BEST OF DWARKA – SOMNATH - GIR - JUNAGADH IN 5 DAYS

At a distance of 3 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Dwarkadhish Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the holy town of Dwarka, Gujarat. Also known as Jagat Mandir or Trilok Sunder Temple, it is one of the revered places of pilgrimage in India and among the top places to visit in Dwarka.

Situated on the banks of Gomti River, Dwarkadhish Temple or Dwarkadheesh Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is worshiped here as Dwarkadhish or 'King of Dwarka'. According to legend, the temple was originally believed to be built by Vajranabh, the great grandson of Lord Krishna, more than 2500 years ago on the palace where Lord Krishna lived. However, it was later enlarged in the 15th-19th century. It is also part of the famed Char Dham, the four sacred temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu while the other three are Rameswaram, Badrinath and Puri. Since it is a Pushtimarg temple, it follows the guidelines and rituals created by Vallabhacharya and Vitheleshnath.

Built out of soft limestone, .....

At a distance of 3 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Gomati Sangam Ghat is a sacred bathing ghat on the banks of River Gomti in Dwarka, Gujarat. Situated behind the Dwarkadhish Temple, it is one among the popular places to visit in Dwarka.

Gomti Ghat is situated at the mouth of Gomti River, a tributary of Holy Ganges, the most sacred river for all Hindus. The river originates in the Himalayan ranges of Nepal, flows down across many Indian states and finally empties into the Arabian Sea here. Gomti Ghat also has a great religious and mythological significance. According to myths River Gomati is the daughter of Sage Vashishta and her waters are powerful enough to purge one's mortal sins. Thus pilgrims make it a point to bathe in River Gomti and they usually take their holy dip into the Gomati Kund, the point of confluence of River Gomti and Arabian Sea.

There are over 12 ghats surrounding the Gomati River, which are venues of Samudra Narayana Temple, Gomatiji Temple, the Panchanada .....

At a distance of 1 km from Dwarkadhish Temple and 3 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Shree Swaminarayan Mandir is a Hindu temple located on the shores of Arabian Sea in Dwarka, Gujarat. It is one of the Swaminarayan Temples in India among the must visit places in Dwarka.

Situated near Dwarkadhish Temple, the temple is dedicated to Swami Narayan who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The shrine is relatively a new structure, however, the architecture, the sculptures and the bas-relief work is quite attractive. Made out of marbles, the temple is well maintained, clean and possesses a divine vibe. One can also find idols of other Hindu Goddesses and Gods in the temple. The surrounding garden adds to the calmness of the place and a visit here is sure to help you relax after a long day of sightseeing.

Timings: 5 AM - 8 PM

At a distance of 3 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Samudra Narayan Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Gomti Sangam Ghat in the holy town of Dwarka. Located behind the Dwarkadhish Temple, it is one of the must visit temples in Dwarka as part of Dwarka Packages.

Situated at the confluence of River Gomti and the Arabian Sea, the Samudra Narayan Temple is dedicated to Goddess Gomti. According to the legend, River Gomti has been brought from heaven by Rishi Vasishtha to sanctify Rama after his battle with Ravana. After purification of Rama, Goddess Gomti manifested here on the ghat and got submerged into the Arabian Sea. Along with Goddess Gomti, the temple enshrines beautiful idols of Lord Varuna, Samudra Deva, Mira Bai and Mother Asta Bhavani. There is a sacred kund or tank in the temple, where several ceremonial sacrifices performed.

This temple is surrounded by Panchanada Tirtha, which comprises 5 wells that have sweet water. A meditation cave known as Manoratha Dwar is situated .....

At a distance of 5 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Rukmini Devi Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in Dwarka town of Gujarat. Located on Dwarka - Okha Highway, it is one of the important places to visit in Dwarka.

The Rukmini Devi Temple is dedicated to the beloved wife of Lord Krishna, Devi Rukmini, an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. The temple is said to be more than 2500 years old, but its domed mandapa and stepped sanctuary belongs to 12th century. The sanctum of the temple has a beautiful marble idol of Devi Rukmani, with four hands holding Shanka, Chakra, Gada and Padma. This shrine is an architectural masterpiece in itself. The rich paintings on the walls depicting Rukmini and Krishna leave the visitors spell bound.

Rukmini Devi Temple is situated 3 km away from the main Dwarkadhish Temple on the banks of Bhagirathi River. According to the legend, once Lord Krishna and his wife Rukmini went to the sage Durvasa to invite him for dinner at Dwarka. He agreed .....

At a distance of 15 km from Dwarka, Nageshwar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Nageshwar village in Gujarat. Also known as Nagnath Temple, it is one of the 12 jyotirlinga temples of Lord Shiva and among the prominent places to visit as part of Dwarka Tour Packages.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Nageshwar Temple is one of the oldest temples mentioned in the Shiva Purana. The Jyotirlinga has a special significance in Nageshwar as this is believed to be the first of all 12 Jyotirlingas. The swayambhu lingam enshrined in the underground chamber at Nageshwar Temple is known as Nageshwar Mahadev and attracts thousands of pilgrims all-round the year. This powerful Jyotirlinga symbolizes protection from all poisons and is believed that one who prays here obtains freedom from all kinds of poison including snake poison.

Nageshwar is referred to as 'Daarukaavane Naagesham' in the ancient slokas of Rudra Samhita. According to the legend, there once lived a demon called Daruka, who .....

At a distance of 20 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Gopi Talav is a small sacred pond located at Samlasar village near Dwarka, Gujarat. Situated on the way to Beyt Dwarka, it is one of the important religious places to visit in Dwarka.

Gopi Talav or Gopi Lake has a special significance in the Hindu mythology, as it is believed to be the divine place where all the Gopis performed their last raas leela with lord Krishna. When Lord Krishna moved to Dwarka, the Gopis could not bear the separation and came to visit him. After the last raas leela, they united with Lord Krishna at the Gopi Talav and attained moksha on the night of Sharad Purnima.

The legend has it that they turned into yellow sand which is popularly known as Gopi Chandan. Even today the soil of the Gopi Talav is extremely smooth bearing a yellow color and is believed to have divine properties that can cure many diseases, especially those related to skin. It is also applied by several Hindus on their foreheads as .....

At a distance of 33 km from Dwarka Railway Station, Beyt Dwarka is an inhabited island located off the coast of Dwarka on Gulf of Kutch. Also known as Beyt Shankhodhar, it was one of the main ports of the town before the development of Okha and is among the popular places to visit in Dwarka.

Bet Dwarka or Beyt Dwarka is an extremely sacred pilgrimage destination as it is believed to be the original home of Lord Krishna during his ruling years at Dwarka. It is said that lord Krishna resided with his family at Bet Dwarka. The place derived its name from the word 'beyt' which means meeting and this is the place where Sudhama came to meet his friend Lord Krishna. Beyt Dwarka is also mentioned in the ancient epic, 'Mahabharata' as 'Antardvipa' to which people of the Yadava clan needed to travel by boat. The island is also known as Shankhodhar as the island is source of conch shells.

The ASI explorations revealed that the presence of certain settlements whose age can be traced back .....

At a distance of 13 km from Dwarka and 23 km from Okha, Shivrajpur Beach is a serene beach located near Shivrajpur village on the Arabian coast of Gujarat. Situated on Dwarka - Okha Highway, it is one of the famous beaches in Gujarat and among the must visit Dwarka Tourist Places.

Shivrajpur Beach is a beautiful beach with clear waters and white sands. The beach offers stunning sunsets and picturesque views to the tourists. The beach is not much commercialized which makes it an ideal place to spend some peaceful time with family and friends. One can spot Dolphins and some beautiful birds on the sea here. For making it an ideal tourist destination, the beach management has introduced water sports, food and shopping areas for the visitors. Be careful while venturing into the water as there is no rescue team available.

There is also a lighthouse near the beach. The ruler of Kachchh Maharao Deshalji built a small fort along with an 11m high black masonry unlit beacon known as Mojap .....

At a distance of 2 km from Somnath Railway Station, Somnath Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Prabhas Patan on the coast of Arabian Sea in Gujarat. It is one of the most important places of pilgrimages in India for Hindus and among the top places to visit in Somnath.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Somnath Temple is believed to be first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. Somnath means 'Lord of the Soma', an epithet of Shiva. According to history scholars, the site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times as it was said to be the confluence point of three rivers, Kapila, Hiran and the mythical Saraswati. The confluence was called as Triveni Sangam and is believed to be the place where Soma, the Moon god bathed and regained his luster.

According to Puranas, the original temple of Somnath was built in gold by the moon god Soma, in silver by the sun god Ravi, in wood by Krishna and in stone by the Solanki Rajputs .....

At a distance of 1 km from Somnath Temple and 2 km from Somnath Railway Station, Shri Ram Temple is a Hindu temple built near Triveni Sangam Ghat in the temple town of Somnath. It is one of the splendid temples to visit in Somnath.

Shri Ram Mandir is dedicated to Lord Rama. The temple was built by Shree Somnath Trust in 2017. The temple is the newest addition to the array of religious places in and around Somnath. The temple is graceful and the sanctum has artistic idols of Lord Rama, Sita Devi and Lord Lakshmana. There are also two mini shrines dedicated to Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh beside the sanctum. All the idols are made of marble.

Built from Bansi Pahanpul pink stone, the mandir has two floors. It has auditorium and kirtan hall on the ground floor. It has also a theater with 260-280 chairs in which the life of Shri Ram will be presented on large screen. The gate of this temple is in shape of Shri Ram's dhanushya. One can get a glimpse of Somnath temple, Somnath coast, .....

At a distance of 2 km from Somnath Temple and 2.5 km from Somnath Railway Station, Gita Mandir is a Hindu temple located on the banks of Triveni Sangam in the holy town of Somnath, Gujarat. Also known as Birla Mandir, it is one of the most popular pilgrimage spot in Somnath.

Dedicated to Lord Shri Krishna, the current structure of Gita Mandir was built in the year of 1970 by Birla Group. As per mythology, Gita Mandir is situated at the very exact spot where Lord Sri Krishna took rest after his walk from Bhalka Theerth to Triveni Theerth, before his journey to Neej Dham at Dehotsarg. This incident happened after he was hit by an arrow, towards the end of Dwapara Yuga and Lord Krishna proceeded to heaven from this place.

Known for its wonderful architecture carved out of white marbles, the Gita Mandir enshrines the idol of Lord Krishna in its sanctum. The presiding deity is flanked by two idols of Lord Laxminarayan and Lord Sita-Ram. The footprint of Lord Shri Krishna is carved .....

At a distance of 1 km from Somnath Temple and 2 km from Somnath Railway Station, Triveni Ghat is a holy place located in the pilgrimage town of Somnath. Situated near Somnath Beach, it is one of the most important holy places in Somnath.

Also known as Triveni Sangam, Triveni Ghat is the meeting place of three rivers Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati and then empties together into the Arabian Sea. These stages of rivers where they meet and then flow together to the sea symbolize human birth, life and death. Triveni Ghat holds a significant place in the Hindu Mythology and Puranas and also finds a mention in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is believed that a bath at Triveni Sangam can wash off all sins and also facilitate Moksha by merging with the God.

As per Hindu mythology, this is the place visited by Krishna after being hit by an arrow and is considered to be the cremation ground of Lord Krishna. A temple has been dedicated to him to mark the place. This is also the .....

At a distance of 500 m from Sasan Gir Bus Stand, Jungle Safari is the major attraction and one of the most popular options to spot animal movement and admire beautiful landscape in Gir National Park. Sasan Gir is the most celebrated wildlife sanctuary in India as it is the royal kingdom of Asiatic lions and essentially the only place on earth where these majestic beasts roam freely after Africa.

Only Jeep safari is available at Gir National Park. There is no canter safari or elephant safari unlike to the other national parks of India. There are eight safari routes, although most overlap with each other, with different entry and exit points. These routes have been made within the tourism zone of the Sanctuary with an average length of 35 km each. They are randomly assigned by the computer along with a driver and guide when you present your permit at the Reception Center, Sinh Sadan, Sasan Gir. One can also visit Kamleswar Dam while on a Gir National Park Safari where one can climb .....

At a distance of 1 km from Junagadh Junction, Mahabat Maqbara is a mausoleum situated in Mullawada locality of Junagadh. Also called Mausoleum of Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, it is one of the historical monuments in Gujarat and among the prime places to visit in Junagadh.

Often considered as the most imposing architectural monument in Junagadh, Mahabat Maqbara was originally the residential palace of Babi Nawabs. The construction of the palace was started by Mahabat Khanji in 1878 CE and was completed by his successor Bahadur Kanji in 1892 CE. The palace complex is now houses the tombs of Mahabat Khan II, the 6th Nawab of Junagadh and Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, the minister of Nawab Rasul Khanji.

Both mausoleums at Mahabat Maqbara palace complex are the fine examples of art and architecture, typical of the late 19th century royal monuments of Junagadh. Mahabat Maqbara, the mausoleum of Mahabat Khan, is a fusion of Indo-Islamic, European and Gothic architecture and was built in .....

At a distance of 2 km from Junagadh Railway Station, Upperkot Fort is an ancient fort located in Junagadh, Gujarat. Situated at the foot of the sacred Girnar Hill, this is one of the major historical forts in Gujarat and among the must include places in Junagadh Tour Packages.
Also known as Uperkot, the magnificent fort of Upperkot is said to be built by Chandragupta Maurya in 319 BC and continued to be used during Gupta period. The fort lost its importance when the capital of Saurashtra region was moved from Junagadh to Vallabhi by Maitrakas and was abandoned for 300 years. Later it was rediscovered and rebuilt with all the updated requirements during 976 AD by Rah Grahar of Chudasama dynasty and later it came under the rule of Mughals in 1473 CE. Further down, the fort came in to the hands of Babi Nawabs. The fort has survived for 16 sieges over a period of 800 years due to its strategic location and difficult access. One of these sieges lasted for 12 years but was unsuccessful.

The .....

At a distance of 2 km from Junagadh Junction, Sakkarbaug Zoo is a massive zoo park situated in Dolatpara locality of Junagadh. Also known as Junagadh Zoo, it is the second oldest zoo in India and among the must include places in Junagadh Packages.

The Sakkarbaug Zoo was established in the year 1863 AD by the Babi Nawabs of Junagadh state. Spread over an area of 490 acres, it is the fourth biggest zoo in India and the oldest zoo in Gujarat. The Nawabs of Junagadh has set up this zoo for saving the Asiatic Lions, as those days hunting among Nawabs and the princes from nearby areas were most common. The zoo provides purebred Asiatic lions for the Indian and the international endangered species captive breeding program for the critically endangered species.

The zoo authorities are famed for having wild and free moving Asiatic lions that have been wiped out from most of Asia and are nowadays found only in the nearby Gir Forest. Apart from the Asiatic lions, the Junagadh Zoo is .....

At a distance of 2 km from Junagadh Junction, Darbar Hall Museum is a historical museum situated in Sardar Baug area of Junagadh in Gujarat. It is one of the finest museums in Gujarat and among the prime Junagadh Tourist Places.

Also known as Junagadh Museum, the Darbar Hall Museum was founded in the year 1964. The museum was initially a courthouse used by the then Nawabs of Junagadh state where cases were heard. The museum provides the tourists an opportunity to have a glimpse at the glory and grandeur of the Nawabs of Babi dynasty who have ruled Junagadh till India's independence. The majority of the exhibits in the museum date back to the 19th century.

Located in Taj Manzil Building, Darbar Hall Museum is exhibiting around 2900 artefacts in different galleries namely Picture Gallery, Palanquin Room, Textile and Costumes Gallery, Weapons Gallery, Darbar Hall etc. The Picture Gallery boasts a large collection of photographs and paintings of last Nawab with his numerous dogs. .....

At a distance of 4 km from Junagadh Junction, Shree Swaminarayan Temple is a revered Hindu temple situated at Dipanjali locality of Junagadh. It is one of the important BAPS Mandirs in Gujarat and among the top places to visit in Junagadh.

Located on Jawahar Road, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan - a Hindu saint, yogi, ascetic and the founder of Swaminarayan Sampraday. This temple was ordered to be built by Lord Swaminarayan himself, the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The land for this temple was gifted by Jinabhai, Darbar of Panchala of King Hemant Singh. The foundation stone for the temple was laid by Gunatitanand Swami in 1826 AD while the construction of this temple was supervised by Brahmanand Swami.

On May 1, 1828 AD, Swaminarayan himself installed Shri Ranchhodrai and Trikamrai in the inner sanctum, Radharaman Dev and Harikrishna Maharaj in the eastern wing and Siddheswar Mahadev, Parvati, Ganesha and Nandishwar in the western side. .....

At a distance of 5 km from Junagadh Junction, Bhavnath Mahadev Mandir is an ancient Hindu temple situated at Bhavnath village near Junagadh. Located at the foothills of Mount Girnar, it is one of the most popular temples in Gujarat and among the top places to visit in Junagadh.

Bhavnath Temple in Junagadh is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shivling here is said to have emerged of its own divine intention. The Bhavnath Mahadev temple existence dates back to the ancient era and its story is found in the Puranic era. According to myth, once a while Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati were crossing the Girnar hills and then their divine garment fell over the present Mrigi Kund, making this place an auspicious site for Shiva worshippers. Even today, the naga bavas are known to bathe in the holy Mrigi Kund before joining the Mahashivaratri procession.

Visited by religious minded devotees all along the year, the shrine witnesses maximum footfalls on two religious occasions - during Maha .....