Gujarat Tourism

Tour Duration : 09 Nights & 10 Days
Destination Covered : Ahamdabad – Palitana – Gondal – Dasada – Modhera – Patan – Balaram – Taranga – Vadnagar – Ahamdabad - Champaner
Highlights of the Tour : Gujarat has been a hub of civilization for more than four millennia. From 2700-1600 BC, the Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization thrived at sites like Lothal and Dholavira. The Harappan cities were known for their sophisticated town planning. From the 3rd century BC to the 7th century BC, Gujarat was a flourishing centre of Buddhism.

The 15th century saw the development of a provincial Indo-Saracenic style of architecture during the reign of Sultan Ahmed Shah, the founder of Ahmedabad, with mosques and mausoleum complexes which blended Hindu and Islamic architectural elements.

The 17th to 19th century period saw much trade out of Gujarat’s ports and the state’s merchants commissioned remarkable havelis with exquisite woodcarvings.

This itinerary has been designed to include a cross-section of these remarkable architectural styles characteristic of the state. The itinerary can also be modified to include impressive European works like the huge Portuguese fort of Diu, the exquisite churches of Daman, and the Dutch and British mausoleum complexes of Surat.

Day-1: Arrive Ahamdabad 
Arrive at Ahamdabad. Get driven to check in your pre booked hotel. Afternoon tour of the Sarkhej mausoleum complex & the Vishala Village complex with its superb utensils museum. Overnight stay at hotel. 

Day-2: Ahamdabad
Visit the Calico Museum of Textiles, one of India’s leading specialized museums. The collections include textile swatches of Indian origin found at archaeological sites of Egypt, silk sarees from across India, double-ikat silk sarongs made in Patan for the Indonesian market, chintz and curtains made from Dutch, British and Portuguese colonial powers in Gujarat, floral embroidery from Punjab, shawls from Kashmir, 18th century tie-and-dye, richly embroidered Mughal tent of Shah Jahan whose palace is nearby, royal wardrobes of Rajasthan, cloth paintings and manuscripts, religious narrative cloth paintings like Pichwais and Kalamkaris, etc. Afternoon visit to the exquisitely carved 15th century Adalaj stepwell. Overnight stay at hotel. 

Day-3: Ahamdabad – Palitana (by road 240 km)
Morning heritage walk in Ahmedabad. This walking tour offers an opportunity to see the old quarters of Ahamdabad lined with the beautifully carved wooden facades of havelis. Continue to Lothal to see the site museum and archaeological site offering an insight into the town planning of the Indus Valley Civilization. Proceed to Palitana/Bhavnagar. Overnight stay at hotel. 

Day-4: Palitana – Gondal (by road 170km) 
Ascend the Shatrunjaya Hill near Palitana town to see the huge complex of about 863 temples crowning two ridges of the summit. Descend and drive to Gondal. See the magnificent carvings and collections of the 1740s Naulakha Palace at Gondal. Overnight stay at hotel. 

Day-5: Gondal – Junagadh – Gondal
Day excursion to Junagadh to see the ancient Uparkot Fort, splendid Gothic palaces of the Nawabs and the flamboyant 19th century mausoleum complex. Return to Gondal, calling in en route to see the 4th century Buddhist caves of Khambalida.