Gujarat Top Experiences

Golfing Holiday

If you’re a golf enthusiast and looking for a great golfing holiday while in Gujarat, Ahmedabad, with its stellar courses, is the city to be in.

The Kalhaar Blues & Greens has been designed by the world-famous American golf company Nicklaus Design, owned by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus. The superb 18-hole, 7,425-yard, Par 72 course, dotted with 14 lakes and white-sand bunkers and set against a backdrop of dramatic natural beauty, boasts world-class accommodation and services.

Designed by golfing great Jeev Milkha Singh, the 18-hole championship golf course at the Kensville Golf & Country Club is a verdant oasis just outside Ahmedabad; it has hosted three European Challenge Tour events.

The nine-hole Par 36 golf course and a five-acre Driving Range with 13 bays at Gulmohur Greens Golf & Country Club is spread across 75 acres and is a perfect weekend golf getaway.

Located between Ahmedabad and Sanand, the versatile and stunning Glade One is a nine-hole championship golf course designed by the world’s leading golf course design firm Gary Player Design.

Royal Orient Luxury Train

For the royal treatment, take the luxurious and exotic Royal Orient, as it winds its way through Rajasthan and Gujarat on a spectacular journey spanning eight days and seven nights, giving you the pleasure of sightseeing tours and desert safaris in a unique travel experience. A quaint locomotive that pulls 13 luxury coaches, its every detail is attended to, from the exquisite tapestry down to the brass screws.

Bhuj

Indus Valley Pottery in Artisan Studio

A three-day experience that brings you, from the heart of the Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the most beautiful crafts – Painted Terracotta. Learn the ancient craft of painted pottery from master craftsmen of Kutch and visit the potters’ village as part of this immersive and hands-on pottery experience.

At the workshop, the history of the craft, culture, artisan, and master craftsmanship will be explained. Apart from your hands-on experience with the potter’s wheel, learn also the technique of painting on pottery products; this is one of the unique traditions known only to the women potters in Kutch.

A day visit to the potter’s village to connect with the local culture, along with a traditional meal, is included. Stay at a 19th-century heritage homestay during the duration of the tour.

Bhavnagar

Heritage Walk

A heritage trail through the old city of Bhavnagar will lead you to some of Bhavnagar’s old and beautiful heritage sites and structures and offer glimpses into their history.

Highlights include Darbar Gadh, the seat of power; Darbari Kothar, the State Granary; the Town Hall with its beautiful architectural style; and Ganga Deri with its cultural importance.

Ahmedabad

Half-Day Heritage Tour

The tour focuses on the cultural, historic, and crafts heritage beyond the walled city, offering you a close and memorable visual experience.

The tour will take you to see local artisanship at a Block Printing Workshop, a fascinating and remarkable collection of traditional and antique utensils at the Vechaar Museum in Vishalla, and a visit to the outstanding 15th-century Sarkhej Roza group of monuments, a site of architectural and spiritual significance.

Evening Half-Day Tour

The tour looks at the medieval city’s rich legacy of culture and architecture.

Attractions include a visit to Dada Harir ni Vav, a superb 15th-century stepwell; a workshop visit to observe the local art of Mojari (handcrafted embroidered leather shoes) making; shopping experiences in the bazaars of Manek Chowk, an old city square; and visits to Badshah no Hajiro, Rani no Hajiro, and Jumma Masjid – all three fine examples of blended architectural styles.

Morning Half-Day Tour

The tour in the Old City focuses on the architectural heritage as well as the history, art, and culture of the area as it takes you through the narrow lanes of the walled city.

Begin with an exploration of the 15th-century Bhadra Fort and Temple. Witness the morning aarti here.

Move on to visit three havelis:

• Mangaldas ni Haveli 2, a stunning wood-carved 300-year-old haveli, now restored and converted into a hotel comprising three fully furnished rooms.
• Mangaldas ni Haveli 1, a modern hotel in a renovated 150-year-old residential home comprising six rooms and a charming café.
• Jagdeep Mehta ni Haveli, a typical old-city pol house with colonial design influences.

Interact with the family here and try your hand at cooking an Indian recipe.

Next, visit a Rogan Art Workshop to observe the process from start to finish and meet the artisans.

Finally, meet the artists practising a centuries-old art tradition at the Chitaras (Vaghari Community) Workshop and observe them as they use their skills to bring to life the Mata ni Pachedi – a rectangular cloth narrative scroll considered sacred, a temple of the Mother Goddess. Illustrations depict either mythological stories of gods and goddesses or folk tales from the local community, along with motifs of local flora and fauna.

Sabarmati Trail

The tour acquaints you with the city of Ahmedabad on both sides of the River Sabarmati.

Begin with a special Gandhi tour, which includes visits to Kochrab Ashram and Gandhi (Sabarmati) Ashram. Move on to see the Kalamkush Paper Factory, introduced by Gandhi; attend the morning ritual at the iconic Swami Narayan Mandir (Shahibaug); and finish with a visit to Jain Gurukulam, a unique modern-day residential school for boys that follows the ancient Indian system of teaching and traditional education.

Food & Heritage Walk

Ahmedabad is legendary for its fine farsaan (snacks) and has a thriving street-food culture.

Explore this fascinating city with a guided walk that combines food, history, and culture. Discover the built heritage of Ahmedabad as you visit its beautiful centuries-old pols and striking Islamic monuments.

Witness and experience the walled city’s vibrant living culture through its traditional bazaars and narrow lanes. From the start of the tour to its finish, you will get to sample and eat local delicacies at some of Ahmedabad’s best and oldest eateries, most of which have been serving Amdavadis for almost two centuries.

Vadodara

Food & Heritage Walk

Discover Vadodara, often called the “cultural capital of Gujarat,” with a guided walk that explores not only its food culture but also its multi-layered history and heritage.

Try local food and beverages at restaurants and street shops that are decades old.

Highlights of the walk include a visit to a landmark garden in the old city, a drink in a 100-year-old juice parlour, a quick bite in the area’s oldest restaurant, a visit to an old ancestral home to see its mural paintings, a walk past the city’s administrative buildings, and a finish with piping-hot street-food delicacies from a tiny stall.

Culture Walk

Another interesting guided walk will reveal some of the little-known aspects of Vadodara’s rich cultural legacy.

Discover centuries-old Indian sports along with some historical facts at the 18th-century Dr Manikrao Jummadada Vyayam Mandir – an akhada, or a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging, and training for Indian martial artists, where people practise traditional sports, especially traditional wrestling.

The akhada also houses a small museum of swords.