Wild Wonders of Gujarat

Fly down into the heart of the west of India, Ahmedabad. Once you have landed and passed through the gates, a driver will be waiting for you to transfer you to the beautiful historical stay at the House of MG in the middle of the city. Once checked in and your bags have been dropped off, a guide will give you a tour of the historical building of the House of MG, including the AHD Trunk Textile Museum, which will take you around about an hour. Once finished, you will have time to yourself to relax or explore around further. In the evening, at around six, you will join a guided walk around the Ahmedabad Old City Market, where you will see the livelihoods and many shops that come alive at night. Once you finish the walk, you will have dinner at the Agashiye Restaurant in the House MG for an intimate meal to end your first night in West India.

Wake up early to head out to go on a Guided Heritage Walk around the Old City of Ahmedabad (07.30 am till 10.30 am), where you get to understand the layout of the old city and see all the beautiful ancient architecture. After the walk, enjoy breakfast at The Green House and then take a small break to relax. At One. There will be lunch prepared for you at the Green House at the House of MG. At around four in the afternoon, there will be a guide coming to pick you up to take you on a sightseeing tour, which will take around four hours. You will get the chance to walk around the hidden and gorgeous Amdavad-ni-Gufa (Closed on every Monday) art gallery to wonder about its unique architectural building. Then head to see the ancient stone walls of the fifteenth-century mosque, Sarkhej Roza. After the historical mosque, enter the Vishala Utensils Museum (Closed on every Monday) to see all the household utensils that were used centuries back and how the designs have changed over time. You will then head to have some dinner at the Bucky Cafe, and then on the way back from dinner, you will stop by the Law Garden Local Market before retreating to bed for the night.

Enjoy your breakfast before setting off to sightsee at ancient locations around the city. Be aware that ticket payment may be required to enter these locations. The first stop pay a visit to the Dada Harir Step well. Built in sandstone in Solanki architectural style, the Dada Harir stepwell is five stories deep. Used back in the day to access groundwater for the people. These locations are where the locals hold colorful festivals and sacred ceremonies... After visiting the deep well, enjoy some lunch at Swati Snacks. Then visit the Hutheesingh Jain Temple, which blends the old Maru-Gurjara temple architecture style with new architectural elements of Haveli in its design, an incredible sight to see. Continue on to Adalaj Stepwell located in the small town of Adalaj, close to Gandhinagar, the capital of the Indian state of Gujarat. It was built in 1498 in memory of Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty. You will then head to the famous Gandhi Ashram, home of Mahatma Gandhi and his partner. This is also the location where Gandhi started his Dandi March. Now you can enter and look around his house, which has been turned into a museum that is the most well-known of the many institutions within the Sabarmati Ashram's grounds. Various personal letters and images of Gandhi are displayed throughout the space. After a day full of history, head back to the hotel to rest in the afternoon. You will have the rest of the day to yourself.

Today post breakfast and check out start your drive (260 kms – 5 hours journey) to North of Gujarat to visit Siddhpur Town for wonderfully crafted Bohra Haveli’s. Later visit Double Ikkat Patola Silk Weavers at Patan. Lunch at Local Restaurant in Patan, Later visit “Rani Ki Vav” Patan Stepwell and continue to visit Sun Temple at Modhera, we further drive to Little Rann of Kutch. Dinner and overnight at Wildlife Resort Rann Riders.

This morning, wake up early to have an extraordinary breakfast in the wilderness to begin your day with a half-day safari tour. Where you will be able to experience the full extent of the wildlife sanctuary. Though the LRK may seem desolate, it is alive with diverse wildlife, including animals, birds, reptiles, and vegetation. Our experienced guides will help you discover the Asiatic Wild Asses, Desert Foxes, and other species in this unique landscape. Safari options include bird watching in winter, tracking Foxes and Hyenas in summer or observing Flamingos during the monsoon. Choose from Jeep, Walking, Village, Cycling, Horse, Camel, or Custom Safaris tailored to your interests. After an exhilarating time in the wilderness, head back to your stay to retreat and relax for the rest of the day. (Afternoon Safari optional with a supplement).
Dinner at the Lodge.

Wake up early and grab some breakfast before checking out, so you are ready for your driver to take you to Bhuj. Please keep in mind the drive will be long (250 kms – 5 hours). Once you arrive at Bhuj, check in at the Bhuj House and drop off your bags. After leaving your bags, a guide will take you to the LLDC Embroidery Museum (Closed on every Monday and Public Holiday) at the edge of Ajrakhpur Village to learn of the area's long roots in producing textiles. Explore further into Ajrakhpur village to meet with award-winning Khatri Families to study how they use wooden block printing and their natural dyes. From there, you will continue on to Kukma village to study the creation of an indigenous special craft of drought-resistant cotton and unique products made from plastic waste. Return to Bhuj. Stay at Bhuj House. Where dinner will be served.

Begin the day by heading out to the visit the beautiful earthen home of the “famous five” weaving family of Shyamji in Bhujodi Village to learn of spinning fibers to operating looms, and dyes. Head in to the village of Ajrakhpur, and witness the ancient craft of block-printing being carried out by many Khatri families. In Kutch, the carved wooden block printed on to cloth ‘resists’ the dye, which gives the unique light-on-dark design found in Kutchi textiles. Return to Bhuj for Lunch and later visit the Darbargadh Palace Complex in the heart of Bhuj and visit all the hundred ateliers around the palace filled with crafts and textile artisans. After exploring textiles all day, return back to your hotel to rest for the evening.

Wake up early and enjoy some breakfast before checking out to catch your flight back to Ahmedabad. When you land, a driver will be there to pick you up to take you to Velavadar, which will take you around three hours. Once checked in and freshened up, a guide will lead you to a beautiful cottage to enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you can choose to hang out around the reception and enjoy the library in the reception, or you can choose to gaze from the veranda to watch the wild birds and look at the Indian antelopes, called the Black Buck, that reside in the region. There will be High Tea at five in the afternoon with homemade sweets and cookies. Then you can follow the local resident naturalist who will give you a guided walking tour of the hundred-fifty-acre private estate, so you can learn about the Indigenous flora and fauna along with a tour of the Kitchen Garden. After a peaceful day on the gorgeous estate, enjoy a relaxing dinner and have the evening to yourself.

Rise up early morning and get on a Jeep for a safari drive through Velavadar National Park, where you will uncover all the hidden wildlife of the area. The drive will take around two hours, after which you will get to have breakfast back at the lodge. At around eleven in the morning, you will get a packed lunch with your guide, then you will take a drive to Bhavnagar, a tiny town that greets everybody with its richness of traditions. Due to its closeness to the sea, the city has always been an important center of trade and commerce of cotton goods. You will get to visit the Takhteshwar Temple sitting on the top of the hill in the city. Take a peaceful nature walk across Victoria Park and visit the Barton Library and Museum. Then have a nice leisurely time by the side of the Gaurishanker. After the day at Bhavnagar, drive back to the lodge and rest for the evening.

Wake early on the estate and enjoy some breakfast before checking out to catch your ride to Santrampur. (3h30mn drive). You will arrive at your hidden paradise in the forests of West India, Shri Joraver Villas. You will arrive just in time for lunch. Once you have your lunch and checked in. A guide will lead you on a tour of the small township of Sant, where you will be able to see the fourteenth-century Panchratna Temple Ruins. Followed by a visit to the previous palaces of the royal family, the Raj Mahal and the Hawa Mahal. You will be able to catch the sunset on the grounds of Hawa Mahal, after which you will have an intimate candle-lit dinner at the Neem Chawk on the property. Then you will have the night to yourself, to do as you wish.

In the early morning, you will get to hop on a jeep to explore the Matoran Forest or have a trek in the forest. Please note that the jeep safari option through Matoran may include additional fees. After a morning in the forests, head to the Villas for some breakfast. Post breakfast, a driver will pick up to drive along the Kadana Dam to the viewpoint to see the best view of the mighty Mahisagar River. After the viewpoint, head back to have lunch and rest for the afternoon. In the evening, get the chance to explore the night bazaar nearby or choose to just relax and stay in.

Wake up and enjoy your breakfast for your final breakfast in the west in India before checking out at the appropriate time before your driver arrives to pick you up to take you to the Ahmedabad airport to catch your flight back home (2 to 3hrs drive).

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