Mandu witnessed a heartbreaking yet epic tale of Rani Roopmati and Baz Bahadur and its monuments will forever echo the songs of their love. A pleasant destination, full of surprises, Mandu's USP is Jahaz Mahal, an exotic and a wonderful palace, situated in the midst of a river! Only 80 km from the nearest station Indore, Mandu blooms to its fullest in the season of monsoon! Clicked by- Kuldeep Damor

A two hour drive from Gwalior, Orchha, the erstwhile capital city of the Bundela rulers, is located on the banks of the Betwa River and in the vicinity are around 14 remarkable cenotaphs or chhatris which are architecturally splendid, mostly built in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is full of well preserved temples and palaces, with a medieval history.

There are various temples and tombs all around the town which are truly remarkable and have their own historical importance. There are great opportunities to enjoy the surrounding countryside, with cycling, walking and rafting. Orchha fort complex is the main attraction, located on an island on River Betwa, which has a number of palaces to visit within it.

Bhedaghat is the pride of the Heart of India! Dhua implies smoke. Dhuadhar Falls near the Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat, 30 km away from Jabalpur, are so powerful that its roar is heard from a far distance. The plunge creates a bouncing mass of mist falling on the hard rock and creates visuals of smoke emanating from the river bed.

The river Narmada provides the perfect reason to take a boat down the glistening water. The Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat rise to a hundred feet, soaring in glittering splendour on both the sides of the river. In the moonlight, the majestic natural structures of magnesium limestone rocks look absolutely awe inspiring; the whole stretch of water is transformed into a sheet of liquid silver!

95 km from Indore, Maheshwar, an old and picturesque little town on the banks of Narmada, is an important pilgrimage destination, and thousands of people visit the town for this reason. The astounding temples and beautiful ghats of Maheshwar have together given the town a unique identity. The ghats are also named after the dynasties such as Ahilya Ghat, Peshwa ghat and Fanase ghat. The famous Ahilya Fort stands majestically by the river, giving the visitors an exceptional view from above. The main wing of AhilyaBai’s Fort near the ghat, has now been converted into a boutique luxury hotel, frequently visited by famous personalities all over the world. On the river banks, you can see the daily customs, practices, quaint culture and religious life of the local people, the Stone memorials of the satis of Maheshwar, who perished on the funeral pyres of  their husbands. You will also witness holy men and pilgrims sitting here in silent meditation; loads of villagers bathing in the sacred water and women with gleaming pots of water. Clicked by- Akash Nagar

Satpura, hardly four hours from Bhopal, is among the lesser known wildlife reserves in Central India. The terrain of the national park is rugged and consists of sandstone peaks, ravines, narrow gorges and dense forests.

The animals found- tiger, leopard, sambar, chital, Indian muntjac, nilgai, four-horned antelope, chinkara, gaur , wild boar, wild dog, bear, black buck, fox, porcupine, flying squirrel, mouse deer, Indian giant squirrel, etc.There are a variety of birds. Hornbills and peafowl are common birds found here.

The flora consists of mainly sal,teak, tendu, Phyllanthus emblica, mahua, bel, bamboo, and grasses and medicinal plants. To experience luxury in the wild, check out- Denwa Backwater Escape, Forsyth Lodge and Reni Pani Jungle Lodge in Satpura!

About 20 kilometers away from Khajuraho, Raneh Falls is a natural water fall on the Ken River, located in Chhatarpur district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. There is a series of waterfalls in the canyon. The larger and smaller falls run all through the year. Other seasonal falls appear during monsoons.

The spectacular black and pink basalt rocks are totally mesmerizing in the rains. The Ken River forms a 5 kilometers long, and 30 meters deep canyon made of pure crystalline granite in varying shades of colors ranging from pink and red to grey. The wondrous Ken River here runs through a narrow gorge of igneous rocks rich in Granite and Dolomite. The Ken Gharial Sanctuary is also located at the confluence of the Ken and Khudar rivers further down from Raneh Falls.

Two hours from Indore, Jahaz Mahal or Ship Palace situated between two artificial lakes; Munj Talao and Kapur Talao, was built by Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khilji. This two storied architectural marvel is so named, as it appears as a ship floating in water. Jahaz Mahal, with its cascades and fountains, is a jewel built somewhere around 1436-1439, which is brilliantly carved from some expert craftsmen in Delhi! Clicked by- Akash Nagar

Saiyedi Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin is the holy Dawoodi Bohra saint who is buried in Burhanpur, India. His grave is visited by pilgrims from all over the world. Situated 3 hours from Indore, the tomb complex 'Dargah-e-Hakimi' includes mosques, gardens, and international class accommodation facilities for visitors.

Built between 950 and 1050 CE by the Chandela dynasty and situated around 280 km from Gwalior; Khajuraho is one of the top tourist attractions of India and has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples. The group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and The Archaeological Survey of India has ranked Khajuraho temples as the best preserved monuments of antiquity.

You can see profusion of sculptures with symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art. Well- known for the erotic sculptures and intricate details, one can visit Khajuraho and simply say that Kama Sutra was originated in India! Earlier, there were about 85 Hindu temples at Khajuraho, out of which only about 22 Hindu temples are left now. Also, The Khajuraho Dance Festival in the month of February is something which cannot be missed!

Approximately 200 km from Jabalpur, Bandhavgarh, one of the places with highest density of tiger population in India, is also a place with the highest density of Bengal tigers in the world. It is home to more than 300 species of birds, about 80 species of butterflies, sloth bears, deers, leopards, jackals, a number of reptiles and also some famous named individual tigers. Every guide will tell you the story of Charger and Sita! Almost all the tigers of Bandhavgarh today are descendants of Sita and Charger. Charger, a tiger so named because of his habit of charging at tourists and elephants, is living in Bandhavgarh since the 1990s.Female Sita, who appeared on the cover of National Geographic, also considered the most photographed tiger in the world, was also to be found in Bandhavgarh for many years.

Out of the four zones, Tala is the most demanded and richest safari zone in Bandhavgarh in terms of tiger population. Don’t miss the famous fort with 39 caves, The Bandhavgarh Fort, which is believed to have been gifted by lord Ram to his brother Lakshman (leading to the name Bandhavgarh, meaning 'brother's fort'), and is thought to be around 2000 years old.

The marvelous Gwalior Fort, built by Man Singh Tomar, is an 8th-century fort near Gwalior. It is the most magnificent monument in Gwalior and it dominates the city, standing on a steep mass of sandstone. The two main palaces in the fort are -Gurjari Mahal and Man Mandir. The 15th century Gujari Mahal was built by Raja Mansingh Tomar for the love of his Gujar queen, Mrignayani. She demanded a separate palace for herself with regular water supply. The interior of Gujari Mahal has been converted into an Archaeological Museum. You can see rare artifacts at the museum, Hindu and Jain sculptures dated to the 1st and 2nd centuries BC, replicas of frescoes seen in the Bagh Caves and beautiful Terracotta items. Man Mandir is again a beautiful structure with intricate detailed art and architecture. A place not to be missed for sure!