Highlights of Wild Gujarat

Tour: Highlights of Wild Gujarat
Places Visited
Ahmedabad, Little Rann of Kutch, Velvadar, Gir Nationa Park, Jam Nagar, Mumbai
Species in Focus – Asiatic Lions, Leopards, Rusty spotted cat, Civets, Wild Asses, Black Bucks, Gazelle, Indian Fox, Ruddy Mongoose, Cobras. Jackal, Jungle Cat, Hare, Wolf, Wild Boar etc. More than 300 species of birds including 6 recorded species vultures and Macqueen’s bustard.
Price Includes
✔ Accommodation (12 nights) in amazing Lodges/ Forts/Hotels.
✔ Meal Plan – Ahmedabad & Jam Nagar- Bed & Breakfast- Rest of places on full board.
✔ All transportation by air-conditioned chauffeur driven vehicle.
✔ All entrances fee and guide during sightseeing.
✔ Boat ride in Ramathra.
✔ 3 private Game drives in Little Rann Of Kutch.
✔ 3 private Game drives in Velvadar NP.
✔ 4 private Game drives in Gir NP.
✔ Birding walks and safaris as mentioned in the itinerary including Naturalists.
✔ Specialist naturalists and park fee during game drives in national parks.
✔ All transportation by air-conditioned chauffeur driven vehicle.
✔ All entrances fee and guide during sightseeing.
✔ Boat ride in Ramathra.
✔ 5 private Game drives in Ranthambhore.
✔ Birding walks and safaris as mentioned in the itinerary including Naturalists.
✔ Specialist naturalists and park fee during game drives in national parks.
✔ Domestic flights for sector Jam Nagar to Mumbai.
✔ All currently applicable taxes. (Subject to change)

Day 1 – Arrive Ahmedabad
Arrive Ahmedabad. You will be met by Mysteries of India representative and transferred to hotel.
Afternoon tour of the Sarkhej mausoleum complex and the Vishala Village complex with its super but ensilsmuseum. Evening walk at Law Garden to see night market where street vendor shawk saris, embroidered textiles & local crafts.
Overnight at hotel.

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House of MG

Day 2 – Ahmedabd to Little Rann of Kutch
Early breakfast and then enjoy an Heritage walk to explore the old quarters of Ahmedabad city to witness it’s beauty and rich heritage culture. Proceed to North of Gujarat to Patan and visit the Patolaweavers and Rani Ki Vav Stepwell – one of the nicest monuments of Gujarat was Intricately built by Queen Udayamati in the 11th century in the memory of her husband King Bhimdev.
Later drive to Little Rann Of Kutch. a sanctuary for the endangered Asiatic Wild Ass. This unique environment is preserved as India’s largest protected area, a part of which is the Wild Ass Sanctuary whose principal role is the strict protection of the last remaining population of Khur, or Asiatic Wild Ass. The mammals of the Rann other than the wild ass, there are chances of seeing nilgai, chinkara gazelle, white-footed desert and Indian foxes, the wolf, jungle cat (occasionally also a desert cat), pale and long-eared hedgehogs and hare.
Over night at hotel.

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Rann Riders by Kafila

Day 3 – Little Rann Of Kutch
Morning and evening game drives for explore the bird species along with mammals of the region. The birds include Crested and Sykes larks, Oriental Skylark, bimaculated lark, greater short-toed lark, singing and Indian bush larks, Ashy-crowned and black-crowned sparrow-larks, are likely sightings and greater hoopoe-lark is possible. Desert and variable wheatears, southern grey, long-tailed, Rufous-tailed and bay-back shrike, common wood shrike are also likely sightings and the desert warbler is among the many winter visiting warblers. We will also look for Chestnut-bellied and spotted sandgrouse, Indian courser (cream-coloured visits occasionally), quails, yellow-legged and barred buttonquails, grey francolin, wryneck, brown-rock chat, pied bushchat, Rufous-tailed scrub robin, blue-headed rock thrush, black redstart and buntings in the scrubby areas. At sunset, it is possible to watch marsh, Montagu and pallid harriers, Aquila eagles, falcons and buzzards heading for their roosting sites.
Over night at hotel.

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Rann Riders by Kafila

Day 4 – Little Rann Of Kutch to Velvadar
Early morning drive to look for Bets in elevated patches in the Rann covered with scrub and grass. In winter, this is a likely area for Macqueen’s bustard. Long-legged, common and white-eyed buzzard, booted eagle, Bonneli’s eagle. Short-toed snake eagle, are often seen during the drive.
Return to the resort for breakfast and then drive to Velvadar.
Arrive Velvadar and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel.

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Blackbuck Lodge

Day 5 – Velvadar
Morning and evening safaris in Velavadar National Park. Known for its large blackbuck antelope population, Velavadar is also one of the few places where the wolf is proliferating in India though they are rarely seen in the daylight. Jackal, jungle cat and hare are more easily seen and Indian fox on the periphery. Sirkeer malkoha, painted francolin, chestnut-bellied and spotted sandgrouse, Rufous-tailed, crested and Sykes’ larks, red-rumped swallows, desert and variable wheatears and other birds are seen and many raptors visit specially short-toed snake eagle, imperial, steppe, Tawny, greater and lesser spotted eagles, laggar falcon, hobby, common kestrel, red-necked falcon, peregrine falcon, white-eyed and long-legged buzzard, black-shouldered kite, shikra, Eurasian sparrow-hawk and occasionally northern goshawk. Rarities include the Stoilczka’s bushchat. In the evening, witness a massive roost of Montagu, pallid and marsh harrier.
Between safaris enjoy the hospitality of the lodge.
Overnight at hotel.

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Blackbuck Lodge

Day 6 – Velvadar to Gir
Morning safari in the park. Return to the lodge for breakfast then drive to Gir National Park en route visit the port areas, lakes and Victoria Park.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel.

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Fern Gir Forest

Day 7 & 8 – Gir National Park
Explore the park with morning and evening safaris. Gir National Park, the last refuge of Asiatic Lion, a highly endangered species whose range once extended as far as Greece. Today the population of this species stands at around 300 individuals which, together with the 300 or so Leopards within the sanctuary bestow Gir with one of the most significant concentrations of big cats in India. Other key mammals include Chinkara, or Indian Gazelle, and Chousingha, the world’s only four-horned antelope. The forests, interspersed with grasslands and dissected by rivers, also support a diverse avifauna, with key species here including Brown Fish and Mottled Wood Owls, Laggar Falcon, White-bellied Minivet, Rufous Treepie, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Marshall’s Iora, Tawny-bellied and Yellow-eyed Babblers, Rufous-fronted Prinia, and Black-headed Cuckooshrike.
Overnight at hotel.

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Fern Gir Forest

Day 9 – Gir NP to Jamnagar
At Gir take a mini-bus tour of the Interpretation Zone, an enclosed cross-section of Gir habitats and drive to Jamnagar.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel.

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The Fern Residency

Day 10 – Jamnagar
Today depending upon the timing of the tide visit Narara Bet The Marine National Park – where it will also be possible to experience the marine life of the coral reefs. Return to your hotel for lunch.
Post lunch visit Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary whose saline and freshwater lagoons host overwintering cranes, storks, flamingos and pelicans which congregate here in their thousands.
Overnight at hotel.

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The Fern Residency

Day 11 – Jamnagar – Rajkot – Mumbai
Early breakfast and visit Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary a possible site for the Indian skimmer. This sanctuary is a breeding area for many species of birds that do not nest elsewhere.
Later Continue to Rajkot in time to connect your flight to Mumbai. Arrive Mumbai and transfer to hotel.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel.

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Taj Mahal Palace & Towers

The Oberoi

Day – 12 Mumbai
Morning visit the Elephanta caves. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Elephanta Caves are a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
Afternoon enjoy sightseeing of the city, visiting the Prince of Wales Museum, Mani Bhawan, Dhobi Ghat, Crawford Market and Drive along Marine Drive etc.
Overnight at hotel.

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Taj Mahal Palace & Towers

The Oberoi

 


Trident Nariman Point

Day 13 – Mumbai-Home
Transfer to the airport in time to connect your flight back home.

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