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Gujarat is a beautiful and vibrant state of India, which is widely popular as a travel destination. With visitors coming to explore the unique and brilliant culture, architecture and breath-taking natural sites of the region, Gujarat has become one of the top places to discover in the country. Blessed with scintillating natural beauty and an astounding array of wildlife and plant species, there are many wonderful places to visit in Gujarat that attract nature enthusiasts. In addition to this, the many magnificent palaces and ancient temples like Swaminarayan temple, Somnath temple add to the overall charm of the place that doesn’t leave anyone who sees it even once, unimpressed.
Since Gujarat has a long coastline, it also has many great and important ports, which have made their remarkable presence felt since centuries. Hence, though we know the state to be an important trade hub today, it had always been so since ages which led to the development of great cities of our skilful ancestors. Those with a penchant for reading the faded stories of the past, thus find it most fascinating to stand among the ruins of some of the most intelligently planned and built cities of Indus Valley Civilization, here in Gujarat.
But that is not all. Gujarat has a lot to its name than simple offerings of a satisfying sightseeing experience. From its most appetizing food to brilliant handicrafts, you will find a plethora of things to do in Gujarat that will leave you pleased and happy. Gujarat is the home of one of the best food scenes in the country. Right from a high end restaurant to a small roadside eatery, you will get many options for a satisfying treat of its famous dhokla, patra, khandvi, undhiyo and what not. Moreover, the many great places to buy one or the other gem from its myriad options of beautiful handicrafts items such as embroidered ensemble, colourful kites, lovely wall decoration pieces and more, will leave you spoilt for choice. The nightlife of Gujarat is envious too. You will find multiple options for a great night in this state.
The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary are one of the most significant national parks in India that provides shelter to the Asiatic Lions. Apart from the lions, it also possesses innumerable species of various plants and animals. Due to the presence of favourable perennial rivers that flow through this place and several factors that contribute to its richness; this park has become one of the best places to visit in Gujarat. Every year, this national park attracts tourists in a large number from various places around the world to experience its charismatic bliss.
The prestigious Gir National Park is located in the state of Gujarat
Address: Gir National Park, Talala Gir, Gujarat, 362135
Hours: It is open from 6 am to 5 pm every day.
Telephone: +91-88266678881 +91-9971231439
The Gir Jungle Trail operates from 6 am to 12 pm and 3 pm to 6 pm from Monday to Sunday. Whereas, the Devalia Safari Park operates from 8 am to 11 am and 3 pm to 5 pm from Monday to Sunday.
The Gir National Park is open from Mid-October to Mid June, and the Devaliya Safari Park is open throughout the year. However, it is closed on Wednesdays.
The price includes Permit Charges, One Camera Charges, Guide Charges, Jeep and Driver Charges, Online Payment Gateway Charges and any other service charges.
The Jeep Safari would cost around INR 5300-5500 approximately for Indians and INR 12,800-13,000 for foreigners. Each such jeep would accommodate up to 6 persons plus a child.
This jungle safari is recommended especially for all the wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. Apart from them, anyone can visit this park to enjoy the rare species in their natural habitats.
By Air: The Keshod airport is the nearest to Gir, which is about 70 km away from the place. Other than that, there are two more airports at Rajkot and Mumbai. The best way to reach Sasan Gir is to take a flight from Mumbai to Diu from where you can reach Sasan by 2 hours on the road.
By Rail: There are regular train services from some famous places in the state to the Sasan Gir. The towns of Veraval, Delwada, and Junagadh have regular trains to the place from where the national park is just a kilometre away.
By Road: The roads in Gujarat are in a fair condition, which makes it much enjoyable to travel by road. The Gir National Park is connected to some major cities in Gujarat which possess frequent buses that connect the town to the park.
However, the best way to travel to Gir National Park is from Mumbai to Diu via air and taking two-hour road travel from there. It would save a lot of time for the people who reside closer to Mumbai. Else, you can always reach Gujarat and take a train or bus to reach the national park during the prescribed time. On another note, Junagadh and Keshod are approximately 60 km away from Sasan, whereas Veraval is 45 km away from it.
Home to the ever-charming Asiatic Lions, the Gir National Park is the only national park in India that nurtures these royal animals. It covers a total area of 258 square kilometres specially regarded as the protected area for these lions. One of the oldest national parks in India, the Gir National Park is continuously supported by the government and various NGOs to protect the species of flora and fauna.
Apart from the Asiatic Lions, this national park also features reptiles, birds, insects and mammals. Some of the major species among them being the Leopards, Hyenas, Mongoose, Ratels, Desert Cats, Jungle Cats, Jackals, and Civet Cats. Other than these, you can also spot some interesting species like the Nilgai, Indian Star Tortoise, Four-horned Antelope, Rusty-spotted cats, Pythons, Marsh Crocodile, Wild Boars, Chital, Sambar, Blackbucks, and others in their natural habitats. The national park is also home to some rare species of birds like the Brown Fish Owl, Indian Pitta, Crested Treeswift, Great Horned Owl and others; that attract viewers from across the country.
Nevertheless, Gir is also blessed with some fantastic flora that is rich and diverse amidst the wildlife. Dominated primarily by the mixed deciduous forests along with the evergreen and semi-evergreen trees, Gir possesses great vegetation that is a treat to the sore eyes. The common trees here include the Flame of the Forest, Teak, Acacia, Zizyphas, Tendu, Jamun, Banyan, and DHak. However, Teak covers about half of the total vegetation within the park. Among the various plant species, most of them are broad-leaved trees which help in retaining the moisture content of the park. Gir National Park is also one of the most important biological research areas that contribute widely to the progress of scientific researches.
Due to the presence of dry-deciduous forests, there is a great presence of the dry and less-moist conditions within the park. Nearby the park, there is the prestigious Kamleshwar Dam that can be regarded as the lifeline of the park because of the water that it provides to the area. Apart from this, the park is nurtured by seven perennial rivers that crisscross the park to a larger extent. The rivers include Hiran, Dtardi, Shetrunji, Shingoda, Godavari, Raval, and Macchundri.
Kutch that derives its name from the hindi name for tortoise, ‘kutchua’ is a pristine tortoise shaped beach that has pure white spread in its vast expanse. The surreal beauty of the white salt desert of Kutch will leave you awestruck. The Rann festival which is celebrated here between December and February is one of the biggest attractions of Gujarat. It is marked by several traditional Gujarati cultural programs of music and dance along with many adventure activities like hot air balloon rides. Being located at the India-Pakistan border, you can also see a part of the neighbouring country from here. Kutch is famous for a lot of things and one of them is its impeccable embroidery, hence shopping here for some traditional Gujarati odhni is a must.
Offering a broad range of the most spectacular attractions, Gujarat, also known as 'The Land of Legends', presents a perfect blend of art, history, music and culture.
Location: Near Bhuj, at the India-Pakistan border
Known for: Mesmerizing beaches of Mandvi, located near Bhuj and Rann Festival celebrated in winters.
How to reach: To reach Kutch, you need to take a train to Bhuj from where you can hire a local cab to your destination.
Approximate Cost: NA
Operating hours: NA
Tips: Travel around Kutch preferably in the mornings or evening as the salt in the desert can be blinding in the daytime.
Type: Village/ Beach/ Cultural Centre
