1The drive: Jaipur to Ajmer, then Pushkar
Ajmer is about 135 km from Jaipur, around 2.5 hours on the six-lane highway through Kishangarh. Pushkar is only 15 km beyond Ajmer, over the hill road past Nag Pahar, about 30 minutes. With the drive back, the day is around 300 to 350 km, which fits easily between breakfast and dinner.
2Hour by hour
Leave Jaipur at 7 am and reach Ajmer by 9:30. Spend two hours at the dargah and Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra next door. Drive to Pushkar by noon and have lunch near the lake. The Brahma Temple may close for a break in the early afternoon, so walk the ghats first and visit the temple around 3 pm. Stay for the sunset over Pushkar Lake, leave by 6:30, and you're back in Jaipur by 9:30 or 10 pm.
3Ajmer Sharif Dargah: what to know
The dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is open from early morning to late evening, about 5 am to 9 pm in winter and 4 am to 10 pm in summer, and entry is free. It closes briefly at prayer times. Cover your head (scarves and caps are sold outside), leave your shoes at the stalls by the gate, and expect a bag check. The lanes around it are narrow, so the car parks a short walk away. Thursdays and the Urs festival are the busiest days.
4Pushkar: the Brahma Temple and the ghats
Pushkar's Brahma Temple is one of very few temples to Brahma anywhere. Leave leather items and cameras in the car, as they may not be allowed inside. At the ghats, men may offer a puja for the lake and then ask for a large donation; it's fine to say no politely. If you have time, the ropeway up to the Savitri Mata temple gives the best view over the town and the lake.
5Cab fare for the day
Our Ajmer and Pushkar day trip starts from ₹3,200 for a small car with driver, as an estimate. An Ertiga for six is about ₹4,150 to ₹4,800, and an Innova Crysta about ₹4,900 to ₹5,700. Fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's allowance are in the fare; entry tickets, pujas and meals are yours. Prefer to stay the night by the lake? Our two-day Pushkar and Ajmer tour starts from ₹5,700.
