Gir National Park is the only place in Asia where you find Asiatic lions. As I was all aware of the vast flora and fauna over there. With an area of over 1140 km in a whole, you find this place very widely distributed among the small mountains. It is covered in the surroundings by Somnath, Junagadh and Amreli.These were the hunting grounds for the Nawabs of Junagadh. But now it is considered among the IUCN Category 2.
The waters of the perennial rivers around the Gir make it more wilder.
It is an important biological area for Reseach and Education.
The Wilderness
Asiatic Lions are considered the protagonists of Gir. People from all over the world come to visit these creatures.
Nearest City
the city nearest to Gir is Talala. And on the other direction is Junagadh. Various trains from Mumbai, or Surat or Ahmedabad go there. From Junagadh, it is a distance which takes around 90-100 minutes to reach there.
Best time to go there
The best time to visit Gir National Park is November to January.
April and May are considered the best seasons to visit especially for the Wildlife watching and sight seeing. We also went there almost in the April, when we got free of our exams.
Accommodation
The accommodation was budget based . you could get everything in between Luxury hotels to local lodges.
The forest department there, has 2 lodges’Sinh Sadan Lodge’ and’Gir Lodge’. It mainly operates from there. Various private lodges were also available, but we preferred no to choose those private ones, and got ourselves lodged in the Gir Lodge.
The services provided are also adequate.
My Experience
We booked a Safari right from the Junagadh Railway Station, which was our day 1 at Gir.
2nd Day was the main Game Day as it is called, we were taken to see the Asiatic Lions, Chinkara, Nilgai, sambar etc.
As there are 8 routes through which you can go. The safari was a 6 seater. So it was a tremendously amazing adventure for us to enjoy to our fullest.
Then according to the schedule we were again taken to the Jungle lodge for Breakfast and lunch accordingly. In between we were again taken to trip the medicinal plants. Slot based distribution was there, so you don’t find enough traffic of the people around.
Watching the Lion roar is a thrilling experience, where our Adrenaline sprints in our blood, where we just froze on the site of the whole family coming towards our Safari Jeep.
Our guide, Mr. Kamlesh was a very good man, though he explained us every detail he should. But when we had our own Doubts with his theories, he would simply beat about the bush. Though these things have become more common in our trips.
So in all to be straight forward, Gir National Park is the best place for avid wildlife lovers. This National Park is not in Easy outreach of the people around.
I would recommend the people to come to Gujarat, and not forget to visit Gir National Park.