Weekend getaways from Ahmedabad

13 weekend trips from Ahmedabad

1. 1

   Statue of Unity (Ekta Nagar)

   200 km · 3.5–4 h via the Ahmedabad–Vadodara Expressway; trains to Ekta Nagar (Kevadia) stationOctober–March; July–September when the Narmada dam overflowsFamilies, first-timers, school groups

   Go up to the viewing gallery inside the 182 m statue, then spend the afternoon on the riverfront, the cactus and butterfly gardens and the evening laser show. Book tickets online for a fixed slot; the gallery is closed on Mondays. Tent-city stays and hotels in Ekta Nagar save you the drive back after the show.

2. 2

   Polo Forest

   150 km · 3 h via Himmatnagar and Idar; no direct trainJuly–MarchLesser-known pick, monsoon walks, ruins

   The Sharneshwar and Lakhena temples, Jain shrines and old stepwells lie scattered through dry-deciduous forest along the Harnav river; walk or cycle between them. After the monsoon the forest turns green and the Harnav dam fills. Stays are a few resorts and camps around Vijaynagar, and food options are limited, so carry snacks.

3. 3

   Mount Abu

   225 km · 4–4.5 h via Palanpur and Abu Road; trains to Abu Road (3.5–4 h), then 45 min upOctober–June; July–September for monsoon mistNearest hill station, families

   See the marble carving of the Dilwara Jain temples (non-Jain visiting hours are limited to the afternoon, and photography is banned), boat on Nakki Lake and drive to Guru Shikhar, the highest point in the Aravallis. Diwali and summer weekends are packed, so book early. The Abu Road ghat is narrow; drive it in daylight.

4. 4

   Udaipur

   260 km · 4.5–5 h via NH-48, Himmatnagar and Shamlaji; trains from Asarwa (5–6 h at the time of review)September–MarchCouples, palaces, lake views

   Take a boat on Lake Pichola at sunset, give the City Palace a full morning, and go up to Sajjangarh or the Karni Mata ropeway for views. Stay around Lal Ghat or Gangaur Ghat in the old city for lake-facing rooms. Old-city lanes are too narrow for large cars, so park outside and walk.

   Plan Udaipur
5. 5

   Champaner–Pavagadh

   150 km · 2.5–3 h via the expressway, Vadodara and Halol; trains to Vadodara, then 1 hOctober–February; monsoon for green hillsHeritage, spiritual trips, history buffs

   The UNESCO-listed Champaner–Pavagadh park has 15th–16th century mosques, the Jami Masjid among the finest, scattered around the old Gujarat Sultanate capital. A ropeway takes you most of the way up Pavagadh hill to the Kalika Mata temple. Navratri and Sunday crowds on the hill are intense, so go on a weekday morning.

6. 6

   Modhera & Patan

   110 km · 2 h via Mehsana; no useful trainOctober–FebruaryHeritage, textile lovers

   See the 11th-century Sun Temple at Modhera with its stepped tank, and Rani ki Vav in Patan, a UNESCO-listed stepwell carved with hundreds of sculptures. In Patan, visit a Patola weaving family to see double-ikat silk being made; one sari can take months. It works as a day trip, or as an overnight with Mehsana as the base.

7. 7

   Little Rann of Kutch (Dasada)

   100 km · 2–2.5 h via Viramgam; no useful trainOctober–MarchWildlife, birding, salt-pan landscapes

   Take a jeep safari across the flat Rann to see the Indian wild ass, which survives in the wild almost only here, plus flamingos, cranes and desert foxes in winter. Stay at an eco-lodge in Dasada or Bajana that runs its own safaris. If your lodge arranges a visit to the Agariya salt farmers, remember the pans are their livelihood, not a set.

8. 8

   Great Rann of Kutch (Dhordo)

   410 km · 6.5–7.5 h via Bhachau and Bhuj; overnight trains to Bhuj, then 1.5 hNovember–February (Rann Utsav)White desert, crafts, full-moon nights

   Walk onto the white salt desert at Dhordo at sunset and again by moonlight, drive up Kala Dungar for the view across the Rann, and visit craft villages such as Hodka and Nirona. Stay in the Rann Utsav tent city or a mud-and-thatch bhunga homestay. A permit is needed for the white Rann; get it online or at the Bhirandiyara checkpoint.

   Plan Gujarat
9. 9

   Sasan Gir

   360 km · 6–7 h via Rajkot and Junagadh; trains to Junagadh or Veraval, then 1–1.5 hMid-October–mid-JuneAsiatic lions, families

   Book a Gir Jungle Trail jeep safari on the official forest portal as soon as dates open; Diwali and Christmas slots go very quickly. If you miss out, the Devalia safari park inside the sanctuary gives near-certain lion sightings. Stay in Sasan's resort belt and add the Somnath temple, about 45 km away, on the way home.

10. 10

    Dwarka & Bet Dwarka

    440 km · 7–8 h via Rajkot and Jamnagar; overnight trains to DwarkaOctober–MarchSpiritual trips, sea views

    Attend the evening aarti at the Dwarkadhish temple, cross the Sudarshan Setu bridge to Bet Dwarka, and stop at the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga on the way. Stay in Dwarka near the temple. Janmashtami brings enormous crowds, and phones and bags must be deposited before you enter the main temple.

11. 11

    Diu

    370 km · 7–8 h via Bhavnagar and Una; limited flights to DiuOctober–MarchBeaches, Portuguese-era forts, a relaxed drink

    Walk the Portuguese-era Diu Fort and St Paul's Church, swim at Nagoa or Ghoghla beach and see the Naida caves. As part of a union territory, Diu is outside Gujarat's prohibition rules, so its bars are open. Rent a scooter to get around; the island is small and the roads are quiet.

12. 12

    Palitana

    215 km · 4 h via Bhavnagar; trains to Palitana via BhavnagarNovember–FebruaryJain pilgrimage, spiritual trips

    Climb the roughly 3,500 steps up Shatrunjaya hill at dawn to reach more than 800 Jain temples on its summit; the walk takes 1.5–2.5 hours. Eating or carrying food on the hill is not allowed, and everyone must come down by evening. Dolis (carried chairs) help those who cannot walk, and the pilgrimage pauses during the monsoon chaturmas.

13. 13

    Saputara

    400 km · 6.5–7.5 h via Vadodara, Surat and Waghai; no convenient trainJuly–September for the monsoon festival; October–FebruaryMonsoon hill break, families

    Gujarat's best-known hill station, at about 900 m in the Dangs, has lake boating, a ropeway, sunrise and sunset points, and Gira Falls near Waghai at full flow after the rains. The monsoon festival runs through August. The Waghai–Saputara ghat is foggy and slippery in the rains, so drive slowly with headlights on.

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