Guru Shikhar, Mount Abu

Guru Shikhar is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range and lies about 15 kilometres from Mount Abu. The height of the peak is 1722 meters from sea level thereby promising a breathtaking view of the Aravalli range and the hill station of Mount Abu. Guru Shikhar translates to 'the peak of the guru' and was named after Guru Dattatreya who is believed to have resided on the peak during his days as a monk. The cave atop the peak has been converted to a temple in his remembrance. Guru Shikhar is also home to the Mount Abu Observatory.

After a 15 kilometre drive, you would need to climb a few steps to reach the top of Guru Shikhar Peak. When visited during October and November, the weather gets more cloudy and misty. At the top of Guru Shikhar is an age-old bell with the words '1411 AD' inscribed on it. Ringing that bell after hiking all the way to the peak is like announcing your achievement to the valley of Mount Abu. The sound of the bell chimes long and far.

History of Guru Shikhar
You will hardly find a place in Mount Abu which does not have a temple or hermitage nearby. Gurushikhar is no exception. Before you reach the peak, you will find the temple dedicated to Dattatreya. The literal meaning of the name can be explained thus: Atreya means son of Atri, the sage from Hindu mythology. Datta in Sanskrit means given. Dattatreya, according to Hindu belief is the son given to the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya by the Trinity, Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. The peak is dedicated to Guru Dattatreya and hence the name of the peak, Guru Shikhar. The temple is believed to house the footprints of Dattatreya and devotees feel blessed by darshan (sighting) of these footprints. Within the temple, you can also see footprints of Swami Ramnath, the seer who enshrined the statue in the Raghunathji temple in Mount Abu.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is an important pilgrimage place for the Vaishnavites, that is, devotees of Lord Vishnu. After reaching the peak, at a little distance to the northwest, you will also find a temple dedicated to Ahilya, who was Dattatreya's mother. On the peak, there is a huge bell with inscription 1411 A.D. The original bell has had to be replaced with a new bell in recent times because of the disintegration of the old one. The sound of the bell is carried to a long distance and is very captivating. Historically speaking, King Prithviraj Chowhan is believed to have traveled along this peak to meet his bride and consummate his marriage with her. The bride was the princess of Prahladanpur, now known as Palanpur.

Best time to visit in Guru Shikhar
Tourists visit Mount Abu all through the year as it has its unique offerings for every season. Summers are the best time if one wants to break free from the scorching heat and experience the cold hill station air. The rainy season gets a little dangerous because of the heavy downpour – it’s best to avoid trekking at this time as the pathways get quite slippery.

How To Reach Guru Shikhar, Mount Abu
To reach Guru Shikhar from the Mount Abu area, one can only rely on going by road as that is the only option. It is about 15 kms away (almost a 30-minute drive from the main city) and one can get there easily via the Delwara Achalgarh Road. There are no buses available which is why one must either hire a cab or go by a personal vehicle.
By Road: Guru Shikhar is located at 14 km from Nakki Lake at Guru Shikhar Rd. One can easily reach here by hiring local taxi.
By Rail: Guru Shikhar is well connected through nearest Abu Road (40 km) railway station to major cities railway stations like Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai, Ajmer, Pali, Jaipur, Ahmedabad.
By Air: Guru Shikhar can be reach through nearest Udaipur Airport (189 Km) which is well connected with regular domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai.