Best time to visit :
The best time to visit the place is from November to March when the vast stretches of the marshy land dries up and transforms into the vast salt panes.
How to Reach:
The great Rann of Kutch is best accessed from Bhuj, the nearest town, about 130 km away. We took the taxi from the hotel early in the morning and left for a whole day site seeing. It is advisable that one books the transport at least one day prior.
Stay:
there are two options :
1. Bhuj city : take a car to travel around(which we did). The cheaper option. If one is not interested in the adventure and cultural activities at tent city then this is recommended.
Regenta Resort, Bhuj is a beautiful place and gives you a feel of Gujarat along with very helpful and courteous staff.
2. The White Rann , Tent city. : It is a costly affair but offers a lot of adventure and cultural activities. A bit difficult to get accommodation there so best advice is to book well in advance.
About a couple of hours away is the highest point in Bhuj. It offers a panoramic view of the surrounding areas. Another attraction is the Dattatreya temple that is perched at the top of the hill. Legend has it that lord Dattatreya had once found a band of hungry jackals there and had offered his own body to them. Since the last 400 years, the priest makes no mistake in feeding the jackals that still come there, every day after aarti!
This place is very near to the western boundaries of the country and hence a BSF post is also there, beyond which civilians are not allowed.
TIPS:
1. Parking there is a big problem as there is no systematic arrangement available.
It was time for lunch and we had stopped at a dhaba.
Next stop was the great Rann of Kutch.
The best time to visit the place is from November to March when the vast stretches of the marshy land dries up and transforms into the vast salt panes. The “Rann Utsav” takes place every year from November to March. The otherwise barren stretches of vast panes changes into a vibrant palette of colors.
We reached late afternoon, with sun behind our back and stayed until it downed past the horizon. The return journey was breathtaking with the night sky littered with stars stretching till infinity.
TIPS:
There needs to be a permit issued to visit ran of Kutch. The drivers usually know the correct place, get it done at the right time and place to avoid problems later on.
The next day was meant to cover 'Prag Mahal', 'Aina Mahal', 'Swaminarayan Temple', before lunch and head to 'Mandavi' for the 'Ram Vilas Palace' and sunset at beach.
We started after breakfast and first stop was the PragMahal at the centre of the old city.
It is an old Palace which acts as a museum now. The architecture is beautiful and it is dotted with British styled furniture. A treat for those who adore the old world.
The next stop was 'Aina Mahal'. This is also a museum lined with weapons, musical instruments, weapons and general household items. It is little ill organised. So if you are short on time, this can be skipped.
'Swaminarayan Temple' is a typical Hindu temple with a huge compound with a marble structure at the center. Again this can be skipped if you are not a religious person.
Lunch was taken at 'Prince Hotel' in Bhuj before heading out to Mandavi. The food was authentic Gujarati and tasted amazing.
On the way to Mandavi, on the outskirts of Bhuj is the textile and handicraft village of Bhujodi, famous for Hand-loom articles. There are enough shops from where one can buy their heart content. There if one wishes, can see people working on looms in their house.
Mandavi is famous for Vijay Vilas palace and the beach. This palace is an architecture marvel and Bollywood set for movies!
Mandavi beach was the first Asian place to have windmills! It is a treat to the eyes to watch the sun drown in the waves and calmness descend over.
The return journey was quite uneventful as we were dead tired. We left for Ahmedabad the next day. If one is short of time, one can directly go back instead of going back to Bhuj.