On two low sandstone hills on the western edge of Bhubaneswar, Jain monks lived in rock-cut cells more than 2,000 years ago. Udayagiri ("sunrise hill") and Khandagiri ("broken hill") face each other across the road and together hold dozens of caves, most carved in the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE.
Their great patron was King Kharavela of Kalinga, whose seventeen-line inscription above the Hathigumpha (Elephant Cave) is one of the most important historical records of ancient India. The two-storey Rani Gumpha (Queen’s Cave), with its carved friezes of processions and battles, is the showpiece.
Top things to do at Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
Explore Rani Gumpha
The largest and most elaborate cave on Udayagiri, arranged on two levels around a courtyard. Look for the long friezes above the doorways — hunting scenes, dancers and royal processions.
Find the Hathigumpha inscription
A natural cavern near the top of Udayagiri carries Kharavela’s inscription in Brahmi script, recording his reign year by year. It is protected behind a railing, but clearly visible.
Climb Khandagiri for the view
Steps lead up Khandagiri past more caves to a later Jain temple on the summit, with views over the city and the Lingaraj tower on a clear day.
How to get to Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
- Location: about 6–7 km west of the city centre, just off the Kolkata–Chennai highway.
- By auto or cab: 20–30 minutes from the Old Town or the station. City buses also pass the Khandagiri stop.
- On a tour: the temples, caves and Dhauli tour covers them with a guide.
Insider tips
- The caves are an ASI site with a small ticket (typically around ₹25 for Indians and ₹300 for foreigners). Check the current rate.
- Open from sunrise to sunset. Morning is cooler, and the stone steps get very hot by midday.
- Guard food and bags: the resident monkeys are bold.
- Wear shoes with grip; the rock is smooth and the steps uneven.
Best tours & tickets for Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
These experiences are the easiest way to see Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves with a guide and transport sorted:
City tour from US$102 Mystical Bhubaneswar: Temples, Caves and Dhauli Hills Tour
Everything inside the city limits in one well-paced day: the Old Town temples, the rock-cut Jain monasteries on Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills, and the white peace pagoda at Dhauli above the battlefield of the Kalinga War. Hotel pickup included.
- Lingaraj, Mukteswar and Rajarani temples
- The 2,000-year-old Jain caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri
- Dhauli Shanti Stupa and the Ashokan rock edict
Private day trip from US$132 Architectural Wonders of Odisha Tour
A long, architecture-first day for people who want the story of the Kalinga temple style from its early experiments in Bhubaneswar to its peak at Konark, with a guide who can read the carving on the walls.
- Kalinga-style temples from the 7th to 13th centuries
- Rock-cut caves and temple sculpture explained
- A long private day with pickup
Multi-day tour from US$575 Bhubaneswar: 7-Day Odisha Tour with Accommodation and Guide
The complete Odisha week — the Temple City, the Golden Triangle, Chilika Lake and beyond into the state’s tribal and rural heartland — with accommodation and a guide throughout. For travellers who want the whole state, not just the highlights.
- Lingaraj Temple and the Udayagiri caves
- Puri, Konark and a boat on Chilika
- Hotels and guide included
