A Day Trip to Nagpur, Maharashtra

Nagpur is a geographically significant location in India. From the point of view of tourism, the vibrant city in the state of Maharashtra can engage you for a day. Of course, there are a lot of things to do and see in Nagpur that go well beyond a day. Nevertheless, a day trip is adequate. You can leisurely roam around the city in a day and visit a few enjoyable spots. Of course, if you are ready to travel a bit away from the town, there are a lot of places to visit.

Although Nagpur may not be as vibrant as Mumbai or Pune, a day trip to Nagpur can still be worthwhile. When you visit a state like Maharashtra, do plan a day trip to Nagpur.

The Zero Milestone

The location was considered to be the center point of India once upon a time. Well, the Zero milestone point was installed during colonial rule. Post-independence, Karaundi, a village in Madha Pradesh is known as the centre of India. Nevertheless, a pillar erected at Nagpur still stands tall and a signboard adjacent to it explains the details. When you are on a day trip to Nagpur, this is certainly one of the spots you cannot miss.

At the same time, if you are looking for a magically attractive spot, well, this surely is not the one you are looking for. The Zero Milestone is a roundabout in the city. And if you do not know about its significance, you would not even notice it.

However, the location would hold immense prominence had it been the pre-independent era. The Zero Mile Stone was built during the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India in 1907 in Nagpur. The pillar is a sandstone structure. And adjacent to that you can also spot another small stone representing the GTS Standard Bench Mark. A four-stucco horse statue also can be spotted nearby.

Futala Lake

Futala Lake has a special place for everyone in Nagpur. And the tourists who visit Nagpur tend to spend a while admiring the lake and surroundings. The spot is a lovely place to witness the sunset when you are on a day trip to Nagpur.

For the locals around the lake, it is a happy spot to spend a lazy evening. With all the street-side food stalls that sell amazing chaat and other snacks, you are assured of a pleasant time here. Hundreds of people visit the spot daily.

Situated at Juna Futala, Chowpatty Road, the lake is over two centuries old and covers a large area of land in the city.

Orange orchard tour

Nagpur is one of the largest orange-producing cities in India. For this reason, the city is also known as an orange city. You may not get to visit all the orchards right in the city. Traveling a few kilometers away from the city will take you to acres of land cultivating oranges. Many farms offer orchard tours. It would be an amazing experience to go on such a tour when you are on a day trip to Nagpur. They take you through the entire process of growing oranges.

September to December and January are the two seasons when major harvest takes place. So if you can plan your trip to Nagpur during these months, you are in for an orange treat.

The Deekshabhoomi stupa

Deeksha Bhoomi Stupa is a large two-storied structure of the Navayana Buddhism religion. It is the largest hollow stupa of all Buddhist stupas in the world. The sacred monument is visited by thousands of Buddhists from all over the world. Besides them, all the tourists who visit Nagpur make it a point to visit the monumental structure.

Japanese Rose Garden

Located in Seminary Hills less than five km away from the city, the garden is a quiet and lovely place to take a stroll. It is an ordinary garden park that has a peculiar entrance resembling some Japanese architecture. A good collection of both local and hybrid varieties of roses can be spotted here.

Food

Nagpur offers a wide range of food options. Saoji Waradi chicken curry is the most popular food in Nagpur. When you are in Nagpur, if you are a non-vegetarian, the tasty Saoji Waradi chicken curry is a must-try. It is a really hot, authentic curry in which they use multiple spices. You will enjoy this with roti or nan.

Chats and snacks. You get to munch on delightful varieties of chats and snacks here. Orange burfi is one of the most popular items here.

As a concluding note, if you could stretch your day trip to Nagpur a little longer, your travel itinerary could have several more spots.

For fun and relaxation purposes you could choose any of the places listed here. Khindsi Lake, Japanese Rose Garden, Lata Mangeshkar Musical Garden, Sitabuldi Fort, Shukrawari Lake, Narrow Gauge Rail Museum, The Raman Science Centre, and Maharaj Bagh Zoo.

On the other hand, there are also a few religiously popular centers in Nagpur. Jama Mosque, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ramtek, Dragon Palace Buddhist Temple, and Bohra Masjid. For spiritual enlightenment, you could stop by these places too.

Photos courtesy @ Abhijith Tomy

How to reach?

There is an airport located in Sonegaon which is less than 10 km away from Nagpur.

Nagpur Junction has a railway station and bus stand connecting the city by rail and road to all the major towns and cities.