Gwalior: A historic city in Madhya Pradesh

Gwalior is a historic city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Not many people go there compared to other nearby places.

Me and Chaya went to Gwalior and nearby areas recently. We stayed there for about two days, exploring different places. In this post, I’ll share our thoughts about visiting Gwalior.

Reaching Gwalior

We flew to Gwalior. Air India Express started a new direct flight from Bengaluru, which was helpful. Gwalior airport is tiny, but they’re about to open a new one. This will make it easier for more people to visit Gwalior.

Another option is to take a train. It takes around 5 hours from Delhi. Gwalior is about 120 km from Agra.

Places to see in Gwalior

Gwalior fort

This is the most important spot in Gwalior, and every tourist visits it. It’s a massive fort with a history dating back to the 8th century AD.

If you come by taxi or auto (those yellow board vehicles), you might run into a snag. They’re only allowed up to the lower entrance of the fort. To go further, you either have to walk or find a vehicle that has an “Adjustment” with the authorities. Madhya Pradesh tourism has done a lot of good work, so it’s puzzling why this tourist unfriendly practice is allowed in the fort.

 

The fort has two main sections: north and south. In the northern part, you can see:

• Assi Khamba ki Bawadis
• Archaeological museum
• Man Mandir Palace
• Karn Mahal
• Vikram Mahal
• Jahangir Mahal
• Jauhar Kund

 

The southern part features some beautiful temples:

• Teli Ka Mandir
• Saas Bahu temple
• Gurudwara

 

There are also other places like Chaturbhuj temple and Gujari palace, but they require a detour from these main sections of the fort.

Some parts of the fort can be explored for free, but to see the important monuments, you need to buy tickets. Interestingly, there isn’t just one ticket; you have to get three.

1. For Man Mandir Palace, Teli Ka Mandir, and Saas Bahu temple
2. For Karn and Vikram Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, and Johar Kund
3. For the Archeological museum

I’m not sure why they have separate tickets. Also, you have to pay extra for photography. Authorities never liked me using a DSLR, but in Madhya Pradesh, they also targeted GoPros. But, they had no problem with super expensive iPhones.

Other places

Apart from fort, there are many other places to visit in the town.

• Tomb of Tansen
• Moti Mahal
• Baija Tal
• Italian gardens and Jal Vihar
• Sun temple
• Jai Vilas Palace

Number of days needed

I recommend spending two days in Gwalior. Exploring the Gwalior fort alone will likely take up more than half a day of your time.

Places nearby

There are plenty of nearby places worth visiting from Gwalior that can be reached within two hours:

• Orchha: Renowned for its Bundeli style monuments.
• Jhansi: A historic city in Uttar Pradesh located on the route to Orchha.
• Datia: A lesser-known town with a remarkable Palace, situated near Jhansi.
• Sonagiri Jain temples: A hill close to Datia boasting 103 Jain temples.
• Morena: Home to Bageshwar, Padwali, Mitali, and Kakanmath temples.
• Shivpuri: Approximately 120 km away from Gwalior.
• Agra – A top tourist destination in India.

Accommodation

We stayed at MPT Tansen, a hotel managed by Madhya Pradesh Tourism. My past experiences with MPT hotels have been positive, and this stay was no different. Additionally, there are numerous accommodation options available in Gwalior, catering to various budgets, from budget-friendly to luxurious five-star hotels.

Food

With its size, Gwalior boasts a plethora of dining options. One standout for us was Indian Coffee House, renowned for its South Indian cuisine. Interestingly, they have two outlets in the city.

It might seem unusual to indulge in South Indian fare while in North India. However, since we sampled local cuisine for breakfast and lunch, we thought why not switch things up and enjoy some Southern flavors for dinner?

Travel within city

We hadn’t arranged for any transportation in advance. Instead, we relied on autos as needed, improvising our way around. Uber was available in certain areas, but at other times, we opted for autos to get around.

Summary

In summary, our trip to Gwalior proved to be quite enjoyable. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you’re keen on exploring India’s rich history. And it’s not just the city itself—there are plenty of other nearby attractions to explore as well.