Stand at the foot of the Girnar steps early in the morning and you will see pilgrims already climbing, the sound of their passage carrying down the hill. Junagadh is a city of old fortifications, stepwells and temple-topped peaks, and much of what is worth your time sits close together.
It suits travellers who are willing to walk, climb stairs and spend a few hours on their feet, and who are more interested in stone, water tanks and carved rock than in polished visitor centres. This guide covers the sights within the city and on the lower slopes of Mount Girnar, with a plan for a single day.
Note that Uparkot Fort and everything inside its walls has been closed for long-term renovation, so check locally before you build a day around it.
Top things to do in Junagadh
1. Ashok Shilalekh
On the route to the Mount Girnar Hills, Ashoka's Rock Edicts are inscribed on a huge mass of black granite and date back to 274 BCE. It is a short, easy stop that puts the age of this landscape into perspective before you decide how far up the hill you want to go.
Combine it with the walk towards the Girnar steps, since it sits on the same route.
2. Mount Girnar
The highest point in Gujarat, Mount Girnar has rugged slopes covered by teak forests and is considered sacred because of the Hindu and Jain temples scattered across the range. Early in the morning, Jains and Hindus from different sects begin ascending the narrow staircases that connect the temples.
Reaching the top on foot takes a minimum of five to six hours and is a steep, difficult task for easy goers; the roughly 10,000 steps were not built but formed by pilgrims' walks. If you cannot reach the top, at least look through the binoculars available after the 50th or 100th step for a small fee, which will help you judge whether you can make it.
3. Girnar Jain temples
A group of finely carved stone temples belonging to Jainism, some as old as the 11th century, with Neminath Temple as the chief temple of the cluster. The carving is the reason to come, and the setting on the pilgrimage route gives the visit its rhythm.
Start early, as the ascent is long and the staircases are shared with pilgrims.
4. Neminath Jain temple
The chief temple of the Girnar Jain temple cluster, reached as part of the climb up Mount Girnar. Treat it as the focal point of your ascent rather than a separate outing.
Pair it with the rest of the Girnar Jain temples, which stand together on the route.
5. Ambika temple, Girnar (Ambaji)
A temple on Mount Girnar, visited along the same pilgrimage route as the Jain temples. It adds a Hindu place of worship to the climb and is worth including if you have the time and energy for the full ascent.
Plan it as part of your Mount Girnar walk rather than a trip on its own.
6. Jatashankar Mahadev Mandir
Jatashankar Mahadev temple can be reached by walking towards the Girnar steps; there is a left turn in a street before the steps where another way leads upwards. You can approach it either through the steps or through the jungle, climbing 500 steps and then following a trekking path from the jungle on the right side, with a direction board placed after 500 steps.
In the monsoon season, after trekking some distance behind the temple, you can enjoy tiny waterfalls and bathe in fresh water collected between big rocks, with only the sounds of birds and monkeys around. This is a quieter alternative or addition to the main Girnar climb.
7. The tombs of the 6th-8th Nawabs of Junagarh
The tombs of Nawabs from the Muslim Babi dynasty, known as maqbaras, stand just outside the train station. Mahabat Maqbara was erected over the tomb of the 6th Nawab Sahib Muhammad Mahabat Khan shortly after his death in 1882.
Because they are right by the station, they are an easy first or last stop on a day in the city.
8. Darbaar Hall Museum
Near Diwan Chowk, the former hall where Junagadh's nawabs held their formal audiences is now a museum displaying textile works and different kinds of weaponry, including swords, shields and guns. You can still see original items of furniture belonging to the nawabs, from classic chandeliers to glass mirrors in gilded wood frames.
It is a compact indoor stop, useful in the middle of the day or if the weather turns.
9. Sakkarbaug Zoo
One of the oldest zoos in India and the fourth largest, established in 1863 by Nawab Sahib Muhammad Mahabat Khan. It is home to the famous Asiatic lions, which at one time ranged from Turkey through the Middle East to northern India and today survive only in a very small population in Gir Forest National Park. In 2003 the zoo opened a natural history museum.
The zoo remains closed to the public on Wednesdays, so plan your visit around that.
10. Damodar Kund
A lake considered holy to Hindus, and a calm place to slow down between the fort area and the Girnar route. It works well as a short pause rather than a destination in itself.
Combine it with your walk towards the Girnar steps.
11. Moti Baug
Moti Baug is a park that includes the Botanical Garden and the campus of the Agricultural University of Junagadh. It gives you shade, greenery and an easy walk after a morning of stone and stairs.
Pair it with the Science Museum nearby if you are travelling with children.
12. Science Museum (Planetarium)
On Datar Road near Girnar Gate, this is an indoor stop that suits a hot afternoon or a change of pace from temples and forts. It is easy to reach from the Girnar Gate side of town.
Combine it with Moti Baug, which is close by.
13. Bava Pyara Caves
Also known as Baba Pyare Buddhist Caves, these rock-cut caves south of the fort contain artworks of both Buddhism and Jainism. They are a reminder that this area has been carved and used for well over a thousand years.
Visit them as part of a walk around the fort area once Uparkot Fort reopens.
14. Khapara-Kodia caves (Khangar Mahal)
Smaller caves north of the fort, used by monks as a monsoon shelter. They are modest in scale, so treat them as a short stop rather than a main sight.
Combine them with the other rock-cut caves in the same area.
15. Adi-kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo
Two stepwells inside Uparkot Fort: Adi-kadi Vav is a narrow stepwell, and Navghan Kuvo has a staircase cut into the rock. Both are worth seeing for their construction, and both sit within the fort walls that are currently closed for renovation.
When the fort reopens, allow two to three hours to see the stepwells, the Buddhist caves and Jama Masjid together, and note that vehicles can reach the spots inside the fort.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Ashok Shilalekh on the route to the Mount Girnar Hills, then begin the climb up Mount Girnar. If the full ascent looks too much, use the binoculars after the 50th or 100th step to judge the route, and turn back when you need to. On the way up, take in the Girnar Jain temples, Neminath Jain temple and Ambika temple, Girnar, or divert to Jatashankar Mahadev Mandir.
Afternoon: Come down and visit the tombs of the 6th-8th Nawabs of Junagarh just outside the train station, then continue to Darbaar Hall Museum near Diwan Chowk for the textiles, weaponry and nawabi furniture. If time allows, add Damodar Kund on the way.
Evening: Finish at Sakkarbaug Zoo, remembering it stays closed on Wednesdays, or take a slow walk through Moti Baug and the Botanical Garden if you would rather stay outdoors.
Frequently asked questions
Is Uparkot Fort open to visitors?
As of February 2023 the fort, including everything inside the fort walls, is closed for long-term renovation. Check locally before planning your day around it.
How long does it take to climb Mount Girnar?
It takes a minimum of five to six hours on foot to reach the top. The route is hilly and steep, with around 10,000 steps formed by pilgrims' walks.
When is Sakkarbaug Zoo closed?
The zoo remains closed to the public on Wednesdays.
Where can I see the Nawabs' tombs?
The maqbaras of the Babi dynasty stand just outside the train station, with Mahabat Maqbara erected over the tomb of the 6th Nawab Sahib Muhammad Mahabat Khan shortly after his death in 1882.
Decide how far up Girnar you want to go, check whether Uparkot Fort has reopened, and start planning your days around the climb and the old city.