Gujarat is well known for its cultural riches and artistic traditions, however, this inhospitable land of desert, low-lying salt plains and dry scrubland also harbours some of India’s finest wildlife viewing.
This itinerary focuses on three of Gujarat’s best-known protected areas, the Little Rann of Kutch, Blackbuck National Park and Gir National Park, each home to distinct species for which they are famous. Starting with time in Gujarati capital Ahmedabad to rest, acclimatise and visit key cultural sites, head west for three nights staying on the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch with its population of rare Asiatic wild ass and excellent birdwatching. Explore the reserve then travel by road to Blackbuck National Park for daily safari drives in the reserve to view Blackbuck antelope and, if lucky, wolf, jungle cat and hyena before continuing to renowned Gir National Park which is the last remaining refuge of the endangered Asiatic lion. After ample time in Gir, drive to Rajkot and fly to Mumbai to explore the city.
Ahmedabad – Dasada – Blackbuck National Park – Gir National Park – Rajkot – Mumbai
Trip Highlights
- The salt marshes and mudflats of the Little Rann of Kutch offers excellent birdwatching
- Blackbuck National Park is named after this antelope which is resident in large numbers
- Gir National Park is noted as the last wild haven of the critically endangered Asiatic lion
- Search for Asiatic wild ass, nilgai, chinkara and wolf in the Little Rann of Kutch
- Visit the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917
- Explore vibrant Mumbai, a city of history, culture, food and architecture
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart the UK
Today depart the UK and fly to Mumbai.
Day 2
Arrive Mumbai / Mumbai to Ahmedabad – by air
Once in Mumbai connect on to the afternoon flight to Ahmedabad where you will be met on arrival. Founded in 1411 by ruler of Gujarat Ahmed Shah I, Ahmedabad consists of two distinct areas – the old city with its maze of narrow twisting alleyways and the more recent modern ‘new’ city designed by famous modernist architects Charles Correa and Le Corbusier.
The House of MG
Fortune Landmark Hotel
Day 3
Ahmedabad
Today explore Ahmedabad. Begin at the Sabarmati Ashram which was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 and served as the starting point of his famous 385kms Salt March to Dandi in 1930. After Sabarmati Ashram visit the excellent Calico Museum of Textiles, the monumental complex of Sarkhej and the 15th century mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed Shah. End the day with a guided heritage walk through the old city.
- Breakfast
The House of MG
Fortune Landmark Hotel
Day 4
Ahmedabad – visit Adalaj, Modhera and Patan
Spend the day outside of the city visiting a selection of Gujarat’s most impressive cultural sites. Highlights include the 15th century Adalaj stepwell, the spectacular 11th century Surya ‘Sun’ Temple at Modhera and Patan, once the capital of Gujarat, and home to both the celebrated Patola silk weavers and the UNESCO protected stepwell of Rani ki Vav.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch
The House of MG
Fortune Landmark Hotel
Day 5
Ahmedabad to Dasada – 95kms
This morning drive to Dasada and Rann Riders Camp which is set on the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch. The barren wilderness is home to the endangered Asiatic wild ass, whilst the salt marshes and flooded areas attract a rich variety of birdlife from plovers and chats to flamingos and storks. In the afternoon take a private jeep safari to the salt flats in search of the Asiatic wild ass. There will also be an opportunity for bird watching as well.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Rann Riders
Day 6
Dasada – visit Little Rann of Kutch
This morning explore a different area of the Rann by private jeep in search of the various raptors that visit the salt flats. Later this afternoon set off towards the wetlands of Newa Talav, a large lake surrounded by grassland and scrub jungle, known for its excellent birdlife including many species of duck, stork, crane and different raptors.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Rann Riders
Day 7
Dasada – visit Little Rann of Kutch
Return this morning to the Rann for a further safari. There will also be an opportunity to gain a closer insight into the natural habitat by exploring by foot one of the small scrub and grass islands, locally called ‘bets’, that dot the Rann. In the winter, ‘bets’ are also likely areas to spot raptors. Other mammals of the Rann include nilgai, chinkara gazelle, white-footed desert and Indian foxes as well as the rare wolf and jungle cat. In the afternoon visit the villages and scattered settlements located at the edge of Rann to see the various cottage crafts that the local communities are known for.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Rann Riders
Day 8
Dasada to Velavadar – 185kms
Before breakfast take a guided walk exploring the woodlands and wetlands in the vicinity of Rann Riders. Later this morning head south to Velavadar and Blackbuck National Park, a vast expanse of grassland set aside to offer sanctuary for its large population of Blackbuck antelope.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
The Blackbuck Lodge
Day 9 & 10
Velavadar – visit Blackbuck National Park
Spend the next two days exploring the park on morning and evening jeep safaris in the company of an expert naturalist. In addition to Blackbuck antelope, the national park is also home to the rare Indian wolf, jungle cat, blue bull and striped hyena. The reserve also supports large concentrations of resident and overwintering birds.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
The Blackbuck Lodge
Day 11
Velavadar to Gir National Park – 250kms
Continue your journey southwest to Gir National Park. A patchwork of dry deciduous forest, acacia scrub and grassland, fed by rivers and reservoirs, Gir is best known for being the last refuge of the Asiatic lion. The park also supports a wide variety of wildlife including over 300 species of bird.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Asiatic Lion Lodge
Gir Serai
Aramness Safari Lodge
Day 12 & 13
Gir National Park
Over the next two days take morning and late afternoon jeep safaris in the national park, joined by a trained naturalist. In addition to the endangered Asiatic lion the reserve is also home to leopard, sambar, chital and blue bull antelope, chinkara and chousingha, the world's only four-horned antelope. The forests, interspersed with grassland and dissected by rivers, also support diverse avifauna.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Asiatic Lion Lodge
Gir Serai
Aramness Safari Lodge
Day 14
Gir National Park to Rajkot – 160kms / Rajkot to Mumbai – by air
This morning depart Gir and head north to Rajkot stopping en-route to visit Uparkot Fort and Mahabat Maqbara complex in Junagadh. Continue on to Rajkot in good time for the evening flight to Mumbai where you will be met and transferred by car to your hotel in the city.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch
Fariyas Hotel
The Taj Mahal Palace
Day 15
Mumbai
In the morning explore the historic district of Colaba with your local guide. Starting from the Gateway of India walk grand streets lined with impressive Gothic Victorian architecture ending at the iconic Victoria Railway Terminus. In the afternoon travel along Marine Drive then climb Malabar Hill for panoramic views over the city. End the day at Crawford Market, the largest in Mumbai.
- Breakfast
Fariyas Hotel
The Taj Mahal Palace
Day 16
Mumbai to the UK
Depart Mumbai on a return flight to the UK.
Extending your stay…
Discover rural Hodka in western Gujarat, an area with a rich artistic heritage of embroidery, block painting, pottery and leather work. The nearest airport to Hodka is Bhuj where there are direct flights from Mumbai. From Hodka continue east to the Little Rann of Kutch.
Mount Abu, Rajasthan’s only hill station, is located a half day’s drive from Ahmedabad. With a cooler climate than the surrounding plains and a hilly, wooded landscape, Mount Abu is renowned for both its flora and the quality of it birdwatching.
Rugged western Rajasthan is one of the best places in which to see leopard in India. Bera, located two hours north of Mount Abu, is surrounded by scrub, caves and dry riverbeds making this ideal leopard habitat. The birdwatching here is also excellent.
Include a visit to the temples of Palitana which are located between the national parks of Blackbuck and Gir. Popularly known as the ‘Abode of the Gods’, the 863 Jain temples are reached by a 4000 step climb and are a popular pilgrimage site.
Guide to Price
15 days from £4300 - £4950 per person
What's Included
- International and domestic flights
- Private car with English speaking driver
- Sightseeing with local English speaking guides
- Accompanying tour escort
- Wildlife viewing with local naturalist
What's Not Included
- Cost of visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
from £4300 - £4950
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Virgin Atlantic have daily flights to Delhi and Vistara fly direct to Delhi. Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also have excellent connections via their respected hubs to Kolkata, Kochi, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Goa, Jaipur and Lucknow and fly from airports all over the UK.
Flying Times From UK
Direct flights from the UK take between 8 and 10 hours depending on the destination. Flights with stops en-route take between 12 and 14 hours.
Time Zone
India is +5½ hours ahead of GMT.
Visa Requirements
Holders of British Citizen passports are able to apply for an e-Tourist Visa (eTV). There are three different eTVs - a one month eTV (valid for 30 days), a one year eTV (valid for 365 days) and a five year eTV (valid for 5 years). Applications for the one month eTV can only be made within 30 days of travel to India. Applications for the one year eTV and five year eTV can only be made within 120 days of travel to India.
Please note that the very latest an Indian eTV application can be made is 4 days prior to travel to India. The eTV becomes active from the date of entry into India. It is not valid for Protected or Restricted areas.
All international passengers arriving in India are required to complete an e-Arrival Card up to 72 hours prior to arrival India. This applies to all nationalities and must be submitted online via the official portal https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival
Do’s & Don’ts
Smoking and drinking in public places is prohibited in India – with smoking this includes public areas in hotels, restaurants and bars.
E-cigarettes and related products are banned in India. You will be unable to buy e-cigarettes or bring them into the country.
Always ask permission before entering a temple and remember to remove your shoes and any leather objects such as bags, belts or wallets. It is fine to wear socks.
When in a Buddhist temple you should always walk in a clockwise direction with the main building to your right.
Modest, loose-fitting clothing is preferable and is essential when visiting religious places. When visiting a Sikh Gurudwara the head needs to be covered.
Permission should always be asked before taking a person’s picture.
When eating, only the right hand should be used. Indian culture considers the left hand to be unclean.
Money
The currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR) and comes in notes and coins. Exchanging money is easy and can be done at international airports, most hotels or banks and it is always a good idea to ask for some small denomination Rupee notes. ATMs are now common and reliable in all main cities and credit cards are widely accepted by most hotels, shops and restaurants. In rural areas or wildlife reserves ATMs and money exchange facilities are limited so having cash is essential.
Please note that there are restrictions on bringing Indian rupees into India. Visitors, including tourists, are not permitted to bring any amount of Indian currency into the country. Pounds sterling and other foreign currencies are allowed to be brought into India. For more information please visit the FCO’s Foreign Travel Advice for India.
Tipping
This is left to your discretion, however, tipping for good service in India is part of everyday life. In restaurants and for room service a 10% tip is appreciated and at smaller hotels and homestays a communal ‘tip box’ is common.
For drivers and guides, hotel staff and at national parks, the following amounts should act as a guideline. Please note that these figures are based on two people travelling together:
Tour driver: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Tour guide: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Naturalist (national parks): INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Jeep Driver (national parks): INR 500 per day & per safari (not per person)
Hotels (communal tip for all staff): INR 1000 to INR 1500 per day (not per person)
Food & Drink
India is known the world over for its food and especially its vegetarian cuisine. Spice plays an important role in dishes throughout the country as do breads, rice, pickles and chutneys. Although nearly every region has its own speciality, there is a divide between the cuisine of northern India and southern India – the north with its meat dishes influenced by the Mughals and the lighter, fruitier, coconut based dishes of the south. Desserts are common in India with kulfi ice cream and gulab jamun two of the best known and most popular. Nearly all tend to be very sweet, milk based or fried.
The most common drink in India is chai tea which can be bought on nearly every street corner. The yoghurt drink lassi – whether sweet, salty or fruity – is also easy to find. The popularity of coffee has spread from the south whilst Indian beer is well-respected. There is also a fledgling wine industry centred on Nashik in Maharashtra.
Accommodation
There is a huge breadth of accommodation in India with styles varying across the country. India is famed for its heritage properties, the majority of which tend to be found in the north of India. These come in all shapes and sizes from beautifully restored buildings and luxury palaces operated by distinguished hotel groups to small privately owned forts and ancestral homes.
Homestays are also very popular and found throughout the country. Whether a grand and luxurious family residence, heritage property or simple abode, they offer a high level of service and a unique glimpse into everyday Indian life. Please let us know if you would like to include a homestay into your itinerary. In more remote regions, hotels are likely to be clean and simple whilst wildlife accommodation is generally either in jungle lodges or comfortable tented camps. For those looking to relax there are many excellent beachside hotels and an increasing number of retreats specialising in both Ayurveda and yoga.
Shopping
With wholesale markets and bazaars, innumerable shops and stores, India is a shopper’s paradise. The country is best known for carpets and dhurries with Rajasthan, Kashmir and Leh best for these. There is also a bewildering range of clothing, fabric and leatherwear found not only in the smallest of villages but also the largest cities. Gems, silver and jewellery (valuable or costume) are popular throughout the country but especially in Jaipur and Hyderabad whilst Kochi is noted for its antiques. Spices can be bought all over India but purchased straight from plantations in the south. Darjeeling, Assam and the Western Ghats in south India are all known for tea.
Suggested Reading
For India travel advice, Footprint, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and Bradt have excellent guide books whilst Nelles Maps have comprehensive and up to date maps of the Indian subcontinent. There is also a wide range of literature including from famed authors such as RK Narayan, Vikram Seth, Paul Scott, VS Naipaul, Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie. Vivek Shanbhag's more recently translated book 'Ghachar Ghochar' also comes highly recommended. Other good books on India include:
‘India: A History’ by John Keay
‘The Great Arc’ by John Keay
‘No Full Stops in India’ by Mark Tully
‘India in Slow Motion’ by Mark Tully and Gillian Wright
‘City of Djinns’ by William Dalrymple
‘White Mughals’ by William Dalrymple
‘Chasing the Monsoon’ by Alexander Frater
‘The Tears of the Rajas’ by Ferdinand Mount
‘Plain Tales from the Raj’ by Charles Allen
‘Mughal Architecture and Gardens’ by George Michell
'Tea, Love and War: Searching for English Roots in Assam' by David Mitchell
Health
Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Diphtheria. Yellow Fever is compulsory, but only if you have visited an affected Yellow Fever area within 5 days prior to your arrival. In some instances anti-malarial tablets may also be needed. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Travel Advice
For current information on India the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
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Our Reviews
What our clients say
We truly had the holiday of a lifetime
CM - India - March 2024
We truly had the holiday of a lifetime thanks to the exceptional guides and drivers we met along our trip in Northern India. The itinerary had the perfect balance of tours, travel days and rest days for us and was meticulously planned and executed. We'd love to use Pettitts Travel again in the future and will absolutely be returning to India.
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