Incredible India
7 Things to Do in Mount Abu, Rajasthan's Only Hill Station
Rajasthan's only hill station pairs a marble Jain temple complex ranked among India's finest with a cool-climate lake town that has drawn escapees from the desert heat for centuries.
Sep 24, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Mount Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station, rising above 1,200 metres in the Aravalli range and offering a cooler climate that has drawn visitors from the desert plains below for centuries, from Rajput royalty escaping summer heat to present-day travellers combining a lake-town break with one of India's finest surviving examples of marble temple architecture. Here are seven things to do, each with a direct map link.
1. Dilwara Jain Temples
A complex of five marble Jain temples built between the 11th and 13th centuries, Dilwara is regarded as one of the finest examples of marble carving anywhere in India, with ceilings, pillars and archways cut so finely that the stone appears almost translucent in places. Photography is not permitted inside, which makes the visit itself the only record worth keeping.
2. Nakki Lake
The town's central lake, said in local legend to have been dug out by gods using their nails (nakh), Nakki Lake is Mount Abu's social heart, ringed by a promenade and busy with pedal boats and evening walkers, especially around sunset when the surrounding hills catch the last light.
3. Guru Shikhar
Rajasthan's highest point at 1,722 metres, Guru Shikhar sits a short drive from town and holds a small Dattatreya temple at its summit, along with views that on a clear day extend well across the surrounding Aravalli hills.
4. Sunset Point
A dedicated viewpoint on the edge of town, unsurprisingly busiest in the hour before dusk, looking west over layered hills that turn gold and then pink as the sun drops, one of the more reliably crowded but genuinely worthwhile stops on a first visit.
5. Achalgarh Fort
Built in the 15th century by Rana Kumbha of Mewar on the site of an earlier fortification, Achalgarh sits a short distance from town and holds several temples within its walls, including the Achaleshwar Mahadev temple, with far fewer visitors than the town centre attractions.
6. Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
Spread across the hills surrounding the town, the sanctuary is home to sloth bears, leopards and a wide range of birdlife, offering a genuinely different, quieter side of Mount Abu for visitors willing to trade the lake promenade for a forest trail.
7. Toad Rock and Honeymoon Point
A short walk from Nakki Lake, Toad Rock is a natural granite formation that does, from the right angle, resemble a giant toad poised at the water's edge, while nearby Honeymoon Point offers one of the better sunset views over the surrounding valley without the crowds of the main Sunset Point.
Traveller tips
- Mount Abu is roughly a 3 hour drive from Udaipur and is also reachable by train to Abu Road, followed by a short taxi ride up the hill.
- Photography is strictly prohibited inside the Dilwara temples; cameras and phones are typically checked in before entry.
- October to March offers the most comfortable weather; being Rajasthan's only hill station, it also gets noticeably cooler than the rest of the state in winter.
- Nakki Lake and the town centre get crowded on weekends and around Indian holiday periods; a weekday visit is calmer.
Where this is
Mount Abu, Rajasthan