India with kids: why Jaipur is a must-visit.

In India you have a thousand places where your eyes take in more than your head can handle. Enter 'The Pink City', a.k.a. Jaipur, a city southwest of New Delhi that turns pink because of the shades of architecture. A city with incredible historical wealth, but today unfortunately also marked by grinding poverty in the suburbs. Why we recommend Jaipur when visiting India? Well, there is a lot to see/do/learn there...

WHAT TO DO IN AND AROUND JAIPUR?

The reddish-pink colour in which the city bathes is of historical nature, 19th century to be precise. The maharajahs of that time had crazy ideas. One of the ideas was to completely colour the city pink. Jaipur was once a fairytale city, you can tell by the amazing temples, forts and palaces that are enormously well preserved. Be aware of the sharp contrast between the majestic appearance of the city and the distressing condition of the man in the street. Just so you know in advance.

AMER FORT

Are you ready to be blown off your socks by the conditions in which Indian maharajahs lived and worked in days gone by? Amer Fort in Jaipur is an imperial castle built in the 16th century. The courtyards are so well maintained today that they give a good idea of what once was. We certainly recommend booking a guide to show you around here, because the stories that can be told are worth the investment. The kids were also impressed by this beautiful castle, but to keep Elodie somewhat in the fairylike atmosphere, we bought a colourful parasol for €2 with which she strolled through the narrow corridors after a while. Your guide in Amer fort will also make sure you will not be bothered by the vendors.

HAWA MAHAL (THE WIND PALACE)

The Wind Palace in Jaipur is one of the most remarkable buildings in the city. Apparently it was built in the 18th century by the maharajah so that his harem wives could look outside without being seen from the street. It's in fact just a facade with almost 1000 windows (how many women does a harem actually consist of?!). When we were there, we noticed that it actually looks much smaller in real life than on photos we had seen beforehand. Basically it's not a palace, but rather an impressive facade with nothing behind it. During our visit it was closed due to works in the street, but a visit seems worthwhile.

MONKEY TEMPLE

Honestly, our kids love a cultural visit once in a while, but don't push it. As much as we think it's important to explore the region with the kids, you please them more with a diving mask than with a map for a temple visit. And yet... We only had to suggest a visit to Monkey Temple once to trigger them for it.
In the wooded hills around Jaipur, just outside the city (about 30 min drive) lie the ruins of an enormous Hindu temple. Since in India monkeys are as normal as pigeons are with us, you sometimes might meet with them more than once. The name of the temple is actually Hanuman Temple, but has been transformed into Monkey Temple. You can imagine why. The temple is freely accessible, although you have to pay a small fee if you have a camera with you and therefore plan to take pictures. If you want to enter the buildings on the site, keep in mind that shoes are forbidden. Knowing that animals such as monkeys and rats also have free access, don't forget your socks that day (and those of the kids too!).

JAWAHAR CIRCLE

Jawahar Circle Garden is a circular park in the middle of the city where you can escape from hectic life. The entrance to the park is a beautiful, colorful gate. The perfect place for a break to catch your breath! The garden is the largest circular park in Asia and is enclosed on one side by a rose garden and has a fountain (which is always fun with kids!). It is very centrally located, so you can combine it with another trip on the same day.

HOTEL IN JAIPUR

Indian life is tiring. Even when you’re used to having kids around (hehe). After a morning in the city, your senses might need some rest. Anyway, we love a mix of adventure/experience and a touch of luxury when we travel with our kids. JW Marriot was the ideal place for us to come 'home'. Was it because of the great welcome, the upgrade to a room with private pool or just the relaxed atmosphere? Anyway: highly recommended, especially with kids. In the morning during breakfast we were not only treated to pancakes, but also to quiet live music. After breakfast you can go out or you can stay a day by the pool, if you're lucky like us, you can even enjoy the peace and quiet at your private pool. By the way, our kids thought the big pool was cooler than the small pool on our terrace. The advantages of freedom of choice!
Around 5 PM you will be invited for the high tea and all kinds of activities will be organized for young and less young with the call of peacocks in the background. Your kids loves those critters, you say? Elodie too; and I can say that there are a lot of peacocks living in the surrounding mountains.

 Jaipur is also the perfect base from which to explore the province of Rajastan. We went north from here to tick off a long time bucket list thing; we went on a tiger safari in Ranthambore NP. But more about that soon!