Gujarat Heritage & Wildlife

Gujarat: history

Gujarat's story goes back to the Harappan cities of Lothal and Dholavira, more than four thousand years ago. The Solanki kings of the 10th to 13th centuries built the Sun Temple at Modhera and the stepwell of Rani ki Vav at Patan.

Ahmedabad was founded in 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah. Mahatma Gandhi set up his ashram on the Sabarmati here and began the Salt March from it in 1930. Gujarat became a separate state on 1 May 1960.

Gujarat: tourist attractions

• Sabarmati AshramGandhi's home for over a decade, now a quiet museum by the river.
• Adalaj StepwellA five-storey carved stepwell from 1498.
• Statue of UnityThe 182-metre statue of Sardar Patel, the tallest statue in the world.
• Gir National ParkThe only wild home of the Asiatic lion.
• Somnath TempleThe first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, on the sea shore.
• Dwarkadhish TempleLord Krishna's temple at Dwarka, one of the Char Dham.
• White Rann of KutchThe salt desert, best seen in winter.

Gujarat: excursions nearby

• Modhera Sun Temple about 100 km from AhmedabadAn 11th-century temple and its stepped tank.
• Rani ki Vav, Patan about 125 km from AhmedabadA UNESCO-listed stepwell covered in sculpture.
• Lothal about 80 km from AhmedabadThe remains of a Harappan port town.
• Champaner–Pavagadh about 145 km from AhmedabadA UNESCO-listed old capital below the Kalika Mata hill temple.
• Palitana about 215 km from AhmedabadHundreds of Jain temples on Shatrunjaya hill.

Distances are approximate. Tell us which excursions you want and we add them to your quote.