How to Plan a Gir Tour: A Step-by-Step Safari Guide

A safari at Gir National Park, the last home of the majestic Asiatic lion, is a bucket-list experience, and a little planning makes all the difference. This step-by-step guide, from the team behind Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, a unit of Experience My India, walks you through exactly how to plan a Gir tour, from choosing the season to booking the safari, reaching the park and what to expect, so you get the most from your visit.

How to plan a Gir tour: the steps

Planning a Gir tour is straightforward once you break it into steps, with the safari booking being the most important. Here is the process at a glance:

•  or Step 1: Decide the best time to go.

•  or Step 2: Book your Gir lion safari permit.

•  or Step 3: Decide how many days you need.

•  or Step 4: Plan how to reach Sasan Gir.

•  or Step 5: Book your stay near the park.

•  or Step 6: Plan your safaris and what to see.

•  or Step 7: Pack and prepare for the safari.

Each step is covered below, with links to the detailed guides. Or a package tour can arrange the whole Gir trip for you.

Step 1: Decide the best time to go

Start by choosing when to travel, as this is crucial for Gir. The best time is the cool, dry season, December to March, when the weather is pleasant and wildlife sightings are good, while April to June, though hot, offer the best chances of seeing lions near water, as covered in our best time to visit Gir. Crucially, the Gir safari zones close during the monsoon, roughly mid-June to mid-October, so a Gir tour must not be planned then. Check the Gir forest weather for the season before you travel, and aim for the cool winter months for the most comfortable and rewarding safaris.

Step 2: Book your Gir lion safari permit

This is the single most important step of planning a Gir tour, so do it as soon as your dates are fixed. The jeep, or gypsy, safaris into Gir require a permit, booked online in advance through the official system, and the limited slots sell out quickly, especially for the peak winter and weekend dawn safaris. The costs and the booking process are covered in our Gir safari ticket price guide. Book your preferred date and slot, whether the early morning or the afternoon safari, well ahead. If the permits for your dates are full, the Gir Interpretation Zone at Devalia, a fenced area with more assured sightings, is a good alternative. Never leave the safari booking to the last minute.

Step 3: Decide how many days you need

Next, decide how long to stay. A Gir tour is comfortable in one to two days: one day, with an overnight stay, allows a single dawn safari, while two days allow two or three safaris, which greatly improves your chances of good lion sightings and lets you also visit the Devalia zone and the sights around the park. If Gir is the main focus of your trip, two nights and multiple safaris are ideal; if it is part of a wider Saurashtra tour, one full day with a dawn safari fits neatly. Decide based on how much you want to maximise your sightings.

Step 4: Plan how to reach Sasan Gir

With your dates, safari and days set, plan how to reach Sasan Gir, the gateway village and base for the park. By air, the nearest airports are Diu, Keshod and Rajkot, with Ahmedabad the major hub; by train, the nearest railheads are Junagadh and Veraval; and by road it is well connected across Saurashtra, close to Somnath and Junagadh, as covered in our how to reach Gir and railway station near Gir National Park guides. A private car with a driver is the most convenient way to reach Sasan Gir and get to the safari booking centre for the early slots, so arrange your transport along with the rest of the trip.

Step 5: Book your stay near the park

Book a stay in or near Sasan Gir for the night before your dawn safari, so you are on the spot for the early start. There is a range of Somnath Dwarka hotels and Gir lodges, from budget to luxury wildlife resorts, near the park, and these fill up fast in the peak winter season, so book early alongside your safari permit. Staying close to the safari booking centre makes the early morning start much easier, as the dawn safari begins very early. Choose the category that suits your budget, and confirm your booking well ahead for peak-season and weekend dates.

Step 6: Plan your safaris and what to see

Plan what you hope to see and do. The main draw is, of course, the Asiatic lion, but Gir is also home to leopards, deer, antelope, crocodiles and over 300 species of birds, so the safaris offer much more than lions. The park has several safari zones, and your route is assigned when you book; the early morning safari is often the best for activity and sightings. Beyond the main safari, the Devalia Interpretation Zone offers a shorter, more assured wildlife experience, and there are sights around the park, as covered in our places to visit in Gir National Park. Plan a dawn safari as the highlight, and add a second or the Devalia zone if you have time.

Step 7: Pack and prepare for the safari

Finally, pack and prepare for the safari. The morning safari starts very early and can be cold in winter, so bring warm layers, a jacket and a cap, along with light clothes for the warmer afternoons. Wear neutral, earthy colours rather than bright ones, so as not to alarm the wildlife, and bring sunglasses, sun protection, and binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens for the sightings. Carry water, any medicines and your identity documents and permit for the safari. Be ready for an early start and a bumpy but thrilling ride, and follow the guide's instructions at all times. A little preparation ensures you are comfortable and ready to enjoy the wildlife.

Combine Gir with Somnath and Dwarka

A Gir tour is wonderful on its own, but it also combines beautifully with the temples of the coast, as Gir lies close to both. Somnath, the first Jyotirlinga, is only about 57 km away, and Dwarka, Krishna's city, is up the coast, so many travellers pair a lion safari with a temple pilgrimage for a trip that blends the wild and the sacred, as covered in our Somnath to Gir distance guide. This makes for a richly varied Saurashtra journey, and a Somnath Dwarka Gir tour package is built around exactly this combination.

The easy way: book a package tour

If you would rather not arrange the safari, transport and stay yourself, a package tour does it for you. A package handles the safari permit, the transport, the lodge and the itinerary in one, tailored to your dates, which takes the stress out of the all-important safari booking. The Experience My India Somnath Dwarka tour packages and the wider Gujarat tour packages can include a Gir safari alongside the temples, so you get a planned, hassle-free trip and can focus on spotting the Asiatic lion.

Tips for planning a Gir tour

A few pointers to make planning easier:

•  or Book the Gir safari permit online as early as possible, as slots sell out, especially in peak season.

•  or Travel December to March for the best weather, and never plan a Gir tour during the monsoon closure.

•  or Allow two days and multiple safaris to improve your chances of seeing the Asiatic lion.

•  or Stay near Sasan Gir the night before, so you are ready for the very early dawn safari.

•  or Pack warm layers for the cold morning safari, and wear neutral colours with binoculars to hand.

•  or Combine Gir with Somnath and Dwarka for a trip that blends wildlife with the temples.

Plan your Gir tour

Experience My India can plan and arrange your whole Gir tour, from the safari permit and the lodge to the transport and the itinerary, and combine it with the temples of the coast, so you get a seamless wildlife trip and can focus on the thrill of seeing the Asiatic lion in the wild.

Related guides

To plan the details of your Gir tour, these related guides help:

Plan your visit

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