PLACES TO VISIT IN SAURASHTRA(GUJARAT)
How Do You Plan a Trip to Saurashtra (Gujarat)
Well, if you are planning a trip to the Saurashtra region in Gujarat, then I have a perfect Itinerary for you. I had recently been on a trip to the Saurashtra region in Gujarat. I had been to some of the best places to visit in Saurashtra(Gujarat). Also, we visited Diu which is near Gujarat and the Union Territory of India. Diu is known for its beautiful beaches.
Well, the Saurashtra region comprises the districts located in the South Western part of Gujarat. This region in India has some beautiful places to visit. You can find some popular temples of India like Somnath and Dwarka in Gujarat. There are also some beautiful beaches. Asia’s second-longest ropeway is located in Junagadh which is in Saurashtra (Gujarat). The route from the Somnath temple to Dwarka has some beautiful views to offer. There are also a lot of stories of Lord Krishna in this route as Dwarka was Lord Krishna’s Kingdom. He had visited some places around Dwarka which I will mention ahead.
Saurashtra Itinerary-with Places to visit in Saurashtra(Gujarat)
Well, we had a Tour for almost 11 days in which we covered the Union territory of Diu and the best places to visit in Saurashtra (Gujarat). The best time to visit here is in the months of November till March. I will also be sharing some of the best food places, accommodations and more in the itinerary. This itinerary covers all the places and has all the detailed information. It is a perfect trip plan for Saurashtra Gujarat.
How to Reach to visit the Places to visit in Saurashtra(Gujarat)
The nearest airport to visit Saurashtra region in Gujarat is Porbandar Airport and the nearest railway station is the Veraval Railway Station.
DAY 1
We started our trip with our visit to the Gir Forest at Sasan Gir. We stayed at The Gateway Hotels at Sasan Gir. It is conveniently located near the Sinh Sadan at Sasan Gir from where you can get your Gypsy booked for the Jungle Safari. Well, I just enjoyed the scenic beauty of the mountains and rivers from the Hotel. As soon as you enter the Hotel you just feel the freshness of being amid nature. We just relaxed in the Hotel for this Day. You can CLICK HERE to book this Hotel. GET THE BEST DEALS AND OFFERS TO BOOK YOUR STAY.
Day 2
Well, the next day we went for a Safari at Devaliya Safari park which is built in a protected area. You have a chance to see the Asiatic Lions here. We also saw a lot of other animals here. We were accompanied by the Guide and a Driver in our Private Gypsy. They also have an option to see Devaliya Park on a Bus. The Devaliya Safari Park is built in a huge open and spacious protected area of the forest.
Day 3
On Day 3, we had moved from Sasan Gir to our next destination Diu. Diu is a Union Territory of India which is mainly popular for its beaches. There are a few places you must visit in Diu. Also, the sunsets from all these places are very beautiful. We stayed at Apaar Hotel in Diu. It is a good Hotel to stay in. If you would like to book the Hotel then you can Click Here. Also, they have a restaurant which is facing the beach. We enjoyed having food at their restaurant. We had a room with a beautiful sea view.
In the evening we visited the INS KHUKHRI MEMORIAL. It is built in the memory of the ship INS KHUKHRI which sank during the war in 1971. We spent some time here reading about the history of the ship. Also, this place is near the Sea and you can see a beautiful sunset from here.
DAY 4
Today we went to visit the popular beaches in Diu. In the morning we visited Nagao Beach. Well, this beach is a popular beach in Diu. You can also find a lot of Resorts to Stay near this beach. The Resorts have beautiful sea-facing rooms. We had a stroll on the beach. The Beach was kept clean and maintained well. Then we went to a restaurant in a resort near the beach. We had our lunch at Chulawala Restaurant which is in Krishna Beach Resort in Diu. The food served here was delicious.
In the evening we went to Ghoghla Beach which is a BLUE Flag Beach. This beach is a very clean beach and also well maintained. It is an amazing place to spend your evenings and watch the beautiful sunsets. Also, we saw some water sports activities on this Beach. There is a Kids Play Park near the beach.
Well, then we visited a small café known as SHREE RAM VIJAY REFRESHMENTS. They serve a variety of snacks and are known especially for their different flavours of Soda, Ice cream and flavoured Milk. The Vanilla flavoured Soda is something I have never had before. My favourite was Flavored vanilla Milk with Ice Cream. This is also something which was different and amazing in taste. Also, the ice cream they served was very good.
DAY 5
Now, our next destination is Somnath. Somnath is a popular destination for the Somnath temple. This temple is of Lord Shiva and is beautifully built near the sea. The location of the temple is along the coastline. You get to see some stunning sea views from the temple. It is a popular temple and is visited by several pilgrims and tourists. The exterior of the temples is filled with beautiful carvings. The temple is well maintained and kept clean. You feel a sense of calmness as soon as you enter the temple.
So, first, we checked in our Hotel Sarovar Portico at Somnath. Well, the hotel has spacious rooms and also the food here is excellent. If you are looking for a comfortable and luxury stay in Somnath, then I would suggest staying in the Hotel. To Book this Hotel you can CLICK HERE. Although, the Somnath temple is at a small distance from this Hotel. It is a good option to stay as they serve good food and also the Hotel is spacious enough to spend some time with your family.
So, we visited the Somnath temple in the evening after taking some rest in the Hotel. The temple is very beautiful as I mentioned above and is a perfect place to visit in the evenings. I felt so peaceful once I entered the temple. There are also a few benches to sit behind the temple to have a look at the beautiful sea. The temple is beautifully built near the coastline. You can get a perfect sunset view from this place.
Then we visited the newly built walkway near the temple. The walkway is built near the sea for enjoying the beautiful sunsets. Also, you can sit and enjoy the cool sea breeze on the walkway. This huge walkway is right behind the Somnath Temple. You can also get a beautiful view of the temple from the walkway. Well, the best time to visit the walkway is in the evenings. You get to see a beautiful sunset from this place.
DAY 6
So, the next day, after having a sumptuous breakfast at our Hotel, we visited a few other popular places in Somnath. In the morning we visited Bhalka teerth temple. Well, this place has an interesting history. So, at this location where the temple was built, Lord Krishna was hit with an arrow by a hunter by mistake.
Then, we then visited the Brahmakumari Temple located right next to Bhalka Teerth. I felt very peaceful at this temple once I entered this temple. Then, we went back to the Hotel for lunch and after taking some rest at the Hotel we went to see a few other interesting places.
The next place we visited was Golok Dham. Well, this place is located near the banks of the Hiran River. Well, it is said that Lord Krishna had visited this place to take rest after being hit with an arrow by the hunter at Bhalka Teerth and took his journey to neejdham from this sacred soil from this place. Also, his footprints are carved at this place in his memory.
Then, we visited the Triveni Sangam. The three rivers Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati meet at this place. It is known for the meeting of these rivers. Also, there is a boat ride here.
Day 7
So, then we headed towards an off-beat destination which is Madhavpur. It was wonderful exploring this beautiful place. Madhavpur is famous for its beach which is known as Madhavpur Beach. It is also a Blue Flag Beach.
Well, we stayed at the Fern Leo Beach Resort Madhavpur which is located right opposite the Beach. We enjoyed seeing the stunning sea views from our room. Almost, all the rooms in this Resort are sea-facing. So, on this day we took some rest after checking in the hotel and then we went to Madhavraiji temple in the evening.
Then we visited the Rukmani temple in Madhavpur. This place has an interesting history to share. It is said that Lord Krishna and Rukmani got married here. Well, this place is very peaceful and you get a calm feeling after you enter the place. The temple is amid a lot of greenery.
We then visited the Baithakji of Mahaprabhuji which is just opposite the Rukmani temple. Even, this place is very peaceful. You can visit this place while you are visiting the Rukmani temple. The temple is very well maintained.
After that, we visited the Madhavpur Beach in the evening. Well, this beach is very clean and there is something unique about it. The water on the beach too is very clean. I enjoyed seeing the serene sea views relaxing on the beach. You can also go for a camel ride on the Beach. You can sip on some fresh coconut water and some snacks near the Beach.
Then, we had dinner in our Hotel. The food served in the hotel was delicious. We enjoyed the food in their restaurant which had a very good ambience.
DAY 8
Well, the next day we started off early in the morning to visit the Dwarkadhish Temple in Dwarka. This is an ancient temple and is also a popular temple to visit in India. Also, the architecture of the temple from ancient times is interesting to see.
After, our visit to the temple, we had our lunch at the restaurant in Goverdhan Greens Resort in Dwarka. We had a Gujarati Thali. The Thali was filled with subzi, Dal, Rice, Chapati, Farsan and some Buttermilk(chaas). We enjoyed having the delicious Thali at this restaurant.
Then, we went to Porbandar which is Mahatma Gandhiji’s Birth Place. We went to see the Kirti Mandir in Porbandar where Mahatma Gandhiji was born. This place is kept very well maintained. We also saw some small rooms in the house. I saw the interiors of the house which was from ancient times.
Then we went to the hotel and relaxed in the evening enjoying the beautiful sunset view from our room.
DAY 9
The next day, after enjoying the delicious breakfast at the hotel, we went to Junagadh. Junagadh is popular for its Girnar Hills and also the recently built Ropeway which is Asia’s second longest ropeway.
Well, we went for lunch at a popular restaurant in Junagadh known as The Grand Patel. We had a Gujarati Thali in this restaurant which was very delicious. Also, the staff in the restaurant was good.
Well, then we checked into our Hotel. In Junagadh, we stayed at the Bellevue Sarovar Portico Hotel. Well, I must say this newly built Hotel has luxurious interiors with a beautiful restaurant and modern rooms. We had a Girnar view room in the Hotel. Have a look and book the Hotel HERE. We got to see a clear view of the beautiful mountains from the room. Also, the food in the restaurant was delicious.
Well, on this day we mostly relaxed in our room and explored some food in the city. In the evening, we went to this small little popular Joint which serves the best Bhelpuri in Junagadh. Well Bhelpuri, is a popular street food of Mumbai city in India. This place called “Narayanbhai Bhelwala” is an amazing place serving delicious Chaats like Bhelpuri, SevPuri, Dahi Puri and a lot more.
Then, we visited the GIGil Café which served very delicious food and Mocktails. I had a Veggie Burger which was very tasty. I liked the food here. Also, the staff here at the café was very good. The Veggie Burger was served with French Fries. Also, the patty in the Burger was very tasty.
Then we went back to the hotel and took some rest.
DAY 10
After enjoying the huge Breakfast spread in the hotel we went to the Girnar Ropeway. This is a recently built Ropeway which is Asia’s second longest Ropeway. The Girnar Ropeway is built on the Girnar Mountains. The Ropeway is built to visit the Amba Temple located on Girnar Mountain. Also, there is a restaurant built near the exit of the Ropeway to have some snacks. We enjoyed our visit to the Girnar Ropeway. Later we went to our hotel and enjoyed Girnar View relaxing in our Room. We enjoyed the lavish Dinner Buffet in the Hotel.
DAY 11
Well, this was the last day of our trip. Truly, this was a memorable trip. On our way, we visited the last destination of our Saurashtra trip which is Rajkot. We just spent a few hours in Rajkot as it was on our way back home. Rajkot is mainly popular for its Food. You will get a lot of variety in food to eat in Rajkot. If you are a foodie, then you can explore different places here which are popular for food.
So, we visited two of my favourite places in Rajkot to buy some sweets and Namkeens. Well, for sweets we bought Pedas (sweets) from Jai Siyaram Pendawala. Then, we bought some namkeens from the Rasikbhai Chevdawala. They have a lot of varieties of namkeens, especially the variety of Chivda and Chutneys.
If you want to plan a trip to Saurashtra, then the above itinerary has almost all the information to help you plan your trip. I would suggest you visit all the places to visit in Saurashtra(Gujarat) mentioned above.
Have a look at a glimpse of my journey to Saurashtra(Gujarat) in the below video
Have a look at my previous blog post to plan a trip to Statue of Unity in Gujarat in the below link