Photographs of the White Rann from Kala Dungar by Superfast1111, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0; Dholavira by Bhuppigraphy, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; Kala Dungar by Raman Patel, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Other photographs: YHAI.
Overview
Kachchh, in the far west of Gujarat, is a rare meeting of desert, hills and sea. It has salt flats that turn blinding white in winter, grasslands loud with migrant birds, and a history that goes back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. This family camping, trekking and training program by YHAI's Kachchh Unit runs from a base camp in Bhuj. In five days you see a river-cut canyon, a wetland of international importance, the Harappan city of Dholavira, and the White Rann seen from the Black Hill.
The Kachchh Unit has run this program ten times at unit and state level, and this is its eighth year as a national program. New this year are Dholavira, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Chhari Dhand wetland. In monsoon and winter, nearly two lakh birds gather at Chhari Dhand, many of them migratory and endangered species.
Highlights
- Kadiya Dhrow: a gorge of banded, wind- and water-carved rock near Kodki village, often called the Grand Canyon of Kachchh. Local herders call its rock towers kotaro.
- Chhari Dhand: a seasonal saline wetland on the edge of the Banni grasslands. In Kutchi, chhari means salty and dhand a shallow wetland. It became Gujarat's first Conservation Reserve in 2008 and Kachchh's first Ramsar site in January 2026. In winter it draws common cranes, greater and lesser flamingos and pelicans.
- Dholavira: one of the five largest Harappan cities, on Khadir Bet island in the Great Rann. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 and is famous for its reservoirs, some cut into living rock, and an ancient signboard of ten large Indus characters. The causeway across the Rann to Khadir is the 'Road to Heaven' in the program's title.
- White Rann: the salt desert at Dhordo, which was named one of UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages in 2023. At sunset and on moonlit nights, the white plain seems to have no end.
- Kala Dungar: the Black Hill, the highest point in Kachchh. From the top you get a sweeping view of the Great Rann, and there is an old Dattatreya temple where, by local legend, jackals come to be fed.
Purpose of the Program
To introduce the ecology of Kachchh, its unexplored trek routes over hill and desert, and adventure equipment and techniques. The program also shows you the cultural and religious life of the region, in the spirit of national integration.
At a Glance
- Dates: 4 to 8 January 2027
- Duration: 4 nights / 5 days
- Base camp: Shri Kachchh Kadva Patidar Samaj, Polytechnic College Road, behind Times Square, Bhuj. It is 8 km from Bhuj railway station; report directly to the base camp.
Fee (Per Person)
- Rs. 11,900 for members above 13 and up to 65 years
- Rs. 9,900 for children aged 5 to 12 years
- Children under 5 years go free with their parents
The Fee Includes
- Accommodation in a covered dormitory or furnished rooms
- Simple, nutritious and healthy vegetarian food
- White Rann entry fees
- Transportation
Program Coordinators
- Mr. Rajesh P Patel, Field Director: 98255 51502, rajesh13.patel13@gmail.com. Plot 198, Ward 6C, 1st Floor, opp. Om Cinema, Adipur, Dist. Kachchh, Gujarat.
- Mr. Parth Sorathia, Hon. Secretary and Program In-charge, YHAI Kachchh Unit: 098251 82080, yhaikandla@yahoo.com and parth_pn@yahoo.com. 77-78 Shreeji Nagar, NRI Society, behind Yax Mandir, opp. Bhujio Hill, Bhuj, Kachchh 370020.
- Mr. Suresh Amrutiya, Unit Chairman: 98252 51364, suresh.amrutiya@gmail.com
- Mr. Rashmin Joshi, State Secretary: 76000 07394, joshi572533@yahoo.co.in
Day-wise Schedule
Report directly at the base camp in Bhuj.
A trek of about 4 km at Kadiya Dhrow, where a river has cut a canyon through layered rock. Then on to the Chhari Dhand wetland on the edge of the Banni grasslands, home to cranes, flamingos and other winter visitors.
A visit to the World Heritage site of Dholavira, with a trek of about 3 km. You see one of the great cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation, with its citadel, gateways and stone reservoirs. This visit depends on road access permission across the Rann.
A visit to the White Rann, the salt desert, and to Kala Dungar, the Black Hill, which looks out over the Great Rann.
Check out after breakfast.
The program, schedule and routes may change without prior notice if required. The Dholavira visit depends on access permission for the road across the Rann.
Facts & Eligibility
Who Can Join
- Any YHAI member from anywhere in India. Families are welcome; see the fee for each age group above.
- YHAI membership is compulsory. If you are not a member, you can take membership at the base camp by paying the prescribed fee.
How to Join
- Download the prescribed Registration Form and the Medical Certificate from www.yhaindia.org. Send the form with the certificate.
- For offline booking and more information, contact the Program Coordinators listed above.
- Fee deposit: Punjab National Bank, Anjar branch. Account name: Youth Hostels Association of India Kachchh Unit. Account no. 2177000100032720, IFSC PUNB0654100.
- Post the hard copy of the Registration Form and documents to: Mr. Parth Sorathia, Secretary and Program In-charge, Kachchh Unit, 77-78 Shreejinagar, NRI Society, behind Yax Mandir, opp. Bhujio Hill, Bhuj, Kachchh 370020.
How to Reach the Base Camp
- By train and bus: Bhuj is well connected with Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Vadodara. Regular state transport and private coaches run to Bhuj.
- By air: flights connect Bhuj with Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Goa. The nearest airports are Bhuj, Mundra, Rajkot and Ahmedabad.
- Report directly to the base camp, 8 km from Bhuj railway station.
Stay and Food
- Dormitory or covered accommodation
- Simple, nutritious and healthy vegetarian food; mineral water can be served
What to Bring
- Woollen clothes for the cold January nights
- Water bottle and trekking shoes
- A small rucksack or knapsack
- Torch
- Personal medicines and toilet kit
- Camouflage clothes (desirable)
- Mandatory for the entry permit: two passport-size photographs, and your photo ID proof in original with a copy
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: Base Camp, Shri Kachchh Kadva Patidar Samaj, Polytechnic College Road, behind Times Square, Bhuj - 8 km from Bhuj railway station
Program Map
- 1Bhuj (Base Camp)Days 1-5
- 2Kadiya Dhrow canyonDay 2
- 3Chhari Dhand wetlandDay 2
- 4DholaviraDay 3
- 5White Rann, DhordoDay 4
- 6Kala DungarDay 4
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
- Applications reaching the Unit on or before 3 December 2026 get a 50% refund of the fee.
- No refund application is considered after that date.
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