Whenever someone mentions Rajasthan, the first image that appears is of a desert. The image of the state has been stereotyped as a barren land covered with sand dunes. However, it is not accurate as the city of Udaipur has a considerable number of Lakes. Another example of breaking the stereotype is of Mt Abu, the hill station of Rajasthan.
Mt Abu is one of the best weekend gateways for the domestic tourists and a rock climbing destination for adventure enthusiasts. Situated in the Sirohi district, the mountain houses several Hindu temples, such as Adhar Devi Temple, Dattatreya Temple, and Shree Raghunath Temple. These temples are prominent tourist spots.
Besides that, nature has provided its blessings to Abu. You can explore adventure sports such as trekking and rock climbing. To come across the rich flora and fauna of the place, you can visit Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary. Overall, Abu owns alluring architecture as well as the landscape.
Enticing Tourist Spots Mt Abu Owns
1. Nakki Jheel- The Iconic Manmade Lake
Nakki Jheel is situated in the heart of Mount Abu. Having a length of nearly half-mile and width of a mile, Nakki Lake is of high importance for local people. The lake has a pathway on one side having a boating point in the end.
You can absorb the tranquil view of the lake while walking along with this pathway, or choose to look at its beauty while boating. There are pedal boats available, ranging from INR 50 to INR 100 per person. The other option is of Shikara boat which costs INR 100 per person. The duration of a boat ride is of 30 minutes.
You can also explore the shopping street near Nakki Lake, where you can find a lot of food stalls, souvenir shops, and clothing stores.
There is no entry fee for the lake, and it can be visited anytime. However, entry for the pathway and boating are only possible between 9:30 am and 6:00 pm.
2. Raghunath Temple
The famous Raghunath Temple is located next to the Nakki Lake. Therefore, if you are visiting the lake, you can have a pleasant walk to reach the temple. The temple was built in the 14th century, and it’s a famous pilgrimage site for the Vaishnava caste.
The temple is devoted to one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu- Shri Raghunath. It is believed that the Lord saves his followers from natural calamities. That’s why the followers across India come here to pay homage to Shri Raghunath who will liberate them from the pain and sorrows present in life.
There is no entry fee for this temple, and one can visit it between 5:00 am to 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on any day of the week.
3. Sunset Point
If you are in Mount Abu, make sure to visit Sunset Point offering unprecedented views of Aravalli Range. It is a must visited place if you wish to capture the beauty of receding sun in your eyes as well as the camera.
A short visit is enough for this place. You can enjoy a horse ride, explore the various souvenir stalls nearby, or spend time at Baylak Walk present next to the Sunset Point.
There is no entry fee or defined timing for this tourist spot. However, make sure to arrive there a little before the sunset and catch a right spot before anyone else get it.
4. Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
Mount Abu is rich in flora and fauna due to its favourable weather conditions. Therefore, this certainly makes the hill station’s wildlife sanctuary bliss for travellers who never get tired of communicating with nature.
You can explore the sanctuary by walking or can choose to go for a safari ride. It would cost you around INR 500, but it’s always negotiable. You can trek to the top peaks of Abu too, and observe the hill station from above. Make sure you visit Trevor’s Tank where different species of crocodiles are present.
5. Guru Shikhar
One must not leave the chance of visiting the highest peak of Rajasthan. Guru Shikhar, which is 15 kilometres away from Mt. Abu, is at an altitude of 1722 meters.
There are around 300 steps which you need to climb up to reach the top. You will find Guru Dattatreya’s temple there who is considered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. There are a few other temples as well and enshrined footsteps of lord Vishnu and Swami Ramnathji.
As it is the topmost point, one must surely enjoy the lavish green scenery along with windy weather. You do not need to pay any entry fee to visit the temple. The temple remains open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
6. Dilwara Temples
The group of five temples is famous for its intricate marble carving was built in the 11th century. However, the temples have faced repairs and additions from time to time.
As of now, the temples stand as a well-designed piece of architecture as a famous tourist spot. Dilwara temples are located three kilometres away from Mt. Abu in the small village of Dilwara after which the temple is named.
For the Jain community, the temple remains open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. However, if you are a non-Jain tourist, just wishing to explore the temple for its architecture, you can visit it between 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
How to Reach
- The closest airport to Mt. Abu is located at Udaipur, which is well connected to the major cities of India such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai. From Udaipur, you can take a direct cab or bus to Mt. Abu.
- The Abu Road houses the nearest railway station to Mt. Abu. It has trains from Udaipur, Ahmadabad, Delhi, and many other major cities. It is just 25 km away from Mt. Abu, and you can choose to reach Abu by private or shared taxis.
- Bus connectivity to Abu is brilliant. By roadways, you also get the chance to explore the path. You can take a direct bus from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmadabad, and Jaipur.
Best Time to Visit Mount Abu
- The unique thing about Mount Abu is its weather which remains pleasant throughout the year. This makes the visit-worthy irrespective of time.
- However, the month of March, October, and September can be chosen as the best ones when the temperature remains between 10-20°
- Avoiding visiting Mt. Abu in the festive seasons as it gets overcrowded by the tourists.
