A citadel of layered ages
Crowning a plateau above Junagadh, Uparkot (‘upper fort’) is one of India’s oldest continuously significant fortresses — founded, by tradition, around the time of the Mauryas some 2,300 years ago and rebuilt many times since. Behind its colossal, much-besieged walls lies a whole world: the spiral rock-cut stepwell of Navghan Kuvo and the deep Adi Kadi Vav, hewn straight from the living rock; serene early-centuries Buddhist caves carved on three storeys; the old Jama Masjid; giant medieval cannons; and grand gateways.
Recent conservation has reopened the fort after years of neglect, with the caves, stepwells and rampart walks accessible again on a single ticket. Give it a full morning: the Buddhist caves’ three carved storeys, Adi Kadi Vav’s rock-cut descent, Navghan Kuvo’s spiral, the Jama Masjid’s pillared hall, and the walls’ views toward Girnar’s peaks.
Uparkot compresses Junagadh’s whole antiquity inside one wall: foundations tradition assigns to Chandragupta Maurya’s governors, the Buddhist caves cut when Ashoka’s edicts were fresh on the road below, the stepped shafts of Adi Kadi Vav and the astonishing Navghan Kuvo — a well descended by a spiral stair cut through solid rock — and the ramparts that withstood, by the chronicles’ count, sixteen sieges. The Nilam and Manek cannons on the walls, Ottoman-cast and Diu-salvaged, cap the sequence.
Give the fort two to three unhurried hours: gate and ramparts first, then the caves’ cool storeys, then the two great water-works — the vav’s long stair and the kuvo’s corkscrew descent are the site’s genuine marvels. A recent conservation programme has smartened paths and signage; carry water regardless, and take the rampart edges seriously with children.
Legend tells of sieges lasting years, the fort sustained by its hidden wells. Wandering its ramparts and underground wonders, with Girnar rising beyond, is the essential Junagadh experience — a journey through Mauryan, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic history in a single hilltop.
Navghan Kuvo, the spiral rock-cut well.
Mauryan foundations under a much-rebuilt citadel
Adi Kadi Vav, cut from living rock.
Tradition dates the fort's founding to the Mauryan era.
Buddhist monks carve multi-storey caves into the rock.
Hindu and Muslim dynasties rebuild and defend it through long sieges.
A layered monument of walls, wells, caves and cannons.
Reasons to make the time
Ancient citadel
A fort over two millennia old.
Rock-cut wells
Navghan Kuvo and Adi Kadi Vav.
Buddhist caves
Carved on three storeys.
Giant cannons
Medieval guns on the walls.
Colossal walls
Ramparts of legendary sieges.
Layered history
Mauryan to Islamic in one place.
What to look for inside
GATEWAYThe fort gate
Massive carved ramparts.
STEPWELLAdi Kadi Vav
Steps cut from rock.
CAVESRock-cut halls
Ancient Buddhist caves.
How to spend an hour or two
Enter the gates
Pass through the colossal ramparts.
Descend Navghan Kuvo
Spiral down the rock-cut well.
See Adi Kadi Vav
Find the deep rock-cut stepwell.
Explore the caves
Tour the Buddhist cave storeys.
See the cannons
Stand by the great medieval guns.
Take in Girnar
Gaze across to the sacred mountain.
The ramparts of Uparkot.
Walls, wells and caves in stone
Uparkot is less a single building than an accreted landscape of fortification carved over two thousand years. Its defences are massive — high stone ramparts, deep moats and monumental gateways that turned back besieging armies. Within, the genius is subterranean: the corkscrew Navghan Kuvo and the slot-like Adi Kadi Vav cut deep into the rock to secure water, and the tiered Buddhist caves with carved pillars and cisterns.
Our Junagadh travel guide maps out the other places worth your time here.
Our overview of heritage sites across Gujarat puts it in context.
Mosques, cannons and pavilions from later eras layer on top, making the fort a cross-section of Indian architectural history hewn into one hill.
Colossal ramparts & gates
Spiral Navghan Kuvo well
Deep Adi Kadi Vav
Multi-storey Buddhist caves
When to go
Cool and clear — ideal for Girnar climbs and sightseeing.
Girnar turns lush green; waterfalls and mist abound.
Hot — climb before dawn; Kesar mangoes are in season.
⏰ Allow 2–3 hours and start early; wear good shoes for the steep stepwell descents and uneven cave floors.
Timings & entry
- Open through the day
- Wear good shoes for the stepwells
- Carry water — it's a big site
- Allow 2–3 hours to see it all
- A modest ticket is charged
- Mind steep, slippery stepwell steps
- Caves can be dark — tread carefully
- Combine it with Girnar and the city
Getting there
By Air
Keshod Airport (~40 km); Rajkot is an alternative.
By Rail
Junagadh station is a short ride away.
On Foot
In the old city, atop the central plateau.
Shooting the fort
WALLS & WELLS
Ramparts, rock-cut wells and caves
What to shoot
The gateways and colossal walls.
Below
The spiral and slot stepwells.
Detail
Carved Buddhist cave pillars.
Beyond
Girnar rising past the ramparts.
Know before you go
More to see close by
PILGRIMAGEGirnar Parikrama
A 36 km circumambulation through the forest
Old City Gates
◐ Bazaars & bustle
FESTIVALBhavnath Mahadev
Shiva temple & the great Maha Shivratri fair
NATURENavghan Kuvo
Birdlife and still water below the massif
ARCHITECTUREUparkot Buddhist Caves
A pillared mosque within the old fort
ANCIENTAshokan Rock Edicts
Emperor Ashoka’s edicts carved ~250 BCE
Where to eat near Uparkot Fort
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 Fort FAQ
What is Uparkot Fort?
An ancient hilltop citadel in Junagadh, with origins traced to the Mauryan era ~2,300 years ago.
What's inside?
Rock-cut stepwells (Navghan Kuvo, Adi Kadi Vav), Buddhist caves, cannons, a mosque and great walls.
How old is it?
Its foundations are traditionally dated to around the Mauryan period.
Is there an entry fee?
Yes, a small ticket.
How long should I spend?
About 2–3 hours.
Are the caves worth seeing?
Yes — the multi-storey Buddhist caves are a highlight.
What should I wear?
Good shoes for steep stepwells and uneven ground.
What's nearby?
Mahabat Maqbara, Girnar and the Ashokan edicts.
Related places across Gujarat
RIVERMachchhu Riverfront
Calm waters at the heart of the city
Adishwar Temple
The principal shrine atop the holy hill
HERITAGEHarishchandra Chori
A finely carved old monument at Shamlaji
ISKCON Rajkot
A grand modern Krishna temple complex
ECO-CAMPMahal Campsite
Riverside forest camping in Purna
Dada Harir Stepwell
A quiet 15th-century stepwell of carved sandstone — five storeys spiralling down to the water, well…
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026