Tribal circuit in Gujarat Kutch

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Welcome to Gujarat

  Your arrival at Surat airport and transfer to Dang to meet the Dang tribes (known for their incredible dances) and the Adivasi. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 2

  Dang

  A day entirely dedicated to discovering the customs and traditions of these tribes. Night at the hotel.

• day 3

  Dang – Chhota Udaipur

  Departure towards Chhota Udaipur. Visit of the picturesque Rathwa villages in the surroundings, with their terracotta houses with decorated walls. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 4

  Chhota Udaipur – Jambugodha

  Departure towards Jambugodha – a former princely state that has become a nature reserve. Visit of tribal villages to observe a way of life that has remained traditional and to admire houses painted using the so-called "pithora" technique. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  Jambugodha – Champaner - Balasinor

  Departure for Champaner, whose fort is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit to the Pavagadh temple, dedicated to the goddess Maha Kali Maa. Drive to Balasinor, known for its Fossil Park and especially the Dinosaur Park, located near the village of Raiyoli. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 6

  Balasinor – Palanpur/Danta

  Departure for Palanpur and visit of the surrounding villages to meet the Bhil and Garasia tribes. Overnight at the hotel in Palanpur or Danta.

• day 7

  Palanpur/Danta - Poshina

  Departure for Poshina, where you settle into a charming small hotel. End of the afternoon at the Poshina market, where villagers from the surrounding areas gather. You observe the endless negotiations in the blacksmiths' stalls and admire the potters' workshops, where the terracotta horses that make the city famous are shaped, then those of the goldsmiths. A glance at the 14th-century Shiva temple.

• day 8

  Poshina

  Day dedicated to continuing visits in the surrounding areas, inhabited by Garasia and Bhil tribes. In the afternoon, discovery of Garasia villages, to the west of Poshina. The family houses there are spacious and the outfits very colorful. You continue towards hamlets of Rabari tribes. The women's arms are adorned with bangles up to the elbow. Excursion to the great Vishnuite temple of Shamlaji.

• day 9

  Poshina – Modhera - Zainabad

  Departure towards Modhera and visit of the 11th-century temple.<br>Drive to Zainabad, one of the gateways to the Little Rann of Kutch wildlife sanctuary. This desert is covered with dried mud and saline deposits left by ocean waters that advance inland during high tides. It is the last refuge of the wild ass of Asia.<br>Overnight at the camp.

• day 10

  Zainabad - Dhordo or Devpur

  Departure for Dhordo, also called the “White Desert”, or Devpur, which will be your overnight stops to visit the surrounding villages. A refined and diverse artisanal tradition reflects the different ethnic groups: Sumrasar Sheikh, Khavda, and Ludiya. Overnight at the Dhordo camp or at the Devpur hotel.

• day 11

  Dhordo and its surrounding villages

  Visit of the villages. Night at the Dhordo camp or at the Devpur hotel.

• day 12

  Dhordo or Devpur – Wankaner

  Road to Wankaner, a princely state ruled by the Jhala Rajput clan, and which was one of the four princely states of Jhalawad. It was under the reign of King Amarsinhji that 5 palaces and many bungalows were built. Wankaner still retains much of this heritage today. Night at the hotel.

• day 13

  Wankaner – Junagadh – Gondal

  Road to Junagadh, a pleasant city dominated by Mount Ginar which rises to 1,117 m. Visit of the astonishing mausoleums of the nawabs, Muslim rulers who reigned over this region until 1947. The sculptures and decorations are abundant. Discovery of the Uparkot citadel and Ashoka's rock inscription. Road to Gondal. Visit of the Naulakha Palace which overlooks the river. Its facade, balconies, and ornate windows are particularly remarkable. Check-in at the Riverside Palace, built in the 19th century, where the princely family still resides (145 km for about 4 hours of travel).

• day 14

  Gondal - Palitana

  Departure for Palitana, the most important Jain pilgrimage site. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 15

  Palitana - Bhavnagar

  Ascent on foot or in a palanquin, the 3,500 steps allow you to reach all 863 Jain temples, located at the top of the hills overlooking the Saurasthra plain. Visits to the temples end at 5:30 pm and no one is allowed to stay on site, not even the priests. The construction of these temples, spread over nine enclosures, lasted more than 900 years on this sacred mountain dedicated to the gods. The most beautiful sanctuary is surrounded by a magnificent frieze composed of dragons; another is regularly visited by infertile women who ask the gods to grant them the possibility of having children. From the summit, there is a superb view over the region and, on a clear day, over the Gulf of Cambay. Transfer to the hotel.

• day 16

  Bhavnagar

  Day at your disposal and, depending on the time of your flight, transfer to Bhavnagar airport.