Amer Fort is one of the most visited sites near Jaipur so its no wonder you are planning on going there too. I have been here a few times and love going any time I can. You should definitely have this on top of your todo list of attractions for Jaipur.
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How to get to Amer Fort
Amer Fort lies in the city of Amer which is 13kms from Jaipur. You can take a car or Uber easily from any part of the city to Amer Fort since this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Jaipur and these drivers ferry passengers to Amer Fort every day. Alternatively, if you are looking for a cheaper option you can get a local bus from near Hawa Mahal that will cost you between 15-25 rupees. You can also take an auto rickshaw which is 500 rupees for the return trip.
Amer Fort has two entrances, one at the front of the fort and one at the back. If you are dropped off at the front you will need to walk across the lake and hike to the main entrance at the top of the hill. This is pretty popular with tourists and gives you lots of photo opps. If you prefer to take you car to the top you can use the back entrance and get off right at the top. During peak hours there is always a traffic jam and you will get to the top much faster if you walk.
Please don’t ride the elephants. They are not treated properly.
How to get a guide for Amer Fort
Once you get to the top you can buy your ticket at the brightly marked ticket box offices. Here you can also get your audio guide or an official tourist guide. These guys are very well informed about the history of the palace and if you want pictures taken they can do that for you too.
My experience at Amer fort
Now comes the interesting part. The main entrance is a huge courtyard called Jaleb Chowk where the elephant riders get off and the ticket offices are located.
Diwan-e-Aam
Once you go up the stairs in the middle of the courtyard you will emerge onto another huge courtyard with many pillars. This is the Diwan-e-Aam or the Hall of Public Audience where the kings used to discuss matters with their subjects. This courtyard has an amazing view over the lower courtyard and birds eye view over Amer. You will also find people queueing up to take pictures at the gate here which is very pretty. I stood in line for about 5 minutes before I got my turn. Don’t be afraid to take your time getting the perfect picture.
Sheesh Mahal and Sukh Niwas
Once you go through this gate you will reach the king’s private quarters. It has two buildings on each side separated by a lush garden. One is the Sheesh Mahal or Hall or Mirror where the king sat with his ministers and the other is the Sukh Niwas where the kings and queens relaxed.
Women’s Quarters
At the rear of the fort are the zenana’s or the ladies quarters. This was my favorite part of the palace. It has small corridors and multiple stories with nooks and crannies that you can explore. I found these lattice windows at one corner or these corridors.
Hike to Jaigarh Fort
After we were done exploring we decided to check out the secret tunnel that was used by the royals to escape should the gates of Amer Fort ever be overthrown by the enemy. The tunnel starts underground in a cave full of bats and slowly sneaky up to the surface. You will emerge onto an unbricked trail about half a kilometer after the start and the hike takes you all the way to Jaigarh fort.
The hike took us about 40 minutes since we stopped multiple times to look at the view of the valley below. We ended up at the entrance to Jaigarh Fort and decided to explore it on the same day. We called our driver to come pick us up from Jaigarh and it took him about 20 minutes to make the trip from the parking lot at Amer Fort to the entrance of Jaigarh Fort where we were standing melting in the sun.
Photography Tips
Amer Fort is one of the most popular tourist spots in Jaipur. This means that 30 minutes after opening time it will be filled with people. If you are a photographer like me and despise people being in your frame get here before opening time and go in as soon as they open the gates to get a people free shooting zone.
Other things to do here
Some other cool things to do at Amer that I haven’t done but have heard some amazing views about are the light at sound show at night with dinner. The light and sounds show at Amer has been nationally acclaimed and is considered one of the best in India. It takes you through the history that took place between these walls and gives you a true sense of how much took place here. After the show you can have some delicious Indian food in the fort itself at 1135 AD. This is a fine dining restaurant with opulent royal ambience that is sure to impress you. Jaipur has the best food in India so I am sure you will love it.
For more stuff to do in Jaipur that suit your historical needs checkout my guide to the 15 most important historical places in Jaipur.
