Photographs of an Asiatic lion in Gir by Bernard Gagnon, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0; Girnar by Jashu Ram, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0; the Somnath temple by B. SurajPatro1997, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Other photographs: YHAI.
Overview
Forest, mountain and sea in six days. Gir-Girnar is one of YHAI's most popular national programs, and the Gujarat State Branch runs it from a base camp at Bhavnath Taleti, at the foot of Mount Girnar in Junagadh. You trek through the forests of the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary and see lions at Devaliya on the edge of Gir. Then you walk a stretch of the Saurashtra coast and finish by climbing the stone steps of Girnar itself.
Girnar has been a pilgrimage mountain for Hindus and Jains for centuries. The town at its feet is just as old: on the last morning you see Junagadh's Ashokan rock edict, Buddhist caves cut for monks, and the ornate tombs of the Babi Nawabs.
Highlights
- Jatashankar: a Shiva shrine tucked into a forested gorge on the slopes of Girnar. In the evening you walk on to Kashmiri Bapu Ashram to learn about the medicinal plants and herbs of the Girnar forest.
- Girnar forest: a 16 km day in the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, notified in 2008. It is home to leopards, deer and nilgai, and to a population of Asiatic lions outside the main Gir forest.
- Devaliya: the Devalia Safari Park, or Gir Interpretation Zone, is a fenced part of the Gir sanctuary near Sasan. Lions and leopards are very likely to be seen here.
- Bhalka Tirth and Somnath: Bhalka Tirth is where, by tradition, the hunter Jara's arrow struck Lord Krishna. Somnath, on the shore of the Arabian Sea, is counted first among the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva.
- Dhamal: an evening of drumming and dance by the Siddi community, whose ancestors came from Africa.
- The coast: a 12 km walk from Adri beach to Chorwad, the seaside retreat where the Nawabs of Junagadh built their summer palace
- Mount Girnar: about 10,000 steps one way to Dattatreya, passing the Jain temples on the way up
At a Glance
- Dates: 14 to 19 December 2026
- Duration: 5 nights / 6 days
- Age: 18 to 65 years
- Fee: Rs. 7,000 per person
- Base camp: Sanatan Hindu Dharamshala, Bhavnath Taleti, Junagadh
The Fee Includes
- Food
- Accommodation
- Guide fee
- Forest fee
Program Coordinator
- Mr. Ketan Mehta: 98251 90910
- Email: ketan_mehta22@yahoo.co.in
- Address: Sanatan Hindu Dharamshala, Bhavnath Taleti, Junagadh
Day-wise Schedule
Report and register at the base camp. Then walk 4 km to the Jatashankar temple, a Shiva shrine in a wooded gorge on Girnar's slopes. In the evening, a further 4 km trek takes you to Kashmiri Bapu Ashram, where you learn about the medicinal plants and herbs of the Girnar forest.
A 16 km trek through dense forest up to the Sarkhadiya Girnar Sanctuary. This is the longest distance of the program.
An early-morning visit to the Devaliya lion safari park on the edge of Gir. In the afternoon you visit Bhalka Tirth and the Somnath Temple by the sea. The night halt is at Ashram Ness Resort, where the local Siddi community performs Dhamal. This African-rooted folk dance came to Gujarat with their ancestors.
A 12 km coastal trek from Adri beach with a local guide who knows the area's geography well. The route passes through several kinds of forest and ends at the Holiday Camp, Chorwad. You return to the Junagadh base camp at night.
The big climb: about 10,000 steps one way up Mount Girnar to Dattatreya. The path passes the Jain temples and other shrines, and the views widen as you climb. Go at your own steady pace.
Check out of the base camp early and set off on a heritage tour of Junagadh. You visit Damodar Kund, the sacred pond at the foot of Girnar, and Willingdon Dam. Then come the Baba Pyare and Khapra Kodia caves, cut for Buddhist monks about 2,000 years ago, and Ashoka's rock edict (Ashok Shilalekh), about 2,300 years old. The tour ends at the Babi, Mahabat and Bahauddin maqbaras, the tombs of the Nawabs and their ministers. You are then dropped at the railway station.
Facts & Eligibility
Who Can Join
- Any YHAI member from anywhere in the country, aged 18 to 65
- If you are not a member, you can take membership at the reception. Bring a photocopy of your Aadhaar card, a passport-size photograph and Rs. 200 for each membership.
How to Join
- Download the prescribed Registration Form and the Medical Certificate from www.yhaindia.org. Fill them in and send them to the program address above.
- Or apply online at www.yhaindia.org.
How to Reach the Base Camp
- Junagadh is reached by train or bus. Junagadh railway station is the nearest station.
- The nearest airport is Rajkot. From there, travel on to Junagadh by road.
Stay and Food
- Rooms with attached western toilet and bathroom
- Simple vegetarian food and RO water
- Some lunches are packed, so bring your own tiffin box
What to Bring
- Light woollens for the cool December mornings and evenings
- Mug, water bottle and torch
- Personal medicines and toilet kit
- Sanitiser
- Your own tiffin box for packed lunches
- Anything else you may need during the program
Rules and Safety
- Carrying non-biodegradable material in Gujarat is an offence.
- Smoking, alcohol and narcotics of any kind are strictly prohibited during the program.
- All necessary precautions are taken while planning for the safety and security of participants.
Batch Dates
Reporting Point: Sanatan Hindu Dharamshala, Bhavnath Taleti, Junagadh
Program Map
- 1Bhavnath, Junagadh (Base Camp)Days 1-6
- 2Jatashankar Mahadev TempleDay 1
- 3Kashmiri Bapu AshramDay 1
- 4Devaliya Lion Safari ParkDay 3
- 5Bhalka TirthDay 3
- 6Somnath TempleDay 3
- 7Adri BeachDay 4
- 8ChorwadDay 4
- 9Dattatreya, Mount GirnarDay 5
Places from the day-wise schedule, numbered in visiting order. Markers shown with a hollow ring and a "≈" are approximate - these places are not mapped in OpenStreetMap, so they are placed from published route descriptions. Tap any place below to open it in Google Maps. Map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Rules
- A 50% refund is considered if you officially inform the program coordinator, Shri Ketanbhai Mehta, by email or in hard copy at least one week before your reporting date.
- No refund application is considered after that.
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