Tour Details

The wildlife of Gujarat is spectacular, to say the least. Not only are many places in Gujarat havens for unique animals, like Asiatic Lion, Indian Wild Ass, Blackbuck, and more, but the state also falls on a major bird migration route, making it an essential stop for migratory birds.

Velavadar National Park lies inland from the Gulf of Cambay on the west coast of India. Created for the conservation of the Blackbuck, it is a tiny but unique grassland ecosystem. The Indian Grey Wolf and the Golden Jackal are the main predators in the park. Other mammals likely to be seen are Bengal Fox, Indian Hare, Indian Desert Gerbil, Jungle Cat, and Nilgai.
 
Velavadar is also of particular interest to birdwatchers. One can spot many species of birds of prey, like Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers, Black-winged Kite, Shikra, and Short-toed Snake Eagle, as well as other birds like White-browed Bush Chat, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Rufous-tailed, and Crested Larks, Desert and Variable Wheatears, and Great Grey and Long-tailed Shrikes. Common Crane and waders can be spotted on the Alang River. 

Your next destination is Gir National Park, located in southern Gujarat. Established in 1965 for the protection of the Asiatic Lion, the total area of the reserve is 1,412 sq km. The forest is mainly of dry deciduous and scrubs types, with many perennial rivers and streams crisscrossing the area. The wildlife of Gir includes large predators such as Asiatic Lion and Leopard, herbivores such as Spotted Deer, Sambar, and Nilgai, a variety of bird species, and more.

Apart from being home to the Asiatic Lion, the Gir National Park is also a delight for birdwatchers. The area hosts a variety of habitats, including forest, grassland, cliffs, and ponds, which play home to a wide variety of bird species both resident and migratory. Around 350 bird species are found here, including birds of prey, vultures, owls, nightjars, ducks, kingfishers, herons, egrets, storks, minivets, flycatchers, and many others. Sarus cranes visit the reserve for breeding during monsoon and may be seen up to November.

Our final destination on this tour is the Litte Rann of Kutch, a saline desert in the Kutch area of Gujarat. This saline desert floods every monsoon. Along the edges are small, elevated, “islands” of Acacia and other bushes called “bets”. These are among the best places to see the smaller birds of the Rann. Much of the Little Rann is designated as the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. As the name suggests, this sanctuary was established in 1972 for the protection of the Indian Wild Ass, one of the few wild equine species in the world. Apart from the Indian Wild Ass, the sanctuary is home to many arid-area animals such as Desert Fox, Desert Cat, Striped Hyena, and more. In the winter, it plays host to many species of migratory birds, and is a popular birdwatching destination.