Rajasthan
SOUTHERN
R AJASTHAN
Rajasthan
Si GHTS
& A CT iViTiES
Rajasthan
MT A BU
Abu also gets pretty busy from mid-May to
mid-June, before the monsoon. This is when
the Summer Festival hits town, with mu-
sic, fireworks and boat races. In the cooler
months, you will find everyone wrapped up
in shawls and hats; pack something woolly
to avoid winter chills in poorly heated hotel
rooms.
1 ̈Sights ̈& ̈Activities
Nakki ̈Lake ̈ lAKE
Scenic Nakki Lake, the town’s focus, is one of
its biggest attractions. It’s so named because,
according to legend, it was scooped out by
a god using his nakh (nails). Some Hindus
thus consider it a holy lake. It’s a pleasant
45-minute stroll around the perimeter –
the lake is surrounded by hills, parks and
strange rock formations. The best known,
Toad ̈Rock, looks like a toad about to hop
into the lake. The 14th-century Raghunath ̈
Temple (hdawn-dusk) stands near the lake’s
south shore. Boating (₹110-450 per boat,
30min) is also popular.
Sunset ̈Point ̈ ViEWPOiNT
Sunset Point is a popular place to watch the
brilliant setting sun. Hordes stroll out here
every evening to catch the end of the day, the
food stalls and all the usual jolly hill-station
entertainment.
Brahma ̈Kumaris
Peace ̈Hall ̈& ̈Museum ̈ MED iTAT iON, MUSEUM
The white-clad people you’ll see around
town are either armed forces or members
of the Brahma ̈Kumaris ̈World ̈Spiritual ̈
University (www.bkwsu.com), a worldwide or-
ganisation whose headquarters are here in
Mt Abu. The university’s Universal ̈Peace ̈
Hall (Om Shanti Bhawan; h8am-6pm), is just
north of Nakki Lake. Free 30-minute tours
are available, including an introduction to
the Brahma Kumaris philosophy. The organ-
isation also runs the small World ̈Renewal ̈
Spiritual ̈ Museum (admission free; h8am-
8pm) in the town centre.T ̈Tours
The RSRTC runs full-day (₹85) and half-day
(₹30) bus tours of Mt Abu’s main sights,
leaving from the bus stand at 9.30am and
1pm respectively, and returning at around
6pm. A full-day taxi tour costs ₹150. Admis-
sion, camera fees and the ₹20 guide fee are
extra. Buy tickets for the bus tour at the
main bus stand, and tickets for the taxi tour
at the nearby taxi stand.4 ̈Sleeping
Room rates can double or worse during the
peak seasons – mid-May to mid-June, Diwali
and Christmas/New Year – but generous
discounts are often available at other times
in midrange and top-end places. If you have
to come here at Diwali, you’ll need to book
way ahead and you won’t be able to move
for crowds. Most hotels have an ungenerous
9am checkout time.Shri ̈Ganesh ̈Hotel ̈ HOTEl $
(%237292; [email protected]; dm ₹150-200,
without bathroom ₹100, s ₹300, d ₹400-1200; i)
Deservedly the most popular budget spot,
Shri Ganesh is well set up for travellers, with
an inexpensive cafe, a small internet roomTREKKING ̈AROUND ̈MT ̈ABU
Getting off the well-worn tourist trail and out into the forests and hills of Mt Abu is a
revelation. This is a world of isolated shrines and lakes, weird rock formations, fantastic
panoramas, Adivasis (tribal people), orchids, wild fruits, plants used in ayurvedic medi-
cine, sloth bears, langurs, 150 bird species and even the occasional leopard. For safety
reasons, it’s highly recommended you take a guide. Foreign tourists have been injured
by wild animals here in the past, and a lone Israeli tourist was murdered while hiking
here in 2008.
Mt Abu–born Mahendra Dan (‘Charles’) of Mt ̈Abu ̈Treks (%9414154854; http://www.
mount-abu-treks.blogspot.com; Hotel lake Palace) is a passionate and knowledgable nature
lover who leads excellent tailor-made treks ranging from three or four hours close to Mt
Abu (₹500 per person) to day-long (₹1000 per person) or overnight treks (₹2000 per
person) to Adivasi villages. There’s a two-person minimum, and on some routes wildlife-
sanctuary entrance fees (Indian/foreigner ₹20/160) and/or transport costs (₹300 to
₹2500 for a car drop-off and pick-up) have to be paid too.
Either call Charles directly, or ask for him at Hotel Lake Palace.