Gujarat
To the south-west of Rajasthan, Gujarat’s undulating coast curves gently out into the Arabian Sea. This less-lauded region is one of the country’s genuine hidden wonders. Its landscapes feel vast and untempered; ethereal salt deserts, gnarled grasslands and long, undulating coastline give way to endless skies and panoramic horizons. Away from the modern city rush of Ahmedabad, where ancient architecture sits alongside cutting-edge high-rises, you can watch India’s last lions roam freely in the protected wilderness of Gir National Park, get lost in the detail of the delicate patola silk weaving traditions of the Salvi community, and stare down into the geometric depths of exquisite stepwells. This is India seen through a lesser-known lens, adding a deeper dimension to the country’s kaleidoscopic picture.
Three things to do in Gujarat
Obviously there's a lot more, this is just to get you started...
A Different Desert
The Great Rann of Kutch casts an otherworldly haze across the horizon, the vast pale expanse of the salt flats bringing to mind the ancient oceans that left them behind. Look out over the hazy horizon from strong, quiet forts surrounded by vast stretches of sand and see the natural darkness of the night sky fill with stars. The Little Rann of Kutch, on the other hand, is full of lushiously-green raised ‘bets’ where wildlife shelters when the region floods during monsoon season. Explore the region by jeep, watch flamingos feeding in the shallows during the rainy season, and see the sky turn to flame at sunset.
Wildlife Wonder
India’s King of the Jungle is undoubtedly the tiger, prowling gracefully through the grasslands of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and beyond. It comes as a surprise to many, therefore, that the country is also home to lions… The Asiatic Lion used to roam widely from Saudi Arabia to Central India, but was hunted to the brink of extinction. Since the turn of the 20th century, these lions can only be found in Gujarat, predominantly in the protected landscape of Gir National Park, which was declared a sanctuary for the lions in 1965. Jeep safaris can let you follow in the lions’ footsteps, keeping your eyes alert for glimpses of India’s rarest big cats, as well as deer, hyenas and diverse birdlife.
Fill Your Belly
India’s varied cuisine is legendary, with dishes and flavours that have travelled the world over, but Gujarat takes the country’s love of food to another level. Cooking and gathering to eat together is at the heart of Gujarati culture, and there’s a huge array of dishes that vary widely across the region, with vegetarian cuisine at its core. The classic way to enjoy as much of this variety as you can is with a Gujarati thali - a celebratory feast of flavourful dishes, sides and chutneys to be enjoyed with friends at weddings, birthdays, or just because it’s Tuesday! Tuck into steamed, savory dhokla sponge and crispy fafda with tangy vegetable curries and hearty dals, followed with sticky-sweet jalebi. Delicious.
