Trip Overview

Ahmedabad – Modhera – Dasada – Bhuj – Rann of Kutch – Gondal – Junagath – Sasan Gir – Somnath – Diu – Bhavnagar – Palitana – Lothal – Vadodara – Chmpaner – Ahmedabad

Even in the less travelled Indian state of Gujarat, located in the far west of India, bordering Pakistan, there are cultural sights of absolute world class to discover. The lower number of visitors may be due to the fact that Gujarat – as far as tourist attractions are concerned – is always in the shadow of its more famous neighbouring state of Rajasthan. Nevertheless, the list of discoveries on our trip is long. We can also experience an authentic piece of India. The history of Gujarat goes back a long way, we find remains of the approximately 4,000-year-old Harappa civilisation. The entire diversity of India is reflected within Gujarat, especially on the Kathiawar peninsula (Saurashtra). The enormous sun temple of Modhera and the Shiva temple in Somnath are important examples of Hindu architecture. The unrivalled highlight of a trip through Gujarat is of course the Jain temple complex of Palitana, a masterpiece of marble sculpture. Gujarat also has a lot to offer in terms of landscape: the salt desert of the Rann of Kutch fascinates with its colorful villages where traditional handicrafts flourish. In winter, flamingos and pelicans come here to nest. The rare wild donkeys live in the Little Rann of Kutch and the last remaining Asian lions live in the wild in the Gir Forest. On the southern coast we find beautiful beaches and the city of Diu, which has managed to retain its flair from the Portuguese colonial era to this day. A perfect mix: cities worth seeing, unique cultural monuments and unique natural beauty, all without endless driving distances, which is what makes a visit to Gujarat so worthwhile.