Gir National Park

Sprawling over an area of 3,386 sq km, the Gir National Park is the home to one of the rarest and majestic predators on earth, the Asiatic Lion. The forest is a wonderful mix of teak, acacia and banyan trees.

Other than the majestic lions, Gir is also home to the fastest predator on earth, the spotted leopard. This is just the right sort of place for big game lovers to see the wild and the powerful in all its glory.

The chief attraction of the place is the "lion shows" organized by the park authorities near the Dewaliya area. It is indeed a spectacle to see the King of the Jungle in its full glory. The forest is a protected area and poaching in any form is prohibited altogether. It is estimated that Gir National Park can support a lion population of about 300. An all out effort is being made to actually take the figure to that magic number.

Gir National Park is easily accessible. There is a railway and bus stop at Sasan. Sasan is about 160 km from Porbander and 160 km away from Rajkot. Accommodation too is not going to be a major constraint.

Since the economy of the area is predominantly based on tourism, there has been a considerable development in boarding and lodging facilities. The park is open to visitors from November to May but the best time to visit the place is between December and March.