SASAN GIR
Sasan Gir Facts
Area : 1412 sq. km
Altitude : 225-648 m above sea level
Best Time : to Visit December-March
If you are planning a tour to Gujarat, then visiting Sasangir should be a must-do activity. A tour to Sasangir will take tourists to a place that is the only place outside Africa that serves as a natural habitat for the lions. Covering a distance of about 1424 square kilometres, the place not only serves as a heaven but intensely attracts wildlife enthusiasts and bird lovers from all parts of the globe. On a Sasangir tour, tourists have to visit the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, a must visit destination. The forest offers a safe asylum to a diverse kind of birds and smaller animals. Panthers, hyenas, Indian deer, sambar, chital, nilgai, chinkara, bear, long tailed langur and chowsingha are some of the animals that tourists easily get to see here.
Best time to visit Sasan Gir
Mid-October to mid-June remains the best time for touring Sasangir as the sanctuary remains open to the visitors during this time. During the monsoons, the sanctuary remains closed for varied reasons.
History
The Gir Lion Sanctuary project was an initiative to save the lions from being ruthlessly killed. Sasangir is also known as the Gir National Park is the natural habitat for some 300 odd Asiatic lions in the lion sanctuary. The Sasangir National Park was established in 1913 but was given the status of a sanctuary in 1965. It is easily accessible from the major towns and cities, though steep hillsides and a few springs would welcome the tourists.
Tourist Attractions in Sasan Gir
Well-known across the globe for being the only sanctuary of the majestic Asiatic lion, the National Park or the lion sanctuary is a must-visit for nature lovers. The park also serves as the main attraction of this place. Sasangir also serves as the natural habitat of some exotic flora and fauna of this peninsular region and retains some dry deciduous and tropical thorn forests and an evergreen corridor along the river sides.
The Somnath temple here is an important pilgrimage for Hindus. Some other interesting places are Junagadh, at a distance of 64 km from Sasangir and Ahmedpur Mandvi, 70 km from Sasangir. Chorwad, is a small fisherman’s village not to be missed out. Apart from the sanctuary, the picturesque temples like Kankai Mata and Tulsishyam are also worth visiting.
How to reach Sasan Gir
By Air
The nearest airport is at Keshod, which at a distance of 86 km
By Rail
Daily two steam trains run to Veraval and one to Junagarh from the rail junction at Sasan Gir, which is the nearest railway station at about 1 km from the park.
By Road
The park is well connected by the road network from the nearest town of Veraval and Junagarh, which are at a distance of 32 km and 64 km respectively.
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