Every Gir safari starts at Sasan Gir, a village in Junagadh district in the south of the Saurashtra peninsula. The nearest railheads are Junagadh and Veraval, each roughly an hour to an hour and a half away; the nearest airport with a wide choice of flights is Rajkot. From Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s main gateway, it is around seven hours by road.
By air
- Rajkot International Airport (Hirasar) is the most useful airport for most travellers, with flights from Mumbai, Delhi and other Indian cities. It lies north of Rajkot on the Ahmedabad highway, so allow about four hours for the 190–200 km drive to Sasan.
- Keshod is by far the closest airfield, about 45–50 km from Sasan, but it has had only a limited and intermittent service. If a flight suits your dates it is ideal; do not plan around it without checking.
- Diu has a small airport about 110 km from Sasan with a few flights, again on changeable schedules — handy if you want to start or end with the beach.
- Ahmedabad has the region’s main international airport, around 360–400 km from Sasan. Fly in here if you are coming from abroad or want to see the city, then continue by overnight train or by road.
By train
Junagadh Junction and Veraval Junction are on the broad-gauge line from Ahmedabad and Rajkot. Several trains a day run from Ahmedabad, taking roughly six to nine hours depending on the service, including overnight trains that arrive in the morning; there are also direct trains from Mumbai and other cities. Choose Junagadh if you want to see the city and Girnar first, Veraval if you are starting with Somnath.
Sasan Gir has a tiny station of its own on a slow branch line through the forest. It is a charming ride when it fits, but services are few and timetables change, so check current running before relying on it.
By road
Roads in Saurashtra are generally good. State and private buses link Junagadh and Veraval with Sasan via Mendarda and Talala, but most visitors take a taxi from the station or hire a car and driver for the whole trip, which also solves the journeys to Somnath, Junagadh and Diu.
| From | Approx. distance to Sasan Gir | Approx. time by road |
|---|---|---|
| Keshod airport | 45–50 km | 1–1¼ hours |
| Veraval / Somnath | 40–45 km | 1–1¼ hours |
| Junagadh | 55–65 km | 1¼–1½ hours |
| Diu | 100–110 km | 2–3 hours |
| Rajkot city | 160 km | 3–3½ hours |
| Rajkot airport (Hirasar) | 190–200 km | about 4 hours |
| Porbandar | 150–160 km | about 3 hours |
| Dwarka | 250 km | 5–6 hours |
| Ahmedabad | 360–400 km | about 7 hours |
Distances and times are approximate and depend on the route and traffic.
From Ahmedabad
The usual road route runs via Rajkot, Gondal and Junagadh on fast dual carriageway for most of the way — about seven hours with a couple of stops. If you would rather not drive it in one go, break the journey at Rajkot or Gondal, or take an overnight train to Junagadh or Veraval and save a day. A multi-day tour from Ahmedabad with a car and driver removes the planning altogether.
From Mumbai
Fly to Rajkot (or Diu or Keshod when flights operate) and continue by road, or take a direct overnight train to Veraval or Junagadh.
Getting around once you are there
- To the safari: you need to be at Sinh Sadan in Sasan village before your slot. Many lodges are a few kilometres out; arrange a car or ask whether the safari gypsy can collect you.
- To Devalia: about 12 km west of Sasan, 20–25 minutes by car or auto-rickshaw.
- To Somnath, Junagadh and Diu: hire a taxi through your hotel, or keep one car and driver for the whole circuit — the simplest arrangement for a group.
A sensible arrival plan
Arrive at Sasan by early afternoon the day before your first morning safari. That leaves time for Devalia or the orientation centre, an early night, and no risk of a missed slot — permits are for a fixed time and are not transferable to another one.
