Gujarat Birds and Wildlife

On arrival in Ahmedabad, travelers are met and transferred to the hotel. The remainder of the day is reserved for rest before an overnight stay.

The first birding stop is Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, an extensive shallow marsh with a varied bird community and the possibility of Indian rarities. The journey then continues to Velavadar National Park. If time remains, birding can begin near the park in the late afternoon. The overnight base is Blackbuck Safari Lodge.

Morning and afternoon safaris explore Velavadar National Park. The reserve protects India’s largest remaining Blackbuck population and also supports Indian Wolf, Golden Jackal and Striped Hyena. Grassland searches cover White-eyed Buzzard, the Indian and Singing Bush-Larks, and both Red-necked and Laggar Falcons. Painted and Grey Francolins may occur, along with White-rumped and Indian Vultures. Lesser Florican breeds here during the monsoon but is extremely difficult at other times. The day ends at the harrier roost, where Montagu’s, Pallid and Marsh Harriers may gather before settling into the grass.

Leaving Velavadar in the morning, the drive reaches Gir around lunchtime. Afternoon birding and possible mammal observation take place outside the national park.

Morning and afternoon open-jeep safaris explore Gir’s dry deciduous forest. The park holds the world’s only remaining wild Asiatic Lion population. This subspecies once ranged from Turkey across Asia to eastern India, but hunting reduced it almost to extinction. Several hundred now survive in a restricted area, leaving the population vulnerable to disease, poaching and pressure from people and livestock. Leopard, Chinkara and Four-horned Antelope are further mammal possibilities. Birds may include Mottled Wood-Owl, Indian Thick-knee, Marshall’s Iora, Brown Fish-Owl and White-bellied Minivet. Laggar Falcon, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Egyptian Vulture and Indian Pitta are additional possibilities, with several babblers and prinias also present.

A final morning jeep safari in Gir is followed by an early lunch and the drive north to Jamnagar.

A full day explores Jamnagar on the Gulf of Kutch, where the Marine National Park protects large numbers of migrant and wintering gulls, terns and waders. Crab Plover is a principal target. Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary combines saline and freshwater lagoons that may hold cranes, storks, flamingos, pelicans, Indian Skimmer and a wide range of waders. Narara Bet and Pirotan Island can support very large bird concentrations, although permits are not always available and Pirotan requires boat access. More accessible alternatives remain productive, including Lakhota Lake in the city. Further possibilities include Rosy Starling, Sand Lark and Greater Spotted Eagle, together with Caspian Tern, Pallas’s Gull, Western Reef Egret and Great Crested Grebe.

After an early breakfast, the route continues to Bhuj and CEDO, the Centre for Desert and Ocean homestay. Its naturalists are involved in social and conservation work across the Kutch, or Kachchh, region. Afternoon birding will most likely visit Fulay in the Banni grasslands or the Chhari-Dhand wetlands.

Three full days are allocated to the Greater Rann, with additional coverage of the northern Gulf of Kutch coast. This large salt desert lies on the southern edge of the Thar and retains winter water in some monsoon depressions, attracting wildfowl while raptors and larks use surrounding dry grassland. Grey Hypocolius is a key target near Fulay, its only regular known wintering area in India. The remaining Great Indian Bustard population at Naliya and Lala Bustard Sanctuary was reported as only one male, so the itinerary instead concentrates on other species. Thorn forest searches cover Rock Bush-Quail and Marshall’s Iora, alongside Stoliczka’s Bushchat and White-naped Tit. Coursers, sandgrouse, Red-tailed Wheatear and several buntings occupy more open habitats. Coastal visits near Mandvi or Pingleshwar may produce large gull and wader flocks, including Crab Plover, with possible stops at a vulture site near Poladia and at Topansar Lake.

The day is a long eastward transfer linking the Bhuj area with the Little Rann of Kutch.

The full day combines the Little Rann’s scrub-covered raised islands with wetlands such as Bajana Creek and Nawa Talao. Demoiselle and Common Cranes, both flamingos and Great White or Dalmatian Pelicans may gather in large numbers. Other possibilities include Black-necked Stork and Knob-billed Duck. Grey-necked Bunting, the Bay-backed and Rufous-tailed Shrikes, and Variable or Desert Wheatears may occur, along with Graceful Prinia and White-tailed Lapwing. The salt-desert islands provide habitat for herds of Asiatic Wild Ass. Nilgai and Chinkara should also occur, while Desert Fox, Jungle Cat and nocturnal Pale or Long-eared Hedgehogs are less certain possibilities.

Morning birding covers the Little Rann’s saline desert and nearby grasslands around the lodge. The route then returns to Ahmedabad for an evening arrival and overnight stay.

Hotel checkout and the transfer to Ahmedabad airport are arranged according to flight times. Travelers may instead extend their stay in western India, including an optional search for Great Indian Bustard in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park or another India birding itinerary.