Gir Forest: the last wild home of the Asiatic lion

Gujarat: Gir National Park Guided Jeep Safari

A private operator’s package for the classic Gir safari: a roughly three-hour drive in an open gypsy with a guide, priced per vehicle. It costs noticeably more than arranging the official permit, jeep and guide yourself, and its reviews so far are few and low — read them before you book, and confirm in writing which date, time slot and permit you are getting. Lion sightings can never be guaranteed.

• An open-gypsy drive on the Gir Jungle Trail
• Priced per vehicle for up to six people
• The operator handles the permit paperwork for you

Sasan Gir: Devalia Safari Park Gypsy Safari

A pre-arranged gypsy visit to Devalia, the fenced interpretation zone where sightings are far more reliable than on the Jungle Trail. Of the Gir products on GetYourGuide this is the one with the better reviews, though there are still only a handful. Devalia is normally closed on Wednesdays; check the day before you book.

• A gypsy round of the Gir Interpretation Zone
• A high chance of seeing lions at close range
• Short enough for young children

From Rajkot: Gir and Somnath Weekend Tour

The classic Saurashtra pairing packed into two days from Rajkot: lion country and the temple on the sea. Read the inclusions closely to see which safari — the Jungle Trail or Devalia — is part of the price, and whether the permit is covered.

• Sasan Gir and Somnath in one weekend
• Transport from Rajkot, the nearest big airport city
• A night in the Gir–Somnath area

From Ahmedabad: 4-Day Gujarat Private Tour with Safari

A private four-day loop from Ahmedabad that links the two great temples of the Saurashtra coast with a safari in Gir. Four days is brisk for these distances, so expect long drives. No reviews yet — confirm the hotels and the safari arrangements.

• Ahmedabad, Dwarka, Somnath and Gir in one loop
• Private car and driver throughout
• A Gir safari included in the plan

7-Day Gujarat Highlights Tour from Ahmedabad

A week-long sweep of Gujarat from Ahmedabad that folds Gir into a wider circuit of temples, coast and the Statue of Unity. It has a single, top-score review so far.

• The Statue of Unity, sacred temples and Gir wildlife
• Coastal towns and historic cities of Gujarat
• A full week with everything arranged

From Rajkot: Somnath Temple and Caves Private Day Trip

A private day out from Rajkot devoted to Somnath and the sacred sites around it. It is a long day on the road, so start early. New and unreviewed.

• Somnath temple and Bhalka Tirth
• The Somnath museum and the Panch Pandav caves
• Private car from Rajkot

Junagadh: Girnar Hills Guided Hike

A guided ascent of Girnar’s pilgrim stairway as far as the Ambaji temple — a serious day on foot. Good shoes, water and an early start matter more than anything else. Unreviewed.

• The stone stairway up Girnar with a guide
• About 5,000 steps to the Ambaji temple
• Pilgrims, temples and wide views on the way

Ahmedabad Heritage Walking Tour with Expert Guide

Most people reach Gir through Ahmedabad, and this is the best-reviewed way to spend a spare morning there: a guided walk through the old walled city. A good first or last day for the trip.

• The lanes and pols of the UNESCO-listed old city
• Temples, mosques and carved wooden havelis
• A well-reviewed local guide

Gir Jungle Trail

The open-jeep safari through wild lion country

The main event: a roughly three-hour drive in an open gypsy along a forest route allotted at Sasan, with a Forest Department guide, through the tourism zone of the sanctuary where Asiatic lions, leopards, deer and hundreds of bird species live wild. Entry is by official e-permit only.

Devalia Safari Park

The Gir Interpretation Zone — a short, near-certain lion sighting

A large fenced tract of typical Gir habitat about 12 km west of Sasan, where lions, leopards and herbivores can be seen on a short bus or gypsy round. It is the fallback when Jungle Trail permits are sold out, and a good choice with small children.

Sasan Gir

The village where every safari begins

A small village on the Hiran river that serves as park headquarters. Sinh Sadan, the Forest Department campus, is where permits are checked and jeeps and guides assigned; around it are lodges, resorts, a tiny railway station and mango orchards.

Somnath Temple

The first jyotirlinga, on the edge of the Arabian Sea

One of the most sacred Shiva temples in India, counted first among the twelve jyotirlingas and rebuilt after Independence on a site destroyed and restored many times. About an hour from Sasan, it is the natural partner to a Gir safari.

Diu

A Portuguese island fort and Gujarat’s favourite beach break

A small island off the southern tip of Saurashtra that was Portuguese until 1961, with a sea-battered sixteenth-century fort, whitewashed churches, the glowing Naida caves and long sandy beaches. It is about two to three hours from Sasan.

Junagadh

A Nawabi city with two thousand years of monuments

The old capital of the princely state whose Nawabs first protected Gir’s lions. Come for the wildly ornate Mahabat Maqbara, the ancient Uparkot fort with its stepwells and rock-cut caves, and Ashoka’s edicts at the foot of Girnar — about an hour and a half from Sasan.