Tour Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days
Destinations Covered: Mumbai - Bhuj - Gondal - Junagadh - Sasan Gir - Diu - Bhavnagar - Palitana - Lothal - Ahmedabad
Day 01: Arrival at Mumbai
You'll take a flight from your home country to the Indian metropolis of Mumbai. Formerly known as Bombay, it is India's most cosmopolitan city, an ancient port, and a major trading center. On arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, you'll be greeted by our tour executive who will escort you to your hotel and assist you in checking in. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.
Day 02: Mumbai - Bhuj
In the morning after breakfast, you'll be transferred to the airport to board the flight to Bhuj. Upon arrival in Bhuj, you'll be escorted to the hotel by the executive to check-in to the hotel. Later in the day, you'll proceed to the Foreign Registration Office to seek a permit for a visit to the Banni Tribal Area. The office remains closed on 2nd and 4th Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays. Further, do keep xerox copies of your passport and visa. A personal visit will have to be made to obtain the permit. Return back to the hotel for overnight stay.
Day 03: Bhuj
After breakfast on day three, you'll head for a full day guided excursion of the Northern Banni Village. It is the last village on the border comprising of several old-fashioned small villages. An encounter with master craftsmen people who make ornaments, clothes, utensils, and other works of art will give you the feeling of stepping out from a museum of art. Drive back to Bhuj and take your supper before dozing off in the coziness of your deluxe room at the hotel.
Day 04: Bhuj
Day four will commence with a hearty breakfast, after which you'll proceed for a full day tour of the Southern Banni Village. Here, you'll observe the classic village life spread across vast deserts. The different embroidery items handmade by these people are among some of the stunning artwork pieces you've ever seen in your life. Head back to the hotel in Bhuj in the evening and call it a day, post dinner.
Day 05: Bhuj - Gondal
After an early breakfast in the morning, you'll continue your journey to the next destination - Gondal, situated in the district of Rajkot. En-route you'll visit Wankaner, sited on the bend of Machchhu River. With a stop halt at the Wankaner Palace, you'll carry on the travel to Gondal. Head on to the Orchard Palace, or Huzoor Palace. After a quick rest, you'll pay a visit to some major tourist attractions of Gondal. Naulakha Palace, adorned with stone carvings, was constructed as a gift to Maharaja Bhagwat Singh Ji, upon the completion of 25 successful years of rule on the city of Gondal. Check out the amazing collection of vintage cars. You're sure to get some exquisite clicks here! Thereafter, visit the Bhuvaneshwary Ayurvedic Library to view the process of making centuries-old traditional medicines. At the end of the day, you'll return back to Orchard Palace for an overnight stay.
Day 06: Gondal - Junagadh - Sasan Gir
Pamper yourself with a luxurious multi-cuisine Gujarati breakfast at the palace. Day six has some fabulous hidden surprises in store for you. First, you'll visit the Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to catch a glimpse of Asiatic Lions in their natural habitat. En-route to Sasan Gir, you'll make a short visit to Junagadh to see Darbar Hall Museum, Junagadh Fort with Buddhist caves, Ashokan Rock Edicts. Drive to Sasan Gir will continue after you're done with the visit and upon arrival here, you'll be escorted to a camp in the reserve for an overnight stay.
Day 07: Sasan Gir - Diu
A visit to Sasan Gir National Park is organized on a safari in the morning. This sanctuary is renowned worldwide for being the only natural abode of Asiatic lions. The vegetation thinning out over the forest will provide a better opportunity to clearly spot animals and birds. After the safari, you'll depart to Diu, a Portuguese colony. On the way, you'll make a small halt at the Somnath Temple, a popular Lord Shiva temple, housing one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The drive to Diu will continue thereafter and upon arrival, you'll be assisted in making a check-in at the hotel. Evening will be free at your disposal for a walk through the town. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.
Day 08: Diu
The day will begin with a filling breakfast, after which you'll proceed for a full day guided sightseeing tour of the city. You'll visit popular tourist attractions of Diu, namely, St. Paul's Cathedral, built in 1601 and a fine example of baroque architecture in India; Diu Museum, which was earlier a church but today houses several artifacts and antique pieces; and Diu Fort, an architectural example of the Portuguese. Afternoon will be free to spend at the beach. Ride back to the hotel in the evening for a flavorsome supper and good night's sleep.
Day 09: Diu - Bhavnagar
After an early morning meal, you'll be journeyed to Bhavnagar, lying in the southeast corner of the peninsular region of Gujarat. The city boasts of a number of temples and lakes. Upon arrival you'll be ushered to the majestic Hotel Nilambagh Palace, a perfect blend of royal charm and modern luxuries, for check in. The turning marble staircase, dining hall with European style chandeliers, king size portraits, stuffed panther, and historic library of the palace ooze out heritage and royalty. The later half of the day will keep you busy making a visit to the Gandhi Smriti, which comprises of a museum, library, gallery, and memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Overnight stay will be at the palace.
Day 10: Bhavnagar - Palitana - Lothal - Ahmedabad
The day will begin with breakfast, after which you'll move ahead to Ahmedabad, with short stopovers at Palitana and Lothal. The collection of over 863 temples, along the two ridges of the hill, makes Palitana one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites by the Jain community. Lothal, on the other hand, is a well-known city for the ancient Indus valley civilization. Explore heritage architecture and ancient archaeology here. Continue your journey to Ahmedabad. Check in to the hotel upon your arrival and unwind with a peaceful night's sleep.
Day 11: Ahmedabad
After breakfast in the morning, the entire day will be at your disposal to enjoy the exciting and wonderful kite flying competition held on the festival day of Makar Sankranti (14 January) every year. You can catch glimpse of designer and elaborate kites filling the air with thrill and enthusiasm. Kite makers not just from different parts of India, but from across the world, participate in the competition, by displaying an assortment of wonderfully designed kites. The competition, whereby friends, family, and strangers battle it out in the air and try to cut each others' kites, begins at dawn and continues till dusk without a break. All that you can spot in the sky is a tremendous variety of colorful kites. After the competition comes to an end, you'll return back to the hotel with cherished memories of the vibrancy and flamboyance witnessed all through the day.
Day 12: Ahmedabad
Post breakfast, you'll proceed to check out some prominent tourist attractions in Ahmedabad. To begin with, you'll visit the Jama Masjid, built by Ahmed Shah in 1424. The beautiful courtyard set in marble and the arches flanked by a pillared portico are the major highlights. This will be followed by a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram founded in 1917, where "Father of the Nation" Mahatma Gandhi often resided. It is historically famous as the starting point for Gandhiji's Dandi March in 1930. The ashram also boasts of a library, archives, and picture gallery depicting Gandhiji's life. End the day's tour with a drive back to the hotel.
Day 13: Ahmedabad - Mumbai Departure
After a mouth-watering breakfast at the hotel, head towards Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to board a flight to Mumbai. Quickly complete the formalities at Mumbai airport and proceed towards city sightseeing tour. Main attractions include the Gateway of India, the 26-meter high arch built by the British to honor the visit of George V and Queen Mary in 1911; Kamla Nehru Park, from where you can catch picturesque views of the city down; Hanging Gardens; Mani Bhawan, where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay during his visits to Mumbai; Marine Drive, nicknamed as the Queen's Necklace; and "Towers of Silence" crematorium of the Parsi community. You'll then be escorted to the hotel for check in for a quick wash and refreshing session. Thereafter, you'll be accompanied to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to board the flight for onward travel.
