Wild Life & Birding in Gujarat

Today morning enjoy Safari in Wild Ass Sanctuary: The Wild Ass Sanctuary of the Little Rann of Kutch, spreading across nearly 5000 square kilometers of the Little Rann, is the only place on earth where the endangered Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur), known locally as the ghudkhar, still lives. The only other two subspecies of wild asses live in the high arid plateaus of Tibet, making this the most accessible place to visit wild asses in their natural environs. Standing more than a meter tall at the shoulder and two meters in length, wild asses are very agile and can run long distances at a speed of 50 km/h, making them more like wild horses, and far more captivating than their domesticated cousins. Later drive to Velavadar.

O/N Velavadar

Enjoy morning and evening safari at Blackbuck Sanctuary.

Today enjoy morning and evening safari in Blackbuck Sanctuary. Velavadar has India’s largest population of Blackbuck, the elegant Indian antelope. The fauna population of the park mainly includes Blackbucks, Wolves, Houbara bustard, Hyenas and Lesser Floricans, with foxes, jackals and Jungle Cats as the main carnivore’s species. Other species include wild pigs, hares and rodents, typical of the savannah type grasslands and thorn scrubs.

O/N Velavadar

Today morning drive to Sasan Gir and in evening see Siddi Dance: Many people of Gir forest came from African Countries as slaves, labour, mercenaries which belongs to Siddis community. Nagarshi Pir is an important holy place for Siddi community at Jhambur. Some of villages of Siddhis which are famous for their dances and performances. Now a days, these Siddi chase a small number of original traditions with the omission of Damal Dance which are derivative of Ngoma drumming and dance form of Africa.

O/N Sasan Gir

Enjoy morning and evening safari at Sasan Gir. It is the sole home of the Asiatic Lions and is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species. Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary comprises 1412 sq km of deciduous forest interspersed with semi-evergreen and evergreen flora, acacia, scrub jungle, grasslands and rocky hills. Fed by perennial and seasonal rivers and streams, Sambar and spotted deer (chital), blue bull (nilgai), chousingha (the world’s only four-horned antelope), chinkara (Indian gazelle) and wild boar thrive in Gir. Jackal, striped hyena, jungle cat, rusty-spotted cat, langur, porcupine, black-naped Indian hare are among the other mammals of Gir.

O/N Sasan Gir

Today morning drive to Jamnagar and in afternoon visit Khijadia Bird Sanctuary.

The sanctuary is unique having both fresh water lakes, salt and freshwater marshlands. It is a paradise for water fowls, wadders, terrestrial birds and nearly 259 species are found in the Sanctuary. It is spread over an area of 6.05 km2. One can find both sea and shore birds, here like Black neck Stork, Great Crested Grebe, Shikra, Lesser spotted Eagle, Black Ibis, Black-winged Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Great Thick-Knee, Common Greenshank, Grey Francolin, Imperial Eagle, Little Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Comb Duck, Common Crane, Common Teal, Dunlin, Garganey, Marsh Harrier, Northern Pintail, Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, Pale Harrier, Demoiselle, Cormorants and Darters. Among the other wild life found here are Blue Bulls, Jackal, Wolf, Jungle Cat, Mongoose, Indian hare and snakes.

O/N Jamnagar

Today visit to the Marine National Park.

Marine National Park and Sanctuary falls in the inter-tidal zone along the Jamnagar coasts and islands in the Gulf of Kachchh. Blessed with a great diversity of habitats, its coral reefs and mangroves and the series of 42 islands form a unique, though fragile, eco-system, which supports an amazing marine life and biodiversity.

These varieties of habitats support multitudes of fish, birds, reptiles and many other life forms. The coral reefs and mangroves found in Marine National Park are of great conservation value, which have all along been considered as the most fascinating of all the rich marine biota in a compact place found anywhere in the country.

O/N Jamnagar

Morning drive to Nakhtrana. Rest of the day at leisure.

O/N Nakhtrana

Today drive to Naliya and visit Bird Sanctuary, The Kutch Bustard Sanctuary was primarily built to save the Great Indian bustard from the effects of poaching and hunting. Apart from the Great Indian Bustard, the Kutch Bustard Sanctuary houses 20 other species of birds, namely, McQueen’s Bustard, Lesser Florican, Stoliczkas, Bushchats and Merlins are some of the species to be spotted here. The co-existence of jungle cats, Chinkara, harriers and desert cats with the bustards, eagles, and other migratory birds more or less make a complete picture of the Wildlife.

O/N Nakhtrana

Morning drive to Bhuj airport to board flight to Mumbai (Bombay).

Chhari Dhand: Chhari means salt affected and Dhandh means Shallow wet-lands. This place is a paradise for bird watchers and omithologists, having around 370 bird species and is particularly rich in raports, water fly, waders and larks.