Surrounded by dry deciduous forests, Gir Forest was given National Park status in 1969. The Gir Forest, which has crossed the age of 100 years, was once famous for hunting lions. However, in 1900, fearing the extinction of the lion species, the then Nawab of Junagadh banned the hunting of lions.
GIR is home to several species of animals and birds
This forest is full of different species of animals and birds. During the wildlife safari, you will get to see 523 lions, more than 300 leopards, many species of deer, sambar, and chausingha in this forest. Apart from this, this place is also no less than a paradise for bird lovers. Here you will find more than 200 species of birds, crawling animals, and more than 40 species of amphibians.
king cobras, Russell's vipers, saw-scaled vipers, kraits, Asiatic lion, hyena, chinkara, python, Nilgai, Malabar whistle, and Terni eagle can also be spotted in this park. Although you can do a wildlife safari in Gir Forest anytime between mid-October to mid-June, in my opinion, the best time for wildlife safari in the forest is from December to March.
The most special thing about Gir National Park is that here you can see the lions walking in the open during the wildlife safari. The same thing increases the curiosity among tourists to do wildlife safari in the forest. However, for a wildlife safari in Gir by jeep safari, you will have to make an advance booking in advance. You can book a jeep for safaris online which will pick you up from your hotel or resort on time and take you through the entire park. For a jeep safari in this jungle, you will need to pay Rs 5,300 per jeep. You can enjoy a jeep safari in the jungle from 6 am to 9 pm, from 9 am to 12 noon, from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Where to stay in Gir forest?
If you are planning to stay in Gir National Park, then let me tell you that there are many hotels, resorts, and homestays for your stay near Gir Forest: SukhSagar Gir Resort, MADHAV HOMESTAY & RESORT Ankolvadi, Gir Athiz Resort With Swimming Pool, Simba Resort & Spa, etc. You can book rooms at these hotels and resorts through hotel booking apps or websites.
How to Reach Gir National Park?
By Air - By plane you can reach Rajkot or Ahmedabad and from there you have to hire a taxi or bus to reach Gir National Park.
By Train - To reach Gir National Park by train you have to take a train to Junagadh or Veraval from here Gir National Park is only 76 Km away. After reaching here, you can reach Gir National Park by cab or bus.
By Road - You can also reach Gir National Park by hiring a cab from your city. Apart from this, reaching Gir National Park by bus is also a good option, you can also reach Gir National Park by taking a bus from your city or any other major city of Gujarat such as Junagadh, Rajkot, Mendarda, Veraval, etc.
Gir National Park is surrounded by many beautiful places
The area around Gir National Park is surrounded by many beautiful natural and religious places. Let's know about those places.
Zanjeer Waterfalls: Zanjeer Waterfalls located in Jamwala village of Junagadh district is full of natural beauty and is a better place for nature lovers to visit.
Devalia Safari Park: Like Gir National Park, it is also a forest but this forest is connected to Gir National Park. You can see the wildlife and beautiful sights present here through a jeep safari.
Kamleshwar Dam: Kamleshwar Dam present inside Gir National Park is also very famous. Kamleshwar Dam is the main source of drinking water for the resident animals of the park. You can go here to spend some moments of peace with your friends and family. Here you'll also spot many animal species drinking water or doing fun.
Kankai Mata Temple: Situated 25 km away from Gir National Park, this temple is present amidst greenery. It is a major religious place for Gujaratis.
Somnath Temple: Somnath Temple which has been in existence since ancient times is a major religious place of Gujarat like Kankai Mata Temple. It is a better place to visit with family.
