A stairway hewn from the rock
Within the walls of Uparkot Fort lies one of India’s most unusual stepwells: the Adi Kadi Vav. Unlike the ornate, masonry-built stepwells found elsewhere in Gujarat, this one was hewn directly down through solid rock — a long, narrow flight of well over a hundred steps descending between sheer stone walls to the water far below.
Cut in the medieval period to secure the fort’s water through long sieges, it has a raw, austere drama quite unlike the carved vavs of Patan or Adalaj.
It is wrapped, too, in a poignant local legend: that when the well yielded no water, two young girls named Adi and Kadi were sacrificed, after which the springs at last flowed — and their names have clung to the well ever since. Atmospheric and a little eerie, the Adi Kadi Vav is one of Uparkot’s most memorable and haunting sights.
The rock-cut Adi Kadi Vav.
Cut from living rock, and a legend of two girls
A siege-proof water source.
The vav was cut straight down through the solid rock of the Uparkot plateau rather than built up in masonry, which is what makes it unusual among Gujarat's stepwells.
Its purpose was military: a water source inside the walls, so the fort could hold out through the long sieges Uparkot endured.
Local tradition names it for two girls, Adi and Kadi, said to have been sacrificed so that water would rise — a story told at the well to this day.
It remains one of the most visited features inside the fort, and one of the strangest stepwells in India.
Reasons to make the time
Rock-cut
Hewn directly from living rock, with no built masonry at all — the opposite of an ornate vav like Rani ki Vav.
120+ steps
The descent is long and narrow, well over a hundred steps between sheer stone walls.
Siege water
Water inside the walls was what allowed Uparkot to withstand sieges lasting months.
Adi-Kadi legend
The legend of Adi and Kadi gives the well its name and much of its atmosphere.
Raw drama
There is no carving and no ornament — the effect is austere, and considerably more unsettling for it.
Inside Uparkot
It sits within Uparkot, alongside the Buddhist caves, the Navghan Kuvo and the fort walls.
What to look for inside
THE STAIRRock-cut steps
The rock-cut stair, dropping between sheer walls in a single narrow flight.
THE SHAFTTo the water
The water at the bottom, far below the level of the fort.
How to spend an hour or two
Find it in the fort
It lies within Uparkot's walls.
Descend the steps
Walk down the rock-cut stair.
Hear the legend
The tale of Adi and Kadi.
Feel the drama
Look at how it was made — every step and both walls cut from the rock, with nothing added.
Mind your step
Set it against Gujarat's built stepwells; the contrast in intent between the two forms is the point.
Pair with Navghan
See the rest of Uparkot while you are inside — the caves, Navghan Kuvo and the ramparts.
Steps between sheer rock walls.
A slot carved into the earth
The Adi Kadi Vav is a ‘cut’ stepwell rather than a built one: instead of assembling carved stone, its makers excavated a long, straight, narrow trench and stairway directly into the rock of the Uparkot plateau, descending to the water table.
There is almost no ornament — the power is in the raw geology and the sheer scale of the cutting, a flight of well over a hundred steps plunging between high stone walls into cool shadow. It is engineering as drama, born of the simple, urgent need for water in a besieged fort.
Planning more of the area? Our Junagadh guide covers the whole district.
Our overview of the stepwells of Gujarat puts it in context.
Hewn from solid rock
120+ steep steps
Sheer unadorned walls
A siege-era water source
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.
⏰ Combine it with Navghan Kuvo and the Buddhist caves on one Uparkot visit; wear good shoes for the steps.
Timings & entry
- Open during Uparkot Fort hours
- Reached on the fort visit
- Steps are steep and worn — take care
- Allow about 30 minutes
- Covered by the Uparkot Fort ticket
- Wear good shoes for the descent
- Mind slippery steps in monsoon
- See it with Navghan Kuvo 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.
Shooting the vav
ROCK & DEPTH
A stairway plunging into stone
What to shoot
The long descending stairway.
Walls
The sheer rock-cut sides.
Mood
Light fading into the depths.
Angle
Shoot down the slot for drama.
Know before you go
More to see close by
Damodar Kund
Vaishnav temple beside Damodar Kund
CAVESKhapra Kodiya Caves
Buddhist rock-cut monastic caves
Asiatic Lion
◐ Gir / Sakkarbaug
NATURENavghan Kuvo
Birdlife and still water below the massif
FESTIVALBhavnath Mahadev
Shiva temple & the great Maha Shivratri fair
WILDLIFESakkarbaug Zoo
India’s third-oldest zoo, home to Asiatic lions
Where to eat near Adi Kadi Vav
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).
Adi Kadi Vav FAQ
What is the Adi Kadi Vav?
A rock-cut stepwell inside Uparkot Fort, hewn straight down through solid rock.
What's the legend?
That two girls, Adi and Kadi, were sacrificed so the well would yield water.
How deep is it?
Over a hundred steps descend to the water far below.
Where is it?
Within Uparkot Fort in Junagadh.
Is there a separate fee?
It's covered by the Uparkot Fort ticket.
How is it different from other vavs?
It's cut from raw rock, austere rather than ornately carved.
How long does it take?
About 30 minutes.
What's nearby?
Navghan Kuvo and the Buddhist caves.
Related places across Gujarat
BLUE FLAGShivrajpur Beach
A clean, certified beach near Dwarka
Diu
Portuguese fort, old churches and quiet beaches
Jama Masjid, Uparkot
A pillared mosque within the old fort
RANN EDGEMaliya & Little Rann
Where Saurashtra meets the Little Rann
Kabir Mandir
The serene shrine on Kabirvad island
PALACEMorbi City
An ornate palace-temple of carved stone
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026