Best heritage destinations in India
304 curated heritage destinations across 33 states, each with the months it is worth going and the months it is not.
Best of heritage India
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Jaipur
Rajasthan
Pink City gateway to Rajasthan's forts and bazaars
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Fatehpur Sikri
Uttar Pradesh
Akbar's red sandstone capital, abandoned after fourteen years
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Hampi
Karnataka
Vijayanagara ruins amid giant granite boulders
Peak: Oct to Feb
-
Kanchipuram
Tamil Nadu
Pallava sandstone temples and silk looms on the same street
Peak: Dec to Feb
-
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
UNESCO old city of pols, stepwells and street food
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Mumbai
Maharashtra
Colonial architecture, street food and Bollywood energy
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Chail
Himachal Pradesh
Deodar hill station with the world's highest cricket ground
Peak: Mar to Jun and Oct
-
Gwalior
Madhya Pradesh
Hilltop fort, Jain rock colossi and Tansen's dhrupad town
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Srisailam
Andhra Pradesh
Jyotirlinga above the Krishna gorge inside Nallamala forest
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Darjeeling
West Bengal
Queen of the Hills - tea, toy train, Kanchenjunga views
Peak: Mar to Apr and Oct to Nov
-
Bodh Gaya
Bihar
Where the Buddha attained enlightenment - Mahabodhi Temple
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Almora
Uttarakhand
Understated Kumaoni market town with Himalayan views
Peak: Apr to May and Oct to Nov
-
Anandpur Sahib
Punjab
Birthplace of the Khalsa and the Nihang horsemen of Hola Mohalla
Peak: Nov to Mar
-
Katra (Vaishno Devi)
Jammu and Kashmir
Base town for the year-round Vaishno Devi pilgrimage climb
Peak: Mar to Apr and Sep to Oct
-
Beypore
Kerala
Estuary port where Kerala still hand builds wooden dhows
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Bhongir Fort (Bhuvanagiri)
Telangana
An 11th-century fort welded to one bald granite dome
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Rajim
Chhattisgarh
Three-river sangam with an 8th-century temple in the riverbed
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Alchi (Sham Valley)
Ladakh
11th-century Kashmiri murals in a low Indus orchard village
Peak: May to Sep
-
Bhubaneswar
Odisha
Temple city of 700 shrines plus the Khandagiri Jain caves
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Dhosi Hill (Narnaul)
Haryana
Extinct volcano in the Aravallis, a stone stairway up to the crater temples
Peak: Oct to Feb
-
Deoghar (Baidyanath Dham)
Jharkhand
Jyotirlinga at the end of the 105 km Sultanganj kanwar walk
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Chabimura
Tripura
Boat past giant gods carved into Gomati river cliffs
Peak: Oct to Feb
-
Hajo & Sualkuchi
Assam
Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim shrines, and a town that weaves muga silk
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Panaji (Fontainhas & Old Goa)
Goa
Portuguese Latin Quarter and the churches of Old Goa
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Namchi
Sikkim
South Sikkim pilgrim town with a 108-ft Shiva and Char Dham
Peak: Mar to Apr and Oct to Dec
-
Nampong (Pangsau Pass)
Arunachal Pradesh
Stilwell Road frontier village below the Pangsau Pass and Myanmar's Lake of No Return
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Daman
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
Portuguese forts, dark-sand beaches and legal bars
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Port Blair
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Andaman capital, Cellular Jail history and island ferries
Peak: Nov to Mar
-
Delhi
Delhi
Mughal monuments and India's transit hub
Peak: Oct to Feb
-
Willong Khullen
Manipur
Maram Naga ridge village ringed by 7 m menhirs no one counts the same way twice
Peak: Oct to Mar
-
Jowai (Nartiang & Krangsuri)
Meghalaya
Jaintia monolith field, a Shakti Peetha and blue Krangsuri pools
Peak: Mar to Apr and Oct to Nov
-
Kohima
Nagaland
Naga hill capital and gateway to Hornbill Festival
Peak: Nov to Dec
-
Pondicherry (incl. Auroville)
Puducherry
French Quarter beach town next to the Auroville commune
Peak: Dec to Feb
-
Jaisalmer
Rajasthan
Golden fort rising from the Thar dunes
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Jhansi
Uttar Pradesh
Rani Lakshmibai's granite hill fort above Bundelkhand
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Mysuru
Karnataka
Palace city that peaks during Dasara in October
Peak: Oct to Jan
Every heritage destination in the catalogue
- Abbott Mount (Lohaghat) Uttarakhand
- Abhaneri (Chand Baori) Rajasthan
- Agartala & Unakoti Tripura
- Agra Uttar Pradesh
- Ajanta-Ellora Maharashtra
- Ajmer Rajasthan
- Alampur (Jogulamba) Telangana
- Alwar Rajasthan
- Aranmula Kerala
- Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh
- Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal Karnataka
- Badrinath & Mana Uttarakhand
- Bagh Caves (Bagh village) Madhya Pradesh
- Balotra & Tilwara Rajasthan
- Barabar Caves Bihar
- Barsur Chhattisgarh
- Basohli Jammu and Kashmir
- Bateshwar & Chambal Safari (Bah) Uttar Pradesh
- Bathinda Punjab
- Bawangaja (Barwani) Madhya Pradesh
- Bekal Kerala
- Belum Caves Andhra Pradesh
- Belur-Halebidu Karnataka
- Betul (Cabo de Rama coast) Goa
- Bhadrachalam Telangana
- Bhainsrorgarh Rajasthan
- Bhairavakona Andhra Pradesh
- Bhangarh & Ajabgarh Rajasthan
- Bheemili (Bheemunipatnam) Andhra Pradesh
- Bhimbetka (with Bhojpur) Madhya Pradesh
- Bhitargaon Uttar Pradesh
- Bhopal & Sanchi Madhya Pradesh
- Bhoramdeo (Kawardha) Chhattisgarh
- Bhuj Gujarat
- Bidar Karnataka
- Bikaner Rajasthan
- Bishnupur (Terracotta Temples) West Bengal
- Bithoor Uttar Pradesh
- Bundi Rajasthan
- Burhanpur Madhya Pradesh
- Chamba Himachal Pradesh
- Champakulam (Kuttanad) Kerala
- Champaner-Pavagadh Gujarat
- Chandannagar West Bengal
- Chanderi Madhya Pradesh
- Chandor & Loutolim Goa
- Chettinad (Karaikudi) Tamil Nadu
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) Maharashtra
- Chidambaram & Pichavaram Tamil Nadu
- Chitradurga Karnataka
- Chitrakoot (Ramghat) Uttar Pradesh
- Chittorgarh Rajasthan
- Dalhousie Himachal Pradesh
- Deogarh (Devgarh) Rajasthan
- Deogarh (Lalitpur) Uttar Pradesh
- Dera Baba Nanak (Kartarpur Corridor) Punjab
- Deshnoke (Karni Mata Temple) Rajasthan
- Devprayag Uttarakhand
- Dhankar Himachal Pradesh
- Dholavira Gujarat
- Diu Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
- Drass Ladakh
- Dungarpur Rajasthan
- Dwarahat (Dunagiri) Uttarakhand
- Dwarka Gujarat
- Fatehgarh Sahib (Sirhind) Punjab
- Fort Kochi Kerala
- Gandikota Andhra Pradesh
- Gangaikonda Cholapuram Tamil Nadu
- Garh Panchkot West Bengal
- Gaur (Malda) West Bengal
- Ghughua Fossil Park Madhya Pradesh
- Gingee Fort (Senji) Tamil Nadu
- Goindwal Sahib (Baoli Sahib) Punjab
- Gokak Falls Karnataka
- Gondal Gujarat
- Hanol (Mahasu Devta) Uttarakhand
- Hanumangarh (Bhatner & Kalibangan) Rajasthan
- Haridwar Uttarakhand
- Harishchandragad Maharashtra
- Harnai (Dapoli) Maharashtra
- Hastinapur Uttar Pradesh
- Hyderabad Telangana
- Idar (Idariyo Gadh) Gujarat
- Jabalpur & Bhedaghat (Marble Rocks) Madhya Pradesh
- Jageshwar Uttarakhand
- Jaunpur Uttar Pradesh
- Jhalawar (Gagron & Jhalrapatan) Rajasthan
- Jhargram West Bengal
- Jodhpur Rajasthan
- Jogimara Caves (Ramgarh Hill) Chhattisgarh
- Junagadh (Girnar) Gujarat
- Junnar (Shivneri) Maharashtra
- Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) Karnataka
- Kaleshwaram Telangana
- Kalimpong West Bengal
- Kalinjar Fort Uttar Pradesh
- Kalna (Ambika Kalna) West Bengal
- Kalpa Himachal Pradesh
- Kalpathy (Palakkad) Kerala
- Kanyakumari Tamil Nadu
- Kapurthala Punjab
- Karauli Rajasthan
- Kargil Ladakh
- Karkala (Gomateshwara) Karnataka
- Kasauli Himachal Pradesh
- Kaushambi (Kosam) Uttar Pradesh
- Kazhugumalai (Vettuvan Koil) Tamil Nadu
- Kesaria Stupa Bihar
- Khajuraho Madhya Pradesh
- Khejarla Rajasthan
- Khiching (Kichakeswari Temple) Odisha
- Kiradu Temples Rajasthan
- Kishangarh Rajasthan
- Kokernag & Verinag Jammu and Kashmir
- Kolkata West Bengal
- Konark Odisha
- Kondaveedu Fort Andhra Pradesh
- Kuchaman (Kuchaman Fort) Rajasthan
- Kullu Himachal Pradesh
- Kumbakonam (with Darasuram) Tamil Nadu
- Kumbhalgarh Rajasthan
- Kurukshetra Haryana
- Kushinagar Uttar Pradesh
- Lakhpat (Kutch) Gujarat
- Lakkundi (Gadag) Karnataka
- Lamayuru Ladakh
- Lansdowne Uttarakhand
- Lauriya Nandangarh Bihar
- Lepakshi Andhra Pradesh
- Lonar Crater Lake Maharashtra
- Loran Valley (Poonch) Jammu and Kashmir
- Lucknow Uttar Pradesh
- Madhubani (Mithila art villages) Bihar
- Madhugiri Karnataka
- Madurai Tamil Nadu
- Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) Tamil Nadu
- Mahanandi (Nava Nandi) Andhra Pradesh
- Maheshwar Madhya Pradesh
- Mahoba (Chandela Lakes) Uttar Pradesh
- Maluti Jharkhand
- Manapad Tamil Nadu
- Mandar Hill (Bounsi) Bihar
- Mandawa (Shekhawati) Rajasthan
- Mandi Himachal Pradesh
- Mandla Madhya Pradesh
- Mandu Madhya Pradesh
- Mandvi (Kutch) Gujarat
- Manginapudi Beach (Machilipatnam) Andhra Pradesh
- Martand Sun Temple (Mattan) Jammu and Kashmir
- Maski Karnataka
- Masroor & Pong Lake Himachal Pradesh
- Mayapur (Nabadwip) West Bengal
- McCluskieganj Jharkhand
- Medak Telangana
- Melukote Karnataka
- Menal (Falls & Temples) Rajasthan
- Merta City Rajasthan
- Mitaoli, Padavali & Bateshwar Madhya Pradesh
- Modhera (Sun Temple) Gujarat
- Mudgal Karnataka
- Mundeshwari Hill (Kaimur) Bihar
- Munger Bihar
- Murshidabad (Hazarduari) West Bengal
- Murud-Janjira Maharashtra
- Mussoorie Uttarakhand
- Muziris Heritage (Kodungallur) Kerala
- Nagarjuna Sagar (Nagarjunakonda) Andhra Pradesh
- Nagaur Rajasthan
- Naggar Himachal Pradesh
- Naldurg Maharashtra
- Nanded (Hazur Sahib) Maharashtra
- Nandi Hills Karnataka
- Naranag Jammu and Kashmir
- Nawalgarh (Shekhawati) Rajasthan
- Neemrana Rajasthan
- Neermahal & Rudrasagar Lake (Melaghar) Tripura
- Nirmand (Srikhand Mahadev) Himachal Pradesh
- Orchha Madhya Pradesh
- Osian (Osiyan) Rajasthan
- Padmanabhapuram Palace (Thuckalay) Tamil Nadu
- Palitana (Shatrunjaya) Gujarat
- Panhala Maharashtra
- Patal Bhuvaneshwar Uttarakhand
- Patan (Rani ki Vav) Gujarat
- Patiala Punjab
- Pelling Sikkim
- Penukonda Andhra Pradesh
- Pilak (Jolaibari) Tripura
- Pinjore (Yadavindra Gardens) Haryana
- Piprahwa (Kapilavastu) Uttar Pradesh
- Polo Forest (Vijaynagar) Gujarat
- Pragpur & Garli Himachal Pradesh
- Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam) Uttar Pradesh
- Pulicat (Pazhaverkadu) Tamil Nadu
- Puri Odisha
- Purne (Phugtal Gompa) Ladakh
- Raigad Fort Maharashtra
- Rajgad Fort Maharashtra
- Rajgir (with Nalanda) Bihar
- Rajmahal (Sahibganj) Jharkhand
- Rakhigarhi Haryana
- Ramappa Temple (Palampet) Telangana
- Rameswaram Tamil Nadu
- Ramgarh Crater (Bhand Deva) Rajasthan
- Ramtek Maharashtra
- Ranakpur Rajasthan
- Ranikhet Uttarakhand
- Ranipur-Jharial (Soma Tirtha) Odisha
- Ratanpur (Mahamaya) Chhattisgarh
- Ratnagiri-Udayagiri-Lalitgiri (Diamond Triangle) Odisha
- Salher Fort Maharashtra
- Salkhan Fossils Park (Sonbhadra) Uttar Pradesh
- Sambhar Lake (Phulera) Rajasthan
- Sandur (Kumaraswamy Temple) Karnataka
- Sangla Himachal Pradesh
- Sannati & Kanaganahalli Karnataka
- Sarahan (Bhimakali) Himachal Pradesh
- Sasaram & Rohtasgarh Fort Bihar
- Sevagram (Wardha) Maharashtra
- Shantiniketan (Bolpur) West Bengal
- Shimla Himachal Pradesh
- Shirdi Maharashtra
- Shivpuri (Madhav National Park) Madhya Pradesh
- Shravasti (Sahet-Mahet) Uttar Pradesh
- Sidhpur (Bohra Havelis) Gujarat
- Sirpur Chhattisgarh
- Sirsi & Sahasralinga Karnataka
- Sittanavasal Tamil Nadu
- Sivasagar Assam
- Somnath Gujarat
- Sonagiri (Jain temple hill) Madhya Pradesh
- Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
- Sringeri Karnataka
- Statue of Unity Gujarat
- Sujanpur Tira Himachal Pradesh
- Sultanpur Lodhi Punjab
- Surajkund Haryana
- Susunia Hill (Bankura) West Bengal
- Tabo Himachal Pradesh
- Talwandi Sabo (Takht Damdama Sahib) Punjab
- Teetwal (Tithwal) Jammu and Kashmir
- Tezpur Assam
- Thalassery (Tellicherry) Kerala
- Thanjavur Tamil Nadu
- Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) Tamil Nadu
- Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) Tamil Nadu
- Tirupati Andhra Pradesh
- Trilokinath (Udaipur, Lahaul) Himachal Pradesh
- Trimbakeshwar Maharashtra
- Tuljapur Maharashtra
- Turtuk Ladakh
- Udaipur Rajasthan
- Ujjain Madhya Pradesh
- Uthirakosamangai Tamil Nadu
- Vadnagar Gujarat
- Vaishali Bihar
- Varanasi Uttar Pradesh
- Vellore Tamil Nadu
- Vijayapura (Bijapur) Karnataka
- Vikramshila (Antichak) Bihar
- Vizianagaram Andhra Pradesh
- Vrindavan-Mathura Uttar Pradesh
- Walong (Dong & Kibithoo) Arunachal Pradesh
- Wankaner Gujarat
- Warangal Telangana
- Yaganti Andhra Pradesh
- Yuksom Sikkim
When to go
January, February and December are the months with the most heritage places in peak season.
By state
Rajasthan (34)Uttar Pradesh (22)Karnataka (20)Tamil Nadu (20)Gujarat (19)Maharashtra (19)Madhya Pradesh (18)Himachal Pradesh (18)Andhra Pradesh (14)West Bengal (13)
Common questions
How many heritage destinations are there in India?
This catalogue lists 304 tagged heritage, across 33 states and union territories. It is a curated list, not an exhaustive one: places earn a spot on the strength of the landscape or the heritage.
When is the best time for a heritage trip in India?
January, February and December put the most of them in peak season. Each place carries its own window, though, so check the one you are aiming at.
Which states have the most heritage destinations?
Rajasthan (34), Uttar Pradesh (22), Karnataka (20), Tamil Nadu (20) and Gujarat (19).
Other themes
MountainsBeachSpiritualWildlifeTrekBackpackerDesertIslandLakesWaterfallsCityOffbeatPartyCultureSnow