Kankai Mata — also written Kankeshwari — is a temple to a mother goddess revered as a guardian of the Gir forest and of the herders who live in it. It stands deep inside the sanctuary, roughly 25 km from Sasan, in country where lions and leopards are routinely about.
Visitors are allowed to drive to the shrine during the day along a designated forest road, subject to Forest Department checkpoints and rules that are revised from time to time: entry and exit times are fixed, stopping along the way is restricted and staying overnight is generally not open to ordinary visitors. Treat it as a pilgrimage through a wildlife sanctuary, not as a safari substitute.
What to see and do at Kankai Mata Temple
Pay your respects at the shrine
The temple is simple and much loved locally. Dress modestly and follow the customs of the place.
Watch the forest go by
The road crosses fine stretches of teak forest and dry riverbeds. Deer, peafowl and langurs are commonly seen from the car; anything more is luck.
Combine with Banej
Some pilgrims also visit Banej, another small forest shrine in the sanctuary known for its remoteness. Ask at the checkpoint what is currently permitted.
How to get to Kankai Mata Temple
- Access is by road through the sanctuary from the Sasan side or from the south, passing a forest checkpoint where your vehicle and timings are recorded. Rules on private vehicles, fees and hours change; ask at Sinh Sadan or your hotel the day before.
- Tour operators also sell a Kankai drive with hotel pickup. As with all such packages, check precisely what is included.
Practical tips
- Start early and be out of the forest well before the checkpoint’s closing time.
- Do not get out of the vehicle on the forest road, play music or feed animals.
- Carry water and food; there is very little available on the way.
- The track is rough and may be closed in and after the monsoon.
Best tours for Kankai Mata Temple
These packages are the easiest way to see Kankai Mata Temple with transport and a guide sorted:
Forest drive & temple visit from US$125 per group Gir National Park: Kankai Temple Safari with Hotel Pickup
A drive deep into the Gir forest to the Kankai Mata temple, with pickup from your hotel. We list it because it is the only bookable Kankai trip we found, but the two reviews it has are very poor, so treat it with caution and ask the operator exactly what is and is not included before paying.
- A long drive through the sanctuary to the Kankai Mata shrine
- Hotel pickup in the Sasan area
- A chance of wildlife along the forest road
Jeep safari package from US$104 per group 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
Jeep safari package from US$130 per group Gir National Park: Lion Safari with Hotel Pickup
Much the same safari as the package above with a hotel pickup added, which saves a pre-dawn scramble for transport. It is sold by a private operator, not by the Forest Department, whatever the listing title suggests. There are only a couple of reviews and they are poor, so check exactly what is included and keep your expectations for the booking process modest.
- Pickup from your hotel in the Sasan area
- Jeep and guide for the Jungle Trail
- Priced per group of up to six
