Travel Guides and trips for things to do india gujarat

I was in class 5 when I heard about The Rann of Kutch in my geography class for the first time. It was a great experience to see it for real. The little desert called the salt desert is a salt marsh located near the Great Rann of Kutch in Kutch district, Gujrat. The salt desert is something that you must see at least once in your lifetime. It is a harmony of salt and stones collected together and surrounded by the sea on one side and the desert on the other. It has a bizarre charm to it. It holds unexpected surprises, which will definitely humble your unquenchable traveller’s spirit.

The perfect host for anyone's next vacation. If you love heritage & traditional value, if you are a nature admirer, if heartening arts and crafts interest you, if captivating nomadic lifestyle appeals you, this is the place of your dream destination. Splendid vistas, intriguing history, lively people, abundance of tradition, color and fascination. The Rann Mahotsav of Kutch is also gaining a lot of popularity, it is a month-long carnival organized by the Gujarat state government to showcase the unique culture, traditions, local arts and crafts of the region. There are lots of options to buy and shop here. The festival is organized around the full moon nights of winter. The Rann of Utsav for this year would be organized during the period of 15 Dec, 2013 to 31st January, 2014.

The White Desert, endless, infinite stretch of nothingness. Except, salt. A perfect place to camp, in the darkness, away from the hullabaloo of a city. If you're lucky or you plan your visit to the White Desert on a full moon night, you'll be treated to brilliant reflections, mind-blowing scenes of a gleaming salty surface.

Beyond words, its plain Beautifull!!

Among the many Jat communities in India, Kutchchy Jats are nomadic, separated from their fellow families in Pakistan. They rear cattle, breed camels and indulge in exceptional artwork.

One of the most beautiful places on earth, Rann of Kutch fills you with a sense of awe! It's a white stretch of land till the eyes can see. White un ending patch of land. The vastness of the place brings out a philosopher in you, when u start thinking about how tiny you are!

Make sure you plan in such a manner that you reach the White Desert before the sun sets. It is beauty to watch it in the setting sun light, twilight and then the moonlight. The transition is serene. Carry reasonable supply of water. And try planning the trip on a full moon night.

Day 3: Zainabad - Through the Little Rann of Kachchh - Adesar - Bhuj The next day began early before sunrise. The excitement was palpable, and both of us very quickly got ready. If everything went well, we would be through the LRK to Adesar in no time and would reach Bhuj quite early. However, the possibility of turning back after doing quite some distance in the Rann was also huge. We left for Jhijuwada at about 8:30 am after a hearty breakfast at Desert Coursers and armed with a packed lunch of sandwiches for the road. A word of advice for those entering the Rann - plan for the worst, and carry some drinking water with you. We entered the Rann through the same cut in the road we had discovered the previous evening. The entry points into the Rann are limited because of a thick vegetation of shrubs. We were quite aware of the fact that it would be difficult to exit the Rann too, if we were able to cross it somehow in the first place. Our hypothesis was that if we reach a salt farm on the other side of the Rann, there should definitely exist a track leading to a village on or near the highway to Bhuj. Keeping this in mind, I'd marked a village called Varnu Wandh near the highway which also had several salt farms near it, which we were able to clearly see on Google Earth. To make things further interesting, we had marked an oasis as seen on Google Earth on our GPS device, so the first target for the day was to reach this oasis. We followed the initial tyre marks which apparentely were headed straight towards the oasis as our GPS indicated. The shrubs disappeared, and soon all we could see was the parched land of the Rann. As we went deeper, the Rann started to get marshier and I shifted to 4H just to be safe. I’d heard that sometimes the upper crust just gives way all of a sudden and the chances of getting stuck in mud are quite high. At least with 4H on, there was a (false) sense of security that in case it happens, we stand a chance to get out of the rut. The tyre marks now seemed to go in a different direction, so we had to leave them and move in the general direction of the oasis. After driving for another 10 minutes or so, we found another set of tyre marks which were moving towards the oasis. In the Rann, it makes sense to stick to existing tyre marks, lest one intends to get stuck anywhere. These tracks led to a salt farm, and as the farm came nearer, the tracks became marshier. We decided not to head straight towards the salt farm, but skirt it to avoid the marshier patch around it. I parked the car near the house at the corner of the farm and walked towards it. The man working there came towards me and gave me the bad news that it would not be possible to cross the Rann. He was speaking in Gujarati, so we were both unable to comprehend each other completely, but as much as I could understood from him, there was some river ahead which was impossible to cross. It had been 1 hour 15 minutes since we'd taken the cut from Jhijuwada, and after coming so deep into the Rann, we were in no mood to go back. Disheartened, I gave the news to Aarti, but we both decided to at least see this river and maybe catch some interesting shots near the water body. Somehow the concept of a river through the Rann did not make sense, and we were hoping against hope that it was not true. We moved ahead. The tyre tracks soon disappeared, and we were left on our own, heading towards the village Varnu Wandh based on the directions the GPS gave us. We'd chucked the idea of locating the oasis, since it would definitely be marshy there. The drive during the next 45 minutes can at best be described as exhilarating. Cruising at 60 kmph through the Rann with nothing as far as the eye could see was a fantastic experience, difficult to describe in words. Some sets of tyre tracks came up, but disappeared soon, and seemed to head in a different direction. With nothing to see at the horizon, there is little reference frame to give a direction sense to the driver. All this while, we were waiting to hit the edge of a river or a huge water body, but nothing came up. We were filled with mixed emotions, the deeper we went, the greater chance we had of crossing the Rann, however the greater the risk of turning back at the last moment. We also found a set of stone pillars erected one after the other at equal distance forming markers of a path through the Rann, although there were no tyre tracks next to them. This gave us further confidence to move ahead, and we did.

The ground below you has no trace of sand but hard crystalline salt. Stretches for miles and miles and binds you with its unexplored mystery.

Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India

Great Rann of Kutch: This is the White desert- Spread in 7,505.22 square km. It is magnificent and is one of its kind. You need to experience sunset at this location. We had planned a 3 day trip to Kutch, during which we spent the first night at Shaam-e-Sarhad- a village resort in Hodka, food there was awesome and we got a feel of staying in village with facilities of urban area. We thoroughly enjoyed the handicraft village during the day and in the evening we went to the Rann. We had to walk about 4-5 Km inside the Rann so that we can get away from the crowd and actually feel the white desert. The experience was extraordinary and tiring. We found that desert was sapping the energy from us and we couldn’t even sit as the salt was wet. We had thought to stay till night and enjoy the moonlit night, but then unfortunately it was a no moon night.

The Great Rann of Kutch is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan. This was our first major destination and we ride to such a long distance to see the white sands and Rann festival here. Spend whole day 3 at RoK and near by places.

Mesmerizing place to see and feel by your self.Endless beauty of worlds largest Salt desert is a must have experience for every travel loving individual.The beauty of White Rann is at its best when its Full Moon night.White Rann is divided in two parts where vehicles are allowed up to certain place.The Sunset view at White Rann is very pleasing and colorful , plan your time accordingly so that you won't miss this alluring moment.Image source:Nirbhay Creations

Main attraction of Gujrat and one of the must seen places in India is Runn of kutch. It is around 70 Km from the nearest railway station, Bhuj. People generally go there via auto, rental cars or may be in a tourist bus if large in number. You can find the tropic of Cancer passing within the way to kutch. In between you can have lunch in dhabas at max. 100 rs per person. There is entry fee of 100 rs per person but can be subsidized through proper proof of student ( On paper proof not just ID card). There are two places, one is Kala Doongar, near to the kutch, A scenic beauty point showing Arabian sea, surrounding mountains and bridge over there. Second, is the runn of kutch itself, also called White Dessert, which is basically salt shining all over spreading till infinity (well it looks like it) and you can walk over it, play something with friends, can have some quite time staring at the horizon, horse riding, long walk in any direction you want, can have beautiful photo shoot, sunrise and sunset are awesome there, star gazing ( a lot and lot of stars.. bringing wow!! in your face) and also full moon looks just perfect there. There is also a Runn Utsav, which includes various fun activities, introduces you to its culture, stay in those rounded huts called Bhunga-traditional homes of Kutch and many more things. This whole thing is available in some package. Many families and tourist come to visit for this Runn Utsav. But as we were students, we decided not to take this package and explore ourselves.

The Great Rann of Kutch is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is about 7,505.22 square kilometres (2,897.78 sq mi) in size and is reputed to be one of the largest salt desert in the world.My trip to Kutch was instantly planned and is best one till date.This trip was special for two reasons. One, I had a thing for white desert even before I saw Mr Amitabh Bachhan promoting this in GUJRAT tourism. Second, this was the first time I dropped the idea of solo trip and planned this trip with someone. And I was going there with a friend whom I never met before. Travelers are connected through their souls and so were we.DAY 1. 30 Dec ,2015 After a delayed train we reached bhuj station by 2pm and missed the bus right in front of our eyes which we were supposed to board for Rann Utsav. Fortunately, proper arrangement of waiting hall and washrooms was made where we were to wait until the next bus came. We till then went to a nearby dhaba in bhuj had our lunch and came back to the waiting hall. After waiting there for almost 3 hours we left for dhordho tent city which took us an hour to reach there. We checked into tent city. When we found the tent( J-56) it exceeded our expectations. Our first activity was White Desert visit. We used as much time as it is required for dumping the bags in the room. Then we headed towards the main gate to get into camel carts which were provided on first come first serve basis and we didn't want to miss the chance. After reaching at the main gate of dhordho tent city we saw 7-8 camel carts which were yet to be filled. We both relaxed and smiled looking at each other. We got into camel cart,passed the Dhordo tent city on our way to the white desert. Right after crossing the BSF check post, you haven't leave the road (check for tyre tracks on the left side) and drive through the desert. Yeah you heard it right - Off-roading!!! So SUVs are highly recommended. OurCamel cart ran through the vast expanse effortlessly, making its own road and leaving a cloud of sand behind it. (In case you don't get off the road and continue straight, the road leads to India bridge and the Indo-Pak border.) Cars are permitted only till the point. After that there is the White Desert and there are your two feet - as far as they can take you.We had reached there at the perfect time - an hour before the sunset. The sun was still blazing, but we couldn't spot much whiteness around. This was so different from all the snow white pictures of Rann that I have seen. There were people around though, a little too much to spoil the mood and all the photography attempts. We had to leave the group and walked further inside. The more we walked inside the more white the land became. We walked more than a mile or so, till the salt layer was almost 3 inches deep. The sun has set by then. But there was still daylight. And it was snow white all around, just that it wasn't snow. We stood there for a while, clicked few pictures and walked back towards the group. Got back into the camel carts and headed toward the tent city. After a day long journey in train we were tired. We relaxed for sometime in the tent and headed to the dining hall. Post dinner, we took a walk through tent city.It was 2 days past full moon. Wishing that I could see a waning moon I looked up. I couldn't see a moon, but what I saw was jaw-dropping. An infinite black sky with more stars and constellations than I had seen in my entire life was spread out above me. Wasn't it the same sky that I see in Mumbai or Delhi or Jaipur.Wonder how I never saw so many stars in those cities or at my hometown? Or was it a desert thing? The starry sky seemed to merge with the unending dark horizon. We sat there silently for sometime looking up at the sky.It was getting colder but somehow it didn't matter. The entire universe was staring down back at us-twinkling. And there was absolute silence and a perfect company. 'The silence that is in the starry sky' in the words of William Wordsworth. Then phone broke us out of our reverie and shattered that silence too.But those moments of silence away from people were peaceful. We got up and walked back to our tents as it was late already.But "That place made me dream. Dream beyond infinity." And trust me you would feel every bit of it when you'll visit the Great Rann of Kutch.The Land of the White Salt Desert and exquisite art and craft, KUTCH is a quite HEAVEN.If you are looking for lots of colour, peace,flaming flamingos, flying cranes and different migratory birds, then KUTCH, GUJRAT is the IDEAL Place for you.The white desert comes alive under the moonlight and the unending horizon merges into the moonlight. Rann Utsav is held every year from Nov-March. I would suggest everyone to must visit Great Rann of Kutch once. And It'll attract you again & again everytime you'll plan a trip. PS:- This article is solely dedicated to a evening Rann of Kutch. The rest of the journey will be documented in a separate post. So what are you waiting for?HURRY! You can suggest your loved ones and everyone you know has wanderlust in her/his veins a visit to white desert.Will update more in my next story of Rannutsav. For further details:- anjalisahrawat21@gmail.com

Jaisalmer makes it all too easily to any list of places to visit in India: unabashedly colorful, gorgeously earthy, and abundantly historic. It has the bustling flea markets, the sandstone architecture, the royal heritage, the vibrantly-clad women – all the makings of the exotic orient that many a travelers seek. Situated in the heart of the Rajasthan desert, it is the land of destination weddings and camel safaris. But it suffers a certain caricaturing: almost every aspect of life here seems to pander to these glossy catalog ideas of India, lending it an air of artifice.The Little Rann of Kutch, in central Gujarat, suffers fewer pretenses. Situated in a state that has until recently not been seen as a tourism hub, it is desert land that retains a crude earthy flair that is simultaneously charming and accommodating. While a salt marsh makes up much of the landscape, presenting some breathtaking photo-ops, it also has a vibrant artistic tradition that spills onto the painted huts, the clothing, and even the cow bells. It is even possible to spend a night at the border of the desert in mud huts cosying up around a fire by night. Something that seemed to be the sole domain of Rajasthan until not too long ago.

6. Rann of KutchWhen the Sun shows up in the morning, the white salt of the Rann of Kutch sparkles in all its glory.

Rann of KutchOne of the remotest places in India, and the largest salt desert in the world, the Rann of Kutch comes to life sometime in October. Imagine what nothingness would be like, and the Rann of Kutch is probably that nothingness multiplied by 100.

The land with the crystal shine grace of white sand spread across a great distance in Gujarat. Spend some quality time camping, enjoying the bone fire, revealing out surroundings, riding on camels and trying to fall asleep beneath the shimmering sheet of twinkling stars. Leave all the problems dug in the heap of sand and swear not to remember it ever again.Sacred Forest, Mawphlong Be prepared to resist the charming glory of meadows resting amidst a magical forest, defying most of the nature’s laws. Worth a visit spot for sore hearts, this enchanting treat of greenery and mystical mountains enclosed with ultimate peace is like anything. You can’t afford to miss this!!Traveling probably is the most effective cure to heal up that break in your heart with the ointment of joy, adventure and tranquility.Have you recently had a relationship breakup? Do nightmares wake you up with horrible jerks?? Does this heavy heart, plead to burst out??? Oh Lord!! Move on chap; let your mind and heart breathe in a blissful and happening air once again. Step out of the blanket drenched with your tears and step into your running shoes to get set go for an exhilarating trip to any of the below mentioned spots blessed with spellbinding landscape and serenity. Swipe away loneliness and mingle up with ancient tribes, exploring the historic trance of eminent places, take a fresh dive into the ocean and swim with colorful fishes, relish the ultimate sun shower and rest in the arms of the moon.

WHITE RANN has a 3 or 4 month festival called RANN UTSAV every year . That is a place which has a speciality called WHITE DESERT. that is not below than HEAVEN on the earth. we spent 5 hour there and visited rann area and also market which is famous for handicrafts. if anyone visits here there will not be a bad deal for spend a night in tent at WHITE RANN . At 4 pm we again up on the bus for return to BHUJ . here our journey to home began .

February is the best time to visit Kutch because it is off season and pretty cold. But if you button up well, in the day time you can enjoy the salt spread marshy ground and explore the local areas. If you are a running enthusiast you can also participate in a trail marathon organised by The Outdoor Journal. You will also be just in time for the Rann Utsav, skipping the extra tourist lot that crowded there in the previous months.To reach Kutch, the nearest airport is in Bhuj or you can take a train to Ahmedabad and hire a taxi from Ahmedabad to the Rann of Kutch (402 km).

Kutchi culture is prominent in Bhuj. To get a feel of that, we had booked a Kutchi-hut style resort. The resort was an instant energy booster. The splendid view of bright moon, cute little huts along the pool, and their reflection made it a perfect capture!

Kutch nahi dekha to kuch nahi dekha..!

West of our country lies a land, sprinkled with magic dust that creates a mystical environment and we like to call this land; Kutch. Rann Of Kutch is an exquisite destination and if you still have not visited it, then it is high time that you do. You can explore the near by regions such as Dholavira, Bhuj and Kandla that are historically very important. In December, the weather will be just perfect for you to travel to this western heaven.How to reach Rann Of Kutch:The nearest airport is in Bhuj. You can reach the Rann Of Kutch by road and rail as well.

February is the best time to visit Kutch because it is off season and pretty cold. But if you button up well, in the day time you can enjoy the salt spread marshy ground and explore the local areas. If you are a running enthusiast you can also participate in a trail marathon organised by The Outdoor Journal. You will also be just in time for the Rann Utsav, skipping the extra tourist lot that crowded there in the previous months.To reach Kutch, the nearest airport is in Bhuj or you can take a train to Ahmedabad and hire a taxi from Ahmedabad to the Rann of Kutch (402 km).

Kutch, Gujarat- The northwest of Gujarat is abode to the largest district in India - Kutch. Rann of Kutch has 18 cultural tribes which makes the place well-liked among travellers. The never-ending desert plains give an enigmatic view in the monsoons especially as other part of the year, this desert looks like a white bed of land. From cultural shows depicting the tradition and culture of Gujarat to camel safaris, a lot can be enjoyed by the tourists visiting this destination.

Another hour of the thrill ride later and chats with the autowala bhaiya –listening to local myths of Bhuj being built on the head of a hugeeeeeeee snake and when the snake moves- Bhuj shakes and hence the earthquakes , passing through the Rann Utsav stalls I finally reached the entrance to the White desert. So its nothing like I imagined it to be. I wanted to run with the wind on the vast expanse of white nothingness , just my 20kg backpack with a borrowed tent didn’t let me run too far.

The famed all-white ground of at the Rann of Kutch is rendered by the salt marshes here. In fact, the term "Rann" literally means a salt marsh. Over the years the place has gained massive popularity for being a must-visit destination for serious solo bikers across the globe. The amazing ecosystem enables the balance of a desert on one side and sea on the other.Must do while here: Visit the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. Watch the sun set at Mandvi Beach.For more details, read this.

Our Bhunga (Mud house) had 2 double beds and the wooden roof contrasted pretty well with the colorful bathroom door, the looking mirror outlined with mud work, the beautiful windows, it was such a happy place to be. After having lunch in the resort, we left to see sunset at the Rann. Cab guy dropped us in the car parking and like all other tourists, we had to take a government run bus to the second stop, from where we would need a camel or horse ride. Instead of taking the bus, we decided to walk to the second stop. What a perfect decision it was. Long never ending deserted road with peace spread out on both sides of road, we lived the moments running jumping taking selfies, shooting videos and relished an uninterrupted view of the setting sun. We further took a bouncy camel ride to reach the white desert. And the moon has risen on the white desert. It was getting dark and the moon light was getting brighter than ever. There was joy all around, people dancing to their own beat, music throbbing on loudspeaker, flashing phone lights, reflection of moon on the salt water ground, it was a site to take in. We kept walking away from the crowds to reach a quiet spot. I set my tripod to experiment some sky shots while my friends had wine straight from the bottle and talked to the moon.

Finally we were at the renowned Rann of Kutch. Permits had been taken earlier.There were 2 check points before we landed on the white desert. Rann is an astonishing and stunning place. An ocean of salted marshy land. Never had i seen such a view or place on this earth.

It was the Valentine's Day weekend, and I was on my way to Ahmedabad (from Bengaluru). There were 18 other riders with me; people who had travelled from Pune, Vadodara and Delhi just to get a taste of Kutch. On the first day, we had breakfast and got ready to ride 420 km to Kalo Dungar, the Black Hill. It’s the highest point in Kutch, and lies about 90 km from Bhuj.

Kutch (Kachchh) is a geographic phenomenon located in the India’s wild west. The first thing which comes in mind when someone, especially from India, hear the word ‘Kutch’ is the endless white landscape, usually shining with the moon light but Kutch is much more than just that a white landscape. It is home to one of the most exquisite handicraft and textile work of india, one of the most beautiful beach of the country, one of the five largest Harappan sites and most prominent archaeological sites in India belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization and much more.

White Rann (desert) is the place which can make you skip a breath, the moment you see it first time. It’s such a phenomenal piece of nature which can make you fall in love with it. Especially consider to visit it during sunset and staying till the moon reflects it’s shine over the white desert to offer divine views.

We have noted down top 10 reasons to make you travel to Kutch :

Day 7: Rann sight seeing

Blessed with desert and sea on both the sides and divided into two parts, the Rann of Kutch is the largest salt desert in India as well as in the world. Rann Utsav is yet another massive festivals of Gujarat which celebrates love, life and culture at its best over a period of two months. The festival is currently on for the year 2016-2017.Best Time To Visit: November to FebruaryOther Things To Do: Hot Air Ballooning, Desert Safari, International Kite Festival in Jan. 20. Be A Part Of The Sunburn Festival, Goa

This Place known as the white land is almost 40km in length and around 80kms from Bhuj. You can take a personal cab or the Bus service is also there if you are out on college wala trip or on tight budget, i would suggest you take a Cab.Next up was Mandvi Beach, around 60km from Bhuj. You can take cabs and also Buses which are readily available. This place has personal Beach as well as normal Beach. But the Normal Beach is also good too and you find some activities like parasailing, Boating etc available which is not there at the Personal Beach.

9. Rann of Kutch, India.The Great Rann of Kutch is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India. It is reputed to be one of the largest salt deserts in the world. Although most of the marsh is in protected areas, the habitats are vulnerable to cattle grazing, firewood collection and salt extraction operations, all of which may involve transportation that disturbs wildlife. There are many salt farms in the area.Annually, the Government of Gujarat hosts a 3 month long festival during winter called the "Rann Utsav festival of the Rann" where tourists can see the various sights of the Rann.Rann Utsav gives visitors not only a chance to experience full moon on salt deserts but also get a taste of the local culture, cuisine and hospitality. Specially built local houses are also used to house tourists to give them a taste of local traditions. Many adventure clubs and travel clubs organize expeditions. More information about Rann Utsav can be found here.

Being the only white desert of India, Kutch has quite the view to mesmerize you with. It is also one of the few places around Ahmedabad that does not give off the religious vibe from the very start, making it an ideal location for you if you’re more of an Atheist looking for a Western India trip. Striking and dreamlike does not even begin to describe the exquisiteness that this place has to offer. Located at a distance of 400 kms from Ahmedabad, it is convenient enough for a quick night stay. Lightly populated, it is also home to major cultural towns like Dholavira, Mandvi and Bhuj. From crafts to embroidery and annual functions, July to March would be the perfect time to pack your bags for a stay here.Distance from Ahmadabad - 272 Km

5. Rann of KutchThis area across Gujarat is also known as the salt pans of India. Try breaking some land speed records or camp out and gaze at the stars in the middle of blessed nothingness and feel your petty problems dissolve away. Break the records of speed and Sleep in the arms of White sand and moon.

The next day morning we left for Kala Dongar (Black Mountain). Its a 90 km stretch. The kutch area is very much controlled by the Indian Border Security Force so we need to obtain a permit at a checkpoint called Bhirandiara village which is 52 kms from Bhuj. For the permits, every individual has to produce his personal ids for clearance. We obtained permits and made our way clear for Kala Dongar. The Kala Dongar is a must visit spot which gives a view of the white sand desert from the top.

At 5.30 am we fought all the battles to get up early in the morning as we just had 4 hours of sleep. I was thinking to skip the sun rise but said to myself "You never know when you gonna come back here" so just get up and go for the sunrise". As we got out from the room, we were freezed as the cold was unbearable and to the max. Still, we managed to go to the white desert. We were eagerly waiting for the sun rise and then we got a mesmerizing view of the dawn with the sunrise..."Goodness, couldn't believe my eyes. We got it captured.

The 400 year old Dattatreya Temple is the highest point of Kutch (Note - go if you have extra time!)

This is the highest point of Kutch at a height of 460 mtrs approximately. It is around 95 kms from Bhuj. The best is to have your own vehicle or otherwise you can hire cabs from Bhuj which charge approximately INR 12/KM. It works out cheaper in a group.

Kalo Dungar is the highest spot in the Rann of Kutch area, giving you a panaromic view of the Great Rann. This place is also famous for the 'priests' feeding the jackals which come here during the monsoon. The drive is short, but the roads are narrower as you make your way out from Hodko, going past the Border check post and the town of Khavda, up towards the summit of the hill. The views of the Rann from the Kalo Dungar are fascinating. For any traveller, it is a must as an introduction to the Rann. The beauty and span of the white desert amazes you. Magnificent would be an understatement. If one does come here just after the rains, you could also spot the migratory flamingos at the great lake just a detour from Khavda village. Hodko to Kalo Dungar - Approx 30 mins

watch the Sun set among a series of hills rolling on for a distance

Kalo Dungar or Black Hill is the highest point in Kutch, Gujarat, India, at 462 m. It is located at 97 km from District headquarters of Bhuj and 25 km from nearest town Khavda. The panoramic view of Rann of Kutch from this spot is breathtaking. It is also know for the Daattatreya Temple atop the hill. Legend says that when Dattatreya walked on the earth, he stopped at the Black Hills and found a band of starving jackals. Being a god, he offered them his body to eat and as they ate, his body continually regenerated itself. Because of this, for the last four centuries, the priest at the temple has prepared a batch of prasad, cooked rice, that is fed to the jackals after the evening aarti. Also, the hill is a magnetic hill, as was recently discovered.

Highest point in Kutch

Kala Dungar is highest point in Kutch. At 458m above sea level this place gives a panoramic view of the Great Rann. Kala Dungar has many small mountains, so you can enjoy hiking on these mountains (hiking here is easy). At Kala dungar we did a small trek around hills and enjoyed the view of the Rann from top. Indian bridge was okay, as we did not have the permit to go further in so there was nothing much to do or see

Take a last detour to the black hills of Kalo DungarIf you're up for a detour around Bhuj, Kalo Dungar is a great spot to tick off your bucket list before you leave Kutch. These black hills are around an hour away and make for a great escape for a panoramic view of Kutch. The 400-year old Dattareya temple is another attraction this spot is famous for.

there's another place of the BSF, the war memorial and the India bridge. i went there, the journey is what i liked the most. i found these fishes washed up and dried on the sides of the road. photography inside is not allowed... so no pics to post!

We got in bed tucked ourselves in two blankets each and decided to wake up early to go to Kalo Dungar. Kalo Dungar is the highest point in Kutch and probably the only place in Kutch to get the panaromic view of the Great Rann of Kutch. Since it is located very near to the Pakistan border, there is an Army post at the top; beyond here, only military personnel are allowed. Gaping at the splendor view in front of you, it feels like you are at the edge of the earth, on the brink of vastness that fades off towards infinity.

From Kalo Dungar we drove straight to Rann of Kutch, the destination .Its about 45 km from Kalo Dungar and as we moved down from the hilly ranges, we saw plain land, plain land as far as the eye could see. The road was straight and both side we had raw earth land, stretched wide into the horizon. It was like the raw playground that had no structure built on it neither it knew it boundaries.

It is probably the only place in Kutch from where a panoramic view of the Great Rann of Kutch is noticeable. The mission was to reach before sunset or one would not be able to appreciate the ravishing and the alluring scenery of the setting sun. Most of us reached the destination in time, even though the ride had been delayed due to unavoidable reasons. Once we did reach Kalo Dungar, we were mesmerised by the beauty in front of us. The white desert behind the hills became more beautiful with the dusk falling in. After spending a few hours at Kalo Dungar, we headed for Dhordo which was 50 km away. We checked in to The Rann Home Stay Resort, freshened up, had dinner and visited the nearby White Desert to enjoy its glimmering and glittering beauty under the luminescence of the full moon. The experience was so overwhelming that it cannot be translated into words.

Highest point of the Kutch, Kalo Dungar is one of the few places in the world where the earth surface and the sky appears to meet to create a Horizon. Kale Dungar simply offers majestic views of nature.

Kalo Dungar ( The Black Hills ) is rather blue than black, it is located in kutch, gujarat of India and we are continuing this post as a part of Kutch series. You can visit our post of Dholavira here.Kalo Dungar is the highest point (462 mts) of Kutch district, and it is the one of the only way which offer the majestic panoramic view of the famous White Rann (desert) of Kutch.

Day: 2 Visit Swaminarauan Temple in Bhuj. Start driving in morning towrds Kalo Dungar from BhujSpend some hours at top of the hill.Start driving further to reach Rann Utsav at White Desert, DhordoReturn to Bhuj

So as planned, we got on our enfield(provided by our lovely host, Mr. Jadeja) and head out towards Kalo Dungar. Kalo Dungar(Black Hills)is a major attraction simply because of the view and the importance it holds. The highest point in entire Kutch. At 462m, it offers a stunning panoramic view of the entire Rann.Since it is very close to the border, there’s an army outpost at the top; beyond which only army personnel are allowed.