Gwalior is the city in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is also called the tourist capital of Madhya Pradesh.
Gwalior holds an important place in the history of central India. It has been ruled by many kingdoms in its history. It was ruled by Kachchhapaghatas in the 10th century, Tomars in the 13th century, Mughal Empire in the 15th century. Then it was passed to Marathas in 1754, followed by the Scindia in the 18th century.
Use this Gwalior travel guide to plan your trip to Gwalior.
Best time to travel
Winter (November to March) is the best time to travel to Gwalior when the climate is cool, with a little sun in a day
Summers (April – June) are very harsh and temperature can reach as high as 46-degree Celsius.
Monsoon season (July – September) is met with the lower temperatures but high humidity and frequent downpours.
How to reach Gwalior
Gwalior is around 320 kilometres away from the country capital, Delhi and 410 kilometres away from the state capital, Bhopal.
- Flight – Gwalior Airport(GWL) is the small airport which operates flights to Delhi, Mumbai and other cities of Madhya Pradesh. The flights are few and expensive.
- Train – Gwalior railway station is the major railway station in Gwalior. It is well connected to all the major cities of India. You can reach Gwalior from Delhi in 3 hours by Gatimaan Express (India’s second fastest train) and 3.5 hours by Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi (India’s third fastest train).
- Bus – There are few private buses that operate between Delhi and Gwalior. They take around 5.5 hours to reach Gwalior and cost as much as the train.
- Car – Gwalior is connected to Delhi via National Highway No. 3 which also connects Gwalior to Mumbai, Agra, and Indore.
Things to Do in Gwalior
1) Gwalior Fort
Gwalior Fort is the heart of the city. It was described by Babar as the “Pearl in the Necklace of Forts of Hind”. It has been ruled by many dynasties in its history.
Gwalior Fort campus has many monuments and requires at least half a day to explore.
ALSO READ: Gwalior Fort Guide
a) Man Singh Palace
Man Singh Palace was built by the king Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century for his wife, Mrignayani. It is the most popular attraction of the fort and the Gwalior. The exterior of the palace is strikingly beautiful due to the use of turquoise, green and yellow colour on its tiles.
b) Gujari Mahal
Gujari Mahal is the state Archaeological museum which houses the artefacts as old as 2000 years. It is located at the bottom of the fort and is the first stop from northeastern gate entrance.
c) Sahastrabahu (Sas-Bahu) Temple
Sas Bahu temple is a twin temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. While the bigger temple is called Sas temple, the smaller one is called Bahu temple. The temple architecture is beautiful and carvings are marvellous.
d) Gopachal rock-cut Jain Monuments
The Jain statues of Tirthankaras (spiritual teachers) are carved in Gopachal hill. The statues were destroyed by Mughals when they captured Gwalior. Some of them are restored by the Jain communities.
Address – Gwalior
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 5 PM
Suggested Duration – 4 to 5 hours
Ticket Cost – Rs 25 (Indian – 15+), Rs 300 (Foreigners – 15+), Rs 25 (videography without stand). It includes entry to Man Singh Palace, Sas-Bahu temple, and Teli ka Mandir.
2) Jai Vilas Palace Museum
Jail Vilas Palace was constructed by Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia in 1874. The Scindia family still resides in Jai Vilas Palace. It is a fine example of European architecture.
The various rooms are now part of the museum which includes the collection of paintings, ancient sculptures, textiles, carriage, and others artefacts. There are a few period rooms like a bathroom, bedroom, and dining room. There are few bizarre rooms as well including indoor swimming pool and collection of tiger taxidermy.
Travel Tip – Proper signage is available in each room and a set path is to be followed to explore the museum which makes the self-exploration easy and worthwhile.
Address – Jaivilas Palace, Lashkar, Gwalior
Phone – +91 751 2372390, +91 751 2371230, +91 751 2371446
Official Website – http://www.jaivilasmuseum.org
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 4:30 PM
Suggested Duration – 1 hour
Ticket Cost – Rs 140 (Indian), Rs 800 (Foreigners), Rs 100 (Camera/Mobile), Rs 150 (Video Camera).
3) Gwalior Zoo
Gwalior Zoo is the home to many animals and birds like Tiger, Bear, Lion, Monkey, Emu, Ostrich, Alligator and a lot more. It is a decent sized zoo and will take you around an hour to cover the whole area.
Address – Italian Garden Road, Phool Bagh Rd, Lashkar, Gwalior
Opening Hours – 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM (April – September), 9 AM to 5:30 PM (October – March). Closed on Friday
Suggested Duration – 1 hour
Ticket Cost – Rs 30 (Adult), Rs 10 (Child), Rs 20 (Student), Rs 100 (Foreigner), Rs 20 (Camera)
4) Tomb of Tansen
Tansen was an influential Indian classical musician in the 16th century. Mughal emperor Akbar admired Tansen to such an extent that he even considered Tansen as a Navratnas (nine jewels). The legend has it that he could bring down rain by singing Raga Megh Malhar. Upon his death, his remains were buried along with the mausoleum of his Sufi master Muhammad Ghaus.
Address – Tansen Nagar, Gwalior
Opening Hours – 9 AM to 6 PM
Suggested Duration – 1 hour
Ticket Cost – Free
5) Sun Temple
The Sun Temple is dedicated to Surya (Sun God). It is built as a facsimile of the famous Konark Sun Temple in Odisha. The temple is surrounded by green lush garden.
Address – Residency Rd, Mahaveer, Morar, Gwalior
Opening Hours – 6:30 AM to 12 PM, 1 PM to 6 PM
Suggested Duration – 30 minutes
Ticket Cost – Free
Get Around in Gwalior
- Cab: Among cab aggregators, only Ola operates in Gwalior. It provides a convenient mode to explore the city.
- Auto-Rickshaw (Tuk-Tuk): You can find auto-rickshaws very easily in the city. Many auto-rickshaws are even parked outside most of the attractions.
Stay in Gwalior
Being not a very popular tourist destination, hotel prices tend to be lower than the hotels in cities like Delhi and Jaipur. You will easily get a good budget hotel with all the amenities for less than Rs 2000 for a couple.
The hostel culture has not picked up in Gwalior yet. The backpackers who are looking to stay in the hostel has to contend with the low budget hotel.
Here are some of the options for stay in Gwalior:
Hotel Grace: This is a budget hotel located near the Gwalior railway station. The railway station is just 500 metres away from the hotel. All the rooms offer modern amenities like LED, refrigerator, and safety deposit box.
Price Range: Rs 1500 – 2000
Hotel Solitaire Inn: This was my abode in Gwalior. I could only find this hotel which had a family room (a double bed + a single bed). Although the room was clean, the service was slow and not up to the mark. But if you fall into the category who care about a clean bed and bathroom and not bother about service, then you won’t be disappointed.
Price Range: Rs 1000 – 1500
ALSO READ: My Experience at Hotel Solitaire Inn
Clarks Inn Suites: This hotel is perfect for semi-luxury travellers. It is a step above the budget hotels and a step below the 5-star hotels. The hotel also has a facility of the gym, swimming pool, spa, and sauna.
Price Range: Rs 3000 – Rs 4000
Radisson Hotel: Radisson is a 5-star hotel and is for luxury travellers. All the 89 rooms and suites offer modern amenities and luxury furnishing. Besides the incredible room, you are provided with a complimentary buffet breakfast at their rooftop multi-cuisine restaurant, a fitness centre, and outdoor swimming pool
Price Range: Rs 5000 – Rs 6500
Thank you for you very interesting reviews of Gwalior and Orcha.
This November we are returning to India , having done the “obligatory” Rajahstan experience for travellers from the UK last year…
Wonderful Blog. Gwalior is such a very beautiful & historical city.This blog has an amazing information about the destination place and pictures are also beautiful that you mention in your blog.Thanks for sharing this amazing post with us.
Gwalior is one place that I want to visit so much. The Gwalior Fort is really majestic and beautiful. There is so much history and architecture associated with these places.
I just learnt about another amazing place in India that I have to visit! India has so much to offer, it’s difficult to choose where to go first 🙂
I’ve been to India twice before but have not heard of Gwalior – thanks for introducing it to me! I LOVE how the blue color on the fort pops against the orange/red stone!
India is a remote country to me. I have never heard of this place. The post is a good resource for the first timers.
I have always wanted to visit Gwalior but haven’t made it there so far. Your pictures and descriptions are just the right inspirations I need now. I am big history lover, so it makes so much sense to visit this city. So many beautiful temples and palaces. And I had no idea there was a sun temple here also. I love the architecture. And my son would be thrilled at the zoo. Time to take a perfect family trip.
Soumya, since you love history, Gwalior is just perfect for you. You would love Gwalior Fort and all its monuments.
So much history here! The architecture is incredible. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of Gwalior. It’s a beautiful city
Thank you for the wonderful article. The map at the bottom is especially helpful. What plugin do you use to create that?
Katelyn, I didn’t use any plugin. You can create the map on google.com/mymaps and then embed it on your website. I hope it helps.
Love the way you’ve organized the post. Everything that one needs to know about visiting Gwalior: it’s here.
First of all, I appreciate the beauty of all your photos. Second, thank you for the “table of contents”. It made it very easy to navigate around your blog. I also appreciate the best time of the year recommendation to visit Gwalior. India is on my bucket list and hope to visit your recommended places on my travels. Oh, one last thing, your guide was very comprehensive and I appreciate you being so detailed. Thanks for all the recommendations!
Thanks, Julie for the kind words and I hope you get to visit India soon.
I haven’t been to Gwalior yet but the place looks amazing! I’m keeping this guide with me for when I go!
The fort looks amazing. I haven’t been to India yet, but when I go, Gwalior will definitely be on my list. Only the big cats are a big….creepy 😉
Yeah, I also found the tiger room quite weird. Though, it was interesting at the same time.
The color of Gwalior Fort is beautiful and glad that it was preserved in such a good condition! Seems like there are a lot to explore there and I would love to visit there in the future! @ knycx.journeying
I’ve not heard about Gwalior but there are so many things to explore. Jai Vilas Palace Museum truly looks exclusive one, such a beautiful dining room! Love the charming beauty of old architectures.
Not many people visit Gwalior but it is a good enough destination to be spent for 1-2 days
Awesome article Nitin! The architectural brilliance is mind-blowing. I have been looking at the pictures in awe. I loved the pictures of Jai Vilas Palace Museum the most. The breakfast room is so elegant! Thank you for the amazing guide.
Thanks, Ronita 🙂
I haven’t been to India yet, but it’s on my bucket list. I love this article about Gwalior because you didn’t just include what to do, but when’s the best time to visit, how to get there, hours, and costs. Thanks for sharing all of this!
I love the exterior of Man Singh Palace! Turquoise, green and yellow tiles look so stunning!
The Jain statue of a Tirthankara seems so huge in the photo. Wondering what’s the size?
Oh my! That fort looks impressive and colourful. It looks so classic and thing is, is it really a fort from the outside. It looks more like a palace. Would love to check this out.
Oh, what a beautiful city to explore, I just love the architecture here and the fort is just incredible. I really can’t wait to get over to India!
I love your map. I also love the foliage around the Sun Temple. You did an excellent job framing that shot.
Thanks 🙂
I hadn’t previously heard of Gwalior, but it looks like there are a lot of impressive temples and palaces to see. I love the exterior decoration on the Man Singh Palace and the opulent decor at the Jail Vilas Palace. Interesting that a family still lives there.
And the interesting thing is that most of the monuments and temples are in a single place. And don’t have to move around a lot to see all of them. The tourists are only allowed to visit the museum section of Jai Vilas Palace. It would be amazing if admission to royal chambers is also allowed.
This is a very comprehensive guide for Gwalior. I think I would most like to visit Jai Vilas Palace Museum. I love interesting, unique architecture and it definitely has this! The interior is gorgeous as well-particularly the Hall Room. I personally love all the Tigers. They’re a special animal to me!
Jai Vilas Palace is very huge and beautiful. The rooms are all royal and beautiful. The rooms full of the tigers was very weird and seemed out of place, but the Tigers were something the Maharaja was very fond of. Since you also like tiger, you would love that room to see the life-like tigers
I had never even heard of Gwalior before this. What an amazing place! I’d definitely visit in March when it’s still pretty cool, thanks for those tips.
‘I love Gwalior Fort. It’s so elegant! Doesn’t look like a fort at all.
It does not look like a fort because the photo is of Man Singh Palace and not of fort.