Arbuda, the mountain of the old stories
In the epics: the Mahabharata speaks of the Arbuda mountains, and the Puranas call the forested country around them Arbudaranya.
Vasishtha's hermitage: the best-known legend says the sage kept his hermitage on the mountain.
The fire-born clans: in one story Vasishtha lit a great sacrificial fire here, and from its flames rose the Agnivanshi Rajput clans. Some Chauhan and Paramara families still trace their origin to it.
- Old name
- Arbuda, in the Mahabharata
- Deora Chauhans
- Took Abu in 1311
- State
- Part of Sirohi
- Municipality
- Set up in 1864
- Population
- Around 23,000 residents
- The Paramaras: the mountain belonged first to them. They ruled from Chandravati in the plains below, and their ministers and merchants paid for the great Jain temples.
- The Deoras: in 1311 the Deora Chauhans under Rao Lumba took Abu. After Chandravati was destroyed early in the fifteenth century, their capital moved to Sirohi, and Abu stayed part of Sirohi state.
- The British lease: in the nineteenth century the British leased the plateau from the Maharao of Sirohi and made it the summer headquarters of the officials who managed the Rajputana states.
- A colonial town: a municipality was set up in 1864, and churches, a club, schools and bungalows followed.
- The princes follow: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and other states built summer palaces and lodges, and in the hot months Abu became a gathering of maharajas, officials and their households.
- Palace stays in a hill station: several of those houses are now hotels.
- Today: around twenty-three thousand residents, and a great many holidaymakers, many from neighbouring Gujarat.
The hill station today
The plateau: rocky, roughly 22 kilometres long and 9 wide, rising sharply from the plains, with the town at about 1,220 metres.
The granite: weathered into strange shapes, boulders balanced on boulders, smooth domes and caves.
- Plateau
- About 22 km long, 9 km wide
- Town altitude
- About 1,220 m
- Rainfall
- The highest in Rajasthan
- Quietest
- Weekdays, outside the holidays
- The forest: wooded slopes that feel entirely unlike the rest of Rajasthan.
- The climate: several degrees cooler than the plains, and in the monsoon Abu gets more rain than anywhere else in the state.
- The town: it spreads around Nakki Lake, with a busy bazaar, hotels of every kind and the old colonial quarter of churches and bungalows.
- The Brahma Kumaris: the world headquarters of this spiritual movement is here, and its campus and white-clad members are part of town life.
- More detail: our guides to things to do in Mount Abu and the best time to visit Mount Abu.
- The summer migrations: our journal piece on Rajasthan's hill station tells the story.
The Dilwara temples
Five temples together: a little under three kilometres from the town centre, named after the village of Dilwara.
Five centuries of work: built between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries by ministers and merchants of the kingdoms of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Distance
- Under 3 km from the town centre
- Temples
- Five, in one walled compound
- Built
- 11th to 16th centuries
- Photography
- Not allowed inside
- Allow
- At least an hour and a half
- Leave behind
- Leather, food and drink
- Among the best in India: they rank with the supreme achievements of Indian stone carving.
- The marble: hauled up the mountain from quarries far below.
- Plain outside: the severe exteriors are said to reflect Jain values of modesty and restraint. All the richness is kept for the inside.
- Visiting hours: limited for non-Jain visitors, so we check them for the week you travel.
- How to dress: modestly, and leave leather, food and drink behind.
- Read before you go: our Dilwara temples guide and our journal's Dilwara guide.
Vimal Vasahi, the oldest
Built: around 1031 by Vimal Shah, a minister of the Chaulukya king Bhima I of Gujarat.
- Dedicated to: Adinath, the first tirthankara.
- The plan: white marble throughout, a central shrine ringed by a courtyard of fifty-nine small cells, each holding an image.
- The ceilings: lotus after lotus, dancers, musicians and goddesses, cut so finely that the marble turns translucent at the edges.
Luna Vasahi, the finest
Built: in 1230 by the brothers Vastupala and Tejapala, ministers of the Vaghela ruler of Gujarat, in memory of their brother Luniga.
Dedicated to: Neminath, the twenty-second tirthankara.
- Finer still: modelled on Vimal Vasahi, but its carving surpasses it.
- The pendant: the central dome holds carved marble hanging like a chandelier.
- The hall of elephants: ten marble elephants in a row.
Pittalhar, the brass temple
- The name: its great image of Adinath is cast in five metals, mostly brass, or pital.
- Built: by Bhima Shah, a minister of the Sultan of Ahmedabad, finished in the fifteenth century.
The Parshvanath and Mahavir temples
Parshvanath: the tallest of the group, three storeys, built in 1458 and 1459 by Sangvi Mandlik and his family.
- A chaumukha: a shrine whose image faces all four directions.
- Mahavir Swami: a small temple of 1582 with carved walls, and porch paintings added in 1764 by artists from Sirohi.
Nakki Lake and the evening walk
The name: nakh means fingernail, and the boatmen tell how the gods scooped out the lake with their nails.
The setting: a small, irregular lake ringed by hills and granite boulders, with the town on one side and wooded slopes on the other.
- By day: rowing boats, pony rides and snack stalls.
- At dawn and in the quiet months: lovely. A walk around the shore is the best introduction to the town.
- Toad Rock: above the lake on its southern side, a granite boulder shaped uncannily like a toad about to jump in, reached by a short, steep path.
- Sunset Point and Honeymoon Point: further on, facing west over the plains, crowded at dusk with families watching the sun go down.
- The details: our Nakki Lake guide.
Guru Shikhar and Achalgarh
- Guru Shikhar
- 1,722 m, highest in the Aravallis
- Summit climb
- A few hundred steps from the road
- Achalgarh
- About 10 km from town
- Best time
- Early, before the haze
Guru Shikhar, the roof of Rajasthan
The height: 1,722 metres, the highest point of the Aravalli range and of Rajasthan.
- The shrine: a small temple to the sage Dattatreya, with a great bell that pilgrims ring on arrival.
- The view: on a clear winter morning, across the whole plateau and down to the plains of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Go early: before the haze builds and the car park fills, and be ready for a few hundred steps from the road.
Achalgarh fort
Where: on a hill about ten kilometres from town.
- Who built it: first raised by the Paramaras, rebuilt in the fifteenth century by Rana Kumbha of Mewar, the great fort-builder who also gave Rajasthan Kumbhalgarh.
- The walk: a path climbs past its gates to small Jain temples and a view over the forest.
- The mood: quiet, a little overgrown and full of atmosphere.
Achaleshwar Mahadev
Unusual worship: instead of a linga, devotees worship a mark said to be the toe of Shiva, pressed into the rock to hold the mountain still.
- The Nandi: a large figure of Shiva's bull, cast in five metals, stands in front of the shrine.
- The tank: three stone buffaloes and the figure of an archer, linked to a legend of demons who drank the sacred ghee and a king who shot them.
Adhar Devi and Gaumukh
Adhar Devi: also called Arbuda Devi, a temple cut into a cleft high on a hillside, reached by a long flight of steps.
- Gaumukh: far down the other side of the plateau, a long stairway through the forest leads to water flowing from a carved cow's mouth, and the shrine associated with Vasishtha.
- Why go: both are better for the walk than for the architecture.
The Mount Abu wildlife sanctuary
The whole mountain is protected: the sanctuary wraps around the town from the foothills at about 300 metres to the summit of Guru Shikhar.
A range of forest: dry thorn and deciduous woods on the lower slopes, greener, denser forest near the top, bamboo in the valleys and wildflowers after the rains. Rare variety for Rajasthan.
Sloth bears: they regularly forage on the edges of town at night.
- Declared
- 1960
- Area
- About 290 sq km
- Altitude range
- About 300 m to 1,722 m
- Signature animal
- Sloth bear
- Birds
- More than 150 species recorded
- Also here: leopards, sambar, wild boar, jungle cats, langurs and the occasional striped hyena.
- The green avadavat: the prize for birders, a small, threatened finch-like bird with a bright green back and yellow underparts, which finds one of its homes on these slopes.
- Other birds: grey junglefowl, red spurfowl and many woodland species.
- How we go: early-morning walks and drives with naturalists, on the routes the forest department permits. We stop the car rather than chase anything.
- Trevor's Tank: a small reservoir in the woods just outside town, peaceful for birds and, with luck, a sambar coming down to drink.
- Wildlife and sacred places: our page on wildlife around the temples.
- What we will and won't do: our ethical encounters guide.
Where to stay in Mount Abu
Palace Hotel, Bikaner House
History: built as the summer residence of the Maharajas of Bikaner.
- Setting: a stone house in wooded grounds near the Dilwara road.
- Character: old-fashioned rooms, lawns and the feel of a gentleman's country house.
- Ask for: a room in the main building with a view over the gardens.
Jaipur House
History: the former summer palace of the Jaipur royal family.
- Setting: on a hill above Nakki Lake, with one of the best views in town from its terraces.
- Its small perfect pleasure: sunset over the lake, drink in hand.
Connaught House
History: once a retreat connected with the Jodhpur state.
- Character: a smaller colonial bungalow with flower-filled gardens and a deeply peaceful, old-world feel.
- Who it suits: couples and readers.
Choosing between them
Scale: none of Abu's hotels has the scale of a city palace.
- Rooms vary: a great deal within each one, so we choose carefully for every guest.
- Compare in detail: our guide to palace stays in Mount Abu and our list of luxury hotels in Mount Abu.
Eating in Mount Abu
Thali country: because so many visitors come from Gujarat, the town is full of vegetarian thali restaurants serving Gujarati and Rajasthani meals side by side.
On the plate: dal, kadhi, several vegetables, rotis, rice, pickles and a sweet, with waiters refilling until you beg them to stop.
- By the lake at night: roasted corn with lime and chilli, hot pakoras and endless cups of masala tea.
- Palace kitchens: the old princely houses cook family recipes from their owners' royal kitchens: Rajput meat dishes, slow-cooked dals and delicate sweets.
- Private dinners: we often arrange one on a terrace or lawn, with a fire against the winter cold.
- Jain and no onion-garlic food: easy here, because the town is used to pilgrims.
- The dishes explained: our Rajasthani food guide.
When to visit Mount Abu
April to June: the classic hill-station season. Cooler than the plains and very crowded, especially at weekends and in the school holidays.
July to September: heavy monsoon rain, running waterfalls and hills wrapped in cloud. Beautiful but wet, and views can vanish for days.
- Our favourite
- October and November
- Peak crowds
- April to June
- Monsoon
- July to September, heavy rain
- Cold
- December to February, near freezing at night
- Winter Festival
- Last days of December
- October and November: our favourite months, green, clear and calm after the rains.
- December to February: cold for Rajasthan, with nights that can drop close to freezing and bright, crisp days.
- March: warm and pleasant.
- Avoid the rush: skip long weekends and the Diwali holidays, and visit Dilwara and Guru Shikhar on weekdays.
- The southern circuit: our page on Rajasthan in November explains why that month suits it so well.
Mount Abu Winter Festival
When: the last days of December.
- What happens: folk music and dance, processions, a fair on the lake and fireworks.
- Planning: cheerful and very busy, so we plan around the crowds if you want to be there.
Getting to Mount Abu
A bridge between states: Abu is the hinge of our Mount Abu and Gujarat journey, which continues to Ahmedabad and Kutch.
In southern Rajasthan: it fits beautifully between Udaipur and the leopard country of Jawai.
- Nearest station
- Abu Road, about 28 km
- Ghat road up
- Around 45 minutes
- From Udaipur
- About three and a half to four hours
- From Ahmedabad
- About four to five hours
- To Jawai
- About two and a half hours
- By train: Abu Road station lies at the foot of the mountain on the main line between Ahmedabad and Jaipur and Delhi. The drive up the ghat road takes around 45 minutes.
- From Udaipur: about three and a half to four hours by road. Udaipur's airport is the nearest with good connections.
- From Ahmedabad: about four to five hours, a natural first or last stop on a journey through Gujarat.
- Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh: around three and a half to four hours, so Abu fits easily into a southern circuit.
- On the plateau: distances are short, but roads are narrow and busy at weekends. Your driver drops you at each sight and waits.
Two days in Mount Abu
Day one, the lake and the temples
First light: walk around Nakki Lake, then climb to Toad Rock before breakfast.
- Late morning: rest.
- When they open to visitors: the Dilwara temples, with a guide and plenty of time.
- Evening: sunset from a quiet point on the ridge or from your hotel terrace.
Day two, the high ground
Early: Guru Shikhar, to reach the summit before the haze.
- Late morning: down to Achalgarh for the fort, the Jain temples and Achaleshwar Mahadev.
- Late afternoon: after lunch and a rest, a naturalist's drive or walk in the sanctuary, ending at Trevor's Tank as the light goes.
With a third night
Choose one: the walk up to Adhar Devi, a long morning of birding for the green avadavat, or a slow day with a book on a hotel lawn.
- The tradition: Abu is a hill station, and doing nothing here is part of it.
- Longer versions: our Mount Abu itinerary.
Who will love Mount Abu, and how to fit it in
Lovers of sculpture: nothing in India quite prepares you for the ceilings of Dilwara.
Walkers and birders: the forest, the granite and the green avadavat.
Hot-season travellers: two cool nights in the middle of a long journey.
- Families: the boats, the ponies and the space to run about.
- Couples: the old houses, the gardens and the sunsets.
- Drivers between states: the most rewarding break on the road from Rajasthan to Gujarat.
- Who may be disappointed: anyone arriving on a holiday weekend expecting Himalayan calm. Then the shore is crowded, the roads jam and the viewpoints are a sea of selfie sticks.
- A holiday town first: Abu has a busy, cheerful bazaar rather than refined shopping.
- The fix: come midweek in the quiet months, stay in a princely house with its own grounds, and see the sights at the edges of the day.
- How it fits: two nights on a southern loop: Udaipur, then Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh, Jawai for leopards, and Abu before crossing into Gujarat or flying home from Udaipur.
- For Jain art: pilgrims often link Dilwara with Ranakpur, as our Jain and Hindu temples page describes.
What we tell our own family about Abu
Come midweek: and out of the summer holidays. A November Tuesday and a May Saturday are two different towns.
Pack warm: a warm layer at any time of year, and a proper jacket from December to February. Evenings on the hill are cold.
- Travel light at Dilwara: leave your phone, leather belt and bag in the car. Photography is not allowed inside.
- Wildlife sense: never feed the monkeys or the bears, and don't walk forest paths after dark. Sloth bears are shy, but dangerous if surprised.
- Good grip: wear proper shoes for Guru Shikhar, Toad Rock and Adhar Devi. The granite steps are worn and smooth.
- A holy mountain: respect the Brahma Kumaris and the pilgrims. The shrines are in daily use.
- Don't rush down: the ghat road is narrow and full of bends, and a long lunch before you drive is always a good idea.
