has a 914m drop off, the Monument Creek Vista and the Pima point which offer canyon views. It was so peaceful at the Pima Point that just like the map points out, one could even hear the Colorado river!

Then we went back to the hotel for breakfast. The plan for the rest of the day was to checkout from the hotel, do a rim trail, drive to the watch tower and get back to Phoenix for the flight back to DFW. There was no complimentary breakfast but we got some ready to eat Indian breakfast and my daughter was on pureed food.

Sunrise at the Grand Canyon with the Colorado river in the background

The rim trail is a must if you are short of time to do the other trails. Since this was a first long trip and a one with trails after we had a baby, we weren't much comfortable to take the other trails. It starts from the Hermits Rest but we started the trail at the Mather Point and ended it at the Bright Angel Trailhead. The trail is unpaved from Hermits Rest to the Maricopa Point and the rest of the trail is paved. The trail is very scenic giving different views of the canyon. It took us a total of 2 and half hours. There is a museum in between after which the trail of time begins. There are explanations about the various layers and how they were all formed, how old each layer is and many other interesting facts all through the trail. Also, in the Trail of Time, there are samples of each layer of the canyon. If I am not wrong, the base is the Vishnu Schist and then its in the order of Tapeats Sandstone, Bright Angel Shale, Mauv Limestone, Redwall Limestone, Supai Group, Hermit Shale, Coconino Sandstone, Toroweap Formation and Kaibab Limestone. The Kaibab Limestone is 270 million years old and the Vishnu Schist is 1745 million years old! There are also fossils found in the Grand Canyon that indicate of a sea life. The Grand Canyon is amazing with a lot of facts and interesting finds. If you are short on time be sure to check out the museum and the Trail of Time.

The oldest rock layer, Vishnu Schist

The top 4 layers of the Grand Canyon

Can you spot the top 4 layers?

After completing the rim trail, we took a shuttle bus back to the parking near the visitor centre. 

From there we planned to go visit the Desert View Watchtower. There were a few view points on the way to the watchtower but since we had an evening flight to DFW from Phoenix around 9pm, we decided to skip the view points. The watchtower was designed by the architect Mary Colter in the style of Puebloan towers. The tower has murals representing certain aspects of Hopi life. The top deck of the tower is from where you can see panoramic views of the canyon and the Colorado river. The tower also has a balcony. Being short on time, we had a quick view of the tower, grabbed some refreshments from a store near the tower and we were on the way to Phoenix.

The murals on the inside of the watchtower

The roof of the watchtower

A closer look at the Colorado river from the watchtower

We were hoping to find some vegetarian options at some restaurants in Tusayan but again because of the time shortage, we managed with fruits and bread. On the way we stopped at a Subway near a gas station, got some food for us and the car! We somehow just managed to catch the flight with 15 mins left for the boarding to begin!
Back home we were greeted by a turbulent weather near DFW and we longed to be back at the Grand Canyon!

Off to the Grand Canyon.....

The Grand Canyon needs no introduction. The canyon carved by the Colorado river in Arizona is a marvel of nature. Layers, billions of years old, have been exposed as the Colorado river along with its tributaries cut their channels through layers of rock while the plateau was uplifted. For thousands of years, Native Americans have inhabited the area. There are 2 rims, south rim and north rim, among which only the south rim is open in the winters. The south rim has sunrise points, sunset points, trails, different viewpoints, restaurants, shops, hotels. You can find most of the information about the south rim here.

Las Vegas

We started the journey from Las Vegas after having breakfast. It was a 4 hour drive covering a distance of 272 miles. With a lunch break we expected to be there way before sunset but an accident near Kingman caused delay. But we still made it in time for the sunset! We saw the sun set over the Grand canyon from the Mather point which is one of the points known for sunset. There was a certain calmness from the sunset, something magical about the place. The different shades of the canyon after the sunset makes you feel one with the nature. I find it difficult to express the view in words!

The first view of the Grand Canyon

Sunset view

We had booked The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon which was outside of the national park in Tusayan. The hotel was a 15 mins drive to the national park. There are some hotels in the national park as well but since this was a last minute trip, we couldn't find any accommodations in the national park. We had a double room which had basics like a microwave, some stationary, and some toiletries. Being vegetarians we found it a little difficult with food. But it still was a good place to stay close to the park.

The room at The Grand Hotel

After the sunset it was time for dinner. The weather was around -1 degree Celsius in the evening which made it super cold to be out for long. Also the park ticket is charged per vehicle as well and its valid for 7 days.

Vegas...Here we come!!

The day to visit the sin city, Las Vegas! We had a long plan for the day with Hoover dam on the way from Phoenix to Las Vegas. We had an early American breakfast of waffles, eggs, muffin, bread, Nutella, fruits and coffee.
With breakfast done, we hit the road to Vegas, US-93 N via Kingman. It was a drive of approximately 5 hours with a lunch break and a stop by Hoover dam. The road trip started just as regular one would. But, a few minutes into the journey and we were greeted by huge cacti everywhere! And by huge I mean an enormous size I had never seen before. They reminded me of the cartoons I watched as a kid where they had these huge cacti which I had then thought of fictional! Life is pretty much full of unexpected things. The things I thought didn’t exist as a child, were in front of me today!

Huge cacti everywhere!

We then stopped at an Indian cuisine restaurant in Kingman called India Spice N Bar. We had palak paneer, pulao and veggie biryani which was good and to be frank it had been a while since we had been to an Indian cuisine restaurant which made the lunch worthwhile!

Joshua trees

Next stop on the journey was Hoover dam which is a must-see if you are visiting Vegas. The dam impounds Lake Mead, in the Black Canyon of the Colorado river, on the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona. The generators of the dam provide power in Nevada, Arizona and California. Another place to visit near the dam is the memorial bridge, also known as Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. It carries the U.S. Route 93 over the Colorado river, which was originally along the top of Hoover dam with several hairpin turns and blind curves. The bridge is the second highest in the United States and world’s highest concrete arch bridge. The bridge offers stunning views of the Hoover dam with the Lake Mead and the turquoise blue river flowing under the bridge. Unfortunately we couldn’t visit the dam and just went to the bridge. The tour of dam is interesting provided you have sufficient time. But if you are short of time, the bridge makes the stop at the dam worthwhile.
A few pictures on the bridge and a few captured in our memories, we were back on to the road to Las Vegas.

Hoover dam from the bridge

The enormous Hoover dam

Las Vegas is a shimmering city in the middle of a desert! Known for its gambling, nightlife, shopping, fine dining and entertainment, this is the 'Sin City'! All of the gambling and entertainment is reserved for the Las Vegas Strip. Some of the largest hotels, casinos and resorts are right on this strip. A look into one of the casinos is nothing less than what can come straight out of a movie! The strip is highlighted by the presence of contemporary architecture, lights and lots of attractions. For as long as your eyes can see, there's nothing but bling!
There's Venetian themed on Venice all with the canals and the famous gondolas, Bellagio famous for its fountain show, Caesars Palace which takes you back to the Roman Empire, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Mirage. You name it and its there!
We checked in to Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort. We had a one bedroom villa booked and it was an accommodation that fit all of our requirements. There are a lot of accomodations available near the strip or on the strip but since most of them were casinos and we were traveling with a baby, we chose to stay somewhere that wasn't a casino but was like a 5 minute drive as well from the strip. The villa had a kitchen, living room and a bedroom with a spa tub.

Kitchenette at the villa

Bedroom at the villa

Living room at the villa

After a small snack break, it was time to check out the city! We went to the Venetian which is a luxury hotel and resort on the strip. It also has a casino and is themed on the city of Venice, Italy. The ceilings, columns, bridges and the gondolas take you to Venice. It was the first time that I had seen a casino but since we had a baby, it was a no to the gambling! Nevertheless it was an experience to see all the extravagance which can be found no where else. We then saw the fountain show at Bellagio, a large dancing water fountain synchronized to music on a lake between the building and the strip. There were people dressed in movie characters, playing guitars and what not! We also saw replicas of Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty!

Venetian designed as Venice

The strip as seen from Venetian

Eiffel tower on the strip

After a long and exciting day, we retired to our room, had some comfort Indian food and then off to bed.

Cactus, casinos and a dam!!

It has been quite some time that I posted something on travel. Being a first time mom, certain things took a back seat. Then we relocated to the USA and I traveled alone with a 5 month old, but all of that in a different post. With things settling down, we went on a small vacation that was always on the bucket list!

Winters in the USA are pretty cold & snowy and you are left with very few options in terms of travel. One of the few places we could visit were the Grand Canyon National Park and Las Vegas.
And en route to Las Vegas there's the Hoover dam.

The drive from Phoenix, Arizona to Las Vegas is scenic with huge cactuses on most part of the journey. We had a late night flight to Phoenix from DFW on December 15, 2017. It was around 1 am when the flight landed in Phoenix. We had booked a suite in Springhill suites which was outside the city. Since we had to travel to Las Vegas the very next day, we were considering options around the freeway. The suite was a decent accommodation for a night with a queen bed and a futon. Kitchen amenities were basic with a microwave and coffee maker.  

We had booked a Nissan Altima from Enterprise at the airport. We deplaned, took a bus to the rental car area and it was a matter of a few minutes before we were driving out to the hotel. Taking a late night flight with a baby was a little stressful and all that we wanted to do was hit the bed.

Birding at the wild ass sanctuary in the little Rann of Kutch..

Day 6 : 4th Feb, 2016 - Zainabad

The day started with the chirping of the Demoiselle Cranes waking us up. The plan for the day was to visit the famous Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary and do lots of birding. The safari started at 6 am. The Indian wild ass or Khur as its known, is an endangered species now found in the sanctuary among the other places. On the way to the sanctuary, we came across a village and we were surprised to see peacocks all around the village right from the roads to the roof tops to the tree tops! What an amazing sight it was! We also saw some birds like pond Heron, White Breasted Kingfisher and Red Wattled lapwing.

Demoiselle Cranes

Then we entered the wild ass sanctuary. The sanctuary was a dry land with only thorny bushes and dry grass everywhere. And for as long as the eyes could see, there was only dry land which made spotting the wild ass very easy. We saw lots of them in herds, some with their young ones. The wild ass looks like a horse with a light brown to reddish brown color tone. The guide told us that they can run with great speed unlike their domesticated counterparts. We also saw blue bull, known as Nilgai as well, the largest Asian Antelope endemic to the Indian subcontinent. We saw it multiple times during the safari but the closest was when it came all of a sudden near the jeep and when it realized, the speed with which it disappeared was amazing!

Indian wild ass in the sanctuary

Blue bull(Nilgai)

We then started birding and saw lots of species - Bee Eater, Common Crane, Juvenile Common Crane, Crested Lark, Desert Wheatear, Duck, Greater Flamingo, Hoopoe(Hudhud), Indian Roller, Lesser Flamingo, Juvenile Flamingos, Red Wattled Lapwing, Sandgrouse, Stilt and Short Eared Owl, and many others. The guide told us that even the Indian Bustard can be found in the little Rann and we were too excited to see it. And we were lucky to just spot it! It was a blink and miss appearance by the Indian Bustard and a lifer for us! The flamingos are a sight to watch and we were excited about them from the beginning of the trip. Flamingo was a beauty to watch and again a lifer for us. It was indeed a birder's paradise.

We also saw the den of a fox and waited for a while for the fox to come. Foxes are believed to be shy animals and we couldn't see one in the sanctuary. Salt panning is widely carried out in the area and most of the salt supplied to the country is produced here. The salt making process is very tedious and lengthy process which these workers carry out in the hot weather where you cant even stand the sun! Every year when the rains retreat, the Kutch soil being abundant in salt, salt is left behind when the water evaporates. The salt pans are filled with water and then salt is segregated by a huge fork like stick from one end of the pan to the other. The disappointing fact was the workers are paid only 18 paise for a kg of salt.

Salt making in progress

Salt that is ready

The safari lasted for a good 5 hours and it was time for lunch by the time we returned. A good nap after the safari and we were ready for another safari in the evening.

In the evening safari, we could spot some water birds as well - Common Teal, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Marsh Harrier, Painted Stork, Pelican, Pied Avocet, Seagull, Spoonbill among the other birds seen in the morning safari. We also saw a Hyena den which was awful. There were bones of all sizes lying around the den and it gave us goosebumps!

Common Crane and Lesser Flamingo

After the evening safari it was time for dinner and the end of another day at Gujarat.

Do visit Birds at little Rann of Kutch post for the bird's photos.

Food:
Lunch was of Rotlo, pulao, 2 veg sabzis, roti, jalebi and buttermilk. Dinner consisted of the normal fare but a little bland compared to the other stays.