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HERITAGE · PALACE · RESORTBalaram Palace
A palace in the forest — Balaram Palace, an elegant early-20th-century royal palace of the Palanpur Nawabs set amid wooded hills, now a heritage hotel by the Balaram river.
A Nawabi forest retreat
Balaram Palace is one of Banaskantha’s most graceful heritage buildings — an elegant palace built in the early 20th century by the Nawab of Palanpur as a hunting and summer retreat, set amid the wooded Aravalli foothills beside the Balaram river.
Designed in a refined Indo-European style with arched verandahs and gardens, it sits in beautiful, forested surroundings near the Balaram-Ambaji wildlife sanctuary, and today serves as a heritage hotel.
Even for those not staying, the palace and its leafy, hilly setting — close to the Balaram Mahadev temple and the scenic road towards Ambaji — make it a lovely heritage stop. Royal elegance amid the hills. (A heritage palace hotel; grounds/access may vary.)
Balaram Palace.
The Palanpur Nawab's summer retreat
The palace in the hills.
The palace was built in the early twentieth century by the Nawab of Palanpur, whose state covered much of what is now Banaskantha.
It was a hunting lodge and hot-weather retreat rather than a seat of government — the reason it sits out in the forest instead of in Palanpur town.
The design is Indo-European: arched verandahs, formal gardens and European proportions handled with local detail, the standard idiom of princely building in this period.
It now operates as a heritage hotel, which is what has kept the building maintained and its grounds intact.
Reasons to make the time
Royal palace
Restrained rather than showy — this was a retreat, and it was built to be lived in rather than to impress a court.
Forest setting
The Aravalli foothills here are genuinely wooded, and the palace sits among them rather than above them.
By the river
The Balaram river runs below the grounds, and the water is why the site was chosen.
Heritage hotel
You can stay, or take a meal and see the grounds; access for non-residents varies, so call ahead.
Indo-European
Arched verandahs, garden terraces and period interiors survive largely as built.
Balaram Mahadev
The Balaram Mahadev temple is close by, and the road on towards Ambaji is one of the prettiest in north Gujarat.
What to look for inside
THE PALACEBalaram
A Nawabi forest retreat set among wooded Aravalli hills, now run as a heritage hotel.
THE SETTINGWooded hills
The Balaram river below the grounds, and the reason the palace stands where it does.
How to spend an hour or two
Admire the palace
Look at the facade and verandahs — the Indo-European handling is the building's chief interest.
Enjoy the forest
Walk the grounds and the wooded slopes around them, which are as much of the appeal as the palace.
See the river
Go down to the Balaram river below the gardens, best after the monsoon when it is actually running.
Visit Balaram Mahadev
Visit the Balaram Mahadev temple nearby, a working shrine in the same stretch of forest.
Sense the Nawabi era
Consider staying a night. It is a heritage hotel, and the setting is better appreciated slowly.
Pair with Ambaji
Continue up the road to Ambaji and the Balaram-Ambaji sanctuary; the drive is the point as much as the destination.
Balaram Palace.
A palace in the woods
Balaram Palace is an elegant early-20th-century Indo-European palace built by the Nawab of Palanpur as a forest retreat beside the Balaram river, amid the wooded Aravalli foothills — now a heritage hotel near the Balaram-Ambaji sanctuary. Royal elegance amid the hills.
For everything else the district holds, see our Banaskantha travel guide.
More of the same kind is gathered in museums and palaces in Gujarat.
A Nawabi forest palace
Early-20th-century Indo-European
Beside the Balaram river
Now a heritage hotel
When to go
Cool and pleasant — the ideal season.
Green hills and waterfalls.
Hot and dry — start early.
⏰ Visit in the cooler months; pair the temples of Ambaji with the hills and the Rann-edge at Nadabet.
Timings & entry
- Open in daytime hours
- Best in the cool season
- An easy Banaskantha stop
- Pair with nearby sights
- A heritage hotel
- Grounds/access may vary
- Lovely forest setting
- Pair with the sanctuary
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport (~180 km).
By Rail
Palanpur Junction / Abu Road.
By Road
Ambaji / Palanpur.
At Balaram Palace
PALACE & FOREST
A Nawabi retreat
What to shoot
The facade with its arched verandahs, best from the garden side in low light.
Setting
The wooded hills behind, greenest from August through winter.
Detail
The river and gardens together, with the palace as backdrop.
Best light
Golden hour, when the stonework warms and the trees throw long shadows across the lawns.
Know before you go
More to see close by
NATUREBalaram-Ambaji
Forested hills rich in wildlife
3Jessore Sloth Bears
Track the elusive bear in the border hills
WILDLIFEJessore Sanctuary
A refuge for the Indian sloth bear
1Kumbhariya Marble
Five jewel-like Jain temples of breathtaking carving
GREENMangalya Van
A sacred forest grove at Ambaji
HERITAGEDanta
An old princely town in the hills
Where to eat near Balaram Palace
THALINorth Gujarati Thali
Hearty regional meals.
FARSANDhokla & farsan
Steamed snacks.
STREETAmbaji prasad & street
Sweets & snacks.
Local fare
Simple North-Gujarat food; Ambaji sweets.
Balaram Palace FAQ
What is Balaram Palace?
Balaram Palace is one of Banaskantha's most graceful heritage buildings — an elegant palace built in the early 20th century by the Nawab of Palanpur as a hunting and summer retreat, set amid the wooded Aravalli foothills beside the Balaram river. Designed in a refined Indo-European style with arched verandahs and gardens, it sits in beautiful, forested surroundings near the Balaram-Ambaji wildlife sanctuary, and today serves as a heritage hotel.
Where is it?
near Palanpur, Banaskantha.
Is there an entry fee?
Heritage hotel.
When should I visit?
October to March, in the cooler season.
What's nearby?
Ambaji, Kumbhariya, Balaram and Nadabet.
How long does it take?
1–2 hours.
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026