Perched majestically on top of a 3km-long plateau overlooking Gwalior, this 8th-century hilltop fort is an imposing, eye-catching sight, with the circular towers of the dominating Man Singh Palace ringed with turquoise tiles. Much of the fort is now occupied by the prestigious private Scindia School, established by Maharaja Madhavrao Scindia in 1897 for the education of Indian nobility.
There are two approaches to the fort, both of which are steep treks. Autorickshaws can drive you up to Urvai Gate , the western entrance, so it’s tempting to go that way because vehicles cannot drive up from the eastern entrance. But the western entrance is an anticlimax compared with the formidable view of the fort from the eastern approach, which makes entering from the east well worth the climb. Don’t, however, miss the rock sculptures, which are part of the way down the western side.
A sound-and-light show is held nightly in the amphitheatre.
