Rajasthan's cheapest introduction: pink sandstone, rooftop dorms and forts you can see for free.
Bani Park and Old City
Bani Park's converted houses hold most of the hostels, ten minutes by auto from the walled city; a handful of rooftop guesthouses sit inside it near Hawa Mahal.
What a day costs
Roughly โน1,200โ2,500, about $15โ30: dorm โน400โ700, thali and street food โน150โ350, autos โน200โ400, one monument ticket โน200โ500.
Autos, buses and sleepers
Fix the fare before getting in, or use a ride app to avoid the argument. Low-floor city buses cost โน10โ25, and sleeper coaches reach Delhi or Udaipur overnight.
Free by day
Hawa Mahal's facade is viewed from the street opposite, the Jal Mahal sits free across its lake, and the bazaars of Johari and Bapu cost nothing.
Nahargarh Fort at sunset
The hilltop ramparts above the city draw a mixed crowd of travellers and Jaipur students most evenings; shared autos run up from the Old City.