Gujarat

UNESCO heritage city of pols, mosques and Gandhi's ashram.

• Must-seeOld City Heritage WalkWalk through carved-wood pols, bird feeders and temples.
• HeritageSabarmati AshramGandhi's riverside home and the base of the Salt March.
• HeritageSidi Saiyyed MosqueMosque famed for its tree-of-life stone lattice windows.
• HeritageJama Masjid Ahmedabad15th-century mosque with a forest of pillars.
• HeritageLothalOffbeatExcavated Harappan port town with a dockyard and museum.
• NatureNal SarovarOffbeatWetland lake popular for winter migratory birds.

Saurashtra district with lion habitats, beaches and dams.

• WildlifeGir East (Dhari)OffbeatQuieter Gir forest side with lions outside the main park.
• BeachVictor BeachOffbeatQuiet coast near Rajula with fishing boats.
• NatureKhodiyar DamReservoir and picnic spot near Dhari.

Milk capital of India and home of Amul.

• CultureAmul DairyVisit the cooperative that led India's White Revolution.
• CultureVallabh VidyanagarUniversity town with a pleasant museum and leafy lanes.
• HeritageKhambhatOffbeatOld port town with agate crafts and a historic bazaar.

North Gujarat hill district with Shamlaji temple and Buddhist remains.

• SpiritualShamlaji TempleAncient Vishnu shrine on the Meshwo river banks.
• HeritageDevni MoriOffbeatRemains of a 4th-century Buddhist site.
• NatureMeshwo ReservoirScenic reservoir near Shamlaji.

Border district with Ambaji's shrine and hilly Jessore sanctuary.

• SpiritualAmbaji TempleOne of the Shakti Peeths, big at Navratri.
• WildlifeJessore Sloth Bear SanctuarySloth bear forest in the Aravallis.
• HeritageBalaram PalacePalanpur Nawab's palace, now a heritage hotel.

Ancient port city on the Narmada river.

• SpiritualKabirvadGiant banyan tree on a Narmada island.
• HeritageBharuch FortRiverside fort and old Dutch cemetery.
• SpiritualShuklatirthOffbeatNarmada-side pilgrimage spot with bathing ghats.

Gulf of Khambhat district of blackbuck and Jain hilltop temples.

• Must-seePalitana (Shatrunjaya Hill)Over 800 Jain temples on a holy hill, reached by 3,000+ steps.
• WildlifeVelavadar Blackbuck National ParkGrassland park famed for blackbuck and harriers.
• SpiritualTakhteshwar TempleHilltop Shiva temple with views over Bhavnagar.
• HeritageTalaja CavesOffbeatRock-cut Buddhist caves on a quiet hill.
• BeachGopnath BeachQuiet beach with a Shiva temple.

Swaminarayan pilgrim district with Salangpur Hanuman temple.

• SpiritualSalangpur Hanuman TempleLarge temple of Kashtbhanjan Hanuman.
• SpiritualGadhada Swaminarayan TempleTemple linked to Swaminarayan's life.

Tribal district known for Rathwa Pithora art and forested hills.

• CultureTejgadhHub of Rathwa Pithora painting and tribal culture.
• CultureKawant Tribal HaatOffbeatColourful tribal market and fair.
• NatureOrsang RiverOffbeatForest river with picnic spots.

Eastern tribal gateway with Ratanmahal bear forests.

• WildlifeRatanmahal Sloth Bear SanctuaryHilly sanctuary for sloth bears and leopards.
• CultureGol Gadheda tribal fairOffbeatBhil tribal Holi fair with unusual rituals.

Gujarat's green hill district with forest villages and waterfalls.

• HillsSaputaraGujarat's main hill station with a lake and viewpoints.
• NatureGira FallsMonsoon waterfall near Waghai.
• NatureMahal ForestOffbeatForest camping and wildlife in the Dang hills.
• SpiritualShabari DhamRamayana-linked temple with hill views.

Krishna's legendary kingdom on the Arabian Sea.

• Must-seeDwarkadhish TempleAncient Krishna temple on the coast.
• SpiritualBet DwarkaIsland shrine reached by boat.
• SpiritualNageshwar JyotirlingaOne of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines.
• SpiritualRukmini Devi TempleBeautifully carved temple near Dwarka.

Planned green capital with modern temples and a stepwell.

• SpiritualAkshardhamLarge Swaminarayan temple complex with exhibits and a light show.
• HeritageAdalaj StepwellFive-storey stepwell with fine Indo-Islamic carvings.
• NatureIndroda Nature ParkOffbeatDinosaur fossil park and botanical gardens.

Land of Asiatic lions and the first Jyotirlinga.

• Must-seeGir National ParkOnly wild home of the Asiatic lion.
• SpiritualSomnath TempleSeaside temple, rebuilt after many invasions.
• SpiritualPrachi TirthRiverside pilgrimage place near Somnath.
• NatureTulsishyamOffbeatHilltop temple among Gir forest with hot springs.

Royal Navanagar with coral coast and Bala Hanuman's chanting temple.

• NatureMarine National ParkCoral reefs and mudflats off Narara.
• HeritageLakhota LakeIsland fort and museum in a lake.
• SpiritualBala Hanuman TempleTemple known for non-stop chanting.
• WildlifeKhijadiya Bird SanctuaryOffbeatWetland with freshwater and marine birds.

Ancient fort city at the foot of sacred Girnar.

• Must-seeGirnar Hill10,000 steps to Jain and Hindu shrines.
• HeritageUparkot FortAncient fort with stepwells and Buddhist caves.
• HeritageMahabat MaqbaraNawabi tomb with delightful, silvery spires.
• HeritageAshoka's Rock EdictsRock inscriptions dating to the Mauryan era.
• WildlifeSakkarbaug ZooHistoric zoo with lions and rare species.

Central Gujarat district of Dakor pilgrimage and Swaminarayan temples.

• SpiritualDakor Ranchhodraiji TemplePopular Krishna temple, crowded at full moon.
• SpiritualVadtal Swaminarayan TempleTemple of the Swaminarayan sect.
• SpiritualSantram Mandir, NadiadOffbeatQuiet temple with a samadhi.

Gujarat's desert wonderland of salt flats, craft villages and Harappan ruins.

• Must-seeWhite Rann of KutchEndless white salt desert, best around the Rann Utsav and full moon.
• HeritageDholaviraUNESCO Harappan city with ancient water systems.
• HeritageBhuj Old TownAina Mahal and Prag Mahal in a walled town.
• NatureKala DungarBlack hill with views over the salt flats.
• BeachMandviBeach town with shipbuilders and a royal palace.
• OffbeatLakhpat FortOffbeatRuined border fort and old Sikh gurudwara.

Eastern district of dinosaur fossils and palace hotels.

• NatureRaiyoli Dinosaur Fossil ParkExcavated dinosaur egg and fossil site near Balasinor.
• HeritageBalasinor Garden PalaceNawab's palace with gardens and a fossil connection.
• NatureKadana DamOffbeatLarge reservoir with scenic hills.

Sun temple country with Vadnagar's ancient gateways.

• Must-seeModhera Sun TempleSun temple with a stepped tank and carved halls.
• HeritageVadnagarAncient town with the Kirti Toran and archaeological museum.
• SpiritualBecharaji TempleGoddess shrine, a Shakti pilgrimage place.
• SpiritualTaranga HillOffbeatJain pilgrimage hill with temples and a quiet atmosphere.

Ceramic town with an elegant old palace and fine monuments.

• HeritageMani MandirOrnate temple, a surprise in the ceramic city.
• HeritageDarbargadh MorbiOld royal residence with an eclectic style.
• HeritageWankaner Ranjit Vilas PalaceOffbeatGothic and Mughal style palace on a river bank.

Statue of Unity country with forests and waterfalls.

• Must-seeStatue of UnityWorld's tallest statue at 182 m beside the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
• NatureValley of Flowers (Kevadia)Gardens and eco-tourism at Kevadia.
• WildlifeShoolpaneshwar Wildlife SanctuaryDry deciduous forest with sloth bear.
• NatureZarwani FallsOffbeatMonsoon waterfall in a forest.

South Gujarat district of Dandi and Vansda forests.

• HeritageDandi Salt March MemorialMemorial at the end of Gandhi's Salt March.
• WildlifeVansda National ParkMoist forest with leopards and bird-life.
• BeachUbharat BeachQuiet shoreline near Valsad.

UNESCO Champaner-Pavagadh and forested Jambughoda.

• Must-seeChampaner-Pavagadh Archaeological ParkUNESCO Islamic-era city with mosques and stepwells.
• SpiritualPavagadh HillHilltop Kalika Mata shrine and ropeway.
• WildlifeJambughoda Wildlife SanctuaryForest sanctuary with leopards and sloth bears.
• NatureKada DamOffbeatScenic reservoir near Halol.

Ancient Solanki capital with a UNESCO stepwell and Patola silk.

• Must-seeRani ki VavUNESCO stepwell with thousands of carved figures.
• CulturePatola weaving workshopsDouble-ikat silk saris woven by hand.
• HeritageSahastralinga TalavMedieval tank remains with sculpted shrines.
• HeritageSiddhpurOffbeatTown with Bohra mansions and the Bindu Sarovar.

Gandhi's birthplace on the Arabian Sea.

• HeritageKirti MandirMemorial at Gandhi's birthplace.
• SpiritualSudama TempleRare temple to Krishna's friend Sudama.
• WildlifeBarda Wildlife SanctuaryOffbeatForested hills near the coast with leopards.
• BeachMadhavpur BeachQuiet beach with Krishna legend ties.

Saurashtra's lively hub, with Gandhi's school and royal palaces.

• HeritageKaba Gandhi No DeloGandhi family home with a small museum.
• HeritageWatson MuseumColonial museum with artefacts and miniatures.
• HeritageGondal Navlakha PalaceRoyal palace with vintage cars and a museum.
• HeritageKhambhalida CavesOffbeatRock-cut Buddhist caves near Gondal.

Aravalli district with forested Polo ruins and Idar hills.

• Must-seePolo ForestForest with Jain and Hindu ruins on the Harnav river.
• HeritageIdar FortHilltop fort with boulder-strewn views.
• NatureDharoi DamOffbeatReservoir with wetlands and boating.

Diamond and textile hub with a Dutch colonial past.

• HeritageSurat Castle16th-century fort on the Tapi river.
• HeritageDutch Garden and CemeteriesBaroque Dutch tombs of Surat's trading era.
• BeachDumas BeachBlack sand beach with food stalls.
• WildlifeSarthana Nature ParkZoo and nature park on the city edge.

Little Rann wild ass country and the Tarnetar folk fair.

• Must-seeLittle Rann of KutchSalt desert and Indian wild ass sanctuary.
• SpiritualTarnetarTemple village famed for its colourful fair.
• OffbeatZinzuwada FortOffbeatFort with intricate gates in a quiet village.
• SpiritualThan-ThangadhTemple town with a Surya shrine, pottery and sacred legend.

Tribal south Gujarat with the Ukai reservoir.

• NatureUkai DamLarge reservoir with boating and migratory birds.
• HeritageSongadh FortOffbeatHilltop Gaekwad fort overlooking the town.
• SpiritualGaumukhOffbeatForest Shiva spring with a waterfall.

Royal Baroda city of palaces, museums and gardens.

• Must-seeLaxmi Vilas PalaceIndo-Saracenic palace, grander than Buckingham Palace.
• HeritageSayaji Baug and MuseumCity park with a museum and a toy train.
• SpiritualEME TempleModern South Indian style temple of striking design.
• HeritageDabhoi FortOffbeatMedieval fort with ornate carved gates.
• SpiritualNareshwarOffbeatNarmada temples at Nareshwar.

South coast with Parsi Udvada and Tithal beach.

• BeachTithal BeachBlack sand beach with temple and snack stalls.
• SpiritualUdvadaHome of the Iranshah Atash Behram; entry to the fire temple only for Parsis.
• HillsWilson HillsOffbeatHill resort near Dharampur with a viewing point.

New (2025) north Gujarat border district carved from Banaskantha.

• OffbeatNadabet Zero PointOffbeatBorder viewpoint with BSF-run visitor facilities; carry ID and verify opening.
• CultureTharadOffbeatMarket town on the edge of the Rann.