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.
Cells cut into the rock beneath a fort
Carved pillars of the cave halls.
Buddhist monks carved these caves into Uparkot's rock in the early centuries CE, when Junagadh — with Ashoka's edicts on its outskirts — was a significant Buddhist centre.
The chambers served as dwellings and meditation cells for the monastic community, cut in descending storeys with cisterns for water.
The carving mingles Greco-Scythian and Satavahana influences — evidence of the trade routes that ran through ancient Junagadh.
They survive as the most serene corner of the great fort — cool, dim and eighteen centuries old.
Reasons to make the time
Three storeys
The chambers descend in cut storeys through the living rock.
Carved pillars
The carved capitals are unusually elegant for cave architecture.
Monastic cells
Monks lived and meditated here when Junagadh was a Buddhist centre.
Cool depths
The rock-cut depths stay cool through the fiercest summer.
Cosmopolitan art
The mixed influences record Junagadh's ancient connections.
Inside Uparkot
They belong to the great Uparkot fort, on the same visit.
What to look for inside
THE PILLARSCarved capitals
Ornate cave columns.
THE CISTERNRock-cut water
Ancient cave waterworks.
How to spend an hour or two
Find them in the fort
Find the caves within Uparkot's walls, near the stepwells.
Descend the storeys
Explore the rock-cut levels, storey below storey.
Study the pillars
Study the carved capitals, the caves' finest detail.
See the cisterns
Note the ancient cisterns — cave waterworks that still hold rain.
Feel the calm
Sit in the cool, dim meditation halls a moment.
Pair with the wells
See the Adi Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo 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.
More places to visit across the district are gathered in our Junagadh travel guide.
Three rock-cut storeys
Carved pillars & capitals
Cisterns & water channels
2nd–4th century origins
When to go
November to February is ideal for the fort and its monuments.
The monsoon greens Uparkot; worn steps get slippery.
Summer is hot above, but the cave 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 below.
Light
Daylight falling into the depths.
Be careful
Never touch the ancient carving.
Know before you go
More to see close by
JAINGirnar Jain Temples
Marble temple cluster high on the mountain
MONUMENTMahabat Maqbara
A fantastical Indo-Islamic royal mausoleum
Jama Masjid, Uparkot
A pillared mosque within the old fort
Dattatreya Temple
The first Jyotirlinga, a short drive south
FESTIVALBhavnath Mahadev
Shiva temple & the great Maha Shivratri fair
WILDLIFESakkarbaug Zoo
India’s third-oldest zoo, home to Asiatic lions
Where to eat near Uparkot Buddhist Caves
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
SNACKSGanthiya & farsan
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
STREET FOODChaat & 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 descending storeys within Uparkot Fort, carved between roughly the second and fourth centuries CE.
Who carved them?
Buddhist monks, in the centuries when Junagadh — with the Ashokan edicts nearby — was a significant Buddhist centre.
What can I see?
Carved pillars with unusually elegant capitals, decorated doorways, rainwater cisterns cut into the rock, and cool pillared halls where the community once sat in meditation.
How old are they?
Roughly 1,800 years old — among the oldest built spaces in Gujarat that can simply be walked into.
Where are they?
Within Uparkot Fort in Junagadh, close to the fort's two great stepwells — Adi Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo — with which they share a visit naturally.
Is there a separate fee?
They are covered by the Uparkot Fort ticket.
Are they easy to explore?
Yes, with care — the floors are worn; bring a small torch for the lower levels.
What's nearby?
The Navghan Kuvo and Adi Kadi Vav stepwells.
Related places across Gujarat
HERITAGEHarishchandra Chori
A finely carved old monument at Shamlaji
ISLANDBet Dwarka
The sacred island where Krishna is said to have lived
2Gabbar at Dawn
Ride the ropeway before the pilgrim crowds arrive
Karnali — Kuber Bhandari
An ancient Shiva temple by the river
Karamsad
Where the Sardar was born — Karamsad, the birthplace of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man…
FORESTKhambha
A forest-edge town near eastern Gir
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.
Book directly on our partner sites — tap a provider to see live Gujarat hotels & prices:
SHOP THE REGION
Bring home Gujarat — & travel essentials
Hand-picked crafts and trip gear, available on Amazon.
Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026