Nestled in the heart of Gujarat, Ahmedabad is a city filled with history and culture and is India’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known for many experiences such as night markets, fascinating architecture, well-structured museums and the vibrant nightlife. Being part of a stressful work lifestyle could take a toll on your mental health, so it is a boon to spend your weekends travelling around the city of Ahmedabad on some scenic road trips.
Getting on a road trip would be a great stress buster for you, and these short weekend getaways suit your purpose. Places around Ahmedabad range from mighty mountain ranges to national parks to heritage sites, and they are all located at a reasonable distance from the city of Ahmedabad. You would get a glimpse of all these places in the article which would pique your interest and awaken the traveller in you as you explore the places around Ahmedabad.
Mount Abu
Mount Abu, a site of religious importance for the Jains, is a popular retreat from the heat and is the only hill station in Rajasthan.
Best Time To Visit
The mountains here usually do not experience the wrath of heat and humidity, and are blessed with some beautiful, moderate weather throughout the year. The best time to visit Mount Abu is definitely around the winter months between November and February. The temperatures in winter are around 16 to 22 degrees Celsius and the views are resplendent and will shower you with some fond memories.
It is peak season around winter, so expect a little crowd, which can hamper some of your sightseeing plans and other activities. The weather is cool, with low day and night temperatures. Days during the summer season see pleasant weather. It would be perfect for you to indulge in outdoor activities and experience clear panoramic views of the mountains. Monsoons are pretty moderate with intermittent rainfall and rolling mist elevating the beauty of these mountains.
Best Routes
There are a couple of popular routes to consider when travelling from Ahmedabad to Mount Abu. The first route is via Ahmedabad-Palanpur Highway which passes through scenic towns of Chhatral, Nandasan, Sidhpur and Amirgadh. This is the shortest and the best route to travel from Ahmedabad to Mount Abu. Despite tolls along the way, it is the fastest route and road conditions are excellent. Traffic on this route is regular and you could avoid any road closures.
The distance between Ahmedabad and Mount Abu is about 230 km and roughly takes 5 hours down this route. You should keep an eye on live maps and instant traffic updates to make sure you have a hassle-free journey. The second route is via Gandhinagar-Vijapur road which passes through places such as Vadali, Himmatnagar and Ambaji. This route is a little longer than the former at 241 km and takes little over five hours to reach your destination.
Places Of Interest
On the Ahmedabad-Palanpur route, you’ll come across the Adalaj Stepwell, a historical site known for intricate stone carvings and local folk legends. If you can spend more hours, visit the Shankus Water Park and Resort, a locally popular theme park filled with exhilarating rides, wave pool, water slides and a lot more for you to explore. Akesan Forest in Palanpur is a local man-made forest consisting of a pond, offering a serene and lush environment, perfect for a quick break.
Down the Gandhinagar-Vijapur route, you’ll witness the Camel Rock which is a huge expanse of rocky hills shaped like the hump of a camel and is a local hotspot for day treks and views. Try to visit the BAPS Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, a massive temple complex with elaborately carved sandstone facade, offering laser shows at night and evening events.
Gir National Park
The widely popular wildlife sanctuary, also known as Sasan Gir is situated near Talala Gir in Gujarat, and is famous for sighting Asiatic lions.
Best Time To Visit
The national park experiences some extreme weather all around the year, so it is vital to check for weather updates before you travel here. Ideally, winter is the most preferred season to visit the Gir National Park as it experiences very pleasant weather from the months of November to February. The season is neither too hot nor too cold, so it attracts a lot of visitors around this period. The temperature ranges from 10 to 22 degrees Celsius during this season.
Summers, as expected, are scorching hot and humid. The temperatures range between 28 and 42 degrees Celsius, so it is not advised to travel around this time.
Best Routes
The distance from Ahmedabad to Sasan Gir National Park is around 350 km, and takes a little over seven hours to reach your destination. Commuting from Ahmedabad to Gir National Park is quite a smooth ride with well maintained roads and highways. There are a couple of routes for you to consider to drive down on. The shortest and most popular route starts from Ahmedabad towards Sarangpur, then heads to Amreli and finally leads to Gir National Park.
The second route is slightly longer than the former, and this route passes through Limbdi, Rajkot and eventually leads you to the national park. The road conditions are excellent, with less to moderate traffic as you drive through smooth and scenic highways, and pass through some quaint and lush landscapes throughout the journey. It is advised to start at early hours of the day, so you reach comfortably around noon and get time to roam around the national park during the breezy evening hours.
Places Of Interest
There are several charming spots en route from Ahmedabad to Gir National Park for you to explore. First is the quiet, charming village of Sarangpur, known for its historic monuments and religious temples. You will be able to see some large and colourful peacocks dancing around historic temples like Swaminarayan, Yagnapurush Smruti and the famous Sarangapur Gate.
Next you’ll come across Amreli, a hidden district in the western parts of Gujarat, which can be dated back all the way to the 6th century A.D. Also known as Anumanji, the town is a haven for tourists who are crazy about temples and palaces that will take you years back through the history and culture of this scenic place. Do try to explore the Nagnath Mandir, Amreli Tower and the palace of the king when you are in town.
Udaipur
The beautiful city of Udaipur, discovered by Maharana Udai Singh in 1553, is famous for its beautiful palaces, gardens, mountains and a lot more for you to explore.
Best Time To Visit
Udaipur is characterised by extreme weather, with summers being scorching hot and winters becoming particularly chilly. Summers here are in the months between March to June and are hot and dry, as Udaipur is located in the desert lands of Rajasthan with temperatures reaching upto 38 degrees Celsius. Plan carefully, as summers would make it difficult for you to plan your sightseeing and other activities.
However, the best time to visit Udaipur is in the months from September to March. The temperature is pleasant and not too hot, but the start of November till February will be quite chilly, so you should pack your winter wear.
Best Routes
Ahmedabad is well connected by roads which connect you to the city of Udaipur. There are a couple of routes you should look at. One is the route via the NH48 which takes you through places such as Motera, Motipura, Samalaji till you reach Udaipur. This is the shortest and the best route, and the road conditions of the national highway are excellent. The route is around 260 km and will take you nearly 5 hours to reach your destination.
The second route in consideration is the Gandhinagar-Vijapur Road which is a slightly longer route at nearly 270 km and takes around 5 hours and 30 minutes for you to reach. This route passes through Gandhinagar, Kherwara and Chhaoni till you reach the scenic city of Udaipur. The road conditions are also good down this route but it takes longer and there are tolls as well. Both the above-mentioned routes are good for travelling and have interesting stopovers and ample food stops which will elevate your journey to Udaipur.
Places Of Interest
Both the aforementioned routes have hidden gems which you can explore if you have some extra time in your hands. As you pass by the Gandhinagar Bypass Road, you’ll find a deer park housing wild deer in their natural habitat. Sarita Udhyan in Gandhinagar is a serene riverside park filled with beautiful peacocks, and is a perfect resting point for couples. Then, you’ll also come across the beautifully intricate Shamlaji Temple and Chundawara Mahal, both historic and pilgrimage sites right by the National Highway. Also, you should look out for fun eateries such as Neel-Gagan Punjabi Dhaba and Karnavati Snacks for a quick bite.
As you drive down Gandhinagar-Vijapur route, you’ll find the majestic Indroda Nature Park, a large natural park with a zoo, botanical garden and sea mammal skeleton exhibits as well. For a bit of exhilarating fun, visit the Tirupati Rushivan Adventure Park, an amusement park with family oriented rides and replicas of some famous landmarks.
Summary
Ahmedabad is not just rich in heritage and culture, it even offers you some incredibly fun weekend getaways to impress the traveller in you. In this article, you have been through the beautiful, misty mountains of Mount Abu to the serene, dense jungles of Gir National Park to the magic and intricate beauty of the garden city of Udaipur. You definitely need to check these places out once you take a long break over your busy, monotonous work schedule.
