Kushalgarh Fort
A hill fort reached by a short trek — for the walk and the view more than the ruins themselves.
- From the hotel
- 40 km approx.
- Travel time
- 65 min
- Timings
- Daylight hours only
- Entry
- No charge
- Best time
- October to February, early morning
Kushalgarh Fort stands on a hill about forty kilometres from Banswara, and reaching it involves a short trek up from the road.
What it’s for
Be clear about what this trip is. Kushalgarh is not a restored fort with rooms to walk through and boards to read. It is a ruin on a hill, and the reasons to go are the climb, the view from the top, and the pleasure of having a historic site entirely to yourself — which here you very likely will.
For visitors who enjoy walking, it is one of the better half-days in the district. For visitors expecting Chittorgarh, it is not.
The climb
Not long, but genuinely uphill, on an unmade path. Sensible shoes are necessary rather than advisable. Go early — there is no shade on the way up and the rock holds heat well into the evening.
Carry water. There is none on the hill.
Safety
Ruined walls are unstable. Stay off them, keep away from edges, and do not climb on masonry to get a photograph. Come down well before dusk; the path is not lit and is harder to follow in poor light.
Getting there
About an hour by road from Banswara to the base of the hill. Combines with Andeshwar Parshwanathji or Arthuna, both in the same direction.
Combine it with
Andeshwar Parshwanathji Jain Temple
A Jain temple dedicated to Parshwanath, and a place of pilgrimage for the Jain community of this region.
Arthuna Nilakantha Mahadeva Temple
A scattered complex of ruined Hindu and Jain temples from the 11th and 12th centuries — the most archaeologically important site in the district.
Mangarh Dham
The hill where thousands of Bhil freedom fighters were killed in 1913 — called the Jallianwala Bagh of Rajasthan, and a national monument since 2022.