The Saurashtra circuit is the trip most Gujarati families take at least once, and it is the one a caravan changes the most. The loop runs Ahmedabad to Dwarka to Porbandar to Somnath to Sasan Gir and back, roughly 1,100 km in all. Five nights covers it, seven does it properly. Your caravan collects you from your door in Ahmedabad and a professional operator drives the entire route, so you travel at your own pace with air conditioning, a washroom, a kitchen counter and real beds on board.
Planning the Saurashtra Loop Out of Ahmedabad?
Tell us your dates and how many nights, and you will get a firm quote against your actual route.
It is the Gujarat pilgrimage circuit done in comfort, with very little hassle between stops. BookMyCaravan is India’s first dedicated caravan booking marketplace, headquartered in Ahmedabad, connecting travellers with verified caravan operators across the country.
Key Takeaways
- The loop: Ahmedabad, Dwarka, Bet Dwarka, Porbandar, Somnath, Sasan Gir and home, roughly 1,100 km.
- Nights: five is the working minimum, seven lets you add Diu or a second Gir safari.
- Gir permits: online only, on the official portal, and they open a maximum of 45 days ahead. Book that window the day it opens.
- Season: November to February. Gir closes 16 June to 15 October every year.
- Cost: Ahmedabad caravans are priced per kilometre. Expect ₹1,26,000 to ₹1,62,000 for the five night loop, which works out at ₹21,000 to ₹27,000 a day.
- Sleeping six: the 8 berth family motorhome is the one that does it. The 4 berth campervan does not.
Why Does the Saurashtra Circuit Suit a Caravan?
Saurashtra is not one destination. It is four, spread across the western edge of Gujarat, with long quiet highway between each one.
That geography is exactly what makes the usual version of this trip tiring. You book a hotel in Dwarka, another in Somnath, another near Gir, and you spend the trip checking in, checking out and hauling bags through three lobbies in five days.
The caravan collapses all of that into one booking. Your room drives with you. You reach Dwarka and you are already home, you reach Somnath the next evening and you are still home.
There is a second thing, and anyone who has done this route in season knows it. Dwarka, Somnath and Sasan Gir fill up. Around Janmashtami, Mahashivratri and the winter holidays the decent rooms go early, and what is left is expensive and average. A caravan sidesteps that entirely.
Browse the Gujarat caravan listings to see what runs this route, or start from the Ahmedabad pickup page if you want the vehicles that collect from your address.
What Does the Route Look Like Day by Day?
| Leg | Approx. distance | What happens there |
|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad to Dwarka | 440 km | The long haul. Arrive evening, settle in, temple the next morning |
| Dwarka and Bet Dwarka | Local | Dwarkadhish darshan, boat to Bet Dwarka, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga on the way out |
| Dwarka to Porbandar | 105 km | Kirti Mandir and Sudama Mandir, an easy half day stop |
| Porbandar to Somnath | 130 km | Coastal run. Evening aarti and the sea behind the temple |
| Somnath to Sasan Gir | 45 km | The shortest leg of the trip, and the best one to do unhurried |
| Sasan Gir to Ahmedabad | 370 km | Home, usually via Junagadh |
Five nights fits the loop. Seven gives you a second Gir safari, or a night at Diu, or simply more time at Somnath instead of arriving and leaving the same day.
What Is Each Stop Actually Like?
Dwarka and Bet Dwarka
The furthest point and the reason most people start this trip. Dwarkadhish Temple sits above the Gomti creek with the Arabian Sea behind it, and the flag on the spire is changed several times a day.
Bet Dwarka is a short boat ride out, and it eats more of the day than people expect. Build in the full morning.
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga sits between Dwarka and the Okha road, so it slots in without a detour.
Porbandar
The stop people skip and should not. Kirti Mandir marks Gandhi’s birthplace and takes under an hour, and the coastal road either side of Porbandar is the prettiest driving on the circuit.
Good place to stop for lunch on board rather than hunting for somewhere on the highway.
Somnath
The first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, rebuilt repeatedly on the same ground, facing the sea with nothing between the temple and Antarctica.
Evening aarti is the one to plan around. Get there for it rather than passing through in the afternoon, and stay the night.
Sasan Gir
The only place on earth with wild Asiatic lions, and the stop that turns this from a pilgrimage trip into a proper holiday.
Safari runs at dawn and again in the afternoon, which is a strong argument for having your own bed 10 minutes away rather than a hotel 40 minutes out.
Diu, if You Have the Seventh Night
About 85 km from Somnath. Portuguese fort, quiet beaches, completely different mood from everything before it. Worth it if you have the time, easy to drop if you do not.
Ready to Pick Your Dates?
Caravans running the Saurashtra loop out of Ahmedabad are listed with their layouts and sleeping capacity.
How Do You Book the Gir Safari?
This is the one part of the circuit that will not sort itself out on the day, so treat it as the fixed point everything else moves around.
Gir permits are issued entirely online through the Gujarat Forest Department’s official Gir online permit booking system. The portal states plainly that it is the only official booking website, and warns about fraudulent sites offering confirmed permits at premium rates, so book direct and ignore anything else that appears in search.
The part that catches people out is the booking window. Permits open a maximum of 45 days in advance, and at least two hours before the slot, so you cannot lock a Gir safari six months ahead the way you would a hotel. If your trip is further out than 45 days, fix the caravan dates first and set a reminder for the day the permit window opens for your date, because winter and holiday slots go quickly.
You need original ID details for everyone in the group at the time of booking, and everyone carries that ID on the day. One e-permit covers a maximum of six people plus one child between three and twelve, so a larger group needs more than one permit. The permit itself does not include the guide and the safari vehicle, which are paid separately on the day. Note also that the portal is for individual eco-tourists and does not allow bulk booking by tour operators, so this is one thing you book yourself rather than something we can book for you.
The jungle trail safari runs in an authorised gypsy from Sinh Sadan, and the Devalia Interpretation Zone is the fallback if the main trail permits are gone.
What Is a Day on the Saurashtra Road Like?
It starts at your door in Ahmedabad. The caravan pulls up in the morning, you load in, and there is no station and no queue. If you have not done this before, how it works walks through the handover.
Then the part people underestimate on this particular route. The Ahmedabad to Dwarka leg is long, and normally somebody in the family spends it at the wheel and arrives too tired to enjoy the evening. Here nobody drives. The person who usually misses the trip is on the couch.
The stretches between the pilgrimage towns are quiet, open highway with very little on either side. That is tedious in a car and genuinely pleasant in a caravan, because tea happens on board and lunch happens where you feel like stopping.
Kids nap on an actual bed. Elderly parents, who are often the reason this trip is happening at all, do not have to wait for the next clean washroom.
And the nights are the part nobody expects to like as much as they do. The caravan is parked at the halt and at Somnath you are sleeping near the sea rather than in a room three streets back from it. You wake up already there. Air conditioning at a halt runs off the onboard generator on the units that carry one, and generator running is billed separately on some vehicles, so confirm it for the caravan you are assigned rather than assuming.
What Do You Get On Board?
Fit out varies by vehicle, so this is the general shape of a BookMyCaravan unit rather than a spec sheet for a specific one.
| On board | What it means on the Saurashtra circuit |
|---|---|
| Sleeping berths | Real beds, so the 440 km to Dwarka is restful and the nights are part of the trip |
| Air conditioning | Runs off the onboard generator on units that carry one, so it works parked at Sasan Gir, not just moving |
| Washroom | The reason the long quiet stretches between temple towns stop being a problem |
| Kitchen counter | Chai and simple meals on board, which matters on a route with satvik only stretches |
| Lounge seating | Where the group actually spends the Ahmedabad to Dwarka leg |
| Charging points | Phones and cameras stay alive across a six night loop |
| Storage | Temple clothes, safari layers and beach things, all at once |
| Professional operator | Drives the full loop, knows these highways, handles the vehicle |
Sleeping capacity is the one thing worth checking before anything else. Out of Ahmedabad the family motorhome sleeps eight and seats ten plus the driver, which is the one that works for a family of six. The ultra luxury campervan is the more comfortable vehicle but sleeps four, so it suits a couple or a small family rather than a full group.
When Should You Go?
November to February is the circuit at its best. Cool enough for the long legs, and Gir is open and at its most active.
Gir closes every year for the monsoon. The forest department’s portal states that the Gir jungle safari is closed from 16 June to 15 October, so a summer or monsoon version of this trip is a Dwarka and Somnath trip without the lions.
Janmashtami at Dwarka and Mahashivratri at Somnath are extraordinary and extremely crowded. Go for the atmosphere, not for a quiet darshan, and book much further ahead.
| Month window | Dwarka | Porbandar | Somnath | Gir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November to February | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| March to May | Good, warming | Good | Good | Open, hot, strong sightings |
| 16 June to 15 October | Workable | Workable | Workable | Closed |
| Mid October to November | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Reopens, books fast |
Where Does the Caravan Stop for the Night?
At resorts, farm stays, campsites and private sites arranged along your route as part of the booking.
India does not have a public caravan park network the way Europe does, which is exactly why this is handled for you rather than left to you. Your operator and the BookMyCaravan team line up the halts on the route you have chosen, so every night is somewhere that is expecting you.
On this circuit that usually means a property near the Gomti side at Dwarka, something coastal at Somnath, and a farm stay close to the Sasan gate so the dawn safari does not mean a 4 a.m. start from far away.
More on how this works nationally in our guide to caravan overnight parking in India.
Should You Take a Caravan or a Standard Dwarka Somnath Package?
This is the real decision, so here it is side by side. The standard version of this trip is a car or tempo traveller with hotels booked in Dwarka, Somnath and near Sasan Gir.
| Standard package | Caravan | |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Car or tempo traveller, seats only | Private caravan with lounge, beds, washroom and air conditioning |
| Bookings to manage | Vehicle plus three hotels in three towns | One booking, halts arranged along your route |
| Check-ins over five nights | Three, plus luggage in and out each time | One handover in Ahmedabad |
| The 440 km to Dwarka | Seat time, and one person driving if it is self drive | Lounge, bed and washroom on board, operator driving |
| Peak season risk | Room availability at Dwarka, Somnath and Gir is the constraint | You are not competing for rooms |
| Pace | Fixed itinerary, set by the operator | Your route, your stops, adjusted on the day |
| Between the towns | Highway stops for tea and washrooms | Both on board |
| How it is priced | Per head, across several separate bills | One vehicle rate for the whole loop |
Where the package genuinely wins is a very small group on a very tight budget, because the per head maths favours it at two people. From four upwards, and especially with elderly parents or young kids in the group, the comparison flips. We have broken the wider version of this down in caravan vs hotel vs Airbnb in India.
How Much Does the Saurashtra Circuit Cost?
Caravans out of Ahmedabad are priced per kilometre, not per day. That surprises people who have priced a caravan in Mumbai or Delhi, where a nightly rate is more common, and it matters on this circuit because the Saurashtra loop is a long one.
Two things set the number. The per kilometre rate of the vehicle you choose, and a minimum of 300 km billed per day. On a five night trip that means 1,800 km is the billing floor, which is comfortably more than the loop itself, so the floor is what you actually pay against. Fuel and the professional operator are included in the rate on every Ahmedabad caravan.
| Vehicle | Sleeps | Rate | 5 nights | 7 nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family motorhome | 8 | ₹70 per km | ₹1,26,000 | ₹1,68,000 |
| Ultra luxury campervan | 4 | ₹90 per km | ₹1,62,000 | ₹2,16,000 |
Put another way, that is ₹21,000 to ₹27,000 a day for the vehicle, whichever length you pick, because the daily minimum is what drives it. Driver night allowance, tolls, state entry taxes, parking and GST sit outside that and are settled on the quotation, so ask for them itemised up front rather than at handover.
Worth doing the comparison honestly. On a five night Saurashtra loop for a family of six, the caravan replaces five room nights across three different towns, the intercity transport for the whole loop, and most of the eating out. It is not the cheap option and it is not sold as one. It is the one where the group stays together and the trip does not fragment into three separate bookings in three towns that all fill up in season.
Full breakdown of what goes into a caravan rate in our caravan rental cost guide, and the shorter Gujarat trips are costed in the Rann of Kutch and Statue of Unity guides.
How Do You Get the Most Out of This Route?
Watch the Gir permit window. It opens 45 days before your date, and on the back half of the circuit everything hangs off that slot.
Give Somnath an evening, not an afternoon. The aarti is the reason to be there, and a caravan means you are not rushing to a check in afterwards.
Do not underestimate Bet Dwarka. The boat crossing and the queue take a real chunk of the morning.
Run the loop anticlockwise. Dwarka first while everyone is fresh, Gir later when you have settled into the rhythm, and the shorter drive home from Junagadh at the end.
Travelling with a dog? Some caravans in the fleet take pets, though it is confirmed unit by unit rather than assumed across the board, and temple premises are not. Tell us when you enquire so the right vehicle is assigned, and our guide to travelling with a dog in India covers what works.
What Should You Confirm Before Booking?
- Gir safari permit slot, booked yourself on the official portal with everyone’s ID details, within the 45 day window
- Nights decided, five for the core loop or seven with Diu
- Caravan matched to your group size, checking sleeping capacity and not just seats
- Pickup address anywhere in Ahmedabad
- Festival dates checked if you are going near Janmashtami or Mahashivratri
- What sits outside the per kilometre rate, so driver allowance, tolls, state entry taxes, parking, GST and generator running are all on the quotation
- Anyone bringing a dog, so the right vehicle is assigned
Anything still unclear is probably answered on the frequently asked questions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need for an Ahmedabad to Dwarka, Somnath and Gir caravan trip?
Five nights covers the core loop of roughly 1,100 km, taking in Dwarka, Bet Dwarka, Porbandar, Somnath and Sasan Gir. Seven nights lets you add Diu, take a second Gir safari, or simply spend a full evening at Somnath instead of passing through.
Can you do Dwarka, Somnath and Gir in one caravan trip?
Yes, and the route is a natural loop. Ahmedabad to Dwarka is the long leg at around 440 km, after which the stops are close together. Dwarka to Porbandar is about 105 km, Porbandar to Somnath about 130 km, and Somnath to Sasan Gir only about 45 km. The drive home from Sasan Gir via Junagadh is around 370 km.
How do you book a Gir safari permit?
Permits are issued only online through the Gujarat Forest Department’s official Gir portal, and they are limited. They open a maximum of 45 days before the date of the safari, so you cannot book one further out than that. You need original ID details for every person in the group at the time of booking, and everyone must carry that ID on the day. One permit covers up to six people plus one child between three and twelve. The portal does not allow bulk booking by tour operators, so this is one thing you book yourself.
When is Gir National Park closed?
The Gir jungle safari is closed every year from 16 June to 15 October for the monsoon. A caravan trip to Dwarka and Somnath still works in those months, but the lions are off the itinerary, so most people run this circuit between November and February.
Where does the caravan stop overnight on the Saurashtra route?
At resorts, farm stays and private sites arranged along your route as part of the booking, typically near the Gomti side at Dwarka, somewhere coastal at Somnath, and close to the Sasan gate for the dawn safari. The halts are lined up in advance by your operator and the BookMyCaravan team.
Do I drive the caravan myself?
No. Every caravan booked through BookMyCaravan comes with a professional operator who drives the full route. On this circuit that matters most on the 440 km Ahmedabad to Dwarka leg, which usually leaves one person in the family too tired to enjoy the first evening.
How much does a Dwarka Somnath Gir caravan trip cost?
Caravans out of Ahmedabad are priced per kilometre, with a minimum of 300 km billed per day and fuel and the operator included. The eight berth family motorhome is ₹70 per km, which comes to about ₹1,26,000 for the five night loop, and the four berth ultra luxury campervan is ₹90 per km, or about ₹1,62,000. That is ₹21,000 to ₹27,000 a day. Driver night allowance, tolls, state entry taxes, parking and GST are additional. For an exact figure, share your dates and the number of nights and you will get a quote against that specific trip.
Which caravan sleeps a family of six on this route?
The family motorhome out of Ahmedabad, which sleeps eight and seats ten plus the driver. The ultra luxury campervan is the more comfortable vehicle but sleeps four, so it suits a couple or a smaller family. Check sleeping capacity rather than seating capacity when you compare listings, because the two are rarely the same number.
Is this trip suitable for elderly parents?
It is one of the better routes for it. The long legs are covered with a real bed and a private washroom on board, there is no hauling luggage in and out of three hotels, and at each temple town you are parked close rather than commuting in from a room on the outskirts.
Is the caravan delivered to my address in Ahmedabad?
Yes. Operators deliver to your home, hotel or office anywhere in Ahmedabad and the surrounding area. Pickup is in the morning, and handover includes a walkthrough of the vehicle and a conversation about your route.
What is the best time of year for the Saurashtra caravan circuit?
November to February. The long legs are comfortable, Gir is open and active, and the coast at Somnath and Diu is at its best. March to May works but gets hot, and 16 June to 15 October means no Gir.
Final Thoughts
The Saurashtra circuit is one of those trips that most families in Gujarat intend to do properly and end up doing in a rush, because four stops spread over 1,100 km is genuinely hard to arrange well. Three hotel bookings in three towns that all fill up in season is the part that breaks it.
A caravan does not make the route shorter. It makes the gaps between the stops into part of the trip rather than the price you pay for it, and it takes the accommodation problem off the table completely. On a route where the drive between temple towns is quiet and long, that is worth more than it sounds.
Two things to get right, and the rest follows. Watch the Gir permit window and book it the day it opens for your date, and match the caravan to how many people are actually sleeping on board rather than how many seats it has.
Plan Your Saurashtra Caravan Trip
Book the Gir slot, pick your nights, and the rest gets sorted. Send your dates and group size for a firm quote.
Sources
- Gir Online Permit Booking System, Gujarat Forest Department (GSLCS), for permit rules, the 45 day booking window, group limits and the fraudulent site warning
- Gir Online Permit Booking System, About Gir, for the annual 16 June to 15 October jungle safari closure
- Live BookMyCaravan Ahmedabad fleet listings for per kilometre rates, sleeping capacity and rate inclusions
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Aryan Verma is a travel content creator and photographer who's spent the last two years documenting caravan travel across Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, and the Saurashtra coast. He writes practical guides and first-person reportage for BookMyCaravan.