my next stop

West Bengal

Susunia Hill (Bankura)

Bengal's rock-climbing hill, with a 4th century royal inscription

TrekOffbeatHeritage

Best time to visit Susunia Hill (Bankura)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and September to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to June

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Susunia Hill (Bankura) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb is climbing season: Kolkata clubs rope up on the north face at dawn, the stone spring runs cold and the summit walk takes about an hour

Summer March to May Shoulder

Palash and simul redden the slope through March, then April and May sit past 43 C on open rock with no shade until you reach the tree line

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Jul and Aug make the granite slick and bring leeches into the sal, but the whole hill greens over and September walks are fine again

Autumn October to November Prime time

October and November give clear air across the Bankura plain, cool nights at the eco centre and the quietest weekdays of the year

What Susunia Hill (Bankura) is actually like

A youth hostel and an eco centre at the base, stone carvers chipping bowls by the road, climbers in tents on winter weekends

Things to do in Susunia Hill

The local places worth your time in and around Susunia Hill, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Susunia Rock Inscription

    Heritage · 1 km out

    Rock inscription of King Chandravarman from about the 4th century, said to be the oldest in West Bengal, with a wheel symbol.

  • Narasingha Stone, Susunia

    Shrine · 1 km out

    Holy spring on the hill where water runs from a stone spout beside an old carved monolith, the Narasingha stone.

  • Basuli Temple, Chhatna

    Temple · 12 km out

    Basuli Devi shrine at Chhatna, 10 km from Susunia, linked by tradition to the medieval poet Baru Chandidas.

  • Biharinath Hill

    Trek · 35 km out

    Bankura district's tallest hill at 451 m, with an old Shiva temple of Biharinath at its foot.

  • Ekteswar Temple

    Temple · 32 km out

    Shiva temple on the Dwarakeswar at Bankura's edge, built mostly of laterite by the Rajas of Bishnupur.

Getting to Susunia Hill (Bankura)

Bankura town is 20 km off by bus or toto, and Bankura is 4 h from Howrah on the Adra line

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
152 m
State
West Bengal
Coordinates
23.3930, 86.9752

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Susunia Hill (Bankura)?

November to February is peak season in Susunia Hill (Bankura). March and September to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. October and November give clear air across the Bankura plain, cool nights at the eco centre and the quietest weekdays of the year.

How many days do you need in Susunia Hill (Bankura)?

2 days is the usual stay. A youth hostel and an eco centre at the base, stone carvers chipping bowls by the road, climbers in tents on winter weekends.

How do you get to Susunia Hill (Bankura)?

Bankura town is 20 km off by bus or toto, and Bankura is 4 h from Howrah on the Adra line. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Susunia Hill (Bankura) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Susunia Hill (Bankura)?

mid-Jan: Makar Sankranti fair at the Narasimha stone spring. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Susunia Hill?

Susunia Rock Inscription, Narasingha Stone, Susunia, Basuli Temple, Chhatna, Biharinath Hill and Ekteswar Temple. Rock inscription of King Chandravarman from about the 4th century, said to be the oldest in West Bengal, with a wheel symbol.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in West Bengal

All 28 destinations in West Bengal