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Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho

UNESCO temple town famous for its erotic sculpture friezes

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Best time to visit Khajuraho

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: October to February
  • Shoulder: March and July to September, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to June

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryOctoberNovemberDecember

Khajuraho season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Ideal temple weather, 10-25C; crowds peak around New Year and the Feb dance festival.

Summer March to May Shoulder

42-45C by May turns stone courtyards into ovens. Go only if you love empty ruins.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Humid but green; step-wells fill, carvings glisten after rain, tour buses thin out.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Heat breaks in October, light turns golden on the carvings. Everyone shows up now.

What Khajuraho is actually like

Small temple town of guides and fellow ruin-hoppers, not a big backpacker scene.

Things to do in Khajuraho

The local places worth your time in and around Khajuraho, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Western Group of Temples

    Temple · in town

    The walled enclosure with Kandariya Mahadev and Lakshmana, the finest carving here; go at opening to have it empty.

  • Eastern Group (Jain Temples)

    Temple · 2 km out

    Parsvanath and Adinath out in the old village, calmer than the west and as finely cut; free, ten minutes by cycle.

  • Matangeshwar Temple

    Temple · in town

    The one Khajuraho temple still in worship, around a huge polished lingam; free, open early, mobbed at Shivratri.

  • Chausath Yogini Temple

    Temple · 1 km out

    Ninth century granite ruin on a rise southwest of the main group, the oldest thing in town; a few steps up, no ticket.

  • Raneh Falls

    Waterfall · 20 km out

    Canyon of pink and grey crystalline rock cut by the Ken; a forest gate ticket and a guide are needed, water only after the rains.

  • Adivart Tribal and Folk Art Museum

    Museum · 1 km out

    State collection of Gond and Bastar craft a short walk from the Western Group; small fee, quiet, closed Mondays.

  • Duladeo Temple

    Temple · 2 km out

    Southern group shrine on the edge of town, late in the sequence and crowded with apsaras; free and usually empty.

Getting to Khajuraho

Fly direct to Khajuraho, or train to Jhansi (175km) + taxi.

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Busy at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
207 m
State
Madhya Pradesh
Coordinates
24.8318, 79.9199

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Khajuraho?

October to February is peak season in Khajuraho. March and July to September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Heat breaks in October, light turns golden on the carvings. Everyone shows up now.

How many days do you need in Khajuraho?

2 days is the usual stay. Small temple town of guides and fellow ruin-hoppers, not a big backpacker scene.

How do you get to Khajuraho?

Fly direct to Khajuraho, or train to Jhansi (175km) + taxi. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Khajuraho expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs busy at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Khajuraho?

Feb: Khajuraho Dance Festival, classical dance below the temples. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Khajuraho?

Western Group of Temples, Eastern Group (Jain Temples), Matangeshwar Temple, Chausath Yogini Temple, Raneh Falls and Adivart Tribal and Folk Art Museum, and more. The walled enclosure with Kandariya Mahadev and Lakshmana, the finest carving here; go at opening to have it empty.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Madhya Pradesh

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