Delhi to Pushkar Distance: Route and Guide

Pushkar, one of the oldest and most sacred towns in India, is a wonderful and atmospheric destination in Rajasthan, gathered around a holy lake in the desert. It lies a good few hours southwest of Delhi, beyond Jaipur and Ajmer, so this is a longer journey, best made as an overnight or as part of a wider Rajasthan trip rather than a quick day out. This guide from Delhi Agra Tour Packages covers the Delhi to Pushkar distance in both directions, the best routes, the ways to travel and what to see and do there, ideal alongside a Golden Triangle tour.

I was born in Delhi and in more than 11 years guiding the Golden Triangle for Experience My India I have taken many travellers out to Pushkar, often breaking the journey at Jaipur. Here is the clear, practical guide.

Delhi to Pushkar at a glance

How far is Delhi to Pushkar by road?

Delhi to Pushkar is about 470 km and takes roughly 7.5 hours by road, mostly on the fast NE4, the new Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, running through Jaipur and on towards Ajmer.

How far is Pushkar to Delhi by road?

Pushkar to Delhi is about 470 km by NE4, taking a similar time of around 7.5 to 8 hours in reverse.

Either way, plan for around 7.5 to 8 hours of driving, mostly on the fast NE4 expressway with the older NH48 as an alternative, so this is very much an overnight or, better, a multi-day Rajasthan trip rather than a day trip from Delhi.

What is the best route from Delhi to Pushkar?

The best and fastest route from Delhi to Pushkar uses NE4, the new Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, running southwest from Delhi towards Jaipur and then on via NH48 towards Ajmer, with Pushkar lying just beyond Ajmer over a low range of hills. At about 470 km and 7.5 hours, this is the quickest way, on fast, modern roads for most of the journey.

The alternative route via NH48, the older Jaipur-Ajmer national highway, is a little shorter in distance but a touch slower overall. Whichever you take, the journey passes through or by both Jaipur and Ajmer, two great and rewarding stops, as our things to do in Jaipur guide covers the Pink City in full. Because of the distance, many travellers sensibly break the journey with a night at Jaipur, turning the drive into a fuller Golden Triangle trip or make Pushkar just one stop on a wider Rajasthan journey rather than a single long haul from Delhi and back.

Ways to travel from Delhi to Pushkar

There are several ways to make the journey, given the distance:

• By car or taxi: the most comfortable and flexible option, a drive of around 7.5 hours mostly on the fast, modern NE4 expressway, letting you stop as you like, break the journey at Jaipur, pause at Ajmer and reach your Pushkar hotel directly with your luggage. This is what we usually arrange for our travellers.

• By train: trains run from Delhi to Ajmer, the nearest major railhead, from where Pushkar is a short taxi or bus ride of about 15 km over the hills, a restful way to cover the distance.

• By bus: buses run from Delhi to Ajmer and Pushkar, an economical option, though less flexible than a private car.

For most travellers, a private car and driver is the easiest and most flexible way, especially when combining Pushkar with Jaipur and the wider Golden Triangle, as it lets you keep your bags and set your own pace, while the overnight train to Ajmer is a good, restful and economical alternative for the long distance.

About Pushkar: a sacred desert town

Pushkar, in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, is among the oldest and holiest towns in all of India, a place of deep pilgrimage gathered around a sacred lake in the desert, encircled by low hills. Small, atmospheric and vividly colourful, it draws Hindu pilgrims, Indian travellers and international backpackers alike, a rare and charming mix, with its temples, bathing ghats, winding bazaars and famously easy, laid-back charm.

At the very heart of the town lie the sacred Pushkar Lake and the celebrated Brahma Temple, one of extremely few temples in the whole world dedicated to Lord Brahma the creator, which gives Pushkar its special and unusual religious importance among Hindu pilgrimage sites. As a holy town, it is strictly vegetarian and alcohol, meat and eggs are not permitted anywhere within it, lending the whole place a gentle, calm and deeply spiritual air quite unlike anywhere else in Rajasthan.

At once a serious centre of pilgrimage and a charming, bohemian, backpacker-friendly little town, Pushkar makes a wonderful, restful and quite unexpected contrast to the grand palaces and forts of the Golden Triangle cities. Many travellers who come for a night find themselves staying longer, drawn in by its easy pace, its lakeside sunsets and its relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and it has a special, almost timeless character that stays with visitors long after they leave.

Things to do in Pushkar

There is a great deal to enjoy in this small but rich town:

• The Brahma Temple: the Jagatpita Brahma Mandir, one of the very few temples anywhere in the world to Lord Brahma the creator, with its distinctive red spire, the spiritual heart of Pushkar and its most important and revered pilgrimage site.

• Pushkar Lake and the ghats: the sacred lake, ringed by more than fifty bathing ghats, where pilgrims come to bathe in the holy waters, said by legend to have appeared where a lotus dropped by Brahma fell, especially beautiful and moving at sunrise and sunset.

• The Savitri Temple: a hilltop temple dedicated to Brahma's consort, reached by a long climb of steps or by a ropeway, rewarding you with spectacular panoramic views over the town, the lake and the surrounding golden desert.

• The bazaars: the lively Sadar Bazaar and the maze of lanes around it, brimming with handicrafts, textiles, silver jewellery, leather, music and colourful boho fashion, a joy to wander and haggle in for hours.

• The rooftop cafes: Pushkar's famous, relaxed rooftop cafes, with their lovely sweeping views over the lake and hills, are a perfect place to unwind over a meal or a chai, part of the town's easy, bohemian charm.

• The other temples and gardens: the Varaha Temple, the Rangji Temple with its distinctive south-Indian style, the many other shrines and the rose gardens for which the area is known all add to the town's rich, layered spiritual and sensory character.

A day is enough for the main highlights, while an overnight lets you enjoy the sunrise and sunset over the lake and the town's wonderfully relaxed evening atmosphere.

The Pushkar Camel Fair

Pushkar is world-famous for its annual Camel Fair, the Pushkar Mela, one of the largest and most colourful livestock fairs anywhere on earth. Held usually in October or November, around the full moon of Kartik Purnima, it transforms the quiet, sleepy town and the surrounding desert into an extraordinary, week-long spectacle of thousands upon thousands of camels, horses and cattle, along with traders, herders, pilgrims, folk musicians and visitors from around the world, all gathered on the dunes.

The fair combines a huge, traditional livestock market with a vibrant, joyful cultural festival: camel races and beauty competitions, moustache and turban contests, folk music and dance, food and craft stalls, hot-air balloons and, at its heart, a great religious gathering at the lake for the sacred Kartik Purnima bathing. It is a genuine bucket-list experience, drawing photographers, film crews and travellers from across the globe for its colour, energy and atmosphere, though the town is at its most crowded and its hotels fully booked then, so plan and book well ahead. The exact dates change each year with the lunar calendar, so always reconfirm them when planning a trip around the fair.

Best time to visit Pushkar

The best time to visit Pushkar is October to March, when the desert weather is pleasant and comfortable for exploring the town, the temples and the ghats on foot and the light is lovely over the lake. The great highlight of the year is the Camel Fair, usually in October or November, which is the most spectacular but also the busiest and most crowded time to visit.

Summers, from April to June, are very hot in the Rajasthan desert, with fierce daytime heat, so they are best avoided for a leisurely visit, while the monsoon, from July to September, brings some welcome relief, cooler air and a little greenery and thinner crowds. For the classic, comfortable Pushkar experience, aim for the cool season, October to March, which is also much the most pleasant and bearable time for the longer journey out from Delhi and back; and if the world-famous Camel Fair is your goal, plan around its dates and book your stay and travel well in advance, as the town fills up completely.

Combining Pushkar with your trip

Because of the distance, Pushkar is best woven into a wider trip rather than done as a there-and-back journey from Delhi:

• Via Jaipur: the Pink City lies on the way, making a natural stop or overnight to break the journey and enjoy a great Golden Triangle city, before continuing on to Pushkar and Ajmer.

• With Ajmer: the important Sufi shrine of Ajmer Sharif is just about 15 km from Pushkar, so many travellers visit Ajmer and Pushkar together.

• On into Rajasthan: from Pushkar and Ajmer, the road leads deeper into Rajasthan, towards Jaisalmer, Udaipur and beyond, as our Delhi to Jaisalmer distance guide describes, so Pushkar can be one stop on a longer Rajasthan journey.

For the short hop from the Pink City itself, our Jaipur to Pushkar distance guide covers the onward leg and our best time to visit Delhi guide helps with timing.

Travel tips for the Delhi to Pushkar trip

• Take NE4, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, via Jaipur and Ajmer for the fastest drive.

• Allow around 7.5 to 8 hours; do not attempt it as a day trip.

• Consider breaking the journey at Jaipur, a great Golden Triangle city.

• Or take the train to Ajmer, then a short ride up to Pushkar.

• Remember Pushkar is a holy town: it is vegetarian, with no alcohol, meat or eggs.

• Visit October to March or the Camel Fair and see the lake at sunrise or sunset.

Want Pushkar planned into a wider Rajasthan or Golden Triangle trip, with the transport and stops sorted? Message us on WhatsApp and Experience My India will build it for you.

Plan your trip with us

A longer Rajasthan journey is easiest when the drive, the timing and the stops are all handled and that is what we do, a comfortable car and driver, a Jaipur stop if you wish and your Pushkar visit with the Brahma Temple, the lake and the bazaars and the Camel Fair planned around if you like, all sorted, so you simply enjoy this magical town.

Tell us your dates and group size and we will price it honestly around your standard rather than a fixed figure. Explore the classic circuit on our Golden Triangle tours, with Pushkar and Rajasthan easily added or see the Taj at its finest on our Sunrise Taj tour. We can build it all within our wider Delhi Agra Tour Packages.

Related guides

• Nearby places to visit in Delhi: the best getaways from the city.

• New Delhi tour: the capital's imperial landmarks.

• Old Delhi tour: the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk.

• Delhi day tour: the best of the capital in a day.

Experience My India has personally hosted 50,000+ travelers and the service he leads is rated 4.9 from 2,600+ reviews, operating since 2015. Delhi Agra Tour Packages is a unit of Experience My India.