Sasan — usually called Sasan Gir — is the small village on the Hiran river that acts as the gateway and headquarters of Gir National Park. Everything revolves around Sinh Sadan, the Forest Department campus with its tiled-roof guest house, orientation centre and the reception where permits are verified and jeeps and guides allotted.
Around it, strung along the roads to Talala, Junagadh and Devalia, are dozens of lodges, tented camps and resorts set in mango orchards. This is Kesar mango country: the saffron-fleshed Gir Kesar, which carries a geographical indication tag, ripens in the weeks before the park closes for the monsoon.
What to see and do at Sasan Gir
Visit the orientation centre
The interpretation displays at Sinh Sadan give a useful grounding in the lions’ history, the Maldharis and the forest’s ecology before your first drive.
Walk by the Hiran
The river and its banks around the village are good for birds — kingfishers, storks, herons — in the early morning. Stay on public ground and out of the forest; walking inside the sanctuary is not allowed.
See a Siddi Dhamal performance
The Siddi community of nearby villages such as Jambur, descendants of East Africans who came to Gujarat centuries ago, are known for the energetic Dhamal dance. Several resorts host evening performances; watching one supports the troupe directly.
Taste Kesar mangoes
From roughly late April to June the orchards around Talala and Sasan are full of fruit, and roadside stalls sell it by the box.
How to get to Sasan Gir
- Sasan is about 55–65 km from Junagadh and around 45 km from Veraval and Somnath by road, an hour to an hour and a half in each case. Rajkot is roughly 160 km away and Ahmedabad around 360–400 km, a drive of about seven hours.
- Sasan Gir has its own small railway station on a slow branch line; services are few and schedules change, so most visitors arrive by road from Junagadh, Veraval, Keshod or Rajkot. See our getting-here guide for the options.
Practical tips
- There is little in the way of banking in the village; carry enough cash for guide fees, tips and small purchases, though the permit itself is paid for online.
- Book rooms early for December–January, long weekends and Diwali week, when the whole area fills.
- Mobile data can be patchy at lodges away from the village — download or print your permit beforehand.
- Do not drive the forest roads around Sasan fast or at night more than you must: lions, leopards and deer cross them.
Best tours for Sasan Gir
These packages are the easiest way to see Sasan Gir with transport and a guide sorted:
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
Short guided safari from US$78 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
Guided overnight tour from US$187 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
Multi-day wildlife package from US$641 Mumbai–Gir Wildlife Escape: 3 Days
A packaged long weekend from Mumbai with travel, accommodation and safaris bundled together. The listing is new and unreviewed; check how you travel between Mumbai and Gir, how many safaris are included and what happens if a permit is unavailable.
- A three-day round trip built around Gir
- Stays and safaris arranged for you
- Designed for a long weekend
