Home › Junagadh › Uparkot Buddhist Caves
HERITAGE · ROCK-CUT CAVESUparkot Buddhist Caves
Serene rock-cut caves carved on three storeys within Uparkot Fort some 1,800 years ago — carved pillars, cool chambers and a glimpse of Buddhist Junagadh.
Monastic cells in the rock
Among the most atmospheric corners of Uparkot Fort are its ancient Buddhist caves — a complex of chambers cut down into the living rock on as many as three underground storeys, dating to roughly the 2nd–4th centuries CE. Carved when Junagadh was an important Buddhist centre on India’s trade and pilgrimage routes, the caves served as monastic dwellings and meditation cells for monks.
Despite their great age they retain real elegance: ornately carved pillars and capitals, decorated doorways, water cisterns and cool, pillared halls that drop away from the daylight into shadow. Echoes of Greco-Scythian, Satavahana and other influences mingle in their design, hinting at the city’s cosmopolitan past. Quiet, dim and beautiful, the caves are a serene counterpoint to the fort’s mighty walls above.
A rock-cut cistern in the caves.
From a riverside experiment to the road to freedom
Carved pillars of the cave halls.
Monks carve the caves into Uparkot's rock.
They serve as dwellings and meditation cells.
Greco-Scythian and Satavahana influences mingle.
A serene, ancient highlight of the fort.
Reasons to make the time
Three storeys
Chambers cut on rock levels.
Carved pillars
Elegant ancient capitals.
Monastic cells
Where monks once lived.
Cool depths
A refuge from the heat.
Cosmopolitan art
Mixed ancient influences.
Inside Uparkot
Part of the great fort.
What to look for inside
Carved capitals
Ornate cave columns.
Rock-cut water
Ancient cave waterworks.
How to spend an hour or two
Find them in the fort
Within Uparkot's walls.
Descend the storeys
Explore the rock-cut levels.
Study the pillars
Admire the carved capitals.
See the cisterns
Ancient cave waterworks.
Feel the calm
Cool, dim meditation halls.
Pair with the wells
See the stepwells nearby.
Pillared chambers in the rock.
Halls carved on three levels
The Uparkot Buddhist caves are rock-cut architecture — chambers, halls, cells and cisterns excavated downward into the living rock over as many as three storeys, rather than built up from stone. Their carved pillars, with decorated capitals and brackets, and the worked doorways and water channels, show real artistry despite the austerity of monastic life. The layered, subterranean plan kept the interiors cool and contemplative, suited to meditation, while the carving reflects the cosmopolitan influences that flowed through ancient Junagadh.
Three rock-cut storeys
Carved pillars & capitals
Cisterns & water channels
2nd–4th century origins
When to go
Cool and clear — ideal for the fort and its stepwells.
Lush surrounds; stepwell steps can be slippery.
Hot above — but the rock-cut depths stay cool.
⏰ See them with the stepwells on one Uparkot visit; a small torch helps in the dim lower storeys.
Timings & entry
- Open during Uparkot Fort hours
- Reached on the fort visit
- Lower storeys are dim — a torch helps
- Allow 30–45 minutes
- Covered by the Uparkot Fort ticket
- Watch your step on worn floors
- Do not touch the fragile carvings
- See them with the stepwells nearby
Getting there
By Air
Keshod Airport (~40 km) is nearest.
By Rail
Junagadh station is a short ride away.
In the Fort
Inside Uparkot, central Junagadh.
In the caves
PILLAR & SHADOW
Carved halls cut into the rock
What to shoot
The carved pillars and capitals.
Halls
The pillared chambers.
Light
Daylight falling into the depths.
Be careful
Never touch the ancient carvings.
Know before you go
More to see close by
Navghan Kuvo
Birdlife and still water below the massif
Mahabat Maqbara
A fantastical Indo-Islamic royal mausoleum
Girnar Steps
◐ Dawn · the long climb
Old City Gates
◐ Bazaars & bustle
Willingdon Dam
A birdy reservoir beneath the massif
Girnar Parikrama
A 36 km circumambulation through the forest
Where to eat around the ashram
Kathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
Ganthiya & farsan
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
Chaat & kachori
Bustling old-city bazaar bites.
Kesar mangoes
Junagadh's Girnar-grown Kesar mango is famed (summer).
Uparkot Buddhist Caves FAQ
What are the Uparkot Buddhist caves?
Rock-cut monastic caves on three storeys within Uparkot Fort, from the 2nd–4th centuries CE.
Who carved them?
Buddhist monks, when Junagadh was a Buddhist centre.
What can I see?
Carved pillars, decorated doorways, cisterns and cool pillared halls.
How old are they?
Roughly 1,800 years old.
Where are they?
Within Uparkot Fort in Junagadh.
Is there a separate fee?
They're covered by the Uparkot Fort ticket.
Are they easy to explore?
Yes, with care — bring a torch for the dim lower levels.
What's nearby?
The Navghan Kuvo and Adi Kadi Vav stepwells.
WHERE TO STAY
Find your stay in Gujarat
Compare live prices across the big booking sites and reserve in a few taps. Booking happens securely on the partner's site — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
SHOP THE REGION
Bring home Gujarat — & travel essentials
Hand-picked crafts and trip gear, available on Amazon.