Amber Fort, Jaipur

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We had a guide for the city and our first stop was Amber (pronounced Amer) fort. A steep ramp led to the entrance, at which point you could walk up or take an elephant ride up. There is some controversy about the treatment of those elephants so we walked up to the fort.

The fort was built in 1592 by Raja Man Singh I. It was built in white marble and red sandstone and is really stunning, the outside being a stark contrast to the inside. It was more a palace then a fort with a huge (magnificent) courtyard, small temple - the Kali or Shila Mata Temple - with gorgeous silver doors, various residence areas including that of the maharaja, and mosaics, hand paintings, marble columns, sculptures, and some great doors. The highlights included wonderful carvings and minute mirror work.

There were long views of the surrounding watchtowers and loverlooking Maota Lake. There was room for the king, queen, and the king’s 300 concubines.

This is definitely a must see in Jaipur. I would allow a couple of hours to explore.

You can make a day out of visiting Amber, Jaigarth, and Nahargarh Forts, starting at the bottom with Amber. I think Amber rates as #1, Nahargarh as #2, and Jaigarh as #3.

Admission is Rs 10 for Indian citizens, and Rs 50 for foreigners.

Camera fees Rs 40 for Indian citizens, Rs 25 for foreigners.

The fort is open daily except Holi from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Amber Fort is one of the biggest fort in jaipur which once overlooked the vast land and now an emerging city.The fort is really unique and huge.If you are into art or architecture you would probably love this by far.There are so many things within the fort,entering the fort would find you a temple and then the big entrance and then a Sheesh Mahal(palace made of mirrors).
You can do elephant rides in here and the price would depend upon how you negotiate.
The tour to fort would be included in your travel package if you have taken the Golden Triangle package(generally taken by tourist for Delhi-Jaipur-Agra)if not and you are an independent one the you can find a licence holder guide just outside the fort for INR 50-150(depending upon how you negotiate).
You will see handicraft market inside but,they are nothing unusual and can be bought in local market for less.

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Amber Fort is a very well visited tourist site and deserves to be so. The honey coloured fort/palace is situated on a hillside above the village Amber, 11km north of Jaipur.

Construction of Amber Fort begun in 1592 by Raja Man Singh and it was later extended to its present form by Jai Singh I.

The fort/palace is a good example of Rajput architecture and both Hindu and Muslim style of decoration can be found. Inside there are wonderful carvings, paintings and mirror work. There are several courtyards, gates and audience halls. There are the women’s quarters and the Maharaja´s quarters and temples.

Amber Fort is open every day of the week between 9.00 - 17.30. Admission for foreigners was Rs 150 (August 2010). An audio guide is not included in that price, but as I didn’t pay extra for one I don’t know how much it cost.

Situated about 20 minutes by car north of Jaipur, Amber is the original capital of the Kachhawaha dynasty. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was the last from this dynasty to rule out of Amber while he commissioned the construction of Jaipur in 1727 as the new capital of the kingdom. The history of the two cities is thus intertwined and a trip to Jaipur is not complete without a visit to Amber and its formidable Palace-Fort. For a more detailed description of Amber and its sites, check out my separate Amber page.

Note: Amber is sometimes also referred to as "Amer".

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Riding an elephant uphill seems a cliche for tourists. And it is. But it really helps feeling the ambience and plunging deeper in India.

I had a personal experience in Fort Amber... well... I describe it in a Travelogue. But the fort, going up by elephant, on foot, or by helicopter, is something no one can miss.

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A few kilometers out of the city of Jaipur you will find Amber fort, the most beautiful and largest of the three forts. Arriving into the fort will probably be on the back of huge elephants. When you are in the fort you can choose to just look around for yourselves or use a guide. This fort is really something to see.

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Amber was the ancient capital of the provice before it was shifted to the present Jaipur. Amber Palace is a blending of Hindu and Muslim elements. It is covered with marble, mosaics, mirrors and paintings. One of the interior room in the palace is covered in thousands of ancient tiny mirrors.

The palace is protected by two forts. Jaigarh Fort is on top of the hill and Amber Fort is at the bottom. Both the forts were connected through a well guarded passages with walls like the Chinese wall, even though not that long as it. Almost all the original facilities are intact.

Amber Fort is very famous for the elephants, and tourists can ride on top of an elephant for 750 rupies. The elephant take a break in the middle of the day due to the heat.

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The construction of Amber Fort began in 1592 under orders of Raja Man Singh. The Raja was a trusted commander in the service of Emperor Akbar. The style of architecture of the fort is typical Rajput, but the palace and apartments show a melding of Islamic and Rajput ornamentation,
Standing on a steep hill, the red and white sandstone fort was modified by successive rulers for the next 150 years. The views of Jaipur from the ramparts are awesome.
Inside the walls of the fort are remains of palace and royal chambers. There is a temple dedicated to Kali just to the right of the main entry gate (Suraj Pol).
The Kali Temple has magnificent doors, decorated with silver raised-relief murals and mirror work. In ancient times goats were sacrificed to the Goddess on an alter inside the temple.

Inside the main courtyard is a beautifully designed herb-garden, with water features (photo3)
Each of the four sections of the fort is accessable by stairs, and houses royal apartments, audience halls and womens quarters.The entrance to the Maharajahs private apartments (Ganesh Pol) is extremely impressive, and is also lavishly decorated with mosaics, carvings and silverwork. The ceilings are very ornate.
There are 3 ways of reaching the fort- by jeep, by elephant or by walking up.
We watched the elephants trundling up the steep hill, some carrying 3 or 4 passengers- and my heart went out to them.They were suffering so much, it was very hot, and they did not look to be in good condition. We chose to walk up, and although it is a 10 minute uphill slog, we never regretted it for one moment. On entering the fort there are refreshment stands to quench the thirst.