Kumbhalgarh Fort
The Great Wall of India
Overview
Kumbhalgarh is a 15th-century Mewar hill fort in Rajsamand district, Rajasthan, India, built from 1443 by Rana Kumbha on a ridge some 1,100 m above sea level. Its perimeter wall runs about 36 km, among the longest continuous walls in the world, earning it the nickname 'the Great Wall of India'. A UNESCO World Heritage Site (2013, Hill Forts of Rajasthan), it enclosed hundreds of temples and the hilltop Badal Mahal, and is revered as the birthplace of Maharana Pratap. MyTripMyTravel escorts the ramparts and pairs it with the Ranakpur temples nearby.
Kumbhalgarh's headline is its wall: a serpent of stone roughly 36 kilometres long, wide enough in places for horsemen to ride abreast, undulating over the Aravalli ridges until it disappears into haze. It is one of the longest continuous fortifications on earth, and standing on it is the point of the visit.
Rana Kumbha of Mewar raised it from 1443 as an almost impregnable refuge, it fell only once, and then only when its water was cut. Inside are the ruins of hundreds of temples and, crowning the summit at around 1,100 metres, the Badal Mahal or 'Palace of the Clouds'. The fort is also honoured as the birthplace of Maharana Pratap.
MyTripMyTravel escorts the ramparts and the palace, and pairs the fort with the Ranakpur Jain temples down in the valley for a single, well-sequenced Aravalli day.
At a glance
Kumbhalgarh Fort in brief
What to see
Highlights
The 36 km wall
One of the longest continuous fortification walls in the world, walkable along the ramparts.
Badal Mahal
The 'Palace of the Clouds' crowning the summit, with pastel-toned chambers and long views.
The temple ruins
Hundreds of Hindu and Jain shrines the fort was built to enclose and protect.
Ganesh & Hanuman Pols
The successive fortified gateways controlling the switchback ascent.
The evening light & sound show
A projection narrating the fort's Mewar history against the ramparts.
Visitor information
Our tips
Walk a stretch of the wall itself, the scale is the whole reason to come.
Climb to Badal Mahal at the top for the fullest view over the ramparts.
Visit October to March and go early; the exposed ridge is hot by midday.
Combine it with the Ranakpur temples in the valley for one efficient Aravalli day.
Good to know
Kumbhalgarh Fort, your questions
Why is Kumbhalgarh called the Great Wall of India?
Its perimeter wall runs about 36 km, making it one of the longest continuous fortification walls in the world.
Who built Kumbhalgarh?
Rana Kumbha of Mewar, from 1443, as a near-impregnable refuge in the Aravalli hills.
What is its connection to Maharana Pratap?
The fort is revered as the birthplace of the Mewar hero Maharana Pratap.
Is it a UNESCO site?
Yes, inscribed in 2013 as part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan.
What pairs well with the fort?
The Ranakpur Jain temples in the valley below, we sequence both in one escorted day.
Visit with us
See Kumbhalgarh Fort, properly.
A private, chauffeured visit with a licensed expert guide, timed for the best light and the smallest crowds. We fold Kumbhalgarh Fort into a wider Kumbhalgarh and Rajasthan itinerary, built entirely around you.
- Skip the queue where possible, at the right hour
- Licensed local guide who brings the story to life
- Private car and chauffeur, door to door
Plan your trip
Plan a visit to Kumbhalgarh Fort
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