Magazine / Travel / Explore India / Central India / Chhattisgarh
Falling water,
red earth,
a long Dussehra.
Central India · Waterfalls, forests and crafts
Chhattisgarh
Wide waterfalls, sal forest, Adivasi crafts and an ancient river capital.
Bastar, Jagdalpur, Chitrakote, Kanger Valley, Raipur, Sirpur and Mainpat.
Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000, and it is one of India’s most forested states. It sees far fewer travellers than its neighbour, which is part of its appeal: waterfalls you may have almost to yourself, weekly village markets, distinctive metal and terracotta crafts, and a Dussehra that lasts about 75 days.
Bastar, in the south, is the heart of it. Raipur, the capital, is the gateway, with the ancient temples of Sirpur within reach, and the cool plateau of Mainpat lies in the north.
First edition · Practical details last checked 31 October 2026
At a glance
Ideal length · 4–5 days for Bastar; a week to add Raipur, Sirpur or Mainpat
Gateways · Raipur (Swami Vivekananda Airport and railway station); Jagdalpur’s Maa Danteshwari Airport for Bastar
Best time · October to February; waterfalls are at their fullest from the late monsoon into early winter
Know before · Check current travel advice for Bastar and travel with a reputable local operator
On this page: Places · Bastar · Beyond Bastar · Culture & food · Plan your trip · Itineraries · Before you go · Stories · Sources
Where to go
Places in Chhattisgarh
Bastar in the south, Raipur and Sirpur in the centre, Mainpat in the north.
Chitrakote Falls
- The Indravati river’s horseshoe-shaped falls, about 38 km west of Jagdalpur.
- Up to around 300 metres wide at full monsoon flow.
- See our Bastar guide.
Kanger Valley National Park
- Forest along the Kanger river, home of the Bastar hill myna.
- Tirathgarh Falls and the Kotumsar and Kailash limestone caves.
- Kotumsar is closed roughly mid-June to mid-October.
Jagdalpur and Bastar
- Bastar’s main town, with its museum and the Danteshwari temple.
- Weekly haats (village markets) and dhokra metalwork.
- The base for Bastar Dussehra.
Raipur
- The capital and main gateway, by air and rail.
- Chhattisgarhi food: chila, fara and muthiya.
- A base for Sirpur.
Sirpur
- An ancient capital on the Mahanadi, about 78 km east of Raipur.
- The 7th-century Lakshmana brick temple and Buddhist viharas.
- See Raipur, Sirpur and Mainpat.
Mainpat
- A plateau at about 1,085 metres in Surguja district.
- A Tibetan settlement since 1962–63, with monasteries and prayer flags.
- Waterfalls at Tiger Point and Fish Point.
Bastar: falls, forests and markets
Most visitors to Bastar base themselves in Jagdalpur and make day trips to Chitrakote, Tirathgarh and Kanger Valley. Go with a local guide to a weekly haat, where much of the region’s trade and social life happens, and buy crafts directly from makers.
Read Bastar: Chitrakote Falls, Kanger Valley and a slower Chhattisgarh.
Beyond Bastar
From Raipur, Sirpur makes an easy day trip: a riverside site of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. In the north, Mainpat’s plateau and Tibetan settlement are a cool retreat.
Read Raipur, Sirpur and Mainpat.
Culture & food
Food
- Rice-based dishes: chila, fara and muthiya.
- Forest produce, and in Bastar a red-ant chutney.
- Mahua flowers, collected in spring.
Crafts
- Dhokra (lost-wax) metal casting.
- Wrought-iron figures, terracotta and wood carving.
- Buy from artisans or government emporiums.
Festivals
- Bastar Dussehra, about 75 days long; in 2026 it began on 12 August.
- Centred on the goddess Danteshwari.
- Book well ahead if you plan to attend.
Etiquette
- Ask before photographing people.
- Go to villages and haats with a local guide.
- Visit monasteries and temples respectfully.
Plan your trip
How many days?
- 4–5 days: Jagdalpur and Bastar.
- 6–7 days: add Raipur and Sirpur.
- 9–10 days: add Mainpat in the north.
When to go
- October to February: the most comfortable.
- July to October: the waterfalls are at their fullest; caves close.
- March to June: hot; Chitrakote thins out in the dry months.
Getting around
- A car with a driver from Raipur or Jagdalpur.
- Distances are long; avoid driving after dark on rural roads.
- Check current flights to Jagdalpur and Ambikapur.
Where to stay
- Hotels in Raipur and Jagdalpur.
- Tourism properties near Chitrakote and other sites.
- Simple guesthouses in Mainpat.
Sample itineraries
Starting points, not fixed packages. Adjust for weather, crowds and current advisories.
Bastar · 4 days
Starting point: Jagdalpur · Style: waterfalls, forest and culture
- Day 1 · Arrive in Jagdalpur; the museum and Danteshwari temple.
- Day 2 · Chitrakote Falls.
- Day 3 · Kanger Valley: Tirathgarh Falls and, in season, Kotumsar Cave.
- Day 4 · A weekly haat with a local guide; depart.
Limitations · Check current travel advice and road conditions before setting out.
Raipur to Bastar · 7 days
Starting point: Raipur · Style: history and nature
- Day 1 · Raipur.
- Day 2 · Day trip to Sirpur.
- Day 3 · Drive or fly to Jagdalpur.
- Days 4–6 · Chitrakote, Kanger Valley and the haats.
- Day 7 · Depart from Jagdalpur or Raipur.
Limitations · See how to plan a Central India trip.
Safety and current access
Last checked 31 October 2026. This is a summary, not a safety assurance.
- Bastar: Bastar was declared free of Left-Wing Extremism in May 2026, but some foreign governments still advise seeking local advice before travel in affected states. Read current advice, use a reputable local operator and stick to known sites.
- Monsoon: Kotumsar Cave closes roughly mid-June to mid-October; viewpoints and boat rides at the falls may close in high water.
- Roads: long distances on rural roads; avoid driving after dark.
- Festivals: book early for Bastar Dussehra.
From the journal & traveller stories
Lifelately guides to Chhattisgarh, researched from official and published sources. We have not yet received a firsthand traveller story from here.
- Bastar: Chitrakote Falls, Kanger Valley and a slower Chhattisgarh
- Raipur, Sirpur and Mainpat: Chhattisgarh beyond Bastar
- How to plan a Central India trip
Travelled here? Lifelately publishes reader stories with the writer’s approval and full credit. Share your travel story →
Official resources
- Chhattisgarh Tourism.
- India Meteorological Department: forecasts and monsoon warnings.
- GOV.UK travel advice: India regional risks (or your own government’s equivalent).
Sources & last checked
Time-sensitive details were checked on 31 October 2026:
- Chitrakote Falls · Wikipedia
- Kanger Valley and Kotumsar Cave · Kanger Ghati National Park, Kotumsar Cave (Wikipedia)
- Sirpur · Sirpur Group of Monuments (Wikipedia); Mainpat · Wikipedia
- Bastar declared Naxal-free (18 May 2026) · India TV News; travel advice · GOV.UK
Background on history, culture and food is drawn from general reference sources. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
Photography (stock images, not the author’s own): via Unsplash, under the Unsplash License: Gyanaprakash Maharana (Chitrakote Falls, Bastar), Rohan Sah (Forest canopy, Mainpat), Wietse Jongsma (A village road, Bastar).
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