Gujarat

Metro Cities

Gujarat, the ‘Jewel of the West,’ is a tourist destination that offers something for every visitor. The state situated between 20^o1' and 24^o7' north latitudes and 68^o4' and 74^o4'east longitudes is bounded on the west by the Arabian sea which encloses the state on three sides, on the north-west by Pakistan, on the north by Rajasthan, on the east by Madhya Pradesh and on the south and south-east by Maharashtra.  

A journey through Gujarat unfolds a religious, cultural and historical panorama. The state with the longest coast line (1290km) in the country is renowned for its beaches, holy temples, historic capitals replete with immense architectural assets, wildlife sanctuaries and hill resorts. Religious spots include Dwaraka, Somanath, Pawagadh, Ambaji, Bhadreswar, Shamlaji, the Jain temples at Taranga, Girnar and Palitana with around 800 temples spread on the sacred Shetrunjaya hill and the oldest fire temple of the Parsees at Udwada. The places of memorable monuments of architectural and archeological splendour include the Sun temple at Modhera, 5000 year old architectural finds at Lothal, and the monuments at Ahmedabad, Patan, Siddhpur Ghumli, Dabhoi, Vadnagar etc; beautiful beaches include the ones at Ahmadpur- Mandvi with its ethnic beach resort and at Chorwad, Ubharat and Tithal; Porbander, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and his  national shrine at Sabarmathi, the hill station at Saputara and game sanctuary at Gir, the last retreat of the Asiatic Lions and the Wild ass sanctuary in the Kachch area are some of the major and varied attractions in the state.

Along with its varied destinations, the attractive handicrafts, the delicious cuisine and colourful lifestyle of the people of Gujarat, add to its charm. As the Tropic of Cancer passes through the northern border of Gujarat, the state has an intensely hot or cold climate. But the Arabian sea and the Gulf of Cambay in the west and the forest covered hills in the east soften the rigors of climatic extremes. The best time to visit Gujarat is during the months of October and March. 

How to get there 

Air:
Gujarat has 10 domestic airports apart from an international airport at Ahmedabad. There are daily flights to Mumbai, Delhi and other cities from Ahemedabad. Other airports are at Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Surat, Jamnagar, Kandla, Keshod, Porbandar and Rajkot. Most of the domestic airlines operate out of Ahmedabad connecting it to rest of the country. 
Click for Air timings and info from Ahmedabad

Rail :
Gujarat has a good railway network that not only connects the state internally but connects the state to other places in India also. Click for Train timings from Ahmedabad

Road :
Gujarat has a better road network than most of the other Indian states and they are in a fairly good condition. The total road length in the state is 73,397 km by the end of 1999-2000, out of which 1,572 km is the share of National Highway, making the state easily accessible. The Gujarat State Transport Corporation and private operators operate regular buses to all the major destinations of the state from most of the larger cities.

Tourist Offices and Facilities

Special facilities for tourists to stay are provided at the circuit houses at Ahmedabad , Junagadh, Bhavnagar,  Baroda, Bhuj Veraval, Porbandar, Rajkot and Sasan. The stay at the circuit house at Ahmedabad facilitates visits to the historical monuments in Ahmedabad, the Harijan Ashram and the Nal Sarovar. The Somnath temple, the Bhalka Tirtha, the Dehotsarga, the Sasa Gir Sanctury, the Chorvad holiday home etc. can be visited by staying at the Rajendra Bhavan at Veraval. 

A stay at the Muirhead guest house at Bhavnagar will provide an easy opportunity to go to Palitana, about 53 Km , to see the marble Jain temple on the Shetrunjaya hill and also the salt and Marine Research Institute in Bhavnagar. The Manoranjan guest house in Junagadh is a convenient spot from where one can see the Sakkar Bag, the edicts of Asoka , the Damodar Kund, the  Maqbara in Junagadh and also the Jain temples on the Girnar and the Muslim holy place, the Jamial Shah Pir on the Datar hill nearby. The Kirti Mandir , the Kanya Gurukul and the Bharat Smriti can be visited by staying at the villas in Porbandar.  The Umed Bhavan, the guest house in Bhuj, affords an opportunity to pay a visit to the major port Kandla, Anjar and the Gandhidham.

There is a facility to visit exotic locations in Gujarat and Rajasthan, in a luxurious train Royal Orient. The week long trip passes through Chittaurgarh, Udaipur and Jaipur in Rajasthan and Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Somnath, Gir forest, Palitana and Sarkhej village in Gujarat. The train has 13 coaches and starts from Delhi Cantt on Wednesdays. The AC Express has restaurants, bar, library and attached bath. A two birth cabin costs Rs.9600 per day during season and Rs.7,220 a day Off  season.

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