Treks Near Indore: Patalpani, Tincha Falls, Janapav Hill, Ralamandal and Mandu

Trekking near Indore: waterfalls, a sacred hill and a fort plateau

Indore itself is flat, a city of about 550 m on the Malwa plateau. The hiking starts where that plateau breaks up to the south and south-west, around Mhow, Tillore and Dhar: river gorges that fill with water in the monsoon, forested hills, and the long, ruined plateau of Mandu. None of it is high-altitude trekking. These are half-day and day hikes, most of them at their best in the weeks after the rains.

Patalpani: the Choral River's 300-foot fall and the Kalakund train

Patalpani is the hike most Indore families know. Madhya Pradesh Tourism says the waterfall, formed by the Choral River, drops about 300 feet and lies roughly 30 km from Indore and 8 km from Mhow. Entry is free, and the state's page lists visiting hours of 11 AM to 8 PM. The Indore district administration's page notes the flow is strongest after July and that the fall nearly dries to a trickle in summer, so don't plan a May visit around it.

The most memorable way in is by rail. The Kalakund heritage train (52965) runs on weekends from Patalpani station: it leaves at 11:05 AM, stops for about 50 minutes at the waterfall and about 20 minutes at a bridge, reaches Kalakund at 1:30 PM, leaves again at 3:30 PM and is back at Patalpani at 4:15 PM, according to MP Tourism. Tickets are sold through IRCTC. Walk the rim paths, not the rocks at the edge: the state's own advice is to keep a safe distance from the fall and avoid slippery footwear.

Tincha falls: a monsoon walk near Tillore, and a gorge to respect

Tincha is smaller and quieter than Patalpani. The falls are on the Kanar River near Tillore in Indore district, reached by about 9 km of country roads from Tillore itself. Like Patalpani, the flow is highest right after the rains and drops to a trickle in summer. The walk down to the viewpoints is short, but the rock is wet and polished, and the gorge below is deep: two students drowned here on a picnic in 2017, and a young man fell into the gorge and died in 2018. Treat it as a scenic walk, not a swim, and keep children back from the edge.

Janapav: the highest climb within an hour of Indore

Janapav rises to 854 m near Janapav Kuti village in Mhow tehsil, about 45 km from Indore, and is described as the highest peak of the Vindhyanchal range. It is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Parshurama, and an ashram of his father Jamadagni stands at the top. Local folklore says twelve rivers, including the Chambal, begin from the tank on the hill. A fair is held there every year on Kartik Purnima, the first full moon after Diwali, so expect crowds that day.

A road now runs from the highway to the summit, which means you can drive up. Don't. The point of Janapav for anyone training is the climb: about 300 m of height above Indore's plateau, on forest paths that are dry and firm from October to February. Start early, carry two litres of water, and walk down rather than run on loose stones.

Ralamandal: a forest walk on the city's doorstep

For a short outing without leaving Indore, Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest on the city's edge. It is small, about 5 km², and was established in 1989 around a Holkar-era palace that served as a hunting lodge, or shikargah. Leopard, blackbuck, sambar, chital, nilgai and barking deer are recorded there, among teak, sandalwood and bamboo. Because it is a sanctuary, you walk on the rules of the forest department, at their timings and on their paths. Check entry hours at the gate, keep to marked routes, and don't walk alone at dawn or dusk.

Mandu: a walking day on a ruined plateau

Mandu, also called Mandav, is the long day out. It sits at 634 m on a plateau whose southern edge drops about 305 m to the Nimar plain, and its ruins spread over an area more than 10 km long and 15 km wide, according to Wikivoyage. The road from Indore is about 95 km, via Pithampur and Dhar. Direct buses have run from Indore's Gangwal bus stand at 8 AM and Sarawate bus stand at 2 PM, taking about three hours; check current times before you rely on them.

Mandu can't be covered on foot in one day, but each group of monuments can. A good plan is to walk one or two groups properly and use a car or a hired bicycle in between. The approach from the north passes a series of five gates. The monsoon is the season people come for, when the lakes and tanks fill, but winter is better for walking all day. Indore's cyclists ride the whole way: Indore Randonneurs run a 200 km Indore–Mandav–Indore brevet, covered in our guide to cycling in Indore.

When to hike around Indore, month by month

Indore's hiking season is decided by two numbers: the heat in April and May, and the rain in July and August. India Meteorological Department normals for 1991–2020 put May's average high at 40.4 °C and give July 310 mm of rain over about 13 rainy days. The weeks after the monsoon are when the falls run and the hills are green; mid-winter is when long walks are most comfortable.

A 6-week plan for Janapav and a day at Mandu

Janapav is a steady climb with a steep, stony descent. Mandu is hours on your feet with steps, ramparts and uneven ground. Training for both means three things: legs that handle climbing, knees that handle coming down, and enough endurance to stay sharp at hour five. Do it on your building's stairs, a colony park and the hikes themselves. Our national guide on how to prepare for a trek explains the thinking; this is the Indore version, starting in October.

1. 1

   Step-ups, 3 × 10 each leg

   Janapav's forest paths are a long staircase without the steps.

2. 2

   Slow step-downs, 3 × 8 each leg

   Take three seconds to lower. This is what protects your knees on the way back down to Janapav Kuti.

3. 3

   Single-leg balance, 3 × 30 seconds each leg

   Steadies the ankles on Tincha's wet rock and Mandu's broken stone.

4. 4

   Farmer's carry with full water bottles, 3 × 40 metres

   Builds the grip and posture you need to carry two litres of water all day.

Food matters on a long day: a poha breakfast alone runs out by mid-morning. Our guide to healthy food in Indore shows how to add protein to it. Weigh yourself before you start with the BMI calculator if you're coming back from a long break.

Safety on Indore's hikes

• Go with someone. Tincha and the forest paths at Janapav and Ralamandal can be very quiet on weekdays.
• Carry water. Two litres each for Janapav or Mandu, more from March onwards.
• Wear shoes with grip. Wet rock at the falls and polished stone at Mandu are both slippery.
• Respect wildlife. Ralamandal has leopards. Stay on paths, keep together and come out before dusk.
• Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back, especially in the monsoon.

More for the outdoors in the city: running tracks in Indore for weekday training, and the Indore Marathon if you want a winter race. If you have a gym, Personal Gym Training in Indore adds a coach on video beside you there, and Personal Home Training in Indore works in any room. For everything else, start at online personal training in Indore.