Pre-departure planning is important. Here are certain things you should watch for and plan for.

Visas

Check with the Indian consulate or embassy in your country to find out if you will need a visa to visit the country of your destination, especially for an extended period of time. Some countries have extremely detailed and complicated entry/departure laws and treat visits of a week or two very differently from longer stays.

Money

If you’re traveling to one area, check the cost of living there. If it’s high you’ll probably want to budget more carefully and save some money before leaving. The lower the cost of living the less you’ll have to save, but be sure to have a backup reserve in emergency cases.

General Tips

Talk to other people who have done a similar trip.

If you don’t know anyone personally, try any of the dozens of online travel websites full of first-person travel stories covering every possible type of trip.

Plan big and loose. Read everything you can about the area.

There may be sights and attractions you didn’t know about. A rough outline of your trip might have three or four target points and a variety of ways to get between them.

You don’t want to find out that the weather isn’t what you thought, or the guidebook was incorrect, after committing to 6 weeks in a specific spot.

Some trips will allow you more leeway than others. Travel plans in Asia can often be made day-by-day while summer travel in Europe should be organized at least a few weeks ahead unless you’re prepared to hunt around for hotel rooms and train seats.

Set up a pre-trip timeline so you don’t end up with a full to-do list during your last week of work or school.

Things to consider are doctor’s visits for a check-up, inoculations, and prescription refills; purchasing plane tickets; renewing passports, and obtaining visas and other documents.

Check your insurance coverage abroad and purchasing additional travel insurance if needed. Don’t forget to visit friends and family members!

The longer the trip, the lighter you should pack. This might seem strange, but it’s true you can afford to lug a heavy bag around for a week or two, but do you want to have anything extra for a year?

Stick to the absolute basics and know what you can and cannot buy at your destination(s). There’s no point in bringing 6 months of toothpaste to Europe or buying a sarong at home to take to the tropics. If you are visiting several climates, try to arrange it so you visit the warmer places first and the coldest last. That way you can purchase sweaters and long pants and not have to carry them any more than needed. Alternately, visit cold climates first and then ship unneeded layers home — or sell them off.

A good rule of thumb is to bring one outfit for the hottest day you’re likely to encounter, one for an average day, and one for the coldest.

Make sure everything goes with everything else (if that’s important to you), and remember that layers are always best.

Be prepared for uncomfortable trips. You will often find yourself in a busy, cramped, economy class environment and it could be for many hours – especially long plane trips.

If you want to arrive at your destination refreshed and able to enjoy the sights, then try a good quality travel pillow to support your head, some earplugs to block out the screaming babies, and an eye cover to block out the sun or cabin lights.

Just avoid those cheap U-shaped pillows from airport shops – your head drops forward and you wake up with a stiff neck.

Make contact with the locals before you go.

Maybe you have a friend-of-a-friend or a foreign exchange student from high school you remember, or just found a friend through a travel website; almost everyone is happy to welcome a foreign visitor to their hometown. This might be as elaborate as a home stay for a few weeks, or just coffee in their hometown or dinner at a local restaurant.

Trip Attractions

Ahemdabad  – Calico Museum, Sdi Mosque, Jama Masjid & Sabarmati Ashram

Bhavnagar  – Excavation Site of Harappan Era

Palitana  – Jain Temple Complex

Diu  – Diu Fort & Colonial Era Architecture

Somnath  – Somnath Temple Complex

Sasan Gir – Sasan Gir for Lion Safari

Wankaner  – Wankaner Palace,  Museum & Nearby Villages

Bhuj – Ferguson Museum, Rao Pragmalji’s Palace

Zainabad  – Rann of Kutch & Stay in Camps

Ahmedabad – Bhavnagar(Lothal) – Diu  (Palitana, Somnath) – Sasangir (Junagadh)-Wankaner – Bhuj- Zainabad

Travel Resources

Travel planning is about more than just knowing where you’re going. Prepares to navigate, take control and be ready for anything. This section helps you steer clear of disaster and stay open enjoy the unexpected.

Quick Tips

• Banks – Open Monday to Friday 9 am to 2 pm. Some banks are closed for lunch.
• Emergencies – For police, dial a local phone number; for an ambulance call a hospital.
• Internet Access – Wifi is standard in most hotels and free in many coffee shops.
• Mail – Buy stamps at the Post Office. Convenient post offices are located in all cities. Most are open Monday to Friday 9 am to 3 pm.
• Safety – Pickpocketing can be a common problem. It is suggested for men to keep wallets in their front pockets. Purse snatching also occurs at times.

Visitor Information

This site contains information with a very personal and friendly structure. It also has great links to other related sites online.

Information, internet access, maps, and train passes are available at local Tourist Information terminals. These are located at various sites around the city. Expect a wait if you arrive late in the afternoon or during lunchtime. Local travel agencies are also helpful for quick information and finding hotels. There is no service charge for these services. Hours are Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.

Transportation

Getting in from the airport and other arrival locations. Travel planning is about more than just knowing where you’re going. Prepares to navigate, take control and be ready for anything. This section helps you steer clear of disaster and stay open to enjoy the unexpected.

• Plane – Flights arrive at the main airport near the city center. If flying from European cities, you might land at a connecting airport. There is a tourist information office at the Terminal E, international arrivals, open 8 am to 6 pm.
• Train – A train station is on the lower level of the airport. To get into the city, follow the marked signs.
• Taxi – From the airport, there is a flat rate for the 1-hour trip, depending on traffic. Hotels charge up to $80 for shuttle service.
• Train & Bus – Trains and buses arrive at the city center. This is the transportation hub for the city and is surrounded by hotels.

A perfect place for exploring on foot, with local shops around every corner. You will eventually walk somewhere, it’s just going to happen. If you don’t like crowds, uneven cobblestones, heavy traffic, or narrow sidewalks, take a taxi or rent a scooter.

Day 1 : Ahmedabad via Delhi or Mumbai

On reaching Ahmedabad you will be received and transferred to your Hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 2: Ahmedabad

This city is full of architectural delights with exquisite carved wooden mansions, Havelis, and labyrinthine lanes, visit Calico museum, Jama Masjid, and Sdi mosque, famous for its shaking minarets.

Day 3: Ahmedabad -Bhavnagar

Morning Drive to Bhavnagar en-route visit the 4000-year-old excavation site of Harappan era at Lothal.

Day 4 : Bhavnagar – Diu

After breakfast leave for Diu, en route visit  Palitana the impressive hilltop Jain temple complex reached by steep stairs. Continue on to Diu.

Day 5:  Diu

Morning sightseeing of Diu, a Portuguese colony until 1961. Visit the fort built by the Portuguese in 1541. The island has a Mediterranean feel and reflects the Portuguese colonial period architecture. Afternoon at leisure by the sea.

Day 6 : Diu – Somnath – Sasangir

Drive to Sasangir Morning drive to Somnath to see the spectacular shore temple. Somnath is the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages, Drive on to Sasangir the home of the Asiatic lion.

Day 7: Sasangir

Morning and afternoon game viewing in the Sasangir National Park.

Day 8 : Sasangir – Wankaner

Drive to Wankaner en route visit Junagadh visit 250 BC Ashokan Rock Edicts and the Jain temples studded in the Girnar Hill. Continue on to Wankaner.

Day 9: Wankaner

Free to explore the palace and the nearby villages. Visit the palace museum housing a memorable collection of antiques. View the royal collection of vintage cars.

Day 10: Wankaner – Bhuj

Drive to Bhuj, an old walled city with maze-like streets and crenelated gateways. Afternoon tour visiting the Ferguson Museum, Rao Pragmalji’s Palace made of marble and sandstone.

Day 11: Bhuj

Explore the tribal villages, specializing in different forms of handicraft including ahir embroidery, block printing, and tie and dye.

Day 12: Bhuj – Zainabad

Drive to Zainabad. Enjoy a game drive in the little Rann of Kutch to see the Asiatic wild Ass. Overnight at the Desert Courser’s Camp.

Day 13: Zainabad – Ahemdabad

Morning leave for Ahmedabad visiting en route the Sun temple at Modhera and the city of Patan.

Day 14  Ahmedabad – Departure

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.