Places to visit in Saputara

Nageshwar Temple located on Saputara point road is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. This temple has been constructed in dedication to the Nageshwar Mahadev Jyotirling temple in Dwarka.

Lake View Garden and Echo Point near the Saputara Lake are ideal for evening fun and picnic while you take in the calm aura of the Saputara life.

Saputara Lake is the prime landmark and the entire hill station is based on it. The lake offers a view of the Great Sahayadri Hills while you slowly paddle or row through the calm waters of the lake experiencing serenity of the surrounding.On the other hand, Sunrise Point offers complete scenic view of Saputara. The spot is full of natural landscapes that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Similar to the Sunrise Point, there is a Sunset Point providing an excellent view of the Dang Forest. Overlooking the distant tribal villages in the forest, the point is an ideal spot for relaxation till late in the evenings.

If you have a keen interest in tribal lifestyles, artefacts or want to try out various art forms with your own hands,the Gandharavpur Artist Village is the place to be. Located close to the Saputara Lake, it is run by Chandrakant Parmar and Surya Goswami. Here you can try your hands at Warli Painting-a popular art form of the region or you can go try out making other crafts & tribal artefacts. The complex also provides accommodation at low costs. Other place to learn about the dominant tribal community is the Ritambhara Vishva Vidyapeeth. Founded by Mrs. Poornima Pakvasa for tribal women empowerment, the institute has been in existence for more than five decades. It is located on Sunrise Point Road. Apart from major Indian festivals, Saputara celebrates Dang Darbar festival with a lot of fanfare. This five day festival witnesses assemblage of tribal people from nearby villages for celebrations, complete with dance, music, merry making and buying-selling of artefacts.

Vansda National park located nearly 37 kilometres from Saputara is home to species such as tiger, leopard, giant squirrel, pangolin, spotted cat, python, four-horned antelope and many more.The national park covers an area of 24 square kilometres and is situated on the banks of River Ambika. It is accessible via National Highway 8.Other major natural attractions of the area is the Purna Sanctuary. It covers an area of 160 square kilometres and is home to as many as 700 different species of plants withthe pathways that are lined with bamboos. Please note that prior permission is needed to visit the sanctuary.Giradhodh or Gira falls during monsoon make a picturesque spot widely visited by tourists.

Saputara is essentially a two day holiday destination. For an elaborate exploration of the region you can combine places like Dang, Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Valsad, Igatpuri, Surat, Shirdi etc. In Gujarat,Surat, Ahmedabad, Dwarka and Somnath are major tourist destinations. While Ahmedabad is the capital city of Gujarat, Surat is the bustling city on the banks of River Tapti.Dwarka and Somnath on the other hand are famous for their ancient temple sites.Mumbai, the cosmopolitan capital city of Maharashtra, along with Shirdi are another widely visited tourist destinations. If you wish to explore the vast Indian coastlines while ensuring absence of city hustle, Diu is an option that can be added to the itinerary as well.

Located all around the Saputara Lake,are the three gardens namely Rose Garden, Step Garden and Lake Garden. As the name suggests, Rose Garden has many varieties of roses at display. Step Garden, on the other hand, is set up on steps – which is the unique aspect of the garden in its own sense. The garden is home to number of plants, herbs beautifully laid out on the steps. Within the premises is a forest hut in the woods for the visitors to stay and relax. There is a Botanical Garden in Saputara as well, with unique regional flora at display.Lake Garden is situated on the southern side of Saputara Lake and is a popular picnic spot of Saputara. Also known as the Lake View Garden, the botanical spothas various kinds of plants and rare species of trees.

Saputara Tribal Museum, located on Surat-Saputara-Nashik highway, is a moderate sized museum highlighting the culture of the tribal population of Saputara.The museum displays lifestyle, ornaments, musical instruments, agricultural implements, house objects of day-to-day use of native Dangis. This museum is worth a visit. It provides an insight to the tribes of Dang and showcases stone funerary column, body tattoos, stuffed birds, woodcarving, clay ritual objects, grass ornaments and masks used in dance and dramas and musical instruments.

Kids can enjoy boating at Saputara Lake at very low cost. Near the lake, there are small amusement parks with various rides for children. One more activity that the kids will love is the Pushpak Ropeway leading to Sunset Point. All details about booking need to be taken care in advance from the booking counter near Hotel Vaity.Close to the start point of the ropeway, Camel and Horse ridesaremajor attraction for little ones.One can also visit the Honey Bees Centre to provide kids with knowledge about honey making as well as bee rearing, adding education to fun.

Swami Narayan is considered to be a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. Swami Narayan Temples attract a lot of devotees to the state of Gujarat and this temple is no exception. There is also a temple of Lord Ganesh nearly 4 kilometres east of Saputara Lake and Saputara church close to the lake.

The fort is located just 5 kilometres away from Saputara Lake on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. This fort is famous among trekkers and holds relevance to the Maratha King Chattrapati Shivaji. Located at 3600 feet above sea level, the fort provides exquisite valley views of the area.

Other popular monuments are the three gardens- Step Garden, Lake Garden and Rose Garden each with their own unique aspects.Artist Village also holds monumental value in Saputara as it majorly highlights the tribal population of the region.