Gir National Park situated in Gujarat is also known as Sasan Gir. Gir National Park in Gujarat is famous for its Asiatic lions. It is the only reserve forest in Asia that houses wild lions.

Gir National Park offers a chance to explore lions in their natural habitat. It is an opportunity to connect with the wilderness of the king of the forest! This park has a special program known as the Lion Breeding program.

Under this program, the lions are bred to stabilize their numbers and extensive research regarding their behavior in the wild is performed. That makes our Gir National Park an abode as well as a research center. It provides lions food, shelter and most importantly protection!

Gir National Park Safari Timings:
There are many safari shifts. Beware though, the safari timings may vary with the season.

Morning Shift
6:00 AM to 9:00 AM
6:45 AM to 9:45 AM
8:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Evening Shift
3 PM to 6 PM
4 PM to 7 PM

Therefore, you have three hours to try out your luck in finding the wild Asiatic lions!

Gir National Park Safari Fees:
Gir Safari offers you a chance to witness the ecosystem from a closer perspective. The Jeep safari for Indians costs INR 5300.00 and INR 13800.00 for foreigners. The safari Jeep can accommodate up to 6 adults and one child.

INR 300 is chargeable per head if you choose to avail Jeep Safari.

To traverse only through the Devalia Park Range, you can also avail the bus that costs INR 150. A piece of important advice for our beloved tourists! Booking from the official website saves a lot of money.

Gir National Park history:
The history of Gir national park takes us back to the 20th century. Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh was the first person to offer protection to the lion population. Their extinction was close due to trophy hunting and the famine in 1899 severely impacted the lion population and this realization struck heavily. Lord Curzon issued orders to restore and protect the dwindling numbers and in 1965, this park was erected as a national park.

Today the park has an area of 1412 square kilometers with 1153 square kilometers making up the sanctuary and the remaining area being a fully protected national park.

Flora:
The Gir National Park is home to more than 400 species of plants and trees. It is mainly a deciduous forest with a fusion of dry scrub, evergreen and semi-evergreen tree species too. It is also known as the largest deciduous forest in western India.

Tree species such as Teak, Acacia, Banyan trees, Prosopis, and Jamun can be found in this wildlife park. This park is biologically important too! It is a research area with scientific, medicinal and aesthetic importance as well.

Gir National Park Entry Fees:
Gir national park entry fees ticket for Indian nationals is 75-95 rupees while 100 rupees for Foreigners.

If you would like to capture beautiful moments, an extra charge of 100 rupees has to be expended!

Do you feel lost in the wild? Well, it is ideal and compulsory to hire a guide. It is quite viable as they charge 250 rupees for four hours only.

Fauna:
This Gujarat Park is home to 674 Asiatic Lions and many other beautiful species of wildlife. You can explore the jungles to find Four-horned Antelopes, Deers, Leopards, Crocodiles, Hyenas, Jackals, Blackbucks, Chinkaras, Sambars, Indian Palm Civets, Wild Boars and many other species.

This park boasts of 37 reptile species, 38 mammal species, 300 bird species and a whopping 2000 insect species!

This park is definitely a paradise for bird lovers with some of the bird species like Crested Serpent Eagles, Crested Treeswift and Rock Bush Quail taking flight in the open air.

Best time to visit Gir National Park:
The climate from December to March is quite surreal, which makes wildlife expeditions memorable. So plan your trip in these months. We have important information regarding Gir National Park! It is closed down from 16th June 15th October in lieu of the south-west monsoon.

Places to visit nearby:
If you have got time then Somnath temple definitely should be on your list. As it is a very easy journey from Somnath to Gir national park is quite tourist-friendly, as is Gir national park to Somnath. It is around 46 kilometers from this park and located by a beach. An ideal destination for religious and recreational fulfillment.

Another important tourist spot would be Girnar Forest that comprises ancient Jain Temples. Junagadh Zoo and Jamjir Waterfalls are some of the other destinations that are nearby this wildlife park and sanctuary.

How to reach Gir National Park:
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary are both located near Talala Gir, Gujarat.

By Air:
The nearest airport to Gir is Located in Keshod which is at a distance of 60 kilometers. Another plausible option would be to land in Diu airport which is 66 kilometers from this park.

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is sited at the port city of Veraval that is nearly 45 kilometers from Gir.

Private taxis or state-owned buses can be availed from these airports and railway stations to reach Gir. The state of the art road infrastructure is definitely going to make the road trip a memorable experience.

Somnath to Gir National Park:
The time to travel from Somnath to Gir national park is approximately an hour, as it is only about 50 kilometers. The best way to cover this is via road.

Gir National park awaits with all its beauty. The species coexisting together and the ecosystem reigning in peace. This is an expedition that would take you away from the hustle and bustle of modern-day civilization into the world of nature.