Car Rental in Jodhpur Self Drive Through Marwar

Mehrangarh stands on a hill about 122 metres above the plains and covers some 1,200 acres. Rao Jodha began it around 1459, though most of what you see dates from the 17th century. Seven gates lead in, and cannonball marks are still visible on the second one.

Construction of this palace began in 1929 and finished in 1943 under Maharaja Umaid Singh. With 347 rooms, it remains home to the former royal family, while part of it is a hotel and part a museum open to visitors.

Mandore was the seat of power before Jodhpur was founded. Today its gardens hold tall red sandstone cenotaphs of the Marwar rulers, temples and a small museum, shaded by old trees and full of langurs.

Osian is an oasis town in the Thar with a cluster of ruined Hindu and Jain temples built between the 8th and 12th centuries. The Sachiya Mata temple, the Surya temple and the Mahavira Jain temple are the highlights. Camps nearby offer dune evenings.

Khejarli is remembered for the Bishnoi villagers who gave their lives in 1730 to save khejri trees from being cut. A memorial and temple mark the site. The nearby countryside shows the Bishnoi way of life, with blackbuck sometimes seen in the fields.

This deep stepwell of carved red sandstone was cleaned and restored in recent years and is now a popular stop with cafes around it. Leave the car near the market and walk in, since the surrounding lanes are narrow.