Amer Fort, outside Jaipur, is the one most people have already seen in a photograph, and it still works in person. Go early. By eleven the courtyards fill with tour groups, and the climb from the road is far nicer in cool morning light. Inside, the Sheesh Mahal, the hall covered in mirror work, rewards slowing down. Hawa Mahal, with its 953 windows, deserves a quick photo stop from the street. It is a facade, not a building you explore.

Mehrangarh in Jodhpur stands on a cliff above the blue-washed old city and is, in our view, the best-run fort in Rajasthan. The museum inside is genuinely good, the audio guide is worth taking, and the view over the blue rooftops from the ramparts is the one people remember. Give it half a day, not an hour.

Jaisalmer is the one that surprises people. It is a living fort. The walls are yellow sandstone, and families still live and run small shops inside, so it feels like a town rather than a monument. It is also a long way from everywhere, around five to six hours by road from Jodhpur, which is why many tours leave it out. We think that is a mistake. If you have nine days or more, go.

Udaipur's City Palace, on the edge of Lake Pichola, is closer to a palace complex than a fort, and the city is the softest, most romantic stop in Rajasthan after days of hard sightseeing. Plan a slow afternoon here, not a rush.

Many of Rajasthan's heritage hotels are real former palaces, havelis and forts, converted by the families who owned them. That means rooms that are not identical, thick walls that keep the heat out, courtyards, and sometimes stairs with no lift. It also means a level of personal service that standard hotels rarely match.

A few honest notes. Rooms vary a lot within the same property, so the room category matters more than the hotel name. Some palaces sit in old-city lanes and are reached on foot for the last stretch. The best suites sell out months ahead in winter. On every tour we pick the property and can tell you which room type to ask for on your dates.

• 7 days, India Tour for First Timers with Taj Mahal: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur with a village night and the Taj at sunrise. The right start for a first visit.
• 7 to 8 days, Golden Triangle and Rajasthan: the shortest route that reaches Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.
• 9 days, Grand Rajasthan and Golden Triangle: more time in each city, less time in the car.
• 12 days, India Tour for First Timers, North India: adds the Blue City and a village safari at Tordi Garh.
• 13 days, Golden Triangle, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Ajanta Ellora: royal palaces plus the Ganges and two UNESCO cave sites.
• 14 days, Varanasi to Udaipur: the full Rajasthan loop, including Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
• 17 days, Punjab, Himalayas and Rajasthan: the Golden Temple and the hills, then the palaces.
• 21 days, Grand Rajasthan with North and South India: palaces first, then a houseboat in Kerala.

Our honest rule: do not try to fit Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur into less than a week. You will spend the trip in a car and remember the road more than the forts.

October to March is the best window. Days are clear and comfortable, though desert nights in December and January are properly cold, so pack a warm layer. April to June is very hot, often above 40°C in Rajasthan. It can work with early starts, and you will find fewer crowds and lower prices. July to September is monsoon: green, quiet, and the Udaipur lakes are at their fullest, though some days are wet.

• Wear shoes with grip. Fort ramps and stone steps get slippery, and you will do more walking than you expect.
• Dress modestly at temples. Shoulders and knees covered is the safe rule inside any religious site.
• Book winter palace nights early. December to February fills first, so ask us about availability four to five months ahead.
• Do not over-plan. Leave one unstructured afternoon in each palace. That is when the stay becomes the highlight.