Gir National Park Timings: Safari Slots and Schedule by Season

Knowing the safari timings is the first step to planning a successful trip to Gir National Park, as the slots are fixed, limited and seasonal. This guide, from the team behind Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, a unit of Experience My India, sets out the Gir National Park timings in full: the three daily safari slots by season, the monsoon closure, the Devalia timings and which slot to choose.

Gir National Park safari timings

Gir National Park, the core jungle trail safari, operates three distinct safari slots daily, each lasting about 3 hours. The three slots, an early morning, a mid-morning and an evening drive, shift slightly through the year to account for the changing daylight and temperatures, with one schedule for winter and another for summer. According to the official Gujarat government portal, the timings are:

So in the cooler winter months the day starts a little later and the evening safari a little earlier, while in the hot summer the morning safari begins earlier and the evening safari runs later, to catch the cooler hours at each end of the day. Each safari is a full 3-hour drive through the forest, giving plenty of time to search for lions and the park's other wildlife. Note that some recent forest department notices list a short 15-minute operational buffer for the winter morning entry, starting around 6:45 AM, but the online permit slots remain grouped into these core morning, mid-day and afternoon blocks, so when you book you choose one of the three, not an exact minute of entry. It is always wise to confirm the current timings when you book, as the forest department can adjust them, especially around the changeover between the summer and winter schedules.

When is Gir National Park closed?

Gir National Park is closed every year during the monsoon, from 16 June to 15 October, a period of about four months. During this time the forest is given over to the breeding season, the rains make the tracks difficult and the park rests and regenerates. The safari season therefore runs from 16 October, when the park reopens for the winter, through to 15 June, when it closes again for the monsoon, a window of about eight months in which the three daily slots operate. If you are planning a Gir trip, you must do it within this open season and ideally in the cooler winter months or the dry late-summer for the best experience. The park is otherwise open through the week during the season, with the three daily slots, unlike the Devalia zone, which has its own weekly closed day.

Devalia Safari Park timings

If you are planning to visit the adjacent Devalia Safari Park, the fenced Gir Interpretation Zone that takes about an hour, its operating hours are different from the main park. Devalia runs a morning window of about 7:00 to 11:00 AM and an evening window of about 3:00 to 6:00 PM and crucially it is strictly closed on Wednesdays, its weekly off day. So if you want to combine the main Gir safari with Devalia, plan around the Wednesday closure and the different timings. Our Devalia Safari Park guide covers its slots, tickets and booking in full. Many visitors do the main park in one slot and Devalia in another or on consecutive days, for both the wild safari and the near-guaranteed sighting.

Which Gir safari slot should you choose?

With three slots to choose from, the early morning safari is the one naturalists recommend most. The first shift, at 6:00 or 6:30 AM depending on the season, is highly recommended because predator activity is at its highest before the daytime heat sets in. Lions and leopards are primarily nocturnal hunters, so in the cool of the early morning they are far more active, vocal and mobile and more likely to be seen out in the open, which gives you the best chance of a good sighting. The evening safari is the next best, as the animals become active again as the day cools, while the mid-morning slot is a little quieter for wildlife but still rewarding. If you can book only one safari, choose the early morning first shift; if you can do more than one, a morning and an evening drive together give you the best overall chance.

Booking within the Gir timings

The Gir safari slots are strictly capped by government quota to protect the forest and booking is entirely online in advance, through the official Gujarat e-permit portal. Offline or on-the-spot tickets are rarely available during the peak months, so you must book your chosen date and slot well ahead, often 30 to 60 days in advance for peak-season and weekend dates. The costs for each slot are covered in our Gir safari ticket price guide. When you book, you select your date and one of the three time slots, enter the names and photo ID of all travellers and carry the printed e-permit on the day, with the original ID that matches it. Because the early morning slot is the most sought-after, book it as early as you can.

Planning your day around the Gir timings

The fixed safari slots shape how you plan your Gir day. Since the first shift starts very early, stay the night before at or near Sasan Gir so you can reach the gate in good time, as covered in our how to reach Gir guide. A common plan is an early morning safari, a relaxed late morning and lunch and an evening safari or a visit to Devalia, making a full day of wildlife. The best months for the timings and the sightings are covered in our best time to visit Gir guide: the cool winter for comfort, the dry late summer for the best sightings. Plan your slots and your stay together and book both well ahead, especially in peak season. Because the slots are fixed and limited, a little advance planning is the difference between the safari you want and missing out, so decide your dates and slots early and reserve them as soon as the portal allows.

Tips for the Gir National Park timings

A few pointers help you make the most of the slots:

• Book the early morning first shift, at 6:00 or 6:30 AM, for the best predator activity and sightings.

• Remember each safari is a full 3-hour drive, so dress and prepare for the whole slot.

• Plan your trip within the open season, 16 October to 15 June, as the park closes for the monsoon.

• Stay near Sasan Gir the night before, so you can reach the gate in time for the early start.

• For Devalia, plan around its Wednesday closure and its different morning and evening windows.

• Book all your slots online well in advance, as peak dates sell out 30 to 60 days ahead.

Plan your Gir safari

Experience My India can plan your Gir safari around the right timings, with the permit, transport and stay arranged. Combine your Gir safari with the Somnath temple and Dwarka, book Somnath Dwarka hotels and let the Experience My India Somnath Dwarka tour packages or the wider Gujarat tour packages include Gir and the region in your itinerary, with the safari booking handled for you.

Related guides

To plan the rest of your Gir and Saurashtra trip, these related guides help:

Plan your visit

Experience My India can arrange your Gir safari and Saurashtra trip. Browse more travel guides, message us on WhatsApp or call +91 73006 20809.