Things to do in Mount Abu
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Mount Abu
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Winter is the best season, with clear views and cool days, and late December to New Year is the busiest stretch of the year.
Warm days but far cooler than the plains, with May to June school holidays bringing the second big crowd peak.
Monsoon is green, misty and quiet with the lowest rates, but views vanish in cloud and forest trails are slippery.
Post monsoon October is fresh, green and clearing, with crowds not yet at winter levels.
What's on
- Winter Festival late December
Rajasthan Tourism festival with folk performance, processions and craft stalls at the busiest time of year.
- Summer Festival May or June, dates vary by year
Three day Rajasthan Tourism festival with folk music and dance and boat races on Nakki Lake.
- Gangaur March to April
Celebrated strongly by the Garasia community around Sirohi and Mount Abu.
- Mahavir Jayanti March or April, Jain calendar
A major Jain festival centred on the Dilwara Jain Temples.
Best things to do in Mount Abu
Dilwara Jain Temples
Five marble Jain temples, plain outside and covered in fine carving inside, and the finest sight in Mount Abu.
Nakki Lake
The small sacred lake at the heart of town, free to walk around and best with a pedal or row boat at dusk.
Guru Shikhar
At 1,722 metres the highest point in the Aravallis, with a summit temple and the widest view in the area.
Achalgarh Fort
A ruined hill fort rebuilt in the 15th century, worth the short climb for its walls and wide views.
Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple
The Shiva temple below Achalgarh Fort, known for its large metal Nandi and unusual form of worship.
Sunset Point
The classic evening viewpoint over the Aravalli ridges, best on a clear winter day and early on weekends.
Toad Rock
A granite boulder shaped like a toad above Nakki Lake, with the best free view over the lake and town.
Universal Peace Hall
The vast main hall of the Brahma Kumaris headquarters, toured in groups with an intro to its teaching.
Where to stay in Mount Abu
Town centre and Nakki Lake
first trip, walkable base
Walk to the lake, bazaar, bus stand and most restaurants, with hotels in every price band.
Guru Shikhar Road and Oriya
quiet and green stays
Calmer and greener than the centre, but you need transport for meals and sightseeing.
Think twice about
- Properties in Abu Road listed as Mount Abu
You would face the 27 to 28 km hill drive twice a day. Check the map pin is on the plateau, not down in Abu Road.
Best restaurants in Mount Abu
Mulberry Tree Restaurant
The top table in town at Hotel Hilltone, praised for hygiene, service and its Rajasthani thali.
Opa Restaurant
The vegetarian restaurant of Hotel Hillock, a comfortable sit down dinner with well liked service.
Arbuda Restaurant
A long running family restaurant on Lake Road for Indian, Chinese and Continental meals at fair prices.
Jodhpur Bhojnalaya
A cramped, beloved bazaar kitchen for dal baati churma and gatte ki sabzi at home style prices.
Honest Restaurant
Pav bhaji, chaat and South Indian snacks at street food prices on the Nakki Lake Road.
Kanak Dining Hall
A busy dining hall near the bus stand known for unlimited Gujarati thali and a filling cheap lunch.
Outdoor things to do in Mount Abu
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
Forest trails across the Abu plateau with rich birdlife and a chance, never a promise, of larger wildlife.
Trevor's Tank
A quiet forest reservoir known for basking crocodiles, birdwatching and short jungle walks.
Mount Abu Camping
Guided treks, rock climbing, rappelling and overnight camping with meals and a bonfire outside town.
Gaumukh Temple
A temple at a spring flowing from a marble cow, reached by about 700 steep steps below the plateau.
Adhar Devi Temple
A small cave temple cut into the rock, reached by about 365 steep steps with a view back over town.
Peace Park
A calm Brahma Kumaris garden park for quiet walking and meditation on the Guru Shikhar road.
Best hotels in Mount Abu
WelcomHeritage Connaught House
A small heritage cottage hotel in gardens near Nakki Lake, and the quiet luxury end of Mount Abu.
Hotel Silver Oak
A boutique garden hotel in a colonial building on a quiet lane, a short walk from the lake and market.
Hotel Mount Regency
A functional central hotel near the bus stand with a pool and restaurant, for a base without frills.
Is Mount Abu expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₹2,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₹4,500 a person |
| Splurge | ₹11,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary: a few days ahead
- Mount Abu Camping: a few days ahead
- WelcomHeritage Connaught House: weeks ahead
- Hotel Silver Oak: a few days ahead
- Mulberry Tree Restaurant: a few days ahead
- Book rooms weeks ahead for New Year, Diwali and May to June weekends, when the town can sell out.
- Book Mount Abu Camping and a sanctuary guide the day before at peak times.
- Order the Rajasthani thali at Mulberry Tree Restaurant ahead if you want dal baati.
Is Mount Abu safe?
- Take the Abu Road hill drive in daylight if you can, especially in monsoon rain or winter fog.
- In the sanctuary, stay on paths with a guide and give leopards, bears and crocodiles a wide berth.
- Keep food zipped away from monkeys at Nakki Lake, Toad Rock and temple approaches. Emergency number 112.
Mount Abu travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Taxi fares at Abu Road station quoted without a clear total including tolls.
- Sightseeing circuits that rush Dilwara Jain Temples into its short afternoon visitor window.
- Holiday weekend rates for a room that turns out to be in Abu Road, not Mount Abu.
Getting around Mount Abu: public transport and more
- Walk the town centre. The lake, bazaar and bus stand are within a short walk of each other.
- From Abu Road station, shared jeeps and buses are cheapest and a private taxi should have its full fare agreed before departure.
- Hire a taxi or jeep for a half or full day circuit for Guru Shikhar, Achalgarh and Trevor's Tank.
Who Mount Abu suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Mount Abu your trip
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