Gujarat is located on the western coast of India and the interest in the tourists has been rising gradually for this place. The recent construction of the Statue of Unity has increased the tourist’s presence in the state manifold. As far as the history of the place is concerned, there are many places in Gujarat that date back to the Harappan civilization. This state also has many fossils of dinosaurs, wild Asiatic lions and neolithic age cave paintings. Gujarat is known for its Hindu and Jain architecture, temples, salt desert and the finest textile industries in India. The following are some places to visit in Gujarat.
Some amazing facts about Gujarat
- It has the longest coastline in India almost 1596 km.
- Lothal is present in Gujarat and is the place where the first port of India was constructed.
- It has the highest number of airports in India.
- Gujarat is the only state in India where Asiatic lions are found in the wild.
- It is the largest producer of milk in India.
- Gujarat also has the largest district in India which is the Kutch district
- Recently, Gujarat became a new home to the world’s largest cricket stadium.
List of best places to visit in Gujarat
Somnath Temple
This particular temple is the first and one of the most sacred temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is also part of the 12 Jyotirlingas and it is believed that the moon God, also known as Soma built this temple entirely of gold to pay respect to Lord Shiva.
It is one of the most important pilgrimages in India and it lies 197 km from Rajkot and almost 408 km from Ahmedabad. However, Somnath district has more places that you can explore such as Somnath Beach, Gita Mandir, Rudreshwar Temple, Suraj Mandir, Junagadh Gate, Somnath Museum, and Panch Pandav Cave, etc.
Best time to visit– November to March
Rann of Kutch
It is a long stretched plain of sand and salt and it is located between the Thar desert on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. The approximate distance of this place from Ahmedabad is 413 km and it is one of the top-visited places in India. It looks very beautiful on a full moon night. And during the months of monsoon, it gets submerged under the water.
During winters, one can find thousands of Flamingoes that travel all the way from Siberia along with other birds such as Busturds, Blue Tailed Bee Eater, Demoiselle Cranes, etc. One can also visit the Wild Ass Sanctuary which is the only spot in the world to harbour the endangered Indian Wild Ass.
Best time to visit– October to February
Bhuj
It lies in the Kutch district of Gujarat. This place is known for its beautiful streets, palaces and temples. This place is also called as Jaisalmer of Gujarat it is located 78 km from Kutch and 232 km from Rajkot. This place is famous for its white desert, beautiful Temples and wildlife sanctuaries.
Important places to visit here are Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Bhujia Hill Fort, Aina Mahal, Kutch Fossil Park, Tapkeshwari Temple, and Rudramata Dam. This place also has great cultural significance and is famous for its handicrafts and embroidery.
Best time to visit– October to March
Ahmedabad
It is the largest city in Gujarat and is located on the banks of River Sabarmati. It also holds the record of being India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City. Ahmedabad is famously known as the Manchester of India because of the presence of numerous commercial hubs and industries. One should visit this place for magnificent monuments, museums, and gorgeous lakes.
Popular attractions here are Sabarmati Ashram, Kankarai Lake, Jama Masjid, Akshardham Temple, ISKCON Temple, Vintage Car Museum, Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary, Swaminarayan Mandir, etc.
Best time to visit– October to March
Dwarka
It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India and it is known as the home of Lord Krishna. It is also part of the Char Dhams of Hindus and also has other significant religious places. It is mainly known for splendid temples such as the 2000-year-old Dwarkadhish temple, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Gomti Ghat, Rukmani Devi Temple, etc. Other important places here are Swaminarayan Temple, Dwarka Beach, Shivrajpur Beach, and Okhamadhi Beach.
Best time to visit– Visit during the grand festival of Janmashtami which is celebrated in August or September.
Gir National Park
This particular park was established in 1965 and it is the only home to Asiatic lions in Asia. The other interesting animals here are the Indian leopard, hyenas, jungle cat, honey badger, nilgai, chinkara, etc. Another important thing that you can do here is the jungle safari which is very adventurous and thrilling. A city is also an interesting place for people who love to watch birds and spend time with nature.
Best time to visit– November till March
Vadodara
It is located on the banks of the Vishvamitri river and it is one of the most beautiful cities in the state of Gujarat. It is situated at a distance of 109 km from Ahmedabad and earlier it was called as Baroda. Important places to visit here are Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Baroda Museum, Kirti Mandir, and Sayajirao Gaekwad hospital, Sayaji Baug, Sursagar Lake, Nyay Mandir, EME Temple, Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, etc. It is also called the cultural capital of Gujarat and it is a blessing to witness the culture and the colours of the city during the Navratri celebration.
Junagarh
It is located near Mount Girnar and the distance from Ahmedabad to Junagadh is approximately 319 km. Junagadh means old fort and people visit here for major attractions such as Mahabat Maqbara, Durbar Hall Museum, Mount Girnar, Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden, Ashoka’s Rock Edicts, and Buddhist Caves.
This city has elements present from all four religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam and therefore, throughout the year one or the other festival is always celebrated.
Rajkot
It is known as the city of princesses and it was formerly a princely state during the British empire. In recent times, this particular place has emerged as one of the most preferred tourist destinations in Gujarat. It is located at a distance of 218 km from Ahmedabad and it is known for its architectural and historical places such as Watson Museum, Kaba Gandhi No Delo, Aji Dam, Rotary Dolls Museum, Khambhalida Caves, and Lal Pari Lake, etc.
It is also known for its textiles, jewellery, silk embroidery, automobile industries, etc. It also hosts several cultural events and festivals and kite festivals and Navratri is the most popular ones.
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