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Voykit pocket guide · India
Khajuraho
खजुराहो
Give Khajuraho two nights: one full day for the Western Group at opening, one for the Eastern and Southern groups, then leave.
Khajuraho is a small Bundelkhand town whose Chandela-dynasty temples, built between roughly 950 and 1050 AD, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The carvings, not the town, are the reason to come. Two nights covers the three temple groups at an unhurried pace; one night works if you arrive early and leave late.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- खजुराहो
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (45°C (113°F) heat), Jul–Sep (monsoon)Apr–Jun (113°F (45°C) heat), Jul–Sep (monsoon)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,200–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–5,000 excl. bed · High ₹5,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · Tourist helpline 1363
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Thali (vegetarian) | ₹50–200 |
| Sweet lassi | ₹15–60 |
| Aloo paratha | ₹15–80 |
| Bicycle rental, per day | ₹20 |
| Cycle rickshaw, full day | ₹200 |
| Auto to the airport | ₹50–150 |
| Hotel pool day use | ₹300+ |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HJR · Khajuraho Airport
- About 5 km (3.1 mi) from the temples; Air India serves Delhi, Varanasi and Mumbai (check current schedules).About 3.1 mi (5 km) from the temples; Air India serves Delhi, Varanasi and Mumbai (check current schedules).
Typical fares
- Airport → temples, auto
- about ₹50
- Airport → temples, taxi
- about ₹150
- Cycle rickshaw, per km
- about ₹15
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is small and flat: rent a bicycle near the main temple complex for about ₹20 a day, or walk. Cycle rickshaws run about ₹15 per km and roughly ₹200 for a full day; autos and taxis cover the airport run. The Western Group sits about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the railway station, and there is no bus from the station into town, so take a shared Vikram or a hired auto.The town is small and flat: rent a bicycle near the main temple complex for about ₹20 a day, or walk. Cycle rickshaws run about ₹15 per km and roughly ₹200 for a full day; autos and taxis cover the airport run. The Western Group sits about 3.1 mi (5 km) from the railway station, and there is no bus from the station into town, so take a shared Vikram or a hired auto.
See and do
Known for
- Western Group of Temples
- Kandariya Mahadev Temple
- Erotic stone carvings
- Khajuraho Dance Festival
- Chandela dynasty architecture
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Orchha | Train toward Jhansi, then a short auto from Jhansi; or a taxi | 3–4 h |
| Panna National Park | Taxi or jeep from Khajuraho | About 1.5 h each way |
| Raneh Falls | Taxi from town | About 1 h each way |
| Satna | Bus or taxi | 3–4 h |
Sleep
- Jain Temple Road
- Guesthouses, cafés and restaurants, a short walk from the Western Group gate. Best for a two-night stay without a car.
- Near the Western Group gate
- Closest beds to the ticket counter and the evening light-and-sound show; quieter, fewer eating options.
- Airport Road
- Larger hotels with pools and bars; you need an auto or taxi for every temple visit.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much is it? | कितने का है?kitne ka hai |
| Where is the ticket counter? | टिकट काउंटर कहाँ है?ticket counter kahan hai |
| Please take me to this address | कृपया मुझे इस पते पर ले चलिएkripya mujhe is pate par le chaliye |
| No, thank you | नहीं, धन्यवादnahin, dhanyavaad |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Buy the Western Group ticket online in advance: the on-site booth has no cashier for foreigners.
- Temple entry is ₹600 for foreigners and ₹10 for Indians, and the complex closes at sunset.
- Summer heat reaches about 45°C; plan temple visits for early morning and late afternoon.
- Photography is banned inside the Archaeology Museum.
- Trains from Delhi run six days a week, not on Wednesday.
Khajuraho is a small, calm temple town and generally safe for tourists. The real risks are heat, uneven temple steps, and guides or drivers pushing add-ons: agree the price before you get in.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Khajuraho yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Western Group of Temples
- Kandariya Mahadev Temple
- Erotic stone carvings
- Khajuraho Dance Festival
- Chandela dynasty architecture
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Madhya Pradesh Tourism: www.mptourism.com/
- Airports Authority of India — Khajuraho: www.aai.aero/en/airports/khajuraho
- Indian Railways (IRCTC): www.irctc.co.in/
- Wikivoyage: Khajuraho, revision 5285197 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5285197
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Khajurahoखजुराहो
इस पते पर ले चलिए
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Khajuraho; most embassies are in New Delhi, with consulates in Mumbai and Kolkata.
Temple entry is by online ticket; carry the booking on your phone.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/khajuraho). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.