Hey everyone! We just got back from an incredible 4-day trip to Indore and Ujjain, and I’ve been so excited to share the experience. If you’re looking for a mix of deep spirituality, royal history, and scenic river views, this is a journey you definitely need to take.
Our adventure started with a very early wake-up call at 2:30 AM to catch our 6:15 AM flight. We spent a little time at the Bangalore Airport T1 terminal lounge, located just above Gate 1. It was decent—not quite as fancy as the T2 lounge, but still a comfortable spot compared to most. Once we landed in Indore at 8:15 AM, our cab was already waiting for us. We had booked through an Indore cab company for Rs. 10,000, which covered our entire itinerary including the city tour, the trips to Ujjain and Omkareshwar, and the final airport drop. It made everything so much easier!
We headed straight into our Indore city tour. Our first stop was Pitra Parvat, which is a beautiful hilltop area known for its massive, gold-colored statue of Lord Hanuman. From there, we went to the Bada Ganesha Temple near MG Road. It’s famous for housing one of the largest Ganesha idols in the world, and it really is a sight to behold. Next was the Kanch Mandir, a stunning Jain temple where every single inch of the interior is covered in glass and mirrors. It felt like stepping into a kaleidoscope!
We then visited the Vaishno Devi Temple, a lovely replica of the famous cave shrine, followed by Lalbaug Palace. This palace is a must-visit because it gives you a glimpse into the grand, royal lifestyle of the Holkar dynasty. We also stopped by Rajwada, the iconic seven-story palace that sits right in the heart of the old city. To wrap up the afternoon, we visited the Annapurna Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of food, and finally the Khajrana Ganesha Temple, which is one of the most powerful and popular shrines in the region.
By 2 PM, we checked into our hotel, the Playotel Premier at Vijay Nagar. It’s a very nice property in a great location, and the breakfast buffet was fantastic. We did have a bit of a hiccup at the start—they gave us a smaller room initially, but after a small argument, they moved us to a much more spacious one. The only real downside was the timing; they have a 2 PM check-in and an 11 AM checkout, which felt a bit restrictive.
However, the evening was the real highlight! After resting up, we headed out around 6 PM to Chappan Dukan. This place is a legendary food street—the name literally means “56 Shops”—and it becomes incredibly happening after dark. It’s a clean, vibrant stretch where every shop offers something delicious. We spent the night exploring and eating our way through the street. We tried the famous Dahi Vada, which was so refreshing, grabbed some snacks from Agrawal Namkeen, and had some piping hot Sabudana Vada. We also sampled a few other chaat items; honestly, it’s a foodie’s paradise and an absolute must-visit if you’re in Indore!
On the second day, we headed to Ujjain. We had booked an 11 AM online ticket for the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, which is one of the most sacred Shiva temples in India. The atmosphere there is incredibly powerful. Afterward, we visited Kal Bhairav, but since there’s no advance booking there, we had to wait in a queue for about 2.5 hours. We also explored the Maharshi Sandipani Ashram, the historic site where Lord Krishna, Balaram, and Sudama are said to have studied, and visited the Krishna Sudama Balram Vidyasthali nearby.
The third day was all about the river side. We had a 10 AM booking for Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, which is uniquely located on an island in the Narmada River. After our darshan, we walked over to the Mamleshwar Temple. It’s also a Jyotirlinga, but it was very crowded, and we ended up waiting in line for another 2 hours. By 4:30 PM, we reached Maheshwar to see the Ahilyabai Fort and Palace. This fort sits right on the banks of the Narmada, and the views are just breathtaking. We went boating on the river as the sun began to set, and it was honestly the most scenic and pleasing part of the whole trip.
Finally, on our last day, we had a relaxed morning before our cab dropped us at the Indore airport at 4:15 PM. We spend our time in Indore airport lounge which was very small with limited food till our flight’s onboarding time 6:45pm. It was an amazing and relaxing trip, the combination of ancient temples, the amazing street food at Chappan Dukan, and the peaceful river at Maheshwar made it truly special.
