Saurashtra Sacred Sites & Asiatic Lions
Follow the peninsula's coast to connect the Blackbuck plains, the sacred Jain hill, Portuguese-influenced Diu, Gir National Park, and Dwarka.
Skip Kutch and focus on the Saurashtra Peninsula, packing pilgrimages, islands, and wildlife into a single week. First, visit the Lothal ruins and see blackbucks, then climb Palitana, spend two nights relaxing in Diu, take a morning safari in Gir followed by a visit to Junagadh, and finally depart via an overnight train from Dwarka. The driving distances along the way are relatively long, making this suitable for those who want to see Gujarat but have limited time.
Avoid mid-June to mid-October, as Gir safaris are closed and the sacred hill is also closed during the monsoon.
Day by day
Day 1 · Lothal & Blackbuck Plains
Ahmedabad（Lothal） → Bhavnagar & Palitana（Velavadar Blackbuck National Park）
Take a chartered car via Lothal and Velavadar to Bhavnagar, about 200 km and four and a half hours' drive.
Velavadar is closed during the monsoon; entering the park in the late afternoon offers the best chance to spot blackbucks.
Stay: Bhavnagar City
Day 2 · Climb Sacred Palitana Hill
Bhavnagar & Palitana（Shatrunjaya Hill Temples, Palitana、Shri Vishal Jain Museum）
Take a chartered car to Palitana in the early morning (about one hour), walk up the hill for two to three hours, and spend the afternoon in town.
There are about 3,500 steps. No food or water is allowed on the hill. Dolis (palanquins) can be hired.
Stay: Palitana Town
Day 3 · Talaja Caves to Diu
Bhavnagar & Palitana（Talaja Caves） → Diu（Diu Fort、Panikota Fort (Fortim do Mar)）
Take a chartered car along the southern coast to Diu, about 190 km and four hours' drive.
Stay: Diu Old Town and Diu Fort Area
Day 4 · Diu Churches & Beach Day
Diu（St. Paul's Church、Naida Caves、Gangeshwar Temple、Nagoa Beach）
Take a taxi or rent a motorcycle on the island. It takes about twenty minutes from the old town to Nagoa Beach, offering a relaxed pace.
Stay: Diu Old Town and Diu Fort Area
Day 5 · Somnath to Sasan Gir
Diu（Somnath Temple） → Junagadh（Devalia Safari Park）
Take a chartered car to Somnath (about two hours), and after visiting the temple, head north to Sasan (about one and a half hours).
Devalia is closed on Wednesdays; visit Somnath Beach instead on that day.
Stay: Sasan Gir
Day 6 · Gir Morning Safari & Junagadh
Junagadh（Gir National Park、Uparkot Fort、Adi Kadi Vav、Ashokan Rock Edicts、Mahabat Maqbara）
Take an early morning jeep safari for about three hours, then take a chartered car to Junagadh, which takes about one and a half hours.
Safari permits open 90 days in advance; online booking is required.
Stay: Junagadh City
Day 7 · Porbandar to Dwarka
Porbandar → Dwarka（Dwarkadhish Temple、Gomti Ghat）
Take a chartered car along the coast via Porbandar to Dwarka, about 230 km and five hours' drive.
Stay: Temple and Gomti Ghat Area
Day 8 · Bet Dwarka & Departure
Dwarka（Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple、Sudarshan Setu、Bet Dwarka、Rukmini Devi Temple）
Take a chartered car to and from Sudarshan Setu in the morning (about three hours), and take an overnight train back to Ahmedabad in the evening.
Overnight trains must be booked in advance; alternatively, you can take a chartered car to Jamnagar to catch a flight.