GUJARAT – RANN OF KUTCH 06NIGHTS / 07DAYS

Arrival at Ahmedabad airport at 0925Hrs. Meet & greet from the representative.

Proceed towards Kevadia, visit Sardar Sarovar Dam, valley of Flower, Statue of Unity etc. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Kevadia.

Meal Plan: Breakfast | Dinner

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Proceed towards Ahmedabad, Later visit

Gandhi Ashram the beautiful ashram complex of Ahmedabad, with shady trees populated by thousands of parakeets, Beaters, sunbirds, squirrels, offers a refuge from the loud streets of the city and is one of the foremost tourist attractions of Ahmedabad. This ashram was Gandhi’s headquarters during the long struggle for Indian Independence. His ashram was founded in 1915 and still makes handicrafts, handmade paper and spinning wheels. This ashram is open from 8.30 AM to 6.30 PM.

Adalaj, visit step well is an architectural wonder built by Queen Rudabai and is certainly one of the finest monuments of Gujarat. It is a seven-storied structure in the form of a well with chambers one behind the other. The ‘Vav’ or stepped wells of Gujarat were used as meeting and resting-places during summer since their cool interiors offered unbelievable respite from the scorching sun outside.

Akshardham Temple Akshardham is situated in the capital city of Gandhinagar, which lies near Ahmedabad. The magnificent temple is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. It was constructed on the directions of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS Sanstha. The complex of this temple is the largest

in Gujarat. Akshardham temple was inaugurated in the year 1992 and has become a major tourist attraction in India, during the last decade. It has a sprawling 23 acre area and is chiseled out in pink sandstone.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Ahmedabad

Meal Plan: Breakfast | Dinner

Breakfast at hotel.

Later proceed to visit

Modhera Sun Temple, Modhera Sun Temple dates bake to early 11^th century CE and was built by

King Bhimdev I in 1026 CE. The temple at Modhera is the most important of all sun temples built in the whole Gujarat. The temple is dedicated to the Sun God. The temple is magnificent and the finest example of the Hindus architecture in Gujarat. One of the most striking features of the Modhera Sun Temple that the first ray of the sun falls on the deity at the time of the equinoxes. In front of the temple is a colossal tank, which was once known as Surya Kund or Rama Kund. The tank has a series of the carved steps leading to the bottom. Patan Patola of weaving, Patan is Famous for patola weaving, Salvi family is one of them who has continued this traditional art and has preserved it even today. Patola silk is often termed as the queen of all silk. The special technique of the handmade silk patola uses the same special technique for weaving from raw silk to the completion of the patola fabric. The weaver makes the special patola loom and coloring from indigenous natural materials. Patola from the area of Patan in the north Gujarat region of western India

glorifies this heritage with its unique gemlike qualities, gorgeous colours, designing & durability. Different colour and pattern matched exactly on horizontal and vertical threads in weaving. The patola was traditionally woven in a sari length of 5 to 9 yards by 45” to 54” width. The range now extends to include tablecloth borders scarves handkerchief.

Rani ki Vav (Step well). It was built by the Queen Udaymati the wife of Bhimdev during 11-12^th Century. It is the most magnificent and spectacular step well and the best example of such architecture for water wells.

The Vav measuring about 64 mts. The stepwell has long stepped corridor descending down to the underground tank, it is having four pillars. The Pillars which support the roof have squire base decorated with Ghat Pallavas. It was one of the largest and the most sumptuous structure of its type.

Continue drive to Bajana.

Dinner and Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bajana.

Meal Plan: Breakfast | Dinner

Breakfast at hotel.

Later enjoy safari at Little Rann of Kutch viewing rarest wild asses.

Wild ass sanctuary – The sanctuary is well known for its group of the stale joke brown Asiatic (Wild ass), which does not live elsewhere in Indian lowlands. We can see with Little Rann of Kutch blackbuck

(Indian antelope), nilgai or blue bull (India’s largest antelope) and the graceful chinkara (Indian gazelle) are other mammals. The main carnivores of the Little Rann of Kutch are the endangered Indian wolf, desert fox, Indian fox, jackals, desert and jungle cats, and a few hyenas also we can see during the visits flamingoes, pelicans, ducks, cranes and storks. Continue drive to Bhuj.

Dinner and Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bhuj.

Meal Plan: Breakfast | Dinner

Breakfast at hotel.

Later visit Banni Village enroute take permit (Please all client to need to obtain the permit). to see various people like Jat, Harijan, Meghwal and Mutua etc in various villages like Hodka, Ludiya and Dhordo. Banni means “a cluster of village”. InBanni area of Kutch the Meghwal-Harijans who migrated from Rajasthan use Khambira, Kharek, Kudi Stiches in their embroidery. Also outline and satin stitch embroidery of the area and very minute mirror designs similar to the famous Mutwa embroidery of the area. They make wall hangings, waistcoats and pouches in Kharek Stich and do ‘Moti Bharat’ or beadwork on handheld fans, bracelets, toys and belts. After visit HODKA village – Hodka derives from the Gujarati word ‘Hodi’which means ‘boat’. Since, the villages here are called jheels, where potable water is available. Hodka is famous for its beautiful embroidery and mud work as much as Leather craft. Both men and women are actively involved in developing the art and craft tradition of the region. Visit LUDIYA village- Harijans and Muslims are main communities in this village. The main occupations are: monsoon farming, cattle rearing, intricate wood carving, intricate embroidery work, mud-work and wall painting for decorating homes. Harijan men are involved with wood carving, the women take up embroidery and wall-decoration. Visits to DHORDO to see beautiful traditional mud houses (Bhungas) with mirror work and its fine Mutwa embroidery with tiny mirrors. Enjoy Rann Utsav Desert Festival Kutch with crafts, music concert, folk dance, and lots of hastkala and handicrafts items over there. Kutch Festival provides an exclusive opportunity to witness the creative initiative of the artisans and craftspeople. Nearly 32 cultural troupes from various districts of Gujarat participate in the Dance and Musical Carnival. The various locales

within Kutch take one around the natural grandiose while introducing the visitor to the indigenous cultural and ethnical flavor of the people. Enjoy these cultural programmes performed in the midst of the

White Salt Desert spread over miles.

Dinner and Overnight stay at the Hotel in Dhordo.

Meal Plan: Breakfast| Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel.

Later visit Kalo Dungar.

Drive towards Dholavira, it is the larger of the two most remarkable excavations of the Indus Valley Civilization or Harappan culture, dating back to 4500 years ago. While the other site, Lothal, is more exhaustively educated and easier to reach, a visit to Lothal only complements, rather than replaces, a visit to Dholavira. What this site offers you, in the intense environment that comes with being surrounded by the Great Rann of Kutch, is a unique insight into the pioneering Harappan mind, with one of the world’s earliest and best planned water conservation systems and what might be the world’s first signboards, written in ancient Indus script. Fossil Park (Dholavira) : During a plantation drive in Dholavira village in December 2006, range forest officer (RFO) A B Khamar and forest guard P R Koli stumbled upon something which could prove to be a priceless addition to the geological treasures of India. Khamar, stationed at Rapar North in the border district of Kutch, came across some fossilised logs at the ancient site of Dholavira on Khadir island in the Rann of Kutch.

Preliminary observations indicate that the plant remains could be around 187 million years old. Dinner and Overnight stay at the Hotel in Dholavira.

Meal Plan: Breakfast| Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out hotel.

Proceed to Rajkot airport to board Indigo Flight 6E-6508 at 1525Hrs and arrive Bangalore airport at 1720Hrs.