Located in the plain lands of Gujarat, India this beautiful
place is amalgamation of the cultural heritage, vivid landscapes and modern
thoughts.
There are TWO Desserts in the area surrounded by Arabian Sea on one side and sharing borders with Pakistan and Rajasthan(India):
- Little Rann of Kutch
- Great Rann of Kutch
One needs a week to explore the Rann at the fullest, but can
be accelerated to four days.
Here is the tourist maps for the Kutch region in Gujarat,
India.
Travel Map:
Commute:
Direct:
- Train from Mumbai to Bhuj. (Cheapest)
- Flight from Mumbai to Bhuj. (Fastest)
- Bus from Mumbai/Pune to Bhuj. (If Instant Plans)
Alternative:
- Mumbai to Ahemdabad/ Rajkot/ Surendranagar – Cab or Bus to Bhuj.
- Mumbai to Jamnagar – Ship to Mandvi / Kandla.
Places to Visit:
Anjar
o
Jesal Toral Shrine
o
Shopping Center for Traditional Kutchi Items.
Mandvi
o
Beach
o
Temples
o
Vijay Villas Palace
Ports
o
Mundra
o
Kandla
o
GandhiDham
Bhuj
o
Aina Mahal
o
Sharad Baug Palace
o
Kutch Museum
o
Bhuj Palace
o
Bhuj Mountain
o
Dadavadi Jain Temple
o
Bhuj Lake / Hamirsar Lake
o
Trimandir
o
AshapuraMa Madh (Temple)
o
Chariot Temple (Rath Derasar)
o
Hill Garden
o
SuralPith (Jaleshawar Mahadev)
o
Mahashri Chatardi
Little Rann of Kutch
o
Wild Ass Sanctuary
o
Dholavira
Greater Rann of Kutch
o
Black Mountain (Kalo Dungar)
o
Tropic of Cancer Line
o
India Bridge (Police permission required)
o
Dhorado ( Rann festival Area)
o
Hodka
o
Rudramata Mandir
o
Lakhpat Border/ fort (Police permission
required)
o
Narayan Sarovar (Police permission required)
o
Indus Valley Site
o
Matano Madh (Police permission required)
o
Buddha Caves
o
Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary (Police
permission required)
o
Naliya (Police permission required)
o
Koteshwar (Police permission required)
o
Charri Dandh
MY TRIP
This time the short trip lasted for 3 days with Family
after taking a private vehicle from Rajkot.
Reached Rajkot from Pune via Bus.
Bhuj is the center connection to reach different places for the trip, atleast the most important ones.
Day1: Rajkot-
Anjar
Started at 1:00pm in the afternoon for Anjar and reached
there by evening 5:00pm passing by excellent State Highway and Windmill sites.
We relaxed in a Regional Jain Dharmasala, which is in the
city center and enjoyed our Site seeing for Jesal toral Samadhi and Mata Madh
of Anjar. We topped up our energy by shopping some traditional artifacts,
Clothes, Purses, Shoes and Sweet preparation.
** Kutchi shopping is suggested at Anjar as it is more competitive in price and
variety offered.
 |
| Inside of the Jesal-Toral Shrine |
Day2: Anjar- Bhuj –
White Dessert
Started at 9:00am morning for Bhuj and reached our
destination by 10:30-11:00am. On the way you would come across the Bhujio Dungar (Bhuj Hills) with wide spread walls.
 |
| Bhujio Dungar |
As soon as we reached Bhuj we reached Hamirsar lake and Kutch
Museum.
 |
| Stone Carving @ Kutch Museum |
By 1:30pm we left for Kalo Dungar and reached there by 4:00 pm passing
through the Tropic of Cancer.
The Drive was amazing seeing the plant less mountain and
traditional colorful attired natives.
The Scene from Kalo Dungar is amazing, where we can see the manmade
foldable India Bridge crossing the water logged white dessert with Military
posts.
 |
| Way towards Kalo Dungar |
 |
| View from Kalo Dungar |
After spending sometime exploring the beauty with binoculars
and sipping over hot tea with Bhaji and local fruits we moved ahead towards
Dhordo, the place where the Rann Utsav is held.
Reaching Dhordo we can see walk and enjoy ourself in the
Salt logged flat land, The White Dessert.
One needs to register and cannot go by private vehicle
unless permitted before in the dessert. The counters can help you to register
and then take a ticket to travel in the military protected dessert where you
can go via camel ride or state transport or walk through the center pathway
with white dessert on both the side.
 |
| Great Rann of Kutch Sunset |
 |
| Great Rann of Kutch Sunset |
 |
| Great Rann of Kutch |
 |
| Salt of the Rann |
 |
| Great Rann of Kutch Sunset |
 |
| Tradition Kutch Home Architecture / Ticket Center for the Rann of Kutch |
I would prefer one going to the place early morning or
evening and enjoy the sunset.
One can prefer staying in the desert camps or hotels and
enjoy the night sky gazing and market.
We left from Dhordo by 9pm and reached back to Bhuj around
10:30pm.
Day3: Bhuj -
Mandvi
After morning breakfast we continued our sightseeing for the
Aina Mahal and Bhuj Palace seeing the market. From the bell tower of the Bhuj Palace one can
see the whole city and the musical construction of Aina Mahal makes you flow
into the memories of the old king likings with the impressions left behind by British
visitors.
 |
| Kutch Palace |
Left around 11:00 am for Vijay Villas Palace, Mandvi.
One of the well maintained palace of still ruling King of
Kutch where there are number of Bollywood shootings done. The wonderful private
space of the palace which starts with the lush green entrance with private
temple and ends with the private beach for the royals. The private beach is now
a heritage hotel for people to enjoy lavish time.
 |
| Vijay Villas Palace |
It has clean water and quite a bit sports like other beach. The
beach is quite calm but at time it is life taking so swim with caution and as
per the directives by Beach attendants.
 |
| Beach |
The total trip costed : 3000 INR per person because of private vehicle and budget hotels from Rajkot - Rajkot :)
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