Gujarat Tribal Tour

In the morning you will be able to join the guided walk through the old city of Ahmedabad, visiting temples and mosques and exploring the labyrinthine alleys of this historic precinct. Later tour the Textile Museum which houses one of the finest collections of ‘art on cloth’ anywhere in the world. After lunch drive to Gondal and check in at the hotel.

Overnight in Gondal.

Today’s first stop is a tour of the Navlakha Palace, built in the mid-18th century and which houses the erstwhile ruling family’s private collection of beadwork, textiles, brassware, hand-painted toys and silver crafts. Later in the day visit the weaving centre and historic buildings of Gondal. Orchard Palace is a quite remarkable display of vintage motor vehicles which belong to the maharaja- a guided tour is a must during your stay. In the evening visit Bharwad and Rabari villages around Gondal.

Return for overnight stay in Gondal.

The small and enchanting town of Junagadh has a variety of interesting sights - Indo-Islamic architecture, ancient rock-cut Buddhist cave temples, a series of stupendous step-wells and hill top temples, and a fascinating museum- spend a full day exploring the town and return to Gondal for overnight stay in Gondal.

Depart Gondal after breakfast and drive to Bhuj, stopping along the way in Rajkot to see the Watson Museum which has some excellent examples of Gujarati craftsmanship, and at Rashtriya Shala, a co-operative where local people are working to revive hand-weaving styles indigenous to this area.

On arrival in Bhuj, check into the hotel with the remainder of the day at leisure. Bhuj is an ancient center of trade and commerce with some interesting historical sites, but tragically the city was very close to the epicenter of the January 2001 earthquake which cost thousands of lives around the Kutch area. As a result, there was a tremendous amount of devastation so many of the monuments are in a rather poor state. However, the resilience of people who live in such an inhospitable environment shouldn’t be underestimated and they have bounced back with a wonderful hardiness of spirit and Bhuj is once more a bustling market town. The area around the hotel is excellent for exploration on foot during the evening.

Overnight in Bhuj.

First thing in the morning you will need to obtain the special permit which is required in order to travel to tribal villages and border areas deep in the Rann of Kutch. Heading out of Bhuj the landscape changes rapidly to semi-desert with pockets of scrub and thorn bush cover- not surprisingly this area is mainly populated by camel and goat herders. However, there are many villages scattered around the region, each with a specialty which enables them to eke out a living from this harsh region. Many of the villages specialize in the creation of beautiful traditional arts and crafts- you will be able to visit a number of these and see leatherwork, embroidery, painting, wood carving, fabric dying and mud-work. You may see traditional charcoal production, sweet making and more besides. At the end of each day of exploration in the Kutch region, you will have the opportunity to stay at a resort in the desert. This is an unforgettable place with accommodation in deluxe tents and traditional style Bhungas- mud-walled huts which are similar to those in the villages you will be visiting. To spend a couple of nights here, dine under the stars and be entertained by local musicians and dancers, is one of the most rewarding experiences on offer anywhere in India.

Overnight Hodka District.

After breakfast depart from Rann of Kutch.  You will be able to visit a village where the last surviving practitioners of an ancient painting style known as Rogan will beguile you with the brilliance of this art form. Travel on to the coast at Mandvi and visit Rabari villages and the Mandvi Palace before checking into your accommodation for tonight- a deluxe tented camp virtually on the beach. Free time in the afternoon and evening to relax and swim in the Arabian Sea on India’s longest private beach.

overnight at Mandvi.

After breakfast you have the choice of visiting local crafts people in their villages, or for a change of pace and emphasis, you can take a jeep safari to the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch – a vast salt – Marsh whichis home to large heards of Indian Wild Ass (Khur) and other deset animals.  Later leave Dasada and drive to Danta via Patan. Patan is home to silk weavers who produce Patola fabric- one of the richest silk textiles in the world, woven using the rare double-ikat technique. Also visit the glorious 11th century Modhera Sun Temple complex and Rani-ki-vav, one of the most impressive step-wells in all of Gujarat. Upon reaching the tiny town of Danta, check in at the homestay.

Overnight at Danta.

A dawn walk is on the cards today – one of the estate staff will escort you through scrub and rocky landscapes around the Villa to see village life and ancient agricultural techniques at first hand. After breakfast, depart for Poshina and visit Garasia tribal villages and a tribal shrine where Bhil and Garasia people from about 90 neighbouring villages visit. Check into another special heritage accommodation.

Overnight in Poshina.