Amber Fort, Panna Meena ka Kund, Jaigarh and Nahargarh

Before Jaipur was laid out on the plains in 1727, the Kachwaha Rajputs ruled for centuries from the fortified gorge of Amer, eleven kilometres north-east of the modern centre. Linked along the jagged crest of the Aravalli hills by defensive stone watchtower walls, the three forts of Amber (Amer), Jaigarh and Nahargarh together with the stepwells and temples of Amer village form a full-day circuit best started right when the gates open.

Amber Fort (Amer Fort) and the Sheesh Mahal

Reflected in Maota Lake below, Amber Fort was expanded from 1592 onward by Raja Man Singh I and Mirza Raja Jai Singh in pale yellow and pink sandstone paired with white marble. Walk up the flagstone ramp through Suraj Pol into the public courtyard of Jaleb Chowk, then climb into the inner palace courtyards:

• Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience): a forty-pillared pavilion supported by double rows of sandstone columns with carved elephant brackets.
• Ganesh Pol: the three-storey ceremonial gateway leading to the private royal quarters, painted with vegetable-dye frescoes and topped by latticed screens (suhag mandir).
• Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) and Jai Mandir: the jewel of the fort, where walls and vaulted ceilings are inlaid with thousands of tiny convex glass mirrors and carved marble floral reliefs.
• Sukh Niwas: the summer hall cooled naturally by water cascading down a grooved marble channel beside sandalwood doors.

Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell, Jagat Shiromani Temple and Anokhi Museum

After leaving Amber Fort, walk ten minutes down into quiet Amer town behind the hill. Here sits Panna Meena ka Kund, a 16th-century square stepwell (baori) whose symmetrical diagonal staircases drop eight levels to a green pool. Two minutes further stands the carved Jagat Shiromani Temple and the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, housed in a restored haveli where master printers demonstrate woodblock textile techniques (pair this with shopping in the Pink City bazaars).

Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal and sunset at Nahargarh Fort

Directly above Amber Fort crowns the military citadel of Jaigarh Fort, home to its original cannon foundry and Jaivana, the world's largest wheeled cannon. Closer to the city stands Nahargarh Fort; arrive in late afternoon to tour the nine painted royal suites of Madhavendra Bhawan and watch sunset turn the walled Pink City golden below. Pause by lakeside Jal Mahal on the drive down.