It has some way to go before it can match the best, but gujarat's lone hill station is still ideal for a weekend family holiday
There are plenty of holy places across the state of Gujarat. Every single day, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit these spots. This probably reflects the religious mindset of the Gujarati people.
But along a1600-km-long sea coast from Saurashtra to Surat, the state also has numerous sandy beaches – Chorvad, Somnath, Dwarka, Ahmedpur Mandvi, Tithal and Dumas. However, due to lack of a concerted tourism-centric approach, these beaches have remained untouched.
But not so Gujarat’s solitary hill station, Saputara, which, too, has suffered years of government apathy. But happily, the Gujarat government has turned its attention to this tourist spot of late and chances are that Saputara will evolve in the years ahead.
Saputara is located1000 metres above sea level. For many Gujaratis, Saputara is not so much a hill station as a retiring spot en route to Shirdi in Maharashtra. Waghai is South Gujarat’s tiny town with a humble tribal population and dense jungle. Most tourists use this route to reach Saputara as it is directly linked to Ahmedabad, Baroda and Surat. Another road to Saputara is from Ahwa, the district headquarters of Dang, Gujarat’s smallest district.
The bus ride from Ahwa takes three hours and the road is treacherous. It is like a roller-coaster ride and, halfway through the journey, I feel like throwing up. But as I breathe the fresh air of the hills, I begin to feel much better.
In 1960, after Gujarat was carved out from Mumbai state, the government decided to develop Saputara as its only hill station. Nestled in the womb of nature, this sleepy resort attracts tourists that are endowed with an adventurous streak. Saputara's eco tourism circuit, too, attracts many.
There are plenty of holy places across the state of Gujarat. Every single day, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit these spots. This probably reflects the religious mindset of the Gujarati people.
But along a1600-km-long sea coast from Saurashtra to Surat, the state also has numerous sandy beaches – Chorvad, Somnath, Dwarka, Ahmedpur Mandvi, Tithal and Dumas. However, due to lack of a concerted tourism-centric approach, these beaches have remained untouched.
But not so Gujarat’s solitary hill station, Saputara, which, too, has suffered years of government apathy. But happily, the Gujarat government has turned its attention to this tourist spot of late and chances are that Saputara will evolve in the years ahead.
Saputara is located1000 metres above sea level. For many Gujaratis, Saputara is not so much a hill station as a retiring spot en route to Shirdi in Maharashtra. Waghai is South Gujarat’s tiny town with a humble tribal population and dense jungle. Most tourists use this route to reach Saputara as it is directly linked to Ahmedabad, Baroda and Surat. Another road to Saputara is from Ahwa, the district headquarters of Dang, Gujarat’s smallest district.
The bus ride from Ahwa takes three hours and the road is treacherous. It is like a roller-coaster ride and, halfway through the journey, I feel like throwing up. But as I breathe the fresh air of the hills, I begin to feel much better.
In 1960, after Gujarat was carved out from Mumbai state, the government decided to develop Saputara as its only hill station. Nestled in the womb of nature, this sleepy resort attracts tourists that are endowed with an adventurous streak. Saputara's eco tourism circuit, too, attracts many.
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