Modhera (Sun Temple)
Solanki sun temple over a stepped kund of 108 shrines
Best time to visit Modhera (Sun Temple)
- 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, shoulder season
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: November to February
- Shoulder: March and September to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to June
Modhera (Sun Temple) season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Dec-Feb is when low sun rakes the carvings, and the January dance festival puts classical dance on the kund steps.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Apr-Jun runs 42-44 °C on open sandstone with no shade anywhere in the compound; come at 7 am or not at all.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Jul-Aug fills the Surya Kund and empties the site, but north Gujarat rain arrives in short violent bursts.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov is clear and mild with the best light of the year, and Patan's stepwell is 30 km further north.
What Modhera (Sun Temple) is actually like
A half-day stop shared with school groups and photographers; sleep in Mehsana or Ahmedabad, not here
Getting to Modhera (Sun Temple)
Mehsana railhead 25 km or Ahmedabad 100 km, then frequent ST buses to Modhera village
Practical ways in: flighttrainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 1 day
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 56 m
- State
- Gujarat
- Coordinates
- 23.5838, 72.1327
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Modhera (Sun Temple)?
November to February is peak season in Modhera (Sun Temple). March and September to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Oct-Nov is clear and mild with the best light of the year, and Patan's stepwell is 30 km further north.
How many days do you need in Modhera (Sun Temple)?
1 day is the usual stay. A half-day stop shared with school groups and photographers; sleep in Mehsana or Ahmedabad, not here.
How do you get to Modhera (Sun Temple)?
Mehsana railhead 25 km or Ahmedabad 100 km, then frequent ST buses to Modhera village. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Modhera (Sun Temple) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Is there a festival in Modhera (Sun Temple)?
Jan: Uttarardh Mahotsav classical dance festival. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Patan (Rani ki Vav)
Gujarat
The stepwell off the 100-rupee note, plus patola looms
40 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly under an hour by road
-
Little Rann of Kutch (Dasada)
Gujarat
Salt-flat safaris for the last wild asses and crane flocks
50 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly under an hour by road
-
Vadnagar
Gujarat
2500 year old town of torans, lake ghats and Buddhist ruins
70 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
UNESCO old city of pols, stepwells and street food
100 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Nal Sarovar
Gujarat
Shallow 120 sq km Ramsar lake of flamingos and punt boats
120 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Idar (Idariyo Gadh)
Gujarat
Palaces and Jain shrines stacked on giant granite boulders
120 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Polo Forest (Vijaynagar)
Gujarat
Jain and Shiva ruins lost in Aravalli forest by the Harnav
170 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Mount Abu
Rajasthan
Rajasthan's only hill station, oasis from the heat
190 km from Modhera (Sun Temple), roughly about 5 h by road
More places to visit in Gujarat
- Ahmedabad Gujarat
- Bhuj Gujarat
- Champaner-Pavagadh Gujarat
- Dholavira Gujarat
- Dwarka Gujarat
- Gir (Sasan Gir) Gujarat
- Gondal Gujarat
- Idar (Idariyo Gadh) Gujarat
- Junagadh (Girnar) Gujarat
- Little Rann of Kutch (Dasada) Gujarat
- Mandvi (Kutch) Gujarat
- Nal Sarovar Gujarat
- Narara (Marine National Park) Gujarat
- Ninai Falls (Dediapada) Gujarat
- Palitana (Shatrunjaya) Gujarat
- Patan (Rani ki Vav) Gujarat
- Polo Forest (Vijaynagar) Gujarat
- Rann of Kutch (Dhordo) Gujarat
- Saputara Gujarat
- Somnath Gujarat
- Statue of Unity Gujarat
- Tarnetar Gujarat
- Vadnagar Gujarat
- Velavadar (Blackbuck National Park) Gujarat
- Wankaner Gujarat
- Wilson Hills (Dharampur) Gujarat