Malwa Heritage Run

The Afghan capital at Mandu, the block-printers at Bagh, and the rock-cut monolith at Dhamnar — five days through western Madhya Pradesh, ending at a cave temple in the Ellora tradition that fewer than three thousand people see in a year.

Duration: 5 days
Distance: 405 km
Check-in points: 405 pts

The route

Stops, in order

1Mandu (Mandavgarh)Dhar · Madhya PradeshA ruined Afghan capital spread over a 13 km plateau — the most romantic set of monuments in India, and unrecognisably good in monsoon.30 pts
2MaheshwarKhargone · Madhya PradeshAhilyabai Holkar's riverside capital — a fort, a ghat that runs the length of the town, and the handloom she founded in 1767, still weaving.75 pts
3Bagh CavesDhar · Madhya PradeshFifth-century Buddhist caves with mural painting contemporary with Ajanta — in a village that is also the last home of Bagh block-printing.150 pts
4Dhamnar Rock-Cut CavesMandsaur · Madhya PradeshFifty-one rock-cut Buddhist caves from the fourth century, plus a Hindu temple carved out of a single hill — and effectively zero visitors.150 pts

Each stop in detail

30 pts

Mandu (Mandavgarh)

Dhar, Madhya Pradesh

A ruined Afghan capital spread over a 13 km plateau — the most romantic set of monuments in India, and unrecognisably good in monsoon.

12 hrs4.8(1560)Easy

75 pts

Maheshwar

Khargone, Madhya Pradesh

Ahilyabai Holkar's riverside capital — a fort, a ghat that runs the length of the town, and the handloom she founded in 1767, still weaving.

8 hrs4.8(620)Easy

150 pts

Bagh Caves

Dhar, Madhya Pradesh

Fifth-century Buddhist caves with mural painting contemporary with Ajanta — in a village that is also the last home of Bagh block-printing.

5 hrs4.6(64)Easy

150 pts

Dhamnar Rock-Cut Caves

Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh

Fifty-one rock-cut Buddhist caves from the fourth century, plus a Hindu temple carved out of a single hill — and effectively zero visitors.

4 hrs4.7(42)Moderate