Chauragarh Trek
Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad), Madhya Pradesh
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- Max altitude
- 1,330 m
- Days
- 1 day
- Distance
- 7 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Only about 3.5 km each way, but the last part is a steep climb of roughly 1,300 uneven stone steps with about 280 m of height gain, in heat and humidity, and it is very crowded at festivals.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1 · highest point
Bada Mahadev (Mahadeo Cave) → Bada Mahadev (via Chauragarh summit)
1,050 m → 1,330 m → 1,050 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Bada Mahadev (Mahadeo Cave)
at 1,050 mLoading forecast…
High point · Chauragarh summit (Chauragarh Shiva temple)
at 1,330 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Bada Mahadev (Mahadeo Cave) (nearest town: Pachmarhi)
- Nearest railway
- Pipariya (about 50 km, roughly 2 hours by road to Pachmarhi)
- Nearest airport
- Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal
- By road
- Bhopal (about 200 km to Pachmarhi); Pipariya railway station (about 50 km to Pachmarhi); Pachmarhi bus stand to Bada Mahadev (about 10 km by permit gypsy or shared gypsy)
- Drive
- About 4.5 h from Bhopal
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹300–1,500
With an operator
₹800–2,800
Per person, ex-Pachmarhi. Guided prices seen in October 2026: Universal Adventures day trek ₹799 (guide and day meals, no transport, forest entry extra) and a 1-night camping trek listed on Universal Adventures and Travools at ₹2,600–2,800 (forest entry ₹100–150 extra). Only one named operator publishes Chauragarh prices, so the guided range is thin. Self-guided is an estimate: a shared gypsy seat or a share of a full-day permit gypsy (about ₹1,200 per vehicle per Outlook Traveller), forest entry charges and water and snacks.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 18
Hot days in Mar: start at first light and carry extra water and ORS.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Not confirmed for the trail; expect signal in Pachmarhi town and patchy coverage in the Mahadeo hills.
- Last ATM
- Pachmarhi; carry cash for the gypsy and forest entry
- Nearest hospital
- Pachmarhi for first care; Pipariya or Narmadapuram for serious cases (confirm locally)
- Water
- No drinking-water points along the staircase or at the summit; carry at least 2 litres from Bada Mahadev. Vendors sometimes sell lemonade on the path, but do not rely on it.
Highlights
- Shiva temple on a 1,330 m summit, one of the highest points in Madhya Pradesh's Satpura range
- Thousands of tridents (trishuls) offered by pilgrims stacked in the temple courtyard
- Panoramic views over the forested Satpura ridges and gorges of the Pachmarhi plateau
- Combine with the Bada Mahadev and Gupt Mahadev cave shrines at the start of the trail
- The Mahashivratri mela (February–March) brings tens of thousands of pilgrims up the hill
Risks
- Steep, uneven stone steps that get slippery in rain; one trip report says some steps are rough and still under construction.
- Monkeys on the trail snatch food and bags; carry only a water bottle and keep food out of sight.
- April to June is very hot with little shade on the upper steps; start early in the morning.
- Huge crowds and queues of several hours during the Mahashivratri mela, on Mondays and in the Shravan month.
- Private vehicles without a forest permit cannot go beyond Handi Khoh on Mahadeo road; hire a gypsy that has one.
Know before you go
Questions
How long is the Chauragarh trek and how many steps are there?
About 3.4–3.5 km each way from Mahadeo (Bada Mahadev) cave, ending with roughly 1,300–1,380 stone steps; MP Tourism gives 1,380 steps. Plan 3–5 hours for the round trip depending on fitness and crowds.
How do I reach the start of the trek?
Bada Mahadev is about 10 km from the Pachmarhi bus stand. Vehicles without a forest permit cannot go beyond Handi Khoh, so hire a permit gypsy for the day or take a shared gypsy from the bus stand.
What is the best time to climb Chauragarh?
October to March is most comfortable. Avoid April to June, when the exposed steps get very hot. The monsoon (July–September) is green and the trail stays in use, but the steps are slippery.
Is there an entry fee or permit?
The temple itself has no entry fee. Pachmarhi forest entry or vehicle charges apply (operators quote ₹100–150 per person). We could not confirm the current official fee, so check at the Pachmarhi gate or forest office.
Is there water or food on the way?
There are no drinking-water points along the staircase or at the top. Carry water and a light snack, and keep food hidden from the monkeys.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad)Madhya Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Pachmarhi for first care; Pipariya or Narmadapuram for serious cases (confirm locally)
- Last ATM
- Pachmarhi; carry cash for the gypsy and forest entry
- Phone network
- Not confirmed for the trail; expect signal in Pachmarhi town and patchy coverage in the Mahadeo hills.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Chauragarh
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Pachmarhi — Places of interest: Chauragarh Temple — Madhya Pradesh Tourism (official)
- Madhya Pradesh: Pachmarhi Shivaratri Mela — Outlook Traveller
- Trek To Chauragarh With Camping And Activities in Pachmarhi — Travools
- Chauragarh Hill — C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre (Eco-Heritage of India)
- Chauragarh Temple & Fort, Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, India — Chal Banjare
- Pachmarhi's Chauragarh Peak Trek — Universal Adventures
- Chauragarh, Pachmarhi, India - Reviews, Ratings, Tips and Why You Should Go — Wanderlog
- Pachmarhi places to visit — has natural beauty, caves and waterfalls — eSamskriti
- The Holy Trek to Chouragarh Mountain, The 2nd highest peak of MP — Tripoto
- Trip to Pachmarhi (and others) – Day 3 — Ghumakkar
Photos: M Starlord, CC BY-SA 4.0; Motherphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sid Bhatnagar, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sherlockisagirlsname, CC0
