Palitana itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Palitana

1. 01

   Day 1: Dawn climb, afternoon rest

   Reach Taleti Road the evening before if you can, so you are at the foot of the hill at first light. Climb slowly in the cool hours, pausing at the water and rest stations, or hire a doli at the base for the ascent. Spend time at the Adinath temple and in the Chaumukhji tuk, then start back down while the sun is still gentle, as everyone must leave the hill before dusk. Eat a simple vegetarian lunch in town and rest through the afternoon. If you have energy left, walk a little along Taleti Road to see the dharamshalas and pilgrim traffic.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chaumukhji Tuk	30 to 45 minutes	Moderate	Morning, November to February

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Chaumukhji Tuk: The tuk is reached by paved paths at the summit with some steps; it is mostly level inside, with open courtyards and stone floors that get hot by late morning.

Plan 02

2 days in Palitana

1. 01

   Day 1: Shatrunjaya

   Make the hill the whole of the first morning: an early start, a steady climb, unhurried time at the main temples and a careful descent. Return to the hotel by early afternoon for a long rest. In the evening, walk Taleti Road quietly and eat a Jain or Gujarati thali.

2. 02

   Day 2: Hastagiri and the road to Bhavnagar

   Drive about half an hour to Hastagiri Jain Tirth, whose temple has a road almost all the way up, so it suits those who could not climb Shatrunjaya. Continue to Bhavnagar and see Takhteshwar Temple at the end of the afternoon for a view across the city to the Gulf of Khambhat. Catch the flight, train or onward drive from there.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Hastagiri Jain Tirth	1.5 to 2 hours including the drive up	Easy	Morning, November to February

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 03

3 days in Palitana

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrival and Taleti Road

   Arrive from Ahmedabad or Bhavnagar by mid-afternoon, settle in and rest. Walk to the base of the hill in the evening to see where the climb starts and how the doli stand works. Eat early and sleep early.

2. 02

   Day 2: Shatrunjaya

   Start at first light. Climb or take a doli, visit the Adinath temple and the Chaumukhji tuk, and be back at the base before the heat builds. Rest the whole afternoon.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chaumukhji Tuk	30 to 45 minutes	Moderate	Morning, November to February

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Chaumukhji Tuk: The tuk is reached by paved paths at the summit with some steps; it is mostly level inside, with open courtyards and stone floors that get hot by late morning.

3. 03

   Day 3: Hastagiri, Takhteshwar and, in season, Velavadar

   Visit Hastagiri in the morning, then drive on to Bhavnagar for Takhteshwar Temple. From mid-October to mid-June you can add the Velavadar blackbuck grasslands the following morning for a very different kind of day, with the park's guided drives and open grassland.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Palitana trip for parents and children

• Start the climb at first light. The cool hours matter more than any other single decision, and the descent must be finished before dusk in any case.
• Take a doli if you doubt your knees or heart. The bearers carry you up in a chair slung on poles; ask at the base about the fare and agree it before you sit.
• Carry water but eat nothing on the hill. Food is not allowed in the temples, so eat before you start and plan a meal for the return.
• Break the climb into short stretches. Rest stations and water points are spaced along the route; use them instead of pushing through.
• No leather: belts, wallets, bags and shoes. Wear modest, comfortable clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and check the footwear rules with staff at the base.
• If the steps are too much, choose Hastagiri Jain Tirth instead, which has a road most of the way up, or simply spend the morning seeing the hill from the foot.

Palitana with elderly parents: the full guide →