The early morning Gujarat Express from Mumbai reaches on the dot at 3.15 p.m. at its destination, Ahmedabad Junction. It’s my first visit to this side of the country and I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing a little of Gujarat as per the plans of my host. My destination is Botad, about 165 kms from Ahmedabad city, where my mini 6-day tour begins.

After a high tea and a comfortable night’s rest we take the coastal route and head off to Mahuva in the early morning. Mahuva is a small town on the outskirts of Bhavnagar district well-known for its pleasant weather and greenery with lots of coconut tree plantations. It also has a very beautiful beach located near the historical Bhavani Temple.

After a night halt we moved on to Diu which falls in the union territory of Daman and Diu. As you cross over to the island city you cannot miss the scores of small and big guest houses that line the shoreline. Diu has great Portuguese architecture. Major tourist attractions here include Nagoa Beach that has water sports like motor boats, sailing, and paragliding too. Adjacent to it is the Diu Fort with a lighthouse right in the middle of the sea. Directly opposite to the Diu Fort is St Paul’s Cathedral and the museum which was once an old church. The museum today houses old wax creations from saints to vintage altars, et al.

Diu Church

The next morning we were off to Veraval (in Junagadh district) to visit the famed Somanth Temple about 6 kms away. Tourists filter in and out of the temple by the minute, with devotees trailing in with offerings. A stroll in the garden adjoing the temple gives you a panoramic view of the beach down below and the vast ocean in front of you. Taking a short drive into the village, we find that Veraval also has a large boat-making industry and is home to a large number of fish processing factories which export prime quality seafood.

After a sumptuous lunch and a short afternoon nap, we head to Junagadh in the early evening. Junagadh is located at the foot of the Girnar hills. Literally translated, Junagadh means ’Old Fort’. It is also known as ’Sorath’, the name of the earlier Muslim-ruled princely state of Junagadh. Some of the interesting tourist sites to move around are the Girnar Hill which is about 6 km from Junagadh city, and its five principal peaks. The highest peak is Gorakhnath at 3,661 feet above sea level. The area of the hills is approximately 10 sq km. Another attraction is the Sakkarbaug Zoo, the oldest zoo in Gujarat and the third-oldest in India. The well-maintained zoo also boasts of an orientation centre that explains to visitors the demographic and geographical nature of different animals. Other tourist sites worth the effort would be the Jain Derasar, a temple situated on Girnar Hill at 3,100 feet and Makabara, a place where Nawabs were buried.

A second night halt at Junagadh and early dawn sees us move to Porbandar, another coastal city best-known as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Porbandar is a combination of two words: ’Porai’, the name of a local goddess and ’Bandar’ which means ’port’ or ’harbour’. Major foreign vessels dock at the harbour with hordes of tourists disembarking for a visit to the city or nearby towns of Veraval and Junagadh. Despite being the birthplace of the Father of the Nation, Porbandar lacks adequate infrastructure to handle tourists and at first it appears a tad messy to walk around. But that aside, the nearby beach has been developed with a new look in 2003 with a skating rink for children and a small children’s play area.

Birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Porbandar

We leave Porbandar at 5.30 a.m. and take a u-turn to Sasan in Junagadh district for the highlight of our visit — the Gir National Park and Sanctuary. If you wish to take a safari to Gir Forest you have to start early. Safaris into the Gir forest are from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. An open air jeep carries only eight persons, including the driver and the guide. Established in 1965, with a total area of 1,412 sq km, the park is the sole home of the Asiatic lion. At present though, the recorded lion count in Gir is at 359. On our visit we saw two lions at a distance heading for the watering hole, despite us reaching the forest in the early hours of the morning. The sight was spine-chilling. Besides the lion we also saw the four-horned antelope, chinkaras and an assorted mix of birds, including the peacock. For those who miss out on sighting lions at the forest (which happens very often), the protected reserve Gir Interpretation Zone situated close by, guarantees you seeing the lions face to face — from the confines of a bus. Numerous budget-lodging and boarding facilities exist close to the Gir forest to suit all pockets.

Mahatma Gandhi's belongings

After lunch it was pack-up time to head back 260 kms to our base at Botad. Past 8 p.m. and a cold shower later we settled down for the night. The morning was spent roaming around Botad, famous for its diamond industry. A clock tower in the central business centre and Town Gate are worth a visit. As dusk covers Botad, our tour ends as we board the Jamnagar-Bandra Express train and head back to Mumbai.