Karauli
Red sandstone city palace and the Kaila Devi pilgrim road
Best time to visit Karauli
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, off-season
- Aug, off-season
- Sep, off-season
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: November to February
- Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to June
Karauli season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
At 10-25 C the painted courtyards of the City Palace and the Chambal ravines below the town are at their best.
Summer March to May Shoulder
March is the last bearable month; April-June hits 44 C in the ravines, and even the Chaitra Kaila Devi mela is a crush in that heat.
Monsoon June to September Mixed, read the detail
July-September greens the ravines, but Kaila Devi sanctuary, part of Ranthambore reserve, is closed until 1 October.
Autumn October to November Prime time
October-November is clear and quiet, and Karauli is a genuine stop on the road between Bharatpur and Ranthambore.
What Karauli is actually like
Small red-sandstone town on the Braj edge of Rajasthan: one heritage hotel, basic lodges, and no other travellers.
Getting to Karauli
Hindaun City railhead 30 km; buses from Jaipur about 5 h and Bharatpur 3 h, autos to Kaila Devi 23 km.
Practical ways in: trainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 1 day
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 275 m
- State
- Rajasthan
- Coordinates
- 26.4956, 77.0275
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Karauli?
November to February is peak season in Karauli. March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. October-November is clear and quiet, and Karauli is a genuine stop on the road between Bharatpur and Ranthambore.
How many days do you need in Karauli?
1 day is the usual stay. Small red-sandstone town on the Braj edge of Rajasthan: one heritage hotel, basic lodges, and no other travellers.
How do you get to Karauli?
Hindaun City railhead 30 km; buses from Jaipur about 5 h and Bharatpur 3 h, autos to Kaila Devi 23 km. Practical ways in: train and road.
Is Karauli expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Is there a festival in Karauli?
Mar/Apr: Kaila Devi lakhi mela. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Abhaneri (Chand Baori)
Rajasthan
3500 steps of ninth century geometry down a 13 storey well
90 km from Karauli, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Ranthambore
Rajasthan
Rajasthan's best shot at a wild tiger sighting
100 km from Karauli, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Bharatpur (Keoladeo National Park)
Rajasthan
India's top bird sanctuary, best seen by bicycle
120 km from Karauli, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Fatehpur Sikri
Uttar Pradesh
Akbar's red sandstone capital, abandoned after fourteen years
120 km from Karauli, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Bhangarh & Ajabgarh
Rajasthan
Abandoned 16th-century town the ASI locks at sunset
130 km from Karauli, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Kuno National Park (Sesaipura)
Madhya Pradesh
India's cheetah comeback country on the wild Kuno river
140 km from Karauli, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Sariska Tiger Reserve
Rajasthan
Former royal hunting ground, now a tiger reserve
150 km from Karauli, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Gwalior
Madhya Pradesh
Hilltop fort, Jain rock colossi and Tansen's dhrupad town
160 km from Karauli, roughly about 3 h by road
More places to visit in Rajasthan
- Abhaneri (Chand Baori) Rajasthan
- Ajmer Rajasthan
- Alwar Rajasthan
- Balotra & Tilwara Rajasthan
- Banswara (Mahi Backwaters) Rajasthan
- Barmer Rajasthan
- Bhainsrorgarh Rajasthan
- Bhangarh & Ajabgarh Rajasthan
- Bharatpur (Keoladeo National Park) Rajasthan
- Bikaner Rajasthan
- Bundi Rajasthan
- Chittorgarh Rajasthan
- Deshnoke (Karni Mata Temple) Rajasthan
- Dungarpur Rajasthan
- Garadia Mahadev (Chambal Gorge) Rajasthan
- Hanumangarh (Bhatner & Kalibangan) Rajasthan
- Jaipur Rajasthan
- Jaisalmer Rajasthan
- Jawai Bandh (Bera) Rajasthan
- Jhalawar (Gagron & Jhalrapatan) Rajasthan
- Jodhpur Rajasthan
- Khejarla Rajasthan
- Khichan (Demoiselle Cranes) Rajasthan
- Kiradu Temples Rajasthan
- Kishangarh Rajasthan
- Kolayat Rajasthan
- Kumbhalgarh Rajasthan
- Mandawa (Shekhawati) Rajasthan
- Menal (Falls & Temples) Rajasthan
- Merta City Rajasthan
- Mount Abu Rajasthan
- Nagaur Rajasthan
- Nawalgarh (Shekhawati) Rajasthan
- Neemrana Rajasthan
- Osian (Osiyan) Rajasthan
- Pushkar Rajasthan
- Ranakpur Rajasthan
- Ranthambore Rajasthan
- Sariska Tiger Reserve Rajasthan
- Tal Chhapar Rajasthan