Kankai Mata Temple Gir: How to Visit the Shrine Deep in the Forest

Kankai Mata Temple is one of the most unusual pilgrimage sites in India, a living shrine to the Mother Goddess set not in a town but deep within the protected core of the Gir forest, surrounded by the same wilderness that shelters the Asiatic lion. Reaching it is a journey in itself, governed by the rules of the wildlife sanctuary. This guide, from the team behind Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, a unit of Experience My India, explains exactly how to visit the Kankai Mata Temple in Gir, the mandatory permit, the timings, the routes and distance, the vehicle rules and the seasonal closure, so you can plan your darshan with confidence.

What is the Kankai Mata Temple?

The Kankai Mata Temple, also known as the Kankeshwari Mata Temple, is an ancient and deeply revered shrine dedicated to the Mother Goddess, located uniquely within the heart of the Gir Forest National Park, in the Gir Somnath district of Gujarat. What sets it apart from almost every other temple in India is its setting, for it sits right in the middle of a protected wildlife sanctuary, far from any town, reached only by forest tracks that pass through the territory of lions, leopards and the rich wildlife of Gir. For generations, devotees have made the pilgrimage into the wild to seek the blessings of the goddess and the temple remains an active place of worship with regular rituals. Because the shrine lies inside the sanctuary, a visit is not an ordinary temple trip but a carefully regulated journey into the forest and that is what makes planning it so important.

Kankai Mata Temple at a glance

Where is the Kankai Mata Temple?

The Kankai Mata Temple sits right in the middle of the Gir sanctuary, nestled beside the Shingavada River, deep within the wild forest that is the last home of the Asiatic lion. There is no town around it, no road in the ordinary sense, only the rough forest tracks that wind through the jungle to the clearing where the shrine stands. This remoteness is the whole character of the place, for the pilgrimage takes you through the heart of one of India's great wildlife landscapes, where the same forest that shelters the goddess also shelters lions, leopards, deer and the park's famous birdlife. The temple is reached from the main safari hub at Sasan Gir, which is the base town for all Gir travel and where the forest reception and permit office are located.

Distance and routes to Kankai Mata Temple

The Kankai Mata Temple lies roughly 25 to 30 km from the main safari hub at Sasan Gir as the crow flies, but the actual driving distance on the forest dirt tracks is longer and depends entirely on which check-post your permit routes you through. Depending on whether you enter via the Jamvala, Dhari or Satadhar check-post, the total distance on the rough forest roads can range up to 50 to 55 km one way, which is why the journey takes several hours and must be planned around the forest timings. The tracks are unpaved pebble roads through the jungle, slow going and demanding on a vehicle, so the trip is as much an expedition as a temple visit. For how Sasan Gir connects to the rest of the region, see our how to reach Gir guide and the Somnath to Gir distance guide.

Kankai Mata Temple timings

Visiting the Kankai Mata Temple means working around two distinct sets of timings, the forest entry windows and the temple's own ritual hours and the single most important rule is that all visitors must exit the forest before sunset. Overnight stays inside the sanctuary are strictly forbidden without a rare, specialised permit from the forest department, so the whole trip must be completed within the day and you must be out of the jungle by around 5:30 to 6:00 PM. The timings are as follows:

Because the temple timings and the forest timings are separate, it pays to set out early so you have a full, unhurried darshan and still clear the forest in good time. The general safari and park schedule is covered in our Gir National Park timings guide, which is useful background for understanding how the sanctuary operates.

Permits are mandatory for Kankai Mata

You cannot simply drive to the Kankai Mata Temple on your own. Because the shrine lies inside a protected sanctuary, every visitor must register and obtain a mandatory forest department permit before entering, either online through the official Gir permit system or in person at the Sasan Gir reception. This permit is what allows your vehicle through the check-post and onto the forest tracks and it is checked at the gate, so you must carry it along with the original photo ID of all travellers. The permit for the Kankai pilgrimage is separate from the regular lion safari permit and the cost structure is in the same family as the park's other fees, which you can read about in our Gir safari ticket price guide. Because slots are limited to protect the forest, it is wise to arrange the permit in advance, especially on weekends and festival days when demand to visit the goddess is high. A tour operator can handle the permit and the logistics for you.

Vehicle rules for the Kankai pilgrimage

The forest tracks to the Kankai Mata Temple are rough, unpaved pebble roads and the vehicle rules reflect that. Only private vehicles with high ground clearance are allowed and an SUV is strongly recommended, as ordinary low cars cannot handle the terrain and are not permitted. Alternatively, you can take a customised open safari vehicle or an Innova-type tour arranged for the pilgrimage. Each vehicle permit accommodates a maximum of 6 adults and 1 child, so larger groups must split across more than one vehicle and permit. Because the drive is long and demanding, a reliable high-clearance vehicle with an experienced driver who knows the forest tracks is essential, both for comfort and for safety in the wild. The key points on vehicles are:

• High-clearance only. Only high ground clearance vehicles are allowed; an SUV is strongly recommended for the rough pebble tracks.

• Or an authorised safari vehicle. A customised open safari or an Innova-type tour arranged for the Kankai pilgrimage is the alternative to your own SUV.

• Six adults and one child per permit. Each vehicle permit accommodates a maximum of 6 adults and 1 child, so larger groups need more than one vehicle.

• An experienced driver. The long forest tracks demand a driver who knows the routes and the terrain, for both comfort and safety.

Seasonal closure: when Kankai Mata is open

The Kankai Mata Temple is not open year-round, because it follows the calendar of the Gir sanctuary around it. Like the rest of the park, it closes completely during the monsoon season, from 16 June to 15 October, when the forest is given over to the rains and the breeding season and no visitors are allowed inside. The temple and the forest reopen from mid-October and stay open through to mid-June. This means your pilgrimage must be planned for the open season and the most comfortable months are the cooler ones of winter, which are also the best for the forest and its wildlife, as covered in our best time to visit Gir guide. If you are planning a monsoon trip to Gujarat, the Kankai Mata Temple will not be accessible, so time your visit for the open window.

Kankai Mata and the lion safari: two different trips

It is worth being clear that a visit to the Kankai Mata Temple is a different trip from the regular lion safari, even though both go into the same forest. The standard safari, the Gir jungle trail, is a roughly 3-hour wildlife drive on designated routes to look for lions and other animals, while the Kankai pilgrimage is a longer, dedicated journey deep to the shrine, with the goal of darshan rather than wildlife viewing, though you will of course pass through wild forest on the way. The two use separate permits and serve different purposes. For a near-guaranteed wildlife sighting there is also the fenced Devalia Safari Park zone and for the full range of creatures you might glimpse on the forest tracks, the Gir National Park animals guide covers the wildlife. Many devout travellers combine a lion safari and a Kankai pilgrimage across two days for the complete Gir experience.

Tips for visiting the Kankai Mata Temple

A few pointers make the pilgrimage smoother:

• Arrange your forest permit in advance, online or at the Sasan Gir reception and carry it with original photo ID for everyone.

• Set out as early as possible, so you have an unhurried darshan and still clear the forest before the sunset exit deadline.

• Use a high-clearance SUV or an authorised safari vehicle with an experienced driver who knows the forest tracks.

• Plan for a long day, as the tracks can run up to 50 to 55 km one way depending on your check-post and the going is slow.

• Carry water, snacks and any essentials, as there are no shops deep in the forest and keep the goddess's shrine and the forest clean.

• Visit only in the open season, mid-October to mid-June, as the temple and forest close through the monsoon.

• Respect the wildlife rules at all times, stay with your vehicle and guide and keep noise down in the sanctuary.

Plan your Kankai Mata pilgrimage

Experience My India can plan your Kankai Mata pilgrimage, with the forest permit arranged, a suitable high-clearance vehicle and experienced driver organised and the day timed so you have a peaceful darshan and a safe exit before sunset. You can combine the Kankai visit with a lion safari, the Somnath temple and Dwarka, a stay at well-placed Somnath Dwarka hotels and let the Experience My India Somnath Dwarka tour packages or the wider Gujarat tour packages bring the forest goddess, the lions and the sacred coast together in one journey.

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 Kankai Mata pilgrimage and wider Saurashtra journey. Browse more travel guides, message us on WhatsApp or call +91 73006 20809.