Things to do in Ujjain

Mahakaleshwar and the old temple city on the Shipra, and the Narmada towns of Omkareshwar and Maheshwar, both as days out from Indore.

Getting around Ujjain

Indore is the airport and where most visitors sleep; Ujjain is about 55 km away, and Omkareshwar and Maheshwar are 80 to 95 km south on the Narmada, where nothing waits for you at a temple queue. Mahakal's general darshan can take an hour or several. Both days pick up in Indore and include the vehicle, a local driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Bhasma Aarti passes are issued only by the temple trust and are not part of any booking here.

Experiences

• Mahakaleshwar and the Ujjain temples: The jyotirlinga, Mahakal Lok and the old city's temples, from Indore and back
• Omkareshwar and Maheshwar on the Narmada: The island jyotirlinga in the morning, Ahilyabai's fort and ghats by afternoon

Best months

October to March. April to June is very hot; Shravan (July and August) and Mahashivratri bring the biggest crowds of the year.

Getting there

Fly into Indore, about 1.5 hrs from Ujjain by road. Ujjain Junction and Indore Junction are both on the main rail network.