Location

Samode is situated in the royal Indian state of Rajasthan around 42 km from Jaipur, the capital city. Located on way to Shekhawati, this small village is famous for its haveli and fort. Samode is connected to Jaipur through a good network of roads.

	Samode Hotels
	» Samode Palace

A desert getaway!
Samode is an ideal desert getaway. During the day, a camel ride through the Samode village and the surrounding countryside is a good idea. Riding this gentle animal with its rocking gait is the best way to relax on a sunny morning.

A real visit to Samode cannot be considered complete without a musical evening of folk dances and songs. Rajasthani bards and musicians with their colorful dresses and unusual musical instruments provide one of the best evenings one can have in India.

Places of interest

There are several places of tourist interest in Samode village. The Samode Palace, now a heritage hotel, is built in the characteristic pattern of an open courtyard with rooms leading off the arched corridor that runs along all the four sides of the building. The Sultan Mahal is on the first floor-an exquisite room with a marble pillared verandah. It has the famous Jaipur blue tile decorations. Every inch of the ceiling and the walls are covered with floral, paisley and geometric motifs painted in vegetable colors. It is called Sultan Mahal after the craftsman, who painstakingly created it. Old and heavy carved silver furniture brought from Nepal by the grandmother of the present Rawal gleam dully in sunlight even today. To the left of the main haveli is the Durbar Hall, which was built about a hundred years ago. Again it is painted with ornate floral motifs and colored delicately with vegetable pigments, which still have a special glow of their own.

Samode offers some excellent spots for day long excursions. Shekhawati is about two and half hours away from Samode. This small village is quite famous for its havelis with murals and wall paintings. Many experts also call this place the living art gallery of the world.

» The spectacular Samode Haveli: On a hill immediately above the palace is the Samode Fort, the family's former residence accessible in times of trouble by an underground passageway. The original stone zigzag path has been replaced by 300 steps, which have to be climbed to reach the fort. Though the fort itself is dilapidated, the view from its ramparts is excellent. The main fort gate is the starting point of some enticing walks into the Aravali mountain range. Around three km from Samode, en-route to the main Jaipur-Agra road is Samode Bagh, a large formal garden that is being restored and is often used by film crews for shooting.

How to get there !

» By Air : The nearest airhead is Jaipur from where flights can be taken for the other important cities of India. Major cities that are connected with Jaipur by air are Delhi, Mumbai, and Udaipur.

» By Rail : Jaipur is the nearest railhead that links Samode with the other parts of the country. There are several good trains that connect Jaipur with Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta.

» By Road : The distance from Jaipur to Samode is 42 kilometers. From Jaipur one can drive out on the highway to Bikaner. Samode can be reached after taking a left turn from a village called Chomu. The Samode Palace is only about 10 km from this village. Samode is connected to the other places in Rajasthan through state transport corporation buses.

Accommodation in Samode