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Rajasthan

Menal (Falls & Temples)

Monsoon waterfall plunging into a gorge by 11th century temples

WaterfallsHeritageOffbeat

Best time to visit Menal (Falls & Temples)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

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

Planning a specific month? JulyAugustSeptember

Menal (Falls & Temples) season by season

Winter December to February Shoulder

Dec-Feb the falls thin to a trickle, but the carved Mahanaleshwar temples and the empty gorge rim make a fine 12-25 °C highway stop.

Summer March to May Mixed, read the detail

Apr-Jun is 43 °C on the open Uparmal plateau, the gorge bone dry and the temple stones too hot to linger on; skip it entirely.

Monsoon June to September Prime time

Jul-Sep is the show: the Menali river leaps off the plateau in full spate with spray drifting over the shikharas; wet rock, so mind the rim.

Autumn October to November Shoulder

Oct usually keeps decent flow, washed green scrub and comfortable 20-32 °C days; by late Nov the river fades right back.

What Menal (Falls & Temples) is actually like

Local picnic crowds on monsoon Sundays, priests and langurs otherwise; sleep in Bundi or Chittorgarh, nothing stays here

Things to do in Menal

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

  • Mahanaleshwar Temple

    Temple · in town

    Eleventh century Shiva temple on the gorge lip, carved panels and a live shrine; the ASI gate shuts around sunset.

  • Prithviraj Chauhan's Palace

    Heritage · in town

    Roofless Chauhan era palace ruin beside the temples, langurs on the walls; watch your footing, the gorge edge is unfenced.

  • Undeshwar Mahadev Temple

    Temple · 20 km out

    Bijolia's sunken Shiva temple with the lingam below ground level; the old tank beside it is where villagers still bathe.

Getting to Menal (Falls & Temples)

On the Chittorgarh-Kota highway: buses drop at the gate; Chittorgarh railhead about 70 km, Bundi 75 km

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
1 day
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Doable solo with some planning
Altitude
507 m
State
Rajasthan
Coordinates
25.0950, 75.1719

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Menal (Falls & Temples)?

July to September is peak season in Menal (Falls & Temples). October to February is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Jul-Sep is the show: the Menali river leaps off the plateau in full spate with spray drifting over the shikharas; wet rock, so mind the rim.

How many days do you need in Menal (Falls & Temples)?

1 day is the usual stay. Local picnic crowds on monsoon Sundays, priests and langurs otherwise; sleep in Bundi or Chittorgarh, nothing stays here.

How do you get to Menal (Falls & Temples)?

On the Chittorgarh-Kota highway: buses drop at the gate; Chittorgarh railhead about 70 km, Bundi 75 km. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Menal (Falls & Temples) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.

What are the best things to do in Menal?

Mahanaleshwar Temple, Prithviraj Chauhan's Palace and Undeshwar Mahadev Temple. Eleventh century Shiva temple on the gorge lip, carved panels and a live shrine; the ASI gate shuts around sunset.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Rajasthan

All 49 destinations in Rajasthan