‘Celebratory Kite Fesitval Tour Program to Vibrant Gujarat’

On arrival in Mumbai, you will be received at the airport by our representative and transferred to the hotel. Once you reach, we would leave you free to relax for few hours. We would then brief you about our next plan of the day.

Evening would be scheduled for a short visit to the Gateway of India- The landmark of Bombay. Before the air route, it was the only gateway to India which was built to celebrate the visit of King George and Queen Mary to India in 1911.

By the late evening, we would drive along the Marine Drive, also known as the Queen’s Necklace because of its view in the evening. The view from south Bombay’s skyscrapers would be marvellous to see as the breeze from the Arabian Sea comes over marine Drive, while the streetlights on this U – shaped road light shower upon.

Overnight stay today would be at the hotel in Mumbai.

After breakfast you will leave for Bhavnagar in Gujarat. This will be 1 hours and 30 minutes flight journey. On arrival in Bhavnagar you will be received and transferred to the hotel by our representatives. In the afternoon, you will have a guided sightseeing tour to Gandhi Smriti Museum, a memorial built in the memory of the Father of our Nation. It is sure to take you on a dramatic journey through the life of Mahatma Gandhi.

We would then drive 60 Kms to reach Velavadar Wild Life Sanctuary to observe Gujrat’s exclusive grass-land species of birds that would include raptors and Blackbuck Antelopes. Valavedar Sanctuary is spread over 35sq kms yet is a unique grassland eco-system. Savanah grasslands along with areas of Mesquite and dry deciduous scrub are the habitat, created for conservation of Blackbuck,

Dominant species you would see here is Montagu’s, while another rare sight you may come across could be of a lesser Florican that migrate here to breed in the grasslands. You would see Stoliczka’s Bushchat, Southern Grey, Ashy- crowned sparrow lark, Rufous-tailed, and crested Larks, Desert and Variable wheatears and Rufous–tailed Shrikes.

The park has more than 1,000 Black Buck that you would be seeing in the open grassland from close distance. You would also see wolf and jackals which are the main predators in the park. Some of the other mammals likely to be seen are Bengal fox, Indian Desert Gerbil, Black–naped Hare, Jungle cat, and Nilgai. An fulfilled jeep drive would be arranged for jungle watching. When you return overnight stay will be at  Bhavnagar.

Today after breakfast you will drive on an excursion to Palitana, one of the Holiest sites of Jainism.  Situated approximately 215 km away from Ahmedabad and approxmitely 51 kms southwest of Bhavnagar, it is situated at an altitude of 182 metres and covers an area of 13 square km.

It was founded by Shahji – a Gohel Rajput belonged to the same clan as the Maharaja of Bhavnagar. Palitana is the gateway to the Shatrunjaya hill. On this excursion to Palitana you will see the Palitana Jain Temple, a prominent Jain pilgrimage centre, located on Mount Shatrunjaya. Almost 2 to 3 Kms climb up 3950 steps, the temples are grouped into nine enclosures. Also named as Siddhakshetra, it is believed to be a place where one attains moksh. Besides being a pilgrimage centre, this small princely city is also known for the horse-breeding.

After sightseeing tour you will return to the hotel for an overnight stay Bhavnagar.

After breakfast you will depart to the south-west along the coast of the peninsula of Saurashtra, covering a distance of 250 kms to reach Diu. On arrival you would check in the beach resort for a relaxed accommodation. Lunch in an exotic restaurant would be followed by spending afternoon in exploring Diu.

Visiting the Diu fort is planned in the scheduled. Bricks piling on top of one another to form a gigantic structure of this fort which is grey and stone-coloured architecture stands along the sea.  Built in the 16th century, after the Portuguese signed a treaty with the ruler of Gujarat, this structure became a historic monument of Diu. Truly a mesmerising spot in this small town, this fort is situated at the jetty of Diu. We would stay here till the late evening to experience the night view when it brightens up with lights, making it an even more charismatic view. The structure stands out in the darkness and further proclaims its beauty.

We would also see lighthouse and the Diu Jail, located within the fort. Before you leave do see the canons, placed inside the fort.

Evening would be kept for relaxation or you can go for a stroll on the beach. Diu is approximately 367 Kms from Ahmedabad. We would let you spent some quality time at Nagoa beach, Jallandhar beach and Ghoghla beach. If time permits, we would go for some water sports on the beach.

After breakfast you will tour the city of Somnath visiting the Somnath temples, located at a distance of 75 kms, in the shore town of Somnath in Gujarat.  It is one of the twelve forms and places of the omnipresent Lord Shiva, the first to be found in the world, known as Jyotir-lingas. Though the Somnath temple has a lot of stories conjured by many people, one of the popular ones say that in 1025 the temple was looted this architectural masterpiece was brutally demolished.

King of Gujarat – Bhima and King of Malwa- Bhoja later took upon the noble task of renovating it in red sandstone. However, it was again destroyed by Alaf Khan in 1300 A.D. King Mahipala from the Chudasama dynasty renovated it this time.

We will later head on a 45 kms journey to the Gir National Park, built to conserve the Asiatic lion-classified as one of the World’s most threatened species, of which there are nearly 300 in the Park. Overnight stay would be at Camps in SasanGir.

Our drive after breakfast will take you via Junagarh, to the Old Fort, to Gondal. While this impressive fort dates back some 1,200 years it contains relics from Ashoka, the Great Indian Emperor.

Built by Raja Rai Singhji, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, marshal the revenues of a Kingdom which was increased by the conquest of a part of Marwar and Gujrat and used funds from Jodhpur and Western Deccan to construct this fort.

He held a very high rank in Junagarh Fort. As a reward for these services as military commander, he was granted fields of Gujrat and Burhanpur. He travelled far that gave him vision and ideas about art and architecture, during his tenure. You would see how wonderfully these ideas were incorporated in the styles of his building in this fort.

This breathtakingly beautiful holy site for Hindus and Jains can be reached by climbing 9999-step staircase along peaks studded by temples that reach for the sky and look out across the plains. Overnight stay would be at  Gondal.

After breakfast and sightseeing in Gondal, a town merely 35 kms away from Rajkot, located on the river Gondali, which was once the capital of the princely state of Gondal ruled by the Rajput clan, you will drive to Bhuj. Popularly known for its palaces, built in the traditional Kutchi style, Bhuj would connect you to a wide range of civilizations through prehistoric archaeological components.

On arrival in Bhuj you will check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, you will have a guided sightseeing tour to the famous AinaMahal Palace – this old palace, also known as the Palace of Mirrors, is surrounded by a small, fortified courtyard built in the 18th century.

The remnants of the Indus Valley Civilization or the Harappans along with places associated with the Mahabharata are what you would see. We would climb the bell tower of the Prag Mahal, stroll through the market and see the 2000-year-old Kshatrapa inscriptions in the Kutch Museum. Overnight stay would be at Bhuj.

After breakfast you will be taken on a guided tour to the ethnic tribal villages to experience the lifestyle of the villagers. You would get to mingle with them and carry memories through photographs of the colourful tribal groups, renowned to produce some of India’s finest folk textiles, glittering with exquisite embroidery and mirror work. Handicrafts being the prime and living traditional work of Bhuj, you would see communities of girls making beautiful embroidery fabrics contributing to the second income of the family.

Handicrafts are said to be of much high quality standards of this village. We would let you explore and buy some items. Stretched grasslands of Banni connecting Great Rann in the north of Bhuj make home to nomadic and people who keep sheep, camels, buffaloes and goats. The traditional Bhungas (circular huts with sloping roofs) made from mud with cow dung which are decorated with hand-painted floral patterns is what you would see. These are often decorated with mirrors during festivals. You would be amazed to see traditional utensils still being used for cooking, eating and storage in the village houses. The surroundings would keep you intact with eagles and vultures flying low.

Overnight stay would be at Bhuj.

After breakfast you will drive to Bajana Village in Dasada Taluka in Surendranagar District of Gujarat State, located 53 km towards North of Surendranagar. Known for bird watching and the only place in India where wild ass can be found, Dasada attracts tourists seeking an authentic rural India experience. You will take a safari of the Wild Ass Sanctuary- the only sanctuary for the Asiatic wild ass in India. Spread across nearly 5000 square kms of the Little Rann, the Wild Ass Sanctuary is the only place on earth where the endangered Indian Wild Ass still lives. Around 3000 of them live in the sanctuary, and are usually seen in herds, especially around breeding season (around October and November). The Sanctuary is also home to 32 other species of mammals and home to approximately 75,000 migratory birds every year.

In the evening, you will visit the local village. Rest of the day is for relaxation. Overnight stay at the camp in Bajana

After breakfast we would drive to Modhera, a popular tourist destination for the 11^thcentury Sun Temple, one of the finest examples of the golden period of architecture in Gujarat, during the 9th-12^th  century. This would be an approximately 75 Km drive by road.

This temple dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun-God, built in 1026 AD by King Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty, is now under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India. You will get to experience the essence of ancient times that this temple depicts, through its sculptures and architecture. Next on the schedule would be step wells in dry Gujarat, constructed with a roof to keep most of the sunlight out; Patan – an ancient fortified town, situated about 130 kms.

These step wells are popularly known as Rani-ki-Vav (queen’s well), said to have been constructed by Queen Udayamati – wife of King Bhimadeva I in A.D. 1022-1063. It is the highest watermark of Solanki architecture and is 64 m long, 20 m wide and 27 m deep. Originally it was built of seven stories out of which only five are now preserved.

You would see that the step well has long stepped corridor descending down to the underground tank. Here we would be also seeing approximately 400 sculptures have survived out of 800 sculptures, which comprise of Hindu gods and goddesses.

We would next move to the North-West of Ahmedabad, on the banks of the sacred Saraswati River, famous for old beautiful houses with carved wooden facades in traditional Gujarati architectural style; Rest of the day is for relaxation. Overnight stay would be at the hotel in Ahmedabad.

After breakfast we head towards the famous International Kite Festival of Gujarat, held every year in Ahmedabad on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, celebrated every year on 14th January. This festival forms a part of the official celebration of Uttarayan, originally a special day of the Hindu calendar. Celebrated from 7th to 15th of January, a large number of kite flyers from different parts of the country as well as from a number of other countries in the world participate in it. Uttarayan is celebrated across Gujarat, with major centers of kite-flying in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Nadiad, among others.

You would see that the festival is not only popular among people of Gujrat, but many participants fly in from various parts of the globe. We let you indulge in Kite flying and explore the story behind kite making from the experts. You would see that flyers bring in their favourite collections. You would see kites of different shapes and colors flying high and competing with others in the sky. The festival is popular among all age group, leading this grand festival to creation of many social communities. Starting early morning to late in the evening, Gujrat during Kite festival is beautiful and colourful to see.

We stay overnight at Ahmedabad.

After breakfast you will travel to Jambugodha which would be approximately a 3 hours drive by road to cover a distance of about 180 Kms. Once you reach, we would let you relax for you to gear up to explore the area of Jambugodha.

Today first thing on schedule would be Sabarmati Ashram founded in 1918 by Mahatma Gandhi. This was where the father of our nation revitalized the textile industry and this also was his headquarters during the struggle for Indian’s Independence.

Followed by this would be a visit to Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary. Full of teak, mahuda, bamboo trees, and other vegetation, Jambughoda is home to many kinds of wildlife. Other wildlife includes the wild boar, blue bull, jackal, hyena, barking deer, sloth bear, and four-horned antelope.

Before independence, this region belonged to the princely state of Jambughoda. There are many places in the sanctuary best suited for campaigning.  Overnight stay would be at Jambughoda.

After breakfast you will leave for an excursion to Chhota Udaipur or also called as Chhota Udepur sometimes. About 100 km from Vadodara, you would be visiting for its tribal heritage, a princely state, earlier known as Rewa Kantha, at a distance of around 73 kms. On arrival you will visit the surrounding colorful tribal villages to observe the traditional lifestyle of the people, interact with the locals, taste their local renditions, etc.

Short visits to various temples would be planned which would include Jain Derasar and Kali Temple. This would be followed by visiting the palaces in Chhota Udepur. The Kusum Vilas Palace and Prem Bhavan Palace, the finest examples of 20th century Indian Palace architecture would be the next in the schedule.

The Prem Bhavan Palace located in the same palace campus of Kusum would be another palace we would see. Beautiful royal buildings, which are now being used as public buildings and government offices are Collector’s office, Rani Mahal, College and ITI building – our next thing on the schedule. On return to Jambughoda, overnight stay would be at Jambughoda.

Our next destination after breakfast today would be Champaner, to see its large and prominent mosques, a testament to its time of glory as the capital of Gujarat during the Mughal reign. Jambugodha to Champaner would be an hour journey by road covering approximately 34 Kms. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, some of the famous mosques we would see are Jama Masjid, Nagina Masjid, Kevada Masjid, Saharki Masjidand Lila Gumbaiki Masjid.

Constructed by Ahmad Shah in 1423, placed in the center of the old city, Jama Masjid was built in the Indo- Saracenic era and is popularly known as the most beautiful mosque. Having 260 pillars with 15 domes the roof of this mosque has  beautiful stone work. You would see minarets within the palace, which were destroyed in an earthquake. You would also see hindu style of on the walls and the niches of the mosque.

You will later visitthe 10^th – 11^th century temple of Mother Kali at the summit of Pavagadh hill, 762 m above sea level, an important Hindu shrine, attracting large numbers of pilgrims throughout the year. Overnight stay at the hotel in Vadodara.

At the foothill you would see chains of temples with shrine constructed by Babu Dhanpatsinh of Murshidaba. Earlier the pilgrims have to ascend 3745 steps to reach the 1800 feet hill. We would book sling chairs for you to climb. Note that you cannot take any eatable on the way. However, water posts are provided all along the route. You would also see the footprints of Tirthankars. Every shrine could be seen with the idols of Tirthankars adorned with jewelled eyes.

The Pilgrims make their offerings at the temple containing the Adinath idol. The temple has been rebuilt several times since its inception.

After sightseeing tour you will return to Bhavnagar for an overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast you will set out on a guided tour to one of the most pharaonic palaces in the city, the Laxmi Vilas Palace. The palace is still the official residence of the Maharaja of Baroda. This amazing building combines great architectural styles, both Indian and European.

It was built in the 19th-century by the Indo-Saracenic who flourished Rs. 6 million to make this magnificent piece. The elaborate interiors boast well-maintained mosaics, chandeliers and artworks done in those times. When you visit, a one-hour audio tour inside the palace will be booked for you.

You would be seeing the largest residence of the world, now converted as a museum for the public to see. While it was being built, many modern facilities like elevators were added, while the interiors of the palace were designed in a European style. You would see multi-coloured tiles, marbles and various art works within the palace.

Darbar Hall stands as the prime attraction of the palace. You would see that the palace features Venetian mosaic floor, walls designed with detailed mosaic works and Belgium stained glass windows. If time permits, we would attend the musical and cultural events held within the palace. The palace garden has an Italianate courtyard with water fountains. We would also see collection of armours and sculptures made from bronze, marble & terracotta.

Spread over 700 acres, the palace also displays paintings by the royal painter and Raja Ravi Verma. Other attractions are the Moti Baug Palace and the golf course created by Maharaja Pratapsingh in the 1930s for his European guests. We would be also visiting the zoo which is a part of the palace

Evening would be set free at your leisure to pack for next day early morning departure to Mumbai. Overnight stay today would be at Mumbai.

Breakfast is at the hotel would be followed by catching the flight to Mumbai. Today at an appropriate time, you will be met and transferred to Mumbai International airport to connect with your next destination if you would like to add to this tour.