Quick answer
Start with a day in Ahmedabad, drive to Bhuj, then spend two nights near the White Rann at Dhordo with Kalo Dungar and the craft villages. Drive to Sasan Gir for a lion safari, see the evening aarti at Somnath, and fly out of Rajkot. To include the Statue of Unity, swap the Gir leg. Mid-range land costs start around ₹45,000 per person.
The route
- Ahmedabad
- Bhuj
- Dhordo (White Rann)
- Sasan Gir
- Somnath
- Rajkot
Day-by-day plan
- 1
Day 1
Ahmedabad
Morning: Arrive in Ahmedabad and check in.
Afternoon: Sabarmati Ashram, then Adalaj stepwell, about 18 km north, and the stone lattice at Sidi Saiyyed mosque.
Evening: Street food at the Manek Chowk night market.
Stay: Ahmedabad
- 2
Day 2
Old city walk and the drive to Bhuj
Morning: The municipal heritage walk through the pols, starting around 8 am at the Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur.
Afternoon: Drive about 330 km to Bhuj, roughly six hours.
Evening: Dabeli and a quiet evening in Bhuj.
Stay: Bhuj
- 3
Day 3
Bhuj and the White Rann
Morning: Smritivan Earthquake Memorial, or Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal.
Afternoon: Craft villages on the way north: Bhujodi for weaving and Nirona for rogan art. Collect your Rann permit.
Evening: Sunset on the White Rann at Dhordo, about 85 km from Bhuj.
Stay: Tent City at Dhordo or a bhunga homestay in Hodka or Dhordo
Bring a warm layer; the Rann is cold after dark from December to February.
- 4
Day 4
Kalo Dungar and the Rann by moonlight
Morning: Sunrise on the Rann, then breakfast.
Afternoon: Kalo Dungar, Kutch's highest point, in time for the noon feeding of jackals at the Dattatreya temple.
Evening: Rann Utsav's cultural programme, or a moonlit walk on the salt if your dates fall near the full moon.
Stay: Same as day three
- 5
Day 5
Kutch to Sasan Gir
Morning: Leave early for the long drive to Sasan Gir, about 380 km.
Afternoon: Lunch break around Rajkot or Gondal.
Evening: Arrive at Sasan Gir; early dinner before the dawn safari.
Stay: Sasan Gir
Statue of Unity option: from day five, drive back via Ahmedabad to Ekta Nagar instead, about 200 km from Ahmedabad, spend a night there, and fly out of Vadodara.
- 6
Day 6
Lion safari and Somnath
Morning: Dawn jungle-trail safari in Gir National Park, about three hours.
Afternoon: Devalia Safari Park if you missed lions, then drive about 45 km to Somnath.
Evening: Evening aarti at Somnath Temple and the sound-and-light show by the sea.
Stay: Somnath
Gir permits open online and weekends sell out; book as soon as your dates are firm.
- 7
Day 7
Somnath to Rajkot and home
Morning: Bhalka Tirth and the Triveni Sangam in Somnath.
Afternoon: Drive to Rajkot's airport at Hirasar, about 4.5–5 hours.
Evening: Fly home.
How this Gujarat plan works
Gujarat's three big sights sit far apart, so a week has to choose. This plan takes the two that most travellers want, the White Rann and Gir's lions, and adds Ahmedabad at the start and Somnath at the end. The longest drive is Kutch to Gir on day five, about seven to eight hours; everything else is shorter. It runs between November and February, when the Rann is dry, Rann Utsav's Tent City is open and Gir is in season.
What the cost covers
The mid-range figure of about ₹45,000 per person assumes 4-star hotels in Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Sasan Gir and Somnath, two nights in a premium tent at Dhordo with meals, an SUV with driver throughout, one Gir jungle-trail safari, the Rann permit and entry fees, on twin sharing. It excludes flights and meals outside Tent City. Full-moon dates cost more.
The Statue of Unity alternative
If you'd rather see the Statue of Unity than Gir, follow days one to four, then drive from Kutch back towards Ahmedabad and on to Ekta Nagar for a night, and fly home from Vadodara. With nine days you can do both.
Book Gir permits and Rann Utsav tents before anything else. Both sell out weeks ahead for December and January.
Plan the rest
Check the best time to visit Gujarat, see things to do in Gujarat, budget with the Gujarat trip cost, and plan meals with the Gujarati food guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add the Statue of Unity to this Gujarat itinerary?
Is the drive from Kutch to Gir too long?
Should I stay in Tent City or in Bhuj?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
