Khajuraho's temples are the reason almost everyone comes here, and they reward a full day of wandering. The western group — inside a well-tended garden enclosed by the Archaeological Survey of India — is the most spectacular and should be your first stop. The eastern group has the Jain temples, which are less crowded and often overlooked. The southern group, scattered across farmland and village lanes, takes more effort but repays it with near-solitude. Allow at least a day and a half if you want to see everything properly.
Beyond the temples, the Panna National Park is within day-trip range, and the Ken River offers a setting rarely visited by tourists making the circuit between Varanasi and the temples.