Tourism in Madhya Pradesh has a lot to offer to its tourists. The mystic land of Madhya Pradesh encompasses numerous monuments, delicately carved temples, forts and palaces which are scattered all over the land. Madhya Pradesh has a number of important pilgrimage centers too. Ujjain and Omkareshwar hold special religious significance. The medieval cities, wildlife sanctuaries and holy pilgrimage centers of Madhya Pradesh present an unforgettable experience to the tourists. There are several world heritage sites in the state which is also known as the Heart of India. The different cities dotted all over the state are the treasure trove of a lot of tourist attractions that still keep exciting the visitors by the impression of its eternal charm. Parks, gardens and lakes are an integral part of Madhya Pradesh`s tourism.

Pilgrimage Tourism in Madhya Pradesh
There are a number of religious centers in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The intricately carved temples and inventively built mosques are some of them which deserve a mention. These magnificent temples and mosques were built over in the different periods under the rule of different emperors. These are now a much revered pilgrimage centers for tourist seeking a spiritual enlightenment. Located magnificently in the most natural surroundings, Madhya Pradesh`s sacred places have an exclusive appeal. Ujjain and Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh are important centers to the Hindu pilgrims. The Gopal Mandir in Ujjain is dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is a must see for the pilgrim tourists. The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple at Ujjain, dedicated to Lord Shiva, draws thousands of pilgrims every year. The Kumbha Mela is organised in every twelve years in Ujjain. The Jama Masjid is located at Mandu in Madhya Pradesh. It has such ideal acoustics that a murmur from the pulpit is heard clearly in the farthest corner of the enormous patio. The Jain temple of Mandu is flocked by several Muslim pilgrims who come from every nook and corner of the world. Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh is an important centre for Buddhist pilgrims. The Buddhist vihara is of great religious significance to the Buddhist tourists. The Buddhist Temples in Sanchi were built to honour the teachings of the Lord Buddha. The temples make for an exceptional tourist spot visited by a large number of tourists and hence are pretty notable among the holy places in Sanchi.

Nature Tourism in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh is a nature lover`s paradise. The state is endowed with numerous wild life sanctuaries, parks, gardens and lakes. One of the most captivating sites to visit in Madhya Pradesh is the Van Vihar National Park, a safe home for white tigers. There are jungle safaris which are arranged for the visitors sometime during the afternoon when these rare creatures come to the edge for evening meal. The zoo also houses tigers, lions, leopards and Himalayan bears. The Madhav National Park is the home to a wide variety of deer, chinkara or Indian gazelle, sambhar, blue bull, black buck, barking deer and four-horned antelope. Also seen in the park are wild dog and sloth bear. Peacocks are also seen in large numbers. In the nearby Karera bird sanctuary is to be found the Great Indian Bustard, an endangered species that has been rescued by sensitive conservation. The lakes have Indian crocodile. Ranging from the low hills of Hoshagabad and rising into the Mahadeo Hills at Pachmarhi, Betul and Chhindwara, the forests explode into liveliness at Kanha, one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The Kanha National Park and its sister sanctuary, Bandavgarh have grassy meadows, which are home for the deers. The jungles teem with leopard, bear and wildcat, and also some tigers. In some cases, the numbers are prodigious, with spotted deer alone numbering more than seventeen thousand. The Tiger is the king but the Indian Bison is the emperor here. Kanha is also a haven for the unique species of twelve-horned swamp deer, the only swamp deer which has adapted to dwelling on hard ground. Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh stretches along the shores of two artificial lakes which are the Upper Lake and Lower Lake. Madhya Pradesh Tourism`s Boat Club on the Upper Lake provides services for thrilling trips by sail, paddle and motor boats. Indore in Madhya Pradesh has a beautiful park with a mini zoo. Visitors can enjoy elephant, camel, and pony rides, goat carts and buggy rides in the evenings. Waterfalls in Madhya Pradesh are also a major attraction for the nature lovers. The Bee Falls Panchmarhi is one of the important falls and the sight that one has of the place from Sunset point is one that is to be cherished for a long time. The sheer power and grandeur of the Chitrakoot Falls on the Indravati River in Bastar will woo over the traveler`s hearts. Here the hills march in ranks and the forests are primeval. In the Kanger Valley is India`s largest national biosphere reserve, in which nature has been left totally undisturbed by man. Teerathgarh Falls decorate the hills with an eight hundred and twenty feet lace of froth, before disappearing into Kotamsar, whose limestone rocks produce stalactite and stalagmite caves. The skillfully laid garden in Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, the Phool Bagh bears evidence to the highly refined aesthetic prudence of the Bundelas, who were the rulers of this small place in Madhya Pradesh.

Leisure Tourism in Madhya Pradesh
Historical sites are scattered in the state of Madhya Pradesh. From forts to ancient centers of learning to monuments, these places are intricately related to the history of the state. One of the places that the travelers must visit is Gwalior. It was established in the 8th century AD and named after Saint Gwalipa. The city is dominated by its hill-top fort, one of the most impressive in the world. Rajput valour and chivalry are redolent in the very stones of 15th century palace of Raja Mansingh, located in the citadel. The fort also houses the Teli-ka-Mandir, and ancient temple. Gujri Mahal located at the foothill of the fort has one of the finest museums of sculpture in the country. Other two impressive places in Madhya Pradesh are Orchha and Shivpuri. Tourists from all over the world make it a point to visit these places. Orchha lies at a distance of hundred and twenty kilometers from Gwalior. It is a medieval city frozen in time and space, existing even today as it must have in the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was built. It was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela king, Rudra Pratap. The landscape of Orchha is dotted with palace and fortress, ruling temple and cenotaph. The architecture is a synthesis Indian and Saracenic and ornate Mughal styles. Shivpuri is the former summer capital of the Scindias of Gwalior. In Bhopal the Shaukat Mahal, situated at the entrance to the Chowk area is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The Madhya Pradesh State Archeological Museum, situated near Banganga Road in Bhopal has a fine assortment of 12th century Jain bronzes. It has also a series of stone sculptures mostly from the 6th to 10th centuries. There is also a black granite figure of standing Buddha preserved in the museum. Bharat Bhavan at the capital Bhopal has a museum of tribal art which gives a representative picture of the crafts of these woodsmen. The Rajwada palace in Indore is a major tourist attraction. The seven-storeyed palace belonged to Holkars is nearly two hundred years old. A tour of Madhya Pradesh could appropriately end at Khajuraho. The Khajuraho temples are ornately carved, with each frieze and sculpture depicting the genius of the men who carved it and the king who inspired them to their work. Tourists who take a glimpse of the spectacular architecture of Khajuraho are filled with awe and reverence. Truly the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh offers the ideal tourist package.

Visiting information on Madhya Pradesh

How to Reach
Madhya Pradesh is well connected with various parts of the country. It is a well-liked tourist destination in central India, which makes it accessible by rail, road and air.

Air: There are five international air terminals in Madhya Pradesh-- Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur and Khajuraho. Both public and private domestic airlines operate regular flights from here. The `Raja Bhoj International Airport` in Bhopal has international airlines flying to Dubai, Singapore, Sharjah and Bangkok. International flights also ply from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore.

Rail: There are excellent train services throughout the state of Madhya Pradesh. There are several important railway stations in the state, namely Bhopal, Bilaspur, Bina, Gwalior, Indore, Itarsi, Jabalpur, Katni, Ratlam, Ujjain and Khandwa. Bhopal Railway Station is the major railhead here.

Road: Road journeys are interesting because the routes pass through forests and cultivated areas in succession, skirt quaint villages, up hill and down dale. The State Highways and the National Highways make Madhya Pradesh accessible in no time.

From traditional handicrafts to hand woven saris, Madhya Pradesh is truly a shopper`s hub. Gwalior, Bhopal and Jabalpur are some of the most suitable places to shop. The miniature stone carvings as replicas of Khajuraho are also available here. Most places have adequate, if simple, hotel facilities. But the real joy of travel is in coining to a remote rest house, or "dak bungalow", maintained by the government for its officers on tour or for the weary traveler overtaken by night and in need of shelter. Dak bungalows generally have two to four bedrooms and baths, austere in furniture, but spotlessly clean and comfortable. Each of them has a cook-caretaker, who can produce a tasty, hot meal at short notice. The cuisine varies from the wheat-and meat-based food of northern and western Madhya Pradesh to the rice and fish domination in the south and the east. The best time to travel in Madhya Pradesh is from the mild autumn of October to the end of March.