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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 heat), Jul–Sep (monsoon)Apr–Jun (113°F 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 from the temples; Air India serves Delhi, Varanasi and Mumbai (check current schedules).About 3.1 mi 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
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 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 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.