12 Best Road Trips from Indore & Bhopal (2026 Guide)

Madhya Pradesh is made for road trips. Smooth highways, forts on hilltops, the Narmada flowing past temple towns, and the Satpura and Vindhya ranges all sit within a few hours of Indore and Bhopal. Load up a tempo traveller with friends, make a playlist, and you are set.

Here are the 12 best road trips from Indore and Bhopal, sorted from quick one-day drives to week-long journeys.

Prefer to travel with a group instead of planning it all yourself? See where you can go on group trips from Indore with TravelTech.

Road trips from Indore & Bhopal at a glance

(Distances are approximate road distances)

One-day road trips from Indore

1. Ujjain

Just an hour from Indore, Ujjain is one of India's holiest cities. Start early for the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga darshan (book the Bhasma Aarti online in advance), then visit Kal Bhairav temple, Harsiddhi Mata and the ghats of the Shipra. The new Mahakal Lok corridor looks stunning after sunset.

2. Omkareshwar

Omkareshwar sits on an island shaped like "Om" in the Narmada. Take a boat ride, cross the suspension bridge, and visit the Jyotirlinga. The giant Statue of Oneness (Adi Shankaracharya) on Mandhata hill is a newer highlight.

3. Maheshwar

Maheshwar is a slow, beautiful town on the Narmada. Walk the long stone ghats, explore Ahilya Fort, and visit a handloom centre to see Maheshwari sarees being woven. Sunset boat rides here are one of the best experiences near Indore.

4. Mandu

Mandu is a ruined fort city on the edge of the Vindhyas, famous for Jahaz Mahal, Hindola Mahal, Rani Roopmati's Pavilion and Baz Bahadur's Palace. It is magical in the monsoon when the whole plateau turns green. Many groups combine Mandu and Maheshwar in a 2-day loop.

5. Hanuwantiya

On the backwaters of the Indira Sagar dam, Hanuwantiya hosts the Jal Mahotsav every winter with tent stays, water sports, parasailing and hot-air balloon rides. Check festival dates before planning [VERIFY 2026–27 dates].

Road trips from Bhopal

6. Sanchi & Bhimbetka

Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites within an hour of Bhopal. Sanchi's Great Stupa dates back to Emperor Ashoka, while the Bhimbetka rock shelters carry prehistoric cave paintings. Easy to do both in one day.

7. Pachmarhi

The only hill station in MP and the most popular weekend road trip from Bhopal. Visit Bee Falls, Jata Shankar caves, Pandav caves, and catch sunset from Dhoopgarh, the highest point in Madhya Pradesh. A jeep safari in Satpura is the perfect add-on.

Read a first-hand story from our Pachmarhi group trip with strangers, or book the Pachmarhi group trip (from ₹5,499).

8. Chanderi

A quiet town with a hilltop fort, old stepwells and the famous Chanderi handloom. It is perfect for groups who like history, photography and shopping for fabric directly from weavers.

9. Orchha

Orchha feels like a time capsule. Royal chhatris (cenotaphs) line the Betwa river, the Jahangir Mahal and Raja Ram temple are stunning, and river rafting on the Betwa adds some adventure. Pair it with Khajuraho for a longer trip.

10. Jabalpur & Bhedaghat

Take a boat through the Marble Rocks gorge on the Narmada at Bhedaghat, especially on a full-moon night, and feel the spray at Dhuandhar Falls. Kanha National Park is a few hours further if you want to add a safari.

Longer road trips from Indore

11. Udaipur & Mount Abu

The best long road trip from Indore. Drive via Chittorgarh Fort to Udaipur for lakes and palaces, then continue to Mount Abu for Nakki Lake and Dilwara temples. A 4–5 day tempo traveller trip with friends covers it comfortably.

Plan your stops with our Chittorgarh Fort guide and the Udaipur travel guide. Want to add wildlife? Read about the Jawai stranger trip from Indore.

12. Ajanta & Ellora

Cross into Maharashtra for the Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar). The Kailasa temple at Ellora, carved from a single rock, is one of India's most incredible sights. Ajanta is closed on Mondays and Ellora on Tuesdays [VERIFY].

Tips for a group road trip from Indore or Bhopal

1. Choose the right vehicle. Up to 6 people fit in an SUV; for 10–25 people, book a 12, 16, 20 or 26-seater tempo traveller.

2. Start early. Leave by 6 am to beat traffic and heat, especially for Ujjain and Omkareshwar.

3. Plan festival dates. Hanuwantiya Jal Mahotsav, Mandu Festival and full-moon nights at Bhedaghat change the whole experience.

4. Carry cash. Small towns like Mandu and Chanderi may have patchy card and UPI coverage at local stalls.

Join a TravelTech road trip

Road trips are where TravelTech started. With 25,000+ happy travellers, a 4.7★ Google rating and 8+ years of experience, we run group road trips from Indore and Bhopal with comfortable tempo travellers, a Trip Captain, curated stays and 24x7 support. Trips are smoke- and alcohol-free during travel, and girls share rooms only with girls.

Explore upcoming road trips — see all Madhya Pradesh trips.