- 7 Nights / 8 Days
- Baroda → Champaner ➝ Ahmedabad ➝ Lothal ➝ Somnath ➝ Gir
Tour Overview
Gujarat may not have a Taj Mahal or a fort-like Chittorgarh but it does have cross-cultural influences so clearly depicted in its architecture. From the North and West of Gujarat to South, Gujarat has been visited by people from all over the world, people who have left their mark on this state and left behind a rich legacy in the form of architectural splendors. Even the great modern architect Le Corbusier was fascinated by Gujarat and one can see his creations in Ahmedabad. Join NamasteIndiaTrip 8 days 7 nights exploration of the wonderful architecture ranging from the marble carvings at Delwara to the Indo-Saracenic Style of architecture in the once royal seat of Champaner and other attractionsDays Itinerary
Welcome to Baroda, once the seat of power of the Gaekwads where our Ameera Holidays representative escorts you to the waiting AC coach that will take you to Champaner, a World Heritage Site. Admire the fortress, the battlements and the remnants of what was once a glorious city. From here we proceed to Chhota Udaipur in the heart of the tribal Panchmahal District, replete with paintings and traditions of local tribals. Jambughoda is a unique and as yet unspoiled nature reserve at a distance from Champaner. Stay the night in Chota Udaipur.
A Gujarati breakfast leaves you energized for the drive to Ahmedabad, a distance of 215 km that takes about 4 hours. Ahmedabad is a mix of ancient and modern, with its inimitable Sarkhej Roza, the Sidi Saiyed Jali, Kalupur Swaminarayan temple with its wooden carvings, the Hathisingh Jain temples with its exquisite marble carvings and the modern monuments created by Le Corbusier and Luis Kahn. Visit these as well as the old city with its pols and heritage haveli now restored for visitors.
The morning is reserved for a walking tour to the old city to view the Havelis with intricately carved pillars. In the afternoon, after lunch, you board the coach for the drive to Lothal to view excavations of this site dating back to 2400 BC. From here we move on to Palitana the Jain temple city. Jain devotees climb hundreds of steps to reach temples on Shetrunjaya hill and pray at the temples here. From the top, the view of Palitana with its spread of temples is simply magnificent. Stay for the night in Palitana.
Breakfast and then set out on the four-hour ride to Dasada in Kutch, a drastic change of scenery with sand all around. However, the desert is alive with life with wild asses in focus as you will find when you explore it. Stay at the camp resort.
From Dasada we drive the next morning to Danta, a distance of 200 km. On the way, we stop at interesting spots to view architectural relics dating back to the Chalukyan period. One of the finest examples is the Sun Temple at Modhera dating back to the 11th Century and the stepwell at Patan. Then it is a brief stop at Vadnagar to view the 12th Century Jain temples of Taranga. You reach Danta in the evening and stay in a heritage hotel.
