Madhya Pradesh lies in central India and is surrounded by states all around. The longest river here is the Narmada. One can look at the varied natural beauty here. Right from the majestic temples of Khajuraho to the beautiful national parks to the Khumb Mela in Ujjain, this state won’t disappoint the tourists and would leave a memory for you to behold. Given below are the top 10 places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
Places to visit in Madhya Pradesh
1. Khajuraho
This place in Madhya Pradesh offers tourists to look and explore the ancient Indian architecture depicted through its temples. The carvings and paintings on the walls of temples depict royalty, love, war scenes, music, dance, and many more which is pleasing to watch especially for history buffs and explorers. This is one of the famous places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
Some of the best places to visit in Khajuraho included the:
- The western group of temples is Lakshmana Temple, Jagdamba Temple, Vishwanath Temple, and many more that are open to the public from sunrise to sunset.
- The eastern group of the temple is Hanuman Temple, Brahma Temple, Ghantai Temple, Parsvanath Temple, Adinath Temple, and many more.
- The southern group of temples is Dulhadev Temple, Jatkari Temple, and the Beejamandal Temple
Hire a bicycle for a day and roam around for more fun and memorable experience. Moreover, there is a light and sound show held in the evening for the visitors so don’t forget to watch this.
2. Bandhavgarh National Park
This place gets its name from the Hindu mythology Ramayana as it was built by Rama and given to his brother Lakshman, therefore, holding a mythological and legendary significance. Here you will find some man-made caves having beautiful inscriptions on them. This place is the home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and is surrounded by deciduous and sal forests. It is open from 15 October to 30 June and is visited extensively by wildlife lovers. This is one of the best tourist places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
Some of the other best places include the:
Siddha Baba
Gopalpur
Chakradhar
Shesh Shaya
Bari Gupha
3. Gwalior
This is one of the famous destinations among all places to visit in Madhya Pradesh. Founded by Suraj Sen is this city was also a princely state during the British administration. The best months for a visit here are from September to February. The place is famous mainly for art, culture, and music. Some great musicians include Tansen and Bajju. Another great attraction here is the Tansen Sangeet Samaroh every year in December.
Some of the best places include the:
Gwalior Fort
Tansen Memorial
Sarod Ghar
Man Singh Place
Tigra Dam
Read more about places to visit in Gwalior
4. Ujjain
Also called the Temple city due to the various temples from different eras here. One can also witness the greatest mela called the Kumbh Mela once in every 12 years. Here is also the oldest bathing ghat called the Ram Ghat. Thus it is one of the religious centers for people from all around. This is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
Some of the other best places include the:
Mahakaleshwar Temple
Harsiddhi Mata Temple
Chintamani Ganesh
Iskcon Temple
Kaliadeh Palace
5. Bhopal
Known as the City of Lakes founded in 1707 is the capital of Madhya Pradesh called Bhopal. The city has numerous artificial as well as natural lakes and is split by 2 lakes. The old Bhopal is on the north side and the new Bhopal is on the south side. The best months for a visit are from July to March. This is one of the most beautiful and famous tourist places to visit in Madhya Pradesh. The place has the biggest mosque in India that is the Taj-Ul-Masjid and also the largest man-made lake called the Bada Talab or the Bhojtal.
Some of the other best places include the:
Moti Masjid
Gauhar Mahal
Laxmi Narayan Temple
Suggested Read – Explore Bhopal
6. Kanha National Park
Spread across an area of 940 km square making it the largest park in Madhya Pradesh. It is spread in the districts of Mandla and Balaghat. The place was inaugurated in the year 1955 and one can spot the Sloth BEar, Royal Bengal Tiger, and many more animal species. The beauty of the park is added up by the surrounding sal and bamboo trees and the sunset point called the Bamni Dadar. The park was an inspiration for Rudyard’s Jungle Book. For wildlife lovers, there is also a facility of safari that helps you to get a closer look at the flora and fauna. This is one of the best places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
7. Omkareshwar
One of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva lies in the sacred lands of Madhya Pradesh here. The island has a natural shape in the form of Om that is very sacred to the Hindus. To complement the beauty of this place the River Narmada plays a role. Moreover, there is a Shayan arti daily as it is believed that Lord Shiva visits here daily in the evening. This is one of the best places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
Some of the other best places include the:
Gauri Siddhanath Temple
Kajal Rani Cave
24 avatars
Shri Omkar Mandhata
8. Pachmarhi
Refereed as the Satpura ki Rani is this cool and pleasant hill station that is rich in flora and fauna. The place is home to the highest fall in India called the Rajat Prapat Fall. It is believed that the 5 Pandavas during exile visited this place and rested here in the caves making it hold mythological significance. So this is one of the must-visit spots among all the places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
Some of the other best places include the:
Dhoiopgarh
Rajat Prapat Fall
Jata Shankar Caves
Pandava Caves
9. Jabalpur
This is the place where one can find the well-known Dhuandhar Falls and the 100 ft white marble rocks. This is also the place where the game of snooker originated. Another one of the great places to visit in Madhya Pradesh that attracts people from all across is the best illusion at the Balancing Rock which is a natural geographical formation.
Some of the other best places include the:
Rani Durgavati Museum
Dumna National Park
Chausat Yogini Temple
10. Sanchi
Best visited during the months of July to April is this city in Madhya Pradesh famous for a number of stupas. The stupas showcase Buddhist architecture. It is home to the famous Sanchi Stupa and the Gupta Temple. Another great attraction here is the Ashokan Pillar. This is another best places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.