Kumbhalgarh Fort.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site with walls second only in length to those of the Great Wall of China. Built in the 15th century by the Mewar Maharana Khumba and occupied until the 19th century, Kumbhalgarh Fort is the second largest fortification in India after Chittor Fort. It sits 1,100 metres above sea level in the Aravalli Ranges, with views as far as the Thar Desert and beyond. Its walls are over thirty five kilometres long and six metres at their thickest. There are over 360 Jain and Hindu temples within the fort, as well as palaces, and a tank of five kilometres in length and eighteen kilometres in depth. Folklore has it that the Maharana used to burn large flaming torches on the walls of the fort to shed light on the farmers who worked at night in the valleys below. Today, in honour of this tradition, every evening, the fort is totally illuminated for a few minutes in accordance with this tradition. Keep an eye out for the white painted outline of a lady; said to mark the spot where a flower seller was bricked up alive within the walls after being discovered leading enemies to the entrance of the fort with a petal trail.

• Distance from the Hotel 82 kilometres
• Driving time 2 hours 37 minutes