Top Attractions Near Gir National Park

Devalia is a 412-hectare fenced enclosure tucked within Gir itself, built to represent nearly every habitat and major species found across the sanctuary. Because the zone is chain-linked and controlled, sightings of lions, leopards and deer feel almost certain here, making it the go-to choice for families, first-timers and travellers short on time.

Bus safaris and cage jeep safaris both operate inside Devalia, with the caged jeep option letting visitors get right up against the carnivore enclosures. It's often the easiest add-on to a Gir National Park trip when core-zone permits are hard to get.

Situated deep in the heart of the Gir Forest, the Kankai Mata temple is steeped in legend and is a major holy site for Hindu pilgrims. Visitors cannot drive here on their own — reaching the shrine requires a dedicated forest permit and a closed-vehicle safari (Innova, Sumo or Bolero) through roughly 25 km of dense teak forest.

Along the way, the drive often reveals glimpses of Gir's flora and fauna, making this less a typical wildlife safari and more a rare blend of pilgrimage and jungle expedition, well suited to travellers wanting something beyond the usual lion-spotting route.

Uparkot, an ancient fort built in the 4th century CE, sits on a plateau right in the middle of Junagadh town and kind of gives the city its own name too, which in a way means "old fort" literally.

Inside the walls you can see the dramatic stepwells of Adi Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo , plus Buddhist rock-cut caves , and even centuries-old cannons still standing there like they're guarding the ramparts. So for travellers who mix a Gir wildlife trip and heritage sightseeing , Uparkot Fort stays one of Saurashtra's more atmospheric, photogenic historical stops ,and it's pretty easy to pair with a half-day Junagadh city tour.

The building of the Mahabat Maqbara started around 1878 under Nawab Mahabat Khanji II ,and it wrapped up in 1892, it was dedicated to Mahabat Khan II, the Nawab of Junagadh State.

The mausoleum is well known for a noticeable mix of Indo-Islamic, Gothic, and European design, it has fancy minarets and detailed, carved facades that really put it on the map as one of Junagadh's most photographed sites. It's situated right in the middle of the city, close to the railway station, so it becomes a pretty straightforward pause even if you're bouncing through Junagadh's princely history, alongside a Gir safari schedule.

In a way it is housed in the old royal court of the Nawabs of Junagadh , the Durbar Hall Museum shows royal memorabilia , weapons paintings , manuscripts and other artefacts that belonged to the Nawab's family. You can also find things like a set of silver chains, thrones , palanquins and howdahs, more or less in the same spirit as the past.

The place has about 2,900 artefacts dating back to the 19th century,so visitors get a real look at both the routine rhythms and the grand style of Junagadh's earlier rulers. It is set inside a pink walled palace structure with domes and parapets, so even if it feels compact, it still turns into a satisfying detour for history lovers. People often weave it into their Gir safari plans too, without rushing it.

Nalsarovar Lake is one of the water bodies surrounding the Sasan-Gir region and is home to a wide variety of migratory birds, earning its reputation as a haven for birdwatchers, with species like pied woodpeckers, eagles and black-headed birds regularly spotted here.

The lake's calm wetland setting makes for a peaceful contrast to Gir's dry forest safaris, and it's a favourite detour for photographers and nature lovers chasing that extra wildlife sighting beyond the core sanctuary.

Somewhere around 45 km out from Sasan Gir, along the coast, Somnath is kind of the starting point of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and honestly one of the most visited pilgrimage stops in western India. The current temple, rebuilt in 1951, sits right on the Arabian Sea, so it feels sort of open and exposed, like it's right there with the waves.

Doing the evening aarti here is a genuinely moving experience, and it's followed by a sound and light show that tells the temple's long story of being destroyed , and then again restored. Not far off, the Triveni Sangam is where three rivers meet the sea, and it gives this quieter reflective vibe that balances the main complex a little. A lot of travellers also blend a Gir wildlife trip with a Somnath temple tour, so you get jungle safaris together with coastal devotion in one Gujarat itinerary.

Junagadh sits around 52 km north of Sasan , and it can absolutely give you that i-need-a-full-day kind of exploring, where time sorta disappears. Uparkot Fort , which is believed to have been set up in the Mauryan period , keeps ancient stepwells like Adi Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo , plus Buddhist rock-cut caves, and even cannons that have been watching the plateau for centuries.

The place also has the Junagadh Museum , and the big Mahabat Maqbara mausoleum. It has this mix of Indo-Islamic and European architectural vibes , kinda like two eras agreeing. So if you're checking things to do near Gir National Park, Junagadh works well as a rich half-day or full-day detour , combining heritage architecture and proper Gujarati food culture, all in one stretch.

About 60 km from Sasan Gir on the eastern edge of the sanctuary, Tulsishyam is a Krishna temple surrounded by natural sulphur hot springs, with three small kunds separated by temperature, where pilgrims bathe before darshan.

Legend says Lord Krishna eliminated a demon called Tul here, giving the site its name, and the temple idol is believed to be around 3,000 years old. The drive itself passes through Gir's buffer forest, so spotting deer and langurs along the way is common, making Tulsishyam a rare mix of pilgrimage and wildlife detour.

Girnar Hills rises as one of Saurashtra's most sacred mountains, home to ancient Jain and Hindu temples along its climbing trail, and doubles as an adjoining wildlife sanctuary offering its own single-route safari for lions and leopards.

Pilgrims and trekkers climb its thousands of stone steps toward the summit shrines, while wildlife travellers use the Girnar route to escape the crowds of Gir's core zone. For anyone planning a Gir National Park trip, adding a Girnar detour blends spirituality, trekking and a quieter wildlife encounter into one stop.

Sitting right inside the Gir landscape near Sasan, Kamleshwar Dam is often called "the lifeline of Gir" for the way it sustains wildlife through the dry summer months.

Built on the Hiran River, it's home to India's highest concentration of marsh crocodiles, a legacy of the crocodile conservation programme launched here in the 1970s. Visitors combining a Gir safari with a short local excursion often stop here for peaceful birdwatching and crocodile sightings just minutes from the park gate.

Right on the edge of Sasan village, the crocodile rearing centre is small and easy to visit, housing marsh crocodiles at various life stages, established to strengthen wild populations in Kamleshwar Dam and connected water bodies.

It's a low-key but genuinely informative stop for travellers curious about the conservation science behind Gir's ecosystem, offering an easy add-on before or after a morning safari.

A short drive from Gir's dry forest brings you to an entirely different landscape — Diu, a former Portuguese colony with whitewashed churches, colonial forts, and quiet beaches along the Arabian Sea.

St. Paul's Church and the Diu Fort are among its best-known landmarks, while beaches like Nagoa and Ghoghla offer a relaxed coastal wind-down after days of jungle safaris. Diu is frequently paired with Gir and Somnath on longer Gujarat itineraries for travellers wanting both wildlife and coastline in one trip.