Plan your Somnath Dwarka trip

Do both if you can — they are ~233 km apart and pair naturally into one 3–5 day circuit.

Take the 3-day package if your leave is tight and you accept a brisk pace. Take 4–5 days if elders are travelling, or if you want to see the evening aarti without watching the clock.

Take a package on a first visit or with elders. Take a private cab if you already know where you want to stay. Self-drive only if you are comfortable with long unfamiliar highway stretches and parking near crowded temples.

Three days works if you arrive rested and accept two long drive days. Five days is the better trip, and it is the one people say they wish they had booked.

Choose budget if the temples are the point and the room is only for sleeping. Choose luxury if long drives and hotel comfort materially affect whether your family enjoys the trip.

Fly or take a train into Gujarat, then use a private cab for the circuit itself. Trying to do the 233 km between the temples by rail costs you a day.

Pick Somnath–Dwarka only if your focus is darshan and time is tight. Add the Gir triangle if you have 5–6 days and want a lion safari — but check Gir's seasonal closure (roughly mid-June to mid-October) first.

Use a local operator for the pilgrimage circuit itself, where darshan timing and driver familiarity count. Use an OTA when you mainly want standardised hotels and flights with a self-service booking and refund process.

Choose the heritage route for temples, architecture and history year-round. Choose the wildlife route for safaris, best in winter and closed in the monsoon. With 6+ days you can combine a core heritage circuit with one safari.