Incredible places to visit in Kutch

by Aparajita Mitra
places to visit in gujarat

Imagine yourself on the Great White Escape. Walking under the moonlit sky on wide stretches of white salt marshes of the Rann of Kutch, not a care in your mind. If you plan to visit the Rann of Kutch, the winter months of November to February is the best time to do it. The Rann Utsav is held during these months and you can see the gorgeous place at its best. There are many incredible places to visit in Kutch region that you can visit on a Gujarat road trip. The Rann of Kutch tour packages cover all these beautiful locations and more.

Great Rann of Kutch 

places to visit in kutch

The Great Rann of Kutch

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The Rann of Kutch is undoubtedly your main destination on this particular Gujarat road trip. The never-ending white salt desert really intrigues people and tourist from far and wide to see it. The Rann Utsav has added to the appeal of the places with festivities that showcase the entire region. The festival has made it one of ‘THE” places to visit in Gujarat and Rann of Kutch tour packages like these help with the planning.

Stargazing in the night, enjoying the folk performances, shopping for Kutchi handicrafts and sampling the local Kutchi delicacies. What’s not to like about spending a few days in the Rann of Kutch? Also, there are many amazing places to visit in Kutch, which you can explore while you are here.

Mandvi beach 

mandvi beach

Mandvi beach

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The beach town of Mandvi is one of the popular stops on Gujarat road trip. Once upon a time, Mandvi used to be a port town and the locals still make wooden boats in the area where Rukhmavati river meets the Arabian Sea. Bird-watchers are drawn to the Topansar lake to see many migratory birds like the pelicans and seagulls. A camel ride or horse ride on the beach is highly recommended, especially for kids. Also recommended is a visit to the magnificent Vijay Vilas Palace near the beach. This grand palace attracts many tourists, especially because many Bollywood movies have been shot here.

Kalo Dungar

kalo dungar

Kalo Dungar

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Quite literally meaning Black Hill, Kalo Dungar is one of the helpful places to visit in Kutch for photography enthusiasts. The hill is the highest point in Kutch and just a few km away from the Rann. So it has the vantage point to click some of the best photographs of the white expanse. The picturesque panoramic views make Kalo Dungar an important stop in most Rann of Kutch tour packages. Once you get to the top of the hill, you must visit the 400-year-old Dattatreya temple.

Marine National Park

One of the interesting places to visit on your Gujarat road trip is the Marine National Park, on the shore of the Gulf of Kutch. It is one of the refreshing places to visit in Kutch, especially after all the historical towns and desert visits. The area between Okha to Jodiya was declared a Marine Sanctuary in 1980. Many marine species including whales, dolphins are seen here along with pearl oyster, octopus, starfish, and stingrays are found here. This is also one of the rare places where coral reefs are visible without diving into the water.

Bhuj

Bhuj prag mahal

Prag Mahal

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The old city of Bhuj used to be surrounded by a fort with 5 major gates and a small gate called the Chhathi Bari (sixth window). The town is one of the significant places to visit in Kutch, especially if you love history and monuments. You must visit the exquisite Aina Mahal, the regal Prag Mahal, and the very peaceful Swaminarayan Temple. Also spend some time in the Kutch museum, where exhibits cover the entire history region, dating back many centuries. Most noteworthy of the specimens are the coin gallery, examples of Kutchi script and the old Kshatrapa inscriptions dating back to 1st century.

A Gujarat road trip to the Rann of Kutch has many benefits as you can stop by a lot of places on the way. You can take a peek at the Harappan Culture at the Dholavira excavation site. Or you can check out flamingo colonies at the Khavda Park. Wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers must visit the Narayan Sarovar, Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary and one-of-a-kind Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. Lastly, everyone must visit the Handicraft Village and many local shops in Dhordo and Hodka. Buy specimens of locally made souvenirs, especially the Kutchi embroidered fabric & clothes.

These are just some of the places to visit in Kutch during your Gujarat road trip. The Rann of Kutch tour packages covers almost all of them.

If you are planning a Gujarat road trip, check out some of these other road trip destinations and the exciting Gir & Beyond road trip package. Other amazing coastal road trip vacations you must look at are the Konkan coast,Tamil Nadu coast and the South Goa beaches.

 

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7 comments

Road trip to Chandubi Lake - ScoutMyTrip Blog - Go #AageSeRight December 27, 2017 - 8:28 am

[…] and Goa are some of the common holiday destinations for this season. Also the Rann Utsav makes Gujarat a great road trip destination during winters. The Chandubi Lake, one of the most mesmerizing […]

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10 Must-visit Indian Festivals in January - ScoutMyTrip Blog January 6, 2018 - 6:53 am

[…] the intricate Kutchi embroidered fabric. We would recommend going on a road trip to visit the many interesting places in Kutch. You can check out our White Escape Package, or in fact, join the Great Voyage of Kutch bike trip […]

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5 Best Bike Road Trips in India - ScoutMyTrip Blog - Go #AageSeRight January 15, 2018 - 10:02 pm

[…] The route is about 454 kilometres long and takes just under eight hours. There are many interesting places to see in the Kutch region, besides the Rann of Kutch. The White Expanse of the desert you see at the end of one of the best […]

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10 Spellbinding Roads in India - ScoutMyTrip Blog June 18, 2019 - 4:22 pm

[…] salt desert is surely your best bet making it eight on our list of ten spellbinding roads in India. Kutch is blessed with one of the most ecologically and culturally abundant landforms. The place is […]

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Upcoming Indian Festivals In The Month of January | SMT Blog June 24, 2019 - 11:28 am

[…] thing that increases the magnificence of Rann of Kutch is this desert celebration. It mirrors the way of life and legacy of the area taking care of […]

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Splendors of Gujarat: 7 reasons why you must visit Gujarat November 25, 2019 - 5:38 pm

[…] of the Rann of Kutch are to view it from the Kala Dungar (Black Hill) which is the highest point in Kutch – 458 meters above sea level. The old Lakhpat Fort, 140 km from Bhuj also provides a fabulous […]

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Motorcycle Tours In India | 5 Best Bike Road Trips in India January 2, 2020 - 12:19 pm

[…] The route is about 454 kilometres long and takes just under eight hours. There are many interesting places to see in the Kutch region, besides the Rann of Kutch. The White Expanse of the desert you see at the end of one of the best […]

Reply

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