Amber - Beyond the Fort

Amber Fort is a must-do for tourists, however very few people go beyond the fort to visit this beautiful and fascinating town. Dotted with numerous historic temples, havelis and a step well, this walk offers a wonderful insight in to this quiet town. The walk is a perfect antidote to the hectic fort and can easily be added in to an Amber Fort visit.

Amber served as the capital of the Jaipur ruling dynasties, the Kachhawas from the 15th to 17th centuries. After the formation of the new city of Jaipur, the royal family and most of the population moved to the newly built capital, leaving Amber to its fate.

This walk reveals some of the best kept secrets of Amber. Meet temple priests, hand-block printers and local citizens, before finishing with tea at a stunning restored haveli which now houses a fascinating museum of textiles.

Trekking extension: For those with an adventurous spirit we can combine this heritage walk with trekking in the surrounding Aravali hills. Visit Meena community villages, a ruined fort, hidden shrines and meet the locals to learn about their daily life. (Approx 1.5  hours, additional cost).

Significant highlights include:

Visit Jagat  Shiromani Temple, a 16th century temple dedicated to lord Krishna. This temple, which is built in the south Indian architectural style, is decorated with beautiful frescos featuring characters from Hindu mythology. Meet the ninth generation priest at the Ambikeshwar Temple, a temple older than Amber itself and shrouded in a great mystery. Visit Panna Miah Kund, a beautifully restored step well which was built by one of Jai Singh’s eunuchs. Enjoy a specially guided tour of the Anokhi Museum of Textiles, followed by tea and snacks in the museum cafe. The museum is housed in a magnificent restored haveli and houses a huge collection of hand block printed textiles, both traditional and contemporary. Watch a demonstration of hand block printing, and have a go at creating your own print.