Gujarat Tour

AHEMDABAD: It is the largest city in Gujarat, associated with the great thinker and freedom fighter, Mahatma Gandhi. It is an exclusive blend of Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. The city`s prosperous and eventful past and present is embodied in its rich kaleidoscope of history, art and culture, rich architecture and imposing monuments. The city is a famous business hub and is well known for chemical and textile industries.

GANDHINAGAR: Located about 25 kilometers north of Ahmedabad; Gandhinagar is the newly built capital of Gujarat, named after Mahatma Gandhi. It is one of the few planned city in India. The city looks beautiful with the organized and architectural design.

JAMNAGAR: It is called as the ‘Jewel of Kathiawad’. It was a princely state of considerable importance and is rich in relics from the time of the Jadeja Rajput kings locally known as the Jam Sahibs. Adjacent to the Kutch region in northwestern Gujarat, Jamnagar is a very calm and quiet destination with temples, palaces, forest, Bird and Marine Sanctuaries.

VADODARA: It is the cultural capital of Gujarat, a place known for its age old cultural tradition of music, and fine arts. It is a city of beautiful gardens, magnificent palaces and many institutions of learning of international repute. Vadodara has developed a thriving industrial and commercial centre. The oil refinery, fertilizer factory and petrochemical complex here have triggered the growth of engineering. Embroidery with gold, silver and silk thread, gold and silver ornaments, engraving on ebony, sandalwood and other wood and lacquer work (which is made at world famous Sankheda) are the traditional handicrafts of the area.

SURAT: It is the important trading center and port of ancient India, the city of Textile mills. It is also famous for its zari and brocades and is also an important diamond cutting centre. It is a city of gems and diamonds. Located on the southern bank of Tapti, Surat is renowned for its fine silk and exquisite brocades like the Tanchoi, Gajee and Kinkhab styles sometimes woven with gold and silver threads. It is also famous for spices and its diamond market as well as ivory and wood artwork of rare beauty.

SAPUTARA: Gujarat’s most popular hill resort, Saputara literally means ‘the Abode of Serpents’ and is situated on top of the second highest plateau in the Sahyadri range in the center of thick forests. The place offers breathtaking views of the sunrise and sunset.

RAJKOT: Discovered in the 16th century by a Rajput chief, the city of Rajkot in Gujarat is located amid the peninsula further northwest of Surat, and offers famous bead, silk embroidery and mirror work, tie and dye (bandhani), and appliqué work. There are many small scale industries in Rajkot. Mirror-work, jewellery market, Bandhani Sarees, patch work, bead work, silk embroidery and watch parts are specialty of Rajkot.

BHAVNAGAR: It is a beautiful coastal city associated with Gandhiji. Mahatma Gandhi went to university here. Chief works undertaken here are salt works, shipbuilding and ship breaking yards along the Bhavnagar coast. It also has many good educational institutes with excellent architecture.

JUNAGADH: It was once the capital of the Junagadh State under the Muslim rulers of Babi Nawabs. In Gujarati, `Junagadh` literally means an ancient fort. The Junagadh town is located at the foothills the sacred hill of Girnar and occupies a special place in the history of Gujarat.

PORBANDAR: It is the coastal heritage towns of Gujarat. The most impressive feature of Porbandar is the city planning and the stone buildings with ashlar masonry and rich carving. It is famous for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. It provides breath taking sights of landscaped grasslands, fields and valleys.

BHUJ: Known popularly as the doorway to Kutch, the old walled city Bhuj is one the most important tourist destinations in India.

SOMNATH: This pilgrimage centre is an imposing structure offering a spectacular sight to the beholders, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The legend says Somnath was built by none other than the Moon God himself at the time of creation. The remains of the temple "braved the shocks of time and survived the attacks of destroyers.

DWARKA: It is an important city for Hindu Pilgrimage. This was the kingdom of Lord Krishna. The entire city was revealed by marine excavations. The city of Dwarka, renowned in myth and legend, was once the capital of Lord Krishna`s empire

PALITANA: Amongst all the Jain temples, Palitana temples are considered to be the most sacred. Located on Shetrunjaya hills there are 863 temples, exquisitely carved in marble.

GIRNAR: It is known as a holy place and important pilgrimage for both Hindus and Jains. There are a number of temples located here, which have famously converted it into a township of temples. The Girnar Hills are a collection of five hills and on each of its five peaks are five Jain temples built in the 12th century.

GIR FORESTS: The Gir National Park was established on 18th September, 1965, as a Forest Reserve, primarily to conserve the Asiatic lion. The Gir is a mixed deciduous type of forest with teak, ber, flame of the forest, jamun, a variety of acacia, particularly babul. It is a hilly tract with plenty of rivers, and offers the visitor long pleasant drives, through the thick forest cover. The chinkara, wild boar, striped hyena, jackal, common langur, porcupine, hare, black buck, are the other animals, that can be found in this sanctuary.

WANKANER: It derives its name from the geographical feature related to the location of the town: `Wanka` means a bend and `ner` means water stream in Gujarati. Wankaner literally means a bend on the stream and it is located on the bend of the Machchhu river Wankaner also has a step well, the last one to be built in Gujarat. In the royal oasis complex, the 3-storied step well, has 2 underground floors with cool subterranean marble rooms, fine sculptures and a fountain.