Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

Location : In the state of Gujarat in the western part of India.
Tourist Attractions : Asiatic Lion, leopards, black buck.
Other Attractions : Veraval Beach
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Somnath, Dwarka, Ahmedabad, Surat.
When to Visit : November to June.

About Gir
Home to the last surviving population of the Asiatic Lions, the Gir National Park is Located in the south-west border of the Saurashtra Peninsula in the state of Gujarat India. Inhabiting about 300 Asiatic Lions, this area flanked with three unique and unusual reserves, the Nalsarovar Lake and Sanctuary; the Rann of Kutch and the Flamingo Islands makes a very delightful wildlife holiday for the wildlife enthusiasts.

Spread in an area of 1412.13 sq km, the Gir park area was the royal hunting grounds of the Nawab of Junagadh, and later defined as a protected forest by the concerned Government bodies. In 1966, 600 sq km were initially bounded as the Gir forest area, which was further extended to 1150 sq km. The park with it's core area of approximately 300 sq km was officially declared a national park in 1975.

Major Tourist Attractions in Gir
The Flora
Species like the Jamun, Karanj, Ber, Tendu, Semul, Umro, Vad, Kalam, Charal, Sirus and Amli are found here.

The Fauna
Besides the Asiatic Lion, Gir is also home to one of the largest Leopard populations in any park in India. Other animal residents of the Gir national park are Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Chowsingha, Chinkara Gazelle, Wild Boar, Langur, Jackal, Panthers, Wild Cats and Hares and Hyena.

The Avifauna
Numerous birds like Paradise Flycatchers, Black headed Cuckoo Shrike, Gray Drongo, Pied Woodpeckers, Coppersmiths, Indian Rollers, Crested Swifts, Fish Owls, Black Vultures, Shaheen Falcons, Bonelli's Eagles, Flamingo, Crested Serpent Eagles, Painted Sandgrouse, Rock Bush Quail, Gray Partridge, Painted Storks and White Necked Storks are found here.

The Reptiles
Marsh Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards, Pythons and a large variety of snakes.

The Park Trip
Jeep is the best option to explore the park.

Getting There
Airport : At Keshod (90 km via Veraval).
Railways : The meter gauge rail line of 395 km from Ahemdabad.
Road : Gir is situated at a distance of 400 km from Ahmedabad via Rajkot, Junagadh and Mendarda. State Transport buses are easily available from Junagadh and Veraval.

Accommodation
Accommodation is immense here. There are numerous lodge and jungle resort near the park. The forest department operates two lodges, the Sinh Sadan Forest Lodge and the Gir Lodge, while some private lodges also exist close by.