Gujarat Holiday Packages (5 Nights / 6 Days)

Ahmedabad is the right choice to begin different Gujarat holiday packages.

Start this tour from Ahmedabad and enjoy a day trip to Jamnagar.

Check in at the hotel and later visit the beautiful Lakhota Lake (also known as Ranmal Lake; entry fee INR 10/5 per adult/child) which is famous for its island fort and museum and nearly 75 species of birds like flamingos and pelicans.

You may also like to enjoy the fountain and laser show (3 shows daily; INR 25/15 per adult/child; closed on Wednesday).

Lakhota Museum (10:30 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. and 02:30 p.m. to 05:30 p.m.; INR 10/50 per Indian/foreigner) on the lake island is another attraction worth visiting as it houses many interesting exhibits like pottery, swords and a whale skeleton.

In the evening, visit the Bala Hanuman Temple, listed in Guinness Book of World Records for its nonstop Ramdhun since 1956.

Save some time for shopping before retiring to the hotel for the night stay.

• What to Eat? Enjoy street food like bhajiya, gathia, khandvi, dry fruit kachori and ghugra. Sweets like peda, rasmalai and anjeer pak are absolutely delicious. Some of the good restaurants in Jamnagar include The Saffron (Indian, Chinese, Asian and seafood), 7 Seas (Indian, Asian) and Checkers (kebabs and chicken). Try the very refreshing paan after food.
• What to Buy? Jamanagar is a shoppers’ paradise with items like brass bangles, silver jewellery, tie and dye fabrics, embroidery work and brass wooden chests. Popular shopping areas include Chandi Bazaar, Lindi Bazaar and Willingdon Crescent.
• Other Attractions: If time allows, you can visit Marine National Park (where reefs can be explored without diving into the sea), Khijadia Bird Sanctuary and Darbargadh Palace.

On the second day of Gujarat holiday packages tour, visit the holy town of Dwarka, which served as the kingdom of Lord Krishna.

On arrival, check in at the booked hotel.

While the original kingdom is believed to have sunk under the sea, the present day town is a prominent Hindu pilgrimage destination.

It is one of the four primary Dhams (included in the Char Dhams) and also one of the seven Mokshapuris (where one is believed to attain salvation).

The main attraction here is Dwarkadeesh Temple (opens at 06:00 a.m.; Mangala Aarti at 06:30 a.m.; closing time 01:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.; Sandhya Aarti at 07:30 p.m.; closes at 09:30 p.m.) which is believed to be built over the palace of Lord Krishna.

The beautiful temple boasts of majestic sculptures, soaring spires and a multi-coloured flag with symbols of sun and moon and overlooks the confluence of holy River Gomati with Arabian Sea.

Attend the evening (sandhya) aarti and explore other attractions depending on the time available.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

• What to Eat? There are small eateries/dhabas/joints near the main temple and across the town where you can have Gujarati fare, including Gujarati thalis, street snacks like kachori, fafda, samosa and sweets like ladoo and jalebi. For lund and dinner, some popular options include AmrutRas (Gujarati thali, Chinese), Blue Coriander (Indian, International) and Chappan Bhog (multi-cuisine).
• What to Buy? Patola silk sarees, bandhni (tie and dye) fabrics, embellished footwear, dresses with exquisite mirror work and showpieces and handicrafts are some of the items easily found at the local bazaars.
• Other Attractions: Nageshwar Mahadev Temple (one of the twelve Jyotirlingas), Rukmini Devi Temple (dedicated to Krishna’s main queen), Gopi Talab (popular for the fragrant mud or chandan obtained from its bed), Dwarka Lighthouse and Bet Dwarka (an island in the Arabian Sea with many temples) are some of the other attractions of Dwarka. Popular activities include leisurely strolls and breathtaking sunset viewing at Dwarka Beach, a holy dip in Gomati and feeding flour balls to the fishes.

Get ready as we take you to another popular attraction of Gujarat holiday packages, the Jyotirlinga Temple of Somnath.

On the way, stop at Porbandar where the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi was born.

Visit the birth place of Gandhiji, Rana Bapu’s Mahal and the famous memorial Kirti Mandir (10:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 03:00 p.m. to 06:00 p.m.) in the neighbourhood.

Also, visit the world’s only Sudama Temple that stands as testimony of the unconditional friendship of Lord Krishna with his childhood friend.

Continue the road journey to Somnath and on arrival; check in at the booked hotel.

After some rest, visit the grand Somnath Temple (06:00 a.m. to 09:30 p.m.; morning aarti at 07:00 a.m. and evening aarti at 07:00 p.m.) where Soma (Moon) performed tough penance to please Lord Shiva and get rid of the curse of darkness, as per the Hindu mythology.

The Chalukya Architecture style adds to the temple’s grandeur, while the vast sea seems to guard the temple’s divinity.

Later, you can explore other attractions near the temple and return to the main temple for the spellbinding evening aarti. Overnight stay at the hotel.

• What to Eat? Just like Dwarka, Somnath also has small eateries and dhabas where the delicious Gujarati snacks, sweets and thalis can be enjoyed. Hotel Somnath Sagar is popular for Kathiawadi cuisines and Paras Bhojanalaya is a well-known dhaba with quality Gujarati food. Surbhi Restaurant, Sugar N Spice and Iceberg Icecreams are some other good options.
• What to Buy? Look for Gujarati dress materials, wall hangings, quilts and miniature idols at the local bazaars around the main temple. There are some interesting showpieces and handmade items adorned with beads, shells, mirrors, sequins and other similar materials that are worth buying.
• Other Attractions: Bhalka Teerth (where Lord Krishna’s feet was hit by a hunter’s arrow), Panch Pandav Gufa, Sun Temple and Triveni Sangam (confluence of three rivers, Kapila, Hiranya and Saraswati) are some of the famous tourist places you can visit depending on the time available. Popular activities include horse and camel rides and sunset viewing at Somnath Beach.

Gujarat holiday packages are not just about pilgrimage. On this day of the itinerary, you will be taken to the delightful beach town of Diu.

An erstwhile Portuguese colony, the place continues to flaunt the colonial charm through old edifices. The beaches and the whole environment are absolutely relaxing, allowing the distressed souls to find respite.

On arrival check in at the booked hotel and take some rest.

Later, you can visit Diu Fort (08:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m.), the Portuguese-style fort built in 1535. In the state of ruins, it still holds the old-world charm and boasts of attractions like lighthouse, cannons, Venetian Gothic style bungalows, mansions and three churches.

St. Paul’s Church with its Baroque facade and other highlights is the top attraction of the fort.

Enjoy the commanding views of the sea from the fort. Next, you can visit St. Thomas Church which now serves as Diu Museum (08:00 a.m. to 09:00 p.m.) and houses collections of wood and marble statues, inscriptions and fountains.

In the evening, have some great time relaxing at one of the many serene beaches of Diu.

Ghogla Beach is among the cleanest and secluded ones, while Nagoa Beach offers eye-pleasing beauty with azure water, white sand and palm trees. Overnight stay at the hotel.

• What to Eat? Diu promises an eclectic mix of the traditional Gujarati cuisines and contemporary seafood preparations. Some of the popular preparations include potaya, pasta with squid, shrimp soup, prawn masala and other options prepared using fish, crabs and lobsters. The famous restaurants in the town include Night Heron, O’ Coqueiro Music Garden Restaurant, Heranca Goesa and Apana Foodland. Also, Diu is the place where you can enjoy cheap liquor.
• What to Buy? The markets and bazaars in Diu are lined up with shops selling foreign branded electronic and fashion goods at shockingly reasonable prices. Princess Park Market and Maharaja Super Market are the popular places where you can buy leather items, bamboo stuff, brassware and terracotta items. You can also buy decorative items made of shells, ivory and oysters from the roadside stalls as well as a variety of cashew nuts.
• Other Attractions: Jalandhar Beach, Naida Caves, Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple (washed by and sometimes submerged in the sea waves), INS Khukri Memorial and Sea Shell Museum are other tourist places you may visit if the time allows. The exciting activities in Diu include water sports like surfing and parasailing and cycling and dolphin watching.

None of the Gujarat holiday packages is complete without exploring the majestic Asiatic lions.

The highlight of this day of the trip is the visit to Sasan Gir, the last home to the Asiatic lions.

Established in 1965, the park also hosts other wild species like leopard, jackal, striped hyena, chital, nilgai, four-horned antelope, chinkara, porcupines, pangolins and many more. Reptiles like mugger crocodiles, pythons, monitor lizards and cobras and birds like orioles, eagles, pitta, grey hornbills and woodpeckers are other star highlights.

On arrival, check in at the booked hotel and take some rest. Later, we take you to Gir Interpretation Zone at Devaliya (08:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and 03:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.; INR 150/2,400 on weekdays and INR 190/3,400 every Saturday and Sunday per Indian/foreigner; Wednesday holiday).

Later, join us on a thrilling safari ride in an open jeep to have close encounters with the lord or the jungle and other wild attractions.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Jungle Safari Information:

• Timings: 06:00 a.m. to 09:00 a.m.; 09:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 03:00 p.m. to 06:00 p.m. in summers. In winters, the timings are postponed by half an hour.
• Vehicles: Open jeeps (30 allowed per safari trip) or private vehicles (only Euro 3 amenable petrol ones)
• Charges: INR 800/4,800 on weekdays and INR 1,000/6,000 every Saturday and Sunday per 6 Indians/foreigners. One child (age 3-12 years) can be accommodated for free. Additional charges include INR 400 (guide fee), INR 2,100 (vehicle hire) and INR 200/1,200 per Indian/foreigner (camera fee).
• Closing Time: The park closes from June 16 to October 15 every year due to monsoons.

 On day 6, you will proceed from Sasangir to Ahmedabad where you will be dropped at the airport or railway station as per your choice. A memorable itinerary of Gujarat holiday packages ends here.