Guides are available and I would think it’s well worth the effort as there’s a maze of buildings and a qualified guide (at around 200 rupees) will allow you to get the best out of the trip. There are some superb views from the top of the fort and the fortification walls weave their way, in a way that resembles the Great Wall of China, across the landscape. It is clear that the Maharajah was a stickler for detail and the well-preserved buildings are a testament to the high standards set by this ruler.

Although the layout was pretty much standard to other palaces that we’d see (i.e. Hall of Public Audiences, Hall of Private Audiences, the royal view gallery for the female members of the court etc.), there was nothing standard about the buildings themselves. The Diwan-I-Am (Hall of Public Audiences) was a magnificent columned building with superbly lavish stone carvings. The entrance to the private quarters, accessed by a short staircase, was beautifully preserved and there was evidence of the original wall frescoes in the corridor (no attempt has been made to "touch up" the artwork, so what you see is all original).

The "secret" viewing gallery was unusually on two levels with the lower one, with the best views, being reserved for the royal wives and the upper level for the female members of the royal court.

There’s loads to see here with brightly painted and well-manicured elephants, street entertainers, incredible architecture and superb views of the surrounding countryside. A must see in my view.

Amer was made by Maharaja Man Singh in 1590 and added to by his successors right up to Jai Singh in 1724. A 12km boundary wall with eight watchtowers surrounds palaces, pavilions, courtyards, and gardens. In the centre is the parade ground, surrounded by stables and a drum house. Below are underground water tanks; Kesar Bagh ("Saffron Garden"), where they once tried to grow saffron (!); and a maze of 140 servants’ quarters connected by 560 paths.

We hired a guide, who took us up a wide staircase into a courtyard, where the Hall of Public Audience, the Diwan-e-Aam, stands. It’s a pavilion of red sandstone and white marble, with a double row of elegant columns and lovely latticework. Beyond it is the intricately painted Ganesh Pol gate, dedicated to the elephant-headed Hindu god. Our guide showed us how the gate’s frescoes were created, with the design painted in vegetable dyes on wet lime, allowed to dry, and then repainted onto a second layer of lime, and so on, making it sun-proof.

After the Ganesh Pol, a beautiful door of sandalwood, ivory, and buffalo horn, (supposedly copied from a Persian carpet gifted by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir) leads into the palace. The palace has ramps instead of staircases because the Maharanis here wore such heavy brocades and jewellery that they had to be wheeled around in rickshaws! The rickshaw of Maharani Chandramukhi is displayed here -- she reputedly wore 23 kg of finery!

On the ground level, the main hall is Sukh Niwas ("Abode of Happiness") with white marble and painted lime -- delicate channels are carved into the floor for water to flow and cool the room in the scorching summers.

Beyond that, up the ramp and on the upper level is the Maharani’s summer palace, with its pretty white marble jaalis (filigree windows). Part of this was a Queen’s "swing room," where she’d sit on a swing, attended by her handmaids.

The Sheesh Mahal below this room was the Maharaja’s Sheesh Mahal, and was also known as Jai Niwas, Jai Mandir, or Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of Private Audience). Used by the Maharaja and his senior courtiers, this is the largest of its kind in India -- an exquisitely decorated hall of convex mirrors, lime-plaster, stucco, glass and gold leaf, and Belgian stained glass, with a white marble and black stone dado. Amer is worth seeing just for this.

Entrance fees to Amer are Rs 20 per person (foreigners) and Rs 10 (Indians).

The Amber palace is situated on a hill. To get there, you can make a ride by elephant. Down the hill they are waiting (400 rupees + fee for the driver), and bring you in ten minutes to the top. On the way up, they try to take pictures of you which are sold later.

The palace is very nice - even better than the palace in Jaipur - and on top of it, you have nice views. The famous silk route was passing by this palace over the hilltops and still can be seen here.

In this palace, you can admire the typical decorations for this region, and there are some very nice gardens in the complex, with water surrounding it and small fountains.

The way back goes on foot. It hardly takes a quarter to get back down the hill.