Day-by-Day Itinerary
A 7 Nights / 8 Days journey through Ahmedabad - Kutch - Bhuj - Hodka/Dhordo - Nakhatrana - Mandvi.
Ahmedabad to Little Rann of Kutch (approx. 90 km / 2 hrs)
After check-in at Ahmedabad airport or railway station, drive to the Little Rann of Kutch. Check in to the eco-resort and spend the afternoon on an open jeep safari through this unique desert ecosystem — home to the endangered Indian Wild Ass (Ghudkhar), Desert Fox, Blue Bull, Blackbuck, Indian Wolf and over 100 migratory bird species. Overnight at the resort.
Little Rann of Kutch to Bhuj (approx. 260 km / 5 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Bhuj — the cultural capital of Kutch. Visit the ornate Swaminarayan Temple, the Aina Mahal (Palace of Mirrors, a UNESCO listed monument housing the personal collection of the Kutch royal family), the Prag Mahal (19th-century Italian Gothic palace), the Bhartiya Sanskriti Darshan exhibition of Kutchi folk art and the royal cenotaphs. Overnight in Bhuj.
Bhuj — Banni Villages — Kalo Dungar — White Rann (approx. 250 km round trip)
After breakfast, a full day exploring the heart of Kutch — drive through the Banni and Pachcham grassland regions visiting the artisan villages of Dhordo, Bhirandiyara, Ludiya and Khavda (famous for Rogan art, embroidery and mud-mirror work). Ascend Kalo Dungar (455 m / Black Hill) — Kutch's highest point — for a 360-degree view over the Rann and the Dattatreya Temple at the summit. Continue to the White Rann viewpoint for the surreal sunset over the vast salt flats of the Great Rann. Overnight in Dhordo or Hodka.
Hodka/Dhordo to Narayan Sarovar to Nakhatrana (approx. 250 km)
After breakfast, drive to the sacred Ashapura Mata Temple at Mata no Madh — one of the most important goddess shrines in Kutch. Continue to Lakhpat — a walled ghost town on the Arabian Sea with a 7-km intact fort wall, a unique Sikh Gurudwara (where Guru Nanak Dev ji is said to have rested) and the black-stone dargah of Saint Gosh Muhammad. Visit Narayan Sarovar — one of the five holiest lakes in Hinduism — and the adjacent Koteshwar Shiva Temple at the westernmost point of Gujarat. Overnight in Nakhatrana.
Nakhatrana to Mandvi (approx. 100 km / 2 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Mandvi — a historic port town on the Arabian Sea. Visit the Vijay Vilas Palace (the summer residence of the Kutch royal family, with a private sandy beach), an organic farm, the ancient 72-Temple Jain Complex and the traditional Mandvi Shipyard where wooden dhows have been hand-crafted for centuries. Spend the afternoon at leisure on the private beach. Overnight in Mandvi.
Mandvi to Rajkot (approx. 280 km / 6 hrs)
After a morning stroll on the beach, drive to Rajkot — the commercial heart of Saurashtra. Stop for shopping for Kutchi handicrafts, Patola silk, bandhani textiles or silverwork en route. Check in on arrival. Overnight in Rajkot.
Rajkot to Sasan Gir (approx. 180 km / 4 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Sasan Gir — the last stronghold of the Asiatic Lion. Visit the Gir Interpretation Zone at Devaliya (closed Wednesdays) in the afternoon for a guided forest safari in a vehicle-accessible enclosed zone. Evening at leisure in the forest resort. Overnight in Sasan Gir.
Gir Morning Safari — Drive to Ahmedabad (approx. 380 km / 8 hrs)
Early morning open jeep safari inside Gir National Park (direct payment) for the best chance of a lion sighting at dawn. After breakfast, drive back to Ahmedabad for your drop at the airport or railway station, closing a truly extraordinary Gujarat circuit.
Gallery
