Bhimbetka is a group of painted rock shelters, part of craggy sandstone formation in the Vindhya Range. The hill range that contains these shelters rises over 600 meters above the mean sea level and over 100 meters above the Deccan plain amidst the Ratapani wild life sanctuary. It runs east-west for a length of more than 8 km. These rocks look like a medieval fort from a certain distance and from the most prominent landmark in the local topography. The group of hills is formed of sandstones, which are medium grained and exhibits different primary sedimentary structures. The buffer zone of Bhimbetka has twenty-one villages established in its area. These villages are sparsely populated, mainly by the Gonds.
