We visited Kumbhalgarh on a day trip from Udaipur instead of the
more distant Chittorgath. It's an amazing fort north of Udaipur with 36km long intact
outer walls. We also went to Ranakpur on the same day-trip, a fantastic 15th
century Jain temple (with 1444 carved marble pillars, all different, exquisite - see photo). It was a bit of a long day to visit both, but worth
it. We hired a car (Ambassador plus driver) thru a local Udaipur travel agency to do it
and shared with a German man. Our share for the 4 of us in Feb 1998 was R900 (total about
R1200 for all 5 of us I think), but we could have done it cheaper if we organised it
directly thru a driver instead of thru a travel agent. This is what I suggest you do,
actually. Check the going rate for this trip from some of the many travel agents around
the Lal Ghat Guest House area for example, then find a car and driver and bargain with him
direct. You will find cars parked in the carpark in front of Udaipur's City Palace. We
also found a heap down a short minor street between the road that leads to the City Palace
and the road parallel with this away from the lake. But you will see others around, they
are not difficult to find. They are all white cars in this area. Just bargain a price
lower than the travel agents' going rate and you will be in front.
As anywhere in India, beware of the drivers. Ours was pretty bad, and I was forced to
shout at him once when his usual game of "chicken" with a bus resulted in a
knocked rear vision mirror. Don't let them get away with dangerous driving, they are
risking your life in the same way as holding a loaded gun against your head.