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Mount Abu

Mount Abu

hill station · Rajasthan

State
Rajasthan
Type
Hill Station
Best season
Summer
Things to do
3+

Rajasthan's only hill station, at 1,220 metres on a granite plateau in the Aravallis, and it exists largely because Gujarati and Rajasthani families need somewhere cool in May. Dilwara is the reason to make the climb: five Jain temples, twelfth to sixteenth century, in white marble carved thin enough in the ceilings that light comes through. No cameras inside, and non-Jains are admitted only from midday — plan the day around that, because most people get it wrong and lose a morning. Nakki Lake in the middle of town is pedal boats and crowds. Guru Shikhar, the highest point in the Aravallis, is a short drive and a flight of steps. Sunset Point is exactly as busy as it sounds. November to February is cool and can drop below freezing at night — the only place in Rajasthan where that happens. Busiest in May and June, and over Diwali.

When to go

The ideal window to explore Mount Abu is from October to March for crisp winter air, and from April to June for refreshing summer escapes.

Why visit

Rajasthan's only hill station, and the Dilwara Jain temples are the reason to climb it — marble cut so thin in places that light comes through. No cameras inside, and non-Jains are admitted only from midday.

Cultural notes

Historically referenced in ancient Puranic texts as Arbudaanchal, the mountain plateau was a prominent sanctuary for sages. The landmark Dilwara Temples, built between the 11th and 13th centuries, represent an unmatched milestone of medieval Jain marble craftsmanship, built completely by transporting marble up the steep hill trails.

How to reach

The closest airport is Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur (165 km), though Ahmedabad Airport (220 km) is widely used. The nearest rail head is Abu Road Railway Station, located 28 km down the hill, connected via a smooth winding mountain pass highway.

2 days in Mount Abu

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Dilwara Jain TemplesDay 1

Day 1

Dilwara Jain Temples

Five Svetambara Jain temples about two and a half kilometres outside Mount Abu, built between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries in the Solanki style. The oldest, Vimal Vasahi, dates to 1031; later additions were funded by Vastupala, a minister of the Vaghelas. What everyone comes for is the marble — pure white, cut so fine across the domes and ceilings that it looks poured rather than carved, with no two pillars alike. They count among the five great pilgrimage sites of the Svetambara sect and are still run by a religious trust, so they are working temples with temple rules, not monuments.

Nakki Lake

Day 1

Nakki Lake

The lake at the centre of Rajasthan's only hill station, up in the Aravallis, and the reason Mount Abu gets called an oasis in the desert — a plateau twenty-two kilometres long carrying rivers, waterfalls and evergreen forest, in a state that has very little of any of them. Pedal boats go out from the shore and the walk around the water is the town's evening ritual. The rock formations on the ridge above have collected names over the years; Toad Rock is the one everybody photographs. The lake is treated as sacred, so it is a place to walk around rather than swim in.

Day 1

Sunset Point

Sunset Point

Day 1

Lakeside market evening

Lakeside market evening

Day 2

Day 2

Guru Shikhar peak

Guru Shikhar peak

Day 2

Achalgarh Fort & Toad Rock

Achalgarh Fort & Toad Rock

Day 2

Wildlife sanctuary drive

Wildlife sanctuary drive

Mount Abu guide & itineraries

Mount Abu is perfect for

familycouplesnaturespiritual

What & where to eat

Nakki Lake

Nakki Lake street food

Chaat, corn and ice cream by the lake

Rajasthani Thali

Hearty veg thali (Mount Abu is vegetarian)

Dal Baati Churma

Dal Baati Churma

The classic Rajasthani plate

Gujarati-Rajasthani meals

Border-cuisine thalis

Malpua

Malpua

Sweet treats

Jalebi

Sweet treats

Nearby getaways

Ambaji (GJ)

~45 min

Kumbhalgarh

~3 hrs

Frequently asked questions

Why visit Mount Abu?
Rajasthan's only hill station - the exquisite Dilwara Jain temples, Nakki Lake and cool Aravalli air.
Best time for Mount Abu?
October to March; summer is popular as a heat escape and the monsoon is lush.

Things to do

How to spend your time in Mount Abu.

Nakki Lake

Boating on the hill-station lake

Guru Shikhar

Highest peak in the Aravallis

Reviews & ratings

What travellers say about Mount Abu

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