Jodhpur RIFF 2026: Festival Dates, Venue & Travel Guide

Jodhpur RIFF is happening again in October 2026, for its 20th year. Expect lots of music, with kamaicha and dholak sounds, plus musicians from everywhere. Seriously, six continents this year. If you plan to go, book your tickets, rooms, and spots quickly because they go fast. This guide has the dates, where it is, tickets, and how to get to Jodhpur, plus taxis from CabBazar.

Jodhpur RIFF 2026 Dates: Five Days Under the Sharad Purnima Moon

The festival happens for five days, October 22 to 26, 2026. It's timed with Sharad Purnima, that big harvest moon. The Mehrangarh Museum Trust puts it on.

Here's the schedule:

• Opening night, October 22, starts at 7:30 PM and everyone gets in free.
• The music really kicks off on October 23 through 25.
• Gates open super early, 5:30 AM, and the music goes from dawn way into the night.

You need a Full Festival Pass or a Day Pass for this. On October 26, there's a final dawn session, same early start, for Full Festival Pass and Dawn Pass holders.

Those 5:30 AM starts are no joke. Seriously, book a cab ahead of time. It beats looking for a ride in the dark.

Venue: Mehrangarh Fort, the Setting That Makes RIFF Different

It's at Mehrangarh Fort, a cool 15th-century spot on a rock overlooking the city. Time magazine actually called it Asia's best fortress. They use the fort's courtyards and walls for music, and the sound is incredible. A single voice at sunrise can apparently carry all the way to the city. The streets near the fort get packed, though, so work out a drop-off spot with your driver beforehand. And wear shoes you can actually walk in.

Jodhpur RIFF 2026 Lineup: Folk Masters Meet the World

The lineup this year looks really good. Over 250 folk musicians are coming, mostly from Rajasthan and groups like the Manganiyar and Kalbelia. Plus, international acts from Colombia, Chile, Cabo Verde, Poland, Scotland, and Estonia are coming.

A few highlights for planning:

• First-time performers: rapper Dobby, duo Camila y Silvio, uilleann piper Michael McGoldrick and singer Martha Redbone.
• The Book of Queens: a co-production by French opera singer Camille Bordet with Hindustani vocalist Smita Bellur and kamaicha maestro Kode Khan Manganiyar, premiering at RIFF.
• Folk Futures: 120 young Langa and Manganiyar artists trained by the Mehrangarh Museum Music Projects.
• Living Legends: alghoza master Taga Ram Bhil and bhapang exponent Gafruddin Jogi.
• A first for RIFF: spoken theatre, with Adishakti Theatre's Brhannala.

Tickets and Passes: What to Sort Before You Travel

For the days you actually pay to get in, there are three options: the Full Festival Pass, the Day Pass, and the Dawn Pass. Just so you know, October 22 is free. Prices change depending on who you are, and they sell out fast. Look at the official Jodhpur RIFF site before booking anything.

How to Reach Jodhpur: Road, Rail and Air

Jodhpur Airport sits about 5 km from the city centre, and Jodhpur Junction is a short ride from the old city. Both work well for solo travellers. Groups and families often prefer the road, since it lets them stitch RIFF into a wider Rajasthan trip.

One-Way Taxi Booking to Jodhpur for RIFF

Take a one-way taxi if you're going from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer. You don't pay for the driver coming back empty. CabBazar gives you the cost upfront, based on where you're going, what car you pick, and when you travel.

Round-Trip Cab Booking: Best for the Full Festival Stay

If you're staying for the whole RIFF festival, say five days, a round-trip cab makes way more sense. The driver is basically on standby. Good for early/late pickups or stopping between festival stuff. Things like:

• Mandore Gardens, with its royal tombs,
• Jaswant Thada, that white marble memorial
• Umaid Bhawan Palace and a Bishnoi village safari.

Just ask what their round-trip price covers: tolls, parking, driver's stay, waiting. It's better to know ahead of time.

Airport and Local Cab Booking in Jodhpur

Jodhpur is crazy during festival nights, and local transport can't keep up. If you book an airport taxi or a pickup from the railway station in advance, someone will be there when you land. They also have local hourly or full-day packages for seeing the fort, markets, or temples.

Book Your Taxi on WhatsApp or the CabBazar App

Booking a CabBazar taxi is quick, no big hassle.

• Just text on WhatsApp at +91 9258722629.
• Just tell where and when you need it, and if it's one-way or round-trip.
• We'll confirm everything, including the car, the price breakdown, and the driver's info.

Get the CabBazar app from the Play Store or App Store if you like apps. The app often has extra deals, and saved trips make repeat bookings easy. They have sedans for couples, SUVs for families, and bigger cars for groups heading to the festival together.

Where to Stay Near Mehrangarh Fort

For places near Mehrangarh Fort, check out the old city's heritage guesthouses and havelis; many have fort views from the roof. Bigger hotels in Ratanada and Sardarpura are easier to reach by car. Rooms close to the festival venue usually get snapped up fast, so sort out your accommodation before you lock in your taxi booking.

Planning a trip to Jodhpur RIFF 2026? Message CabBazar on WhatsApp or install the app to lock in a one-way taxi or round-trip cab before festival dates fill up.