Ahmedabad is the cultural capital of Gujarat and a major textile and crafts center of India. The city is also packed with a diversity of architectural styles, with over fifty mosques and tombs, as …

At Balaram the impeccably restored 1930s neo-classical Palace is one of the best heritage hotels in Gujarat. The charming and well maintained palace makes an ideal stop-over between Ahmedabad and …

Balasinor is 117 km east of Ahmedabad. It has a charming Garden Palace built in 1883 and now run as a heritage hotel by the present Nawab. Balasinor is just 25 kms away from the pre-historic site of …

Bhavnagar is a busy and friendly city which still contains many traditional buildings with overhanging wooden balconies, and a huge market place. The market’s lanes are extremely narrow and …

Bhuj is the capital of the Kutch province known for its congregation of textile weavers and designers. The now deserted palace buildings of the Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal, have an eerie beauty unlike …

Chhota Udepur is a picturesque small town, centred around a lake, about 95 km east of Vadodara. The town has palaces, fortifications and mansions built during the days when it was an important …

Dasada is a small village occupied mainly by farmers, nomadic cattle herders and artisans. It is situated on the outskirts of the Rann of Kutch, a vast salt marsh that spans 30,000 square kilometers. …

The city of Dwarka, renowned in myth and legend, was once the capital of Lord Krishna’s empire. It is one of the seven sacred cities or ‘Sapta Puris’ as well as one of the four …

Gandhidham was specially built to relocate sindhi migrants from Pakistan after the partition and has since flourished as a small scale industrial centre supplying Kandla’s industries with …

Gondal is a former princely state which was known for its progressive rulers. In the late 19th century, Gondal did away with the women’s purdah or veil, abolished land taxes and insisted on …

Hodka is a little village north of Bhuj surrounded by an area of impressive natural beauty, an ideal base location to discover Kutch. Kutch is renowned for its arts and crafts and is also visited by …

A tiny forested principality, the village of Jambughoda sits amongst low hills. There are small tribal hamlets scattered on the hill slopes. It is possible to visit some tribal homes to observe their …

The princely city of Jamnagar is dominated by its many palaces. Known for its tie-and-dye (bandhini) fabrics and its temples, Jamnagar also has a bird-rich lake where more than 75 species of birds …

Historically, Junagadh is one of the most interesting cities of Gujarat. Emperor Ashoka’s rock edicts here date to the 3rd century BC and there are also ancient Buddhist cave-sites dated to the …

The old port town of Mandvi is famous for its centuries old tradition of hand crafted dhows. These sturdy ocean ships that travel as far as the Middle East and Africa are built from staggeringly large …

Situated on the Tropic of Cancer, the Sun Temple of Modhera is one of the finest examples of Indian temple architecture. Built in 1026 A.D. the temple is dedicated to the Sun-God, Surya, and stands …

The small village of Moti-Virani is located just over an hour’s drive from Bhuj. It houses the Centre for Desert and Ocean (CEDO), an initiative started by an Indian ornithologist. This group …

In the holy city of Palitana, Shatrunjaya Hill is an important place of worship in Jainism, a belief system that revolves around non-violence toward all living things - people, animals, even insects. …

Home of the famous patola silk saris, Patan is a beautiful old town with Jain temples and carved wooden houses. It has an impressive step well and lake. The 1000 year old step well at Patan is located …

The birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Porbandar was the capital of an important princely state and has many historic buildings. The creeks of Porbandar attract large flocks of flamingos, waders and …

Poshina is a village in the north of Gujarat. Time has stood still in here. Far from the hustle and bustle of Ahmedabad, this is a rural area predominantly inhabited by Bhil and Garasia tribal …

Rajkot, the former capital of the princely state of the same name, is a fast developing city in the Saurashtra peninsula. In the pre-independence days, a was headquarters of the British Government …

A former Rajput princely state, Rajpipla was one of the more influential and advanced states. It had its own private railway line, called the Rajpipla State Railway. The fertility of the surrounding …

Sasangir is the only habitat of the lion left outside Africa. And with the lion population 300 strong, your chances of spotting one are very good. Game viewing is done by jeep and is the best in the …

Somnath, also known as Prabhas Patan and Deva Patan has great religious and historical significance. The Somnath Temple has one of the 12 Jyotirlingas (Shiva Shrines) and is one of the most important …

One of the oldest cities of Gujarat, Surat has been a flourishing centre of international trade since the 14th century. Surat was the chief port of the Mughal empire; from here pilgrims would sail to …

The little village of Utelia is the archetypal hamlet of the Indian countryside. Sun browned children run to greet you and tiled roofs sit cheek to jowl except near the Palace where they fall back and …

This rapidly expanding industrial centre, previously known as Baroda, was once the capital of one of the most powerful princely states, known as Gaekwad. It remains a pleasant and relaxing place to …

Velavadar National Park is a grassland tract rich in wildlife including India’s largest herds of blackbuck (Indian antelope), the endangered Indian wolf and striped hyena, and smaller mammals …

The fishing port of Veraval is known for its dhow-building yard where massive hand-built seaworthy vessels are made. Once a port of the Nawab of Junagadh, it has old gates and historic buildings.

Wankaner is a dusty little town that specializes in the making of roof and floor tiles. Wankaner is lent distinction though by the Ranjit Vilas Palace that features pointed Gothic arches, Mughal domes …

Zainabad is a small village situated on the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch, a vast expanse of flat, salty and barren land. The 4,950 sq km sanctuary is the home of the Indian wild ass. These …