Udaipur to Nathdwara Distance: Routes, Time and How to Travel

Nathdwara, home of the beloved and much-revered Shrinathji temple, is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage towns in all of Rajasthan, drawing devotees from across India and from Udaipur, the beautiful City of Lakes, it is a very short and easy journey of only around an hour, which makes it a perfect half-day trip. This complete guide from Delhi Agra Tour Packages covers the Udaipur to Nathdwara distance, the best routes to take, how long it takes, how to travel and what to see at Nathdwara and on the way, ideal as part of a wider Rajasthan trip within our Delhi Agra Tour Packages .

I was born in Delhi and in more than 11 years planning trips across Rajasthan for Experience My India I have arranged this journey many times. Here is the clear, practical guide.

Udaipur to Nathdwara at a glance

How far is Nathdwara from Udaipur?

The distance from Udaipur to Nathdwara is only about 46 to 52 km by road, depending on the route and the journey takes just around an hour by car. This makes Udaipur by far the nearest major city to Nathdwara and the natural base and gateway for a visit to the famous Shrinathji temple, far closer than Jaipur or the other big cities of Rajasthan.

Because the journey between the two is so short and quick, Nathdwara is very easily visited as a simple half-day or day trip from Udaipur, without the need to change hotels. You can comfortably set off in the morning, have the darshan at the temple, see something of the town and its famous art and be back in Udaipur again by the afternoon or early evening, which makes it comfortably one of the easiest and most popular of all trips from the City of Lakes, especially for the many pilgrims and devotees who come to see Shrinathji. Its closeness is a real blessing for travellers.

Routes from Udaipur to Nathdwara

The routes between Udaipur and Nathdwara are all short and of a similar distance:

• Via NH 58 (the main route): the usual and most direct route runs north from Udaipur along National Highway 58, a distance of around 48 to 49 km, taking about an hour. This is the main, fastest and most straightforward way and the one most travellers take.

• Via NH 58 and NH 162: a slightly longer variation, at about 51 to 52 km, combines NH 58 with NH 162.

• Via the city roads and NH 58: other minor combinations, using city roads such as the 100 Feet Road or University Road to join NH 58, cover a similar distance of around 48 km.

All of these routes are short and easy, taking around an hour and all run along or join the main NH 58 corridor north of Udaipur. Your driver will take whichever is clearest and quickest on the day.

How to travel from Udaipur to Nathdwara

Given how short the journey is, most people travel from Udaipur to Nathdwara by road:

• By car or taxi: the most flexible and comfortable way by far, taking just around an hour and the usual choice for most visitors and many pilgrims. A private car and an experienced driver takes you smoothly door to door and is ideal for a relaxed half-day trip, letting you set your own pace and stop at the ancient Eklingji temple on the way if you wish.

• By bus: frequent state-run and private buses run between Udaipur and Nathdwara throughout the day, a very popular, reliable and budget-friendly option for the many pilgrims, given the short distance between the two and the great importance and draw of the Shrinathji temple.

• By rail: the nearest major railway station is at Udaipur itself, so for visitors the journey on to Nathdwara is almost always made by road, which is quick and easy.

For most travellers, especially those based in Udaipur, going by road with a private car and driver is the easiest and most comfortable way, giving you the freedom to see the temple and the town at your own pace and to stop along the way.

How long does it take and is it a day trip?

By road, the Udaipur to Nathdwara journey takes only around an hour each way, not counting stops. This very short distance makes Nathdwara an ideal half-day or day trip from Udaipur: you can set off in the morning, have the darshan at the Shrinathji temple, see the town and perhaps stop at the Eklingji temple on the way and be back in Udaipur comfortably by the afternoon.

Many pilgrims and visitors sensibly stay in the far more comfortable and scenic Udaipur and simply make the short, easy trip out to Nathdwara for the day, rather than staying in the busy temple town of Nathdwara itself, as the two are so close together. For those travelling onward through the region, rather than returning to Udaipur, Nathdwara also makes a very natural, convenient and worthwhile stop on the way north from Udaipur towards the rest of Rajasthan.

What to see at Nathdwara

The great reason to visit Nathdwara is the beloved Shrinathji temple, but there is more to see besides:

• The Shrinathji temple: the beating heart of Nathdwara and the whole reason the town exists, one of the most important and beloved temples of the Pushtimarg or Vallabh, tradition anywhere, dedicated to Lord Krishna in his cherished form as Shrinathji, worshipped here as a divine child. The much-revered central image is traditionally said to have been brought here to Nathdwara from the Braj region, near Govardhan, for safekeeping many centuries ago and the town grew up around it. Darshan is held at several set times through the day, each one a different jhanki or sacred viewing, with the deity beautifully bathed, dressed, adorned and offered food anew each time, according to the time of day and the season. Please do note that this is a deeply sacred, revered and often very busy temple: photography is strictly not permitted inside, modest and respectful dress is expected of all visitors and the darshan timings should always be reconfirmed before your visit, as the temple opens and closes between each of the jhankis through the day.

• Pichwai paintings: Nathdwara is famous across India as the traditional home of the beautiful Pichwai paintings, intricate and richly detailed devotional cloth paintings depicting Shrinathji and the life and stories of Lord Krishna originally made as backdrops for the deity. You can see artists at work and see and buy these lovely paintings, in the workshops and shops of the town, a wonderful and living art tradition well worth seeking out.

• The Statue of Belief: near Nathdwara stands the Statue of Belief or Vishwas Swaroopam, a truly colossal seated statue of Lord Shiva, among the very tallest statues anywhere in the world, a striking modern landmark set in the hills that has quickly become a popular attraction in its own right, with viewing galleries and fine views.

Together, the great temple, the living art of the Pichwai painters and the surrounding sights such as the Statue of Belief make Nathdwara a genuinely rich and rewarding visit, far more than just a quick darshan and straight back, so it is worth allowing a little time to take it all in.

Eklingji temple, on the way

A wonderful and worthwhile stop on the road between Udaipur and Nathdwara, lying about 22 km north of Udaipur, is the ancient and beautiful Eklingji temple, the private temple of the royal house of the Maharanas of Mewar, dedicated to Lord Shiva as Eklingji, the presiding deity of the Mewar dynasty. This historic and atmospheric walled complex of many temples, built and rebuilt over the centuries in finely carved stone and white marble, is one of the most revered and important temples in the whole region, with a beautiful black-marble image of the deity. Its convenient position right on the Udaipur to Nathdwara road makes it a very easy and rewarding addition to the trip, especially if you are travelling by private car and can simply pause on the way. As at Nathdwara, it is a deeply active place of worship, so modest dress is expected and photography is restricted.

Nathdwara, Udaipur and southern Rajasthan

Nathdwara is one of several wonderful places easily reached from Udaipur, which makes the City of Lakes such a good base for southern Rajasthan. Udaipur itself, with its beautiful lakes and palaces, is well worth a few days, as our best palaces of Udaipur guide shows the city you set off from.

From Udaipur, besides Nathdwara, you can also easily visit the great hill fort of Chittorgarh, as our Udaipur to Chittorgarh distance guide covers that short journey and the cool hill station of Mount Abu, as our Udaipur to Mount Abu distance guide explains, along with the mighty walled fort of Kumbhalgarh and the historic battlefield of Haldighati, where Maharana Pratap once fought, which lies close to the Nathdwara road and can be combined into the same trip. If you are instead coming to Nathdwara from Jaipur rather than Udaipur, the journey is very much longer, a drive of several hours across the state, as our Jaipur to Nathdwara distance guide explains in full, which is exactly why Udaipur, being so very close, is the natural gateway to the temple town.

Best time to travel to Nathdwara

The best time of year to travel from Udaipur to Nathdwara and to visit the temple, is the cool season, from October to March, when the weather is pleasant for the journey and the visit. The summer, from April to June, can be very hot across this region, while the monsoon, from July to September, brings rain that turns the countryside green. The temple is busiest around the major festivals, especially the Krishna festivals such as Janmashtami and the Braj festivals, when it is at its most vibrant but also most crowded. Our best time to visit North India guide covers the seasons more widely.

It is also especially important here to plan your trip around the specific darshan timings of the temple, which open and close at set times throughout the day for each jhanki, so set off from Udaipur early enough to arrive comfortably in time for one of the viewings.

Plan your trip with us

A Udaipur to Nathdwara trip or a wider southern Rajasthan journey, is easiest and most rewarding when the travel, the car and driver and the timing around the temple darshan are all arranged for you. That is what we do, a comfortable private car and an experienced driver, the timing planned around the jhankis, a stop at Eklingji if you wish and the whole trip, around Udaipur, Nathdwara and beyond, planned around you.

Tell us your dates and group size and we will price it honestly around your standard rather than a fixed figure. Message us on WhatsApp and Experience My India will build it for you. You can combine it with the classic circuit on our Golden Triangle tours, extended into Udaipur and southern Rajasthan, as our Golden Triangle with Udaipur guide shows and we can build it all as a Golden Triangle tour with a Rajasthan extension.

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