Mandu

Just over an hour’s drive north-west of Maheshwar, the 11th-century fortress town of Mandu lies atop a 25 sq km plateau, overlooking forest and farmland below, and some incongruous yet flourishing Baobab trees, brought over by African traders centuries ago. Formerly part of the Tarangagadh Kingdom, though it is believed that it existed as a flourishing market town all the way back in the 6th-century, it showcases some of the finest examples of Afghan architecture in India. Littered with World-Heritage listed palaces, tombs, monuments and mosques, the most spectacular being Rupmati’s Pavilion, which casts a watchful eye across the vast plains below. Best visited between October and March.