UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India: Full List of 45
All 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India as of 2026, with state, type and year inscribed, the newest additions like Sarnath, and routes to see several.
UNESCO lists 45 World Heritage Sites in India as of November 2026: 37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed. The newest is the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, near Varanasi, inscribed in July 2026. Below is the complete list in the order the sites were inscribed, with the state each one is in, followed by tips on how to visit several on one trip.
## How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites does India have?
India has 45 properties on the World Heritage List. That places it among the countries with the most sites in the world. The count changes when the World Heritage Committee meets each year, usually in July, so always check the [UNESCO page for India](https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/in) for the latest figure.
The most recent additions are:
- **2024:** Moidams, the mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty, in Assam (India's 43rd site).
- **2025:** Maratha Military Landscapes of India, a network of 12 forts, 11 in Maharashtra and one, Gingee, in Tamil Nadu (44th).
- **2026:** Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, where the Buddha is believed to have given his first sermon (45th).
## The complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
| # | Site | State or region | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agra Fort | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 1983 |
| 2 | Ajanta Caves | Maharashtra | Cultural | 1983 |
| 3 | Ellora Caves | Maharashtra | Cultural | 1983 |
| 4 | Taj Mahal | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 1983 |
| 5 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | Tamil Nadu | Cultural | 1984 |
| 6 | Sun Temple, Konark | Odisha | Cultural | 1984 |
| 7 | Kaziranga National Park | Assam | Natural | 1985 |
| 8 | Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan | Natural | 1985 |
| 9 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam | Natural | 1985 |
| 10 | Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa | Cultural | 1986 |
| 11 | Fatehpur Sikri | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 1986 |
| 12 | Group of Monuments at Hampi | Karnataka | Cultural | 1986 |
| 13 | Khajuraho Group of Monuments | Madhya Pradesh | Cultural | 1986 |
| 14 | Elephanta Caves | Maharashtra | Cultural | 1987 |
| 15 | Great Living Chola Temples | Tamil Nadu | Cultural | 1987 |
| 16 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | Karnataka | Cultural | 1987 |
| 17 | Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal | Natural | 1987 |
| 18 | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks | Uttarakhand | Natural | 1988 |
| 19 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi | Madhya Pradesh | Cultural | 1989 |
| 20 | Humayun's Tomb, Delhi | Delhi | Cultural | 1993 |
| 21 | Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi | Delhi | Cultural | 1993 |
| 22 | Mountain Railways of India | West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh | Cultural | 1999 |
| 23 | Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya | Bihar | Cultural | 2002 |
| 24 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Madhya Pradesh | Cultural | 2003 |
| 25 | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Gujarat | Cultural | 2004 |
| 26 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | Maharashtra (Mumbai) | Cultural | 2004 |
| 27 | Red Fort Complex | Delhi | Cultural | 2007 |
| 28 | The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur | Rajasthan | Cultural | 2010 |
| 29 | Western Ghats | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra | Natural | 2012 |
| 30 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan | Rajasthan | Cultural | 2013 |
| 31 | Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen's Stepwell) at Patan | Gujarat | Cultural | 2014 |
| 32 | Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area | Himachal Pradesh | Natural | 2014 |
| 33 | Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara | Bihar | Cultural | 2016 |
| 34 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | Mixed | 2016 |
| 35 | The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex) | Chandigarh | Cultural | 2016 |
| 36 | Historic City of Ahmadabad | Gujarat | Cultural | 2017 |
| 37 | Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai | Maharashtra (Mumbai) | Cultural | 2018 |
| 38 | Jaipur City, Rajasthan | Rajasthan | Cultural | 2019 |
| 39 | Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple | Telangana | Cultural | 2021 |
| 40 | Dholavira: a Harappan City | Gujarat | Cultural | 2021 |
| 41 | Santiniketan | West Bengal | Cultural | 2023 |
| 42 | Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas | Karnataka | Cultural | 2023 |
| 43 | Moidams, the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty | Assam | Cultural | 2024 |
| 44 | Maratha Military Landscapes of India | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu | Cultural | 2025 |
| 45 | Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 2026 |
A few notes on the list. The Mountain Railways are three lines inscribed together: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway. The Le Corbusier listing is shared with six other countries; the Indian part is the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. The Hill Forts of Rajasthan are six forts: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber and Jaisalmer. The [Wikipedia list of World Heritage Sites in India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_India) gives more detail on each site.
## Which states have the most sites?
Maharashtra has the largest share. It is home to Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, two Mumbai listings and most of the Maratha forts, and it also shares the Western Ghats. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka each have several, and Delhi alone has three: Humayun's Tomb, the Qutb Minar and the Red Fort.
The north-east is often overlooked. Assam has Kaziranga, Manas and the Moidams, and Sikkim has Khangchendzonga, India's only mixed site, recognised for both its natural and cultural value.
## How to see several sites on one trip
Many of the sites cluster together, which makes it easy to build a route.
**The Golden Triangle.** Delhi, Agra and Jaipur hold nine sites between them: Humayun's Tomb, the Qutb Minar and the Red Fort in Delhi; the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri around Agra; and in Jaipur the Jantar Mantar, the walled city itself and Amber Fort, one of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Keoladeo National Park, a famous bird sanctuary, is close to the Agra to Jaipur road.
**Maharashtra's caves and forts.** Ajanta and Ellora are both reached from Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar); give each its own day. Mumbai adds Elephanta, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Victorian and Art Deco buildings, and several Maratha forts are within reach of Pune.
**Karnataka's temples.** Hampi and Pattadakal are close enough to combine, and the Hoysala temples at Belur and Halebidu make a good second loop.
**The Buddhist circuit.** Bodh Gaya and Nalanda in Bihar connect easily with Sarnath, just outside Varanasi.
**Tamil Nadu.** Mahabalipuram is a short drive from Chennai, the Chola temples are around Thanjavur, and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway climbs to Ooty.
## Before you visit
Entry tickets for most monuments are run by the Archaeological Survey of India, and foreign visitors usually pay more than Indian citizens. OCI cardholders are treated on par with Indians at national monuments; our guide to [OCI card travel benefits](/blog/oci-card-travel-benefits) explains what else the card allows. Many sites close one day a week (the Taj Mahal, for example, is closed on Fridays), so check opening days on the official [Incredible India](https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/) website before you plan your route.
If you enjoy testing what you know about India's history and landmarks, the [Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz](https://bkjquiz.com/?utm_source=dgamaf53&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_id=d53) is the official quiz of India's Ministry of External Affairs. It is free, open to everyone worldwide, and you do not need to be Indian to take part.
## Planning your heritage trip
Pick one cluster and give it time. A sunrise at the Taj Mahal, a full day at Hampi or a slow ride on a mountain railway is worth more than a rushed tick-list. If this is your first visit, read our [first trip to India tips](/blog/first-trip-to-india-tips), and if you are bringing children, our guide to a [heritage trip to India with kids](/blog/heritage-trip-to-india-with-kids) has ideas for keeping the whole family interested.
WokeTraveler