Surrounded by lush green mountains, white marble temples and ethereal palaces reflected in its sparkling blue waters, the Jaisamand Lake is a spectacular vision. Around 50 km from Udaipur, Jaisamand is the second largest artificial lake in Asia. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1685, the lake covers an area of 36 sq km with a length of 14 km and width of 9 km. The lake has a depth of about 102 feet!

Also known as Dhebar, the lake was constructed, while the king was building a dam on the Gomti river. The dam on the lake is massive in size: 1,202 ft in length, 116 ft in height and width of 70 ft at the bottom. At the centre of the lake is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. And on its shore is a spectacular summer palace that was once the retreat of the Udaipur royal family's women. The lake also has six marble cenotaphs on its embankment. There are seven islands in the lake and the largest of these is Babaka Bhagra.

With beautiful marble steps that gently descend into the water, the lake-side is perfect to sit and watch the rippling waters. There are boat rides available and a sanctuary nearby (Jaisamand Sanctuary), which was the hunting grounds of the the Mewar royal family, and today is home to various types of birds and animals like panthers, leopards, deer and wild boars.