Ahmedabad To Kutch Road Trip

Who doesn’t fancy a road trip with friends and family? The thrill of being at the wheel of your favourite car or bike with your closest friends is unmatched. Road trips are eternally exciting for the true blue lovers of adventure. One such famous and fun road trip is “Ahmedabad to Kutch”. This enigmatic trip will introduce you to the ecological diversity of India. Let us look at all the important aspects of this fantastic journey.

Best Time To Visit

Gujarat’s magnificent glory can be witnesses almost all throughout the year. However, it is a fantastic idea to undertake the groovy road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch in the winter months. The most ideal time period is between Novembers to February as the climate is cool and pleasant. The drop in the temperature gives a much needed respite to the bikers and drivers on a long road trip. On the full moon nights the reflection of the moonlight on the white sand can take your breath away. The legendary Rann Festival is held during the winter months which are a fantastic reason to plan your road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch between Novembers to February.

Places To Eat

Once you start your road trip from Ahmedabad towards Kutch, there are at least a dozen good restaurants that serve delicious food. Around 2 hours away from Ahmedabad you will come across some restaurants serving delicious variety of food. You will be happy to relish the usual south Indian dishes as well as some really tasty Gujarati and Punjabi dishes. Make sure you inform the restaurant owner about your preferences so that the food is made to order. Most of these restaurants serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a good idea to pack some hot snacks for the remaining journey or look for another eatery on the way that serves delectable Gujarati cuisine. White Rann Tent City Dinning Hall is an excellent choice for planning your dinner with your friends and fellow travellers on the road trip.

Route

The highways of Gujarat are safe and smooth for a road trip. A road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch will cover a distance of 14283.0 km or 8875.041993 miles. A road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch will take around 7 – 10 days. Since it is a fairly long journey, you need to plan an overnight stopover in a hotel. The route is pretty interesting and will make you witness the rugged and welcoming countryside of Gujarat. The rural Gujarat is vibrant and it is a joy to explore it on your road trip. You will begin at Ahmedabad and travel to Little Rann of Kutch which is a distance of about 97 kilometers. From this point you will head for Morvi which is at a distance of 142 kilometers from Little Rann of Kutch. Reach Bhuj after traveling 172 kilometers from Morvi. Once you reach Bhuj, you can undertake day trips to Dholavira and Mandvi. Bhuj-Dholavira-Bhuj and Bhuj-Mandvi-Bhuj. Take a good night’s rest and head back to Ahmedabad via the Bhuj-Bachau Highway. NH8A will take you to Khirai. Grab a bite and head for Ahmedabad via NH947.

What To Eat And Stopovers

The road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch will be gastronomically delightful and exciting. You will get to eat the cuisine of Gujarat and Kutch. You can explore the tasty Daabeli, Gujrati chaat, Vada Pav, Masala Chaas and several other delectable options of street food as well as a full blown Gujarati Thaali. It is safe to eat moderately spicy food to avoid any stomach upsets or heartburn during your road trip. Avoid drinking any alcoholic beverage during your road journey from Ahmedabad to Kutch. You can stop over at several good and hygienic restaurants that serve vegetarian food. Also, on your way to Kutch you can visit Little Rann of Kutch and witness the magnificent migratory birds at the Wild Ass Sanctuary. Pelicans flock Little Rann of Kutch and transform it into a wondrous land. You can stop over at places like Sayla, Wankaner, and Morvi. Plan a culture walk through the craft village and get a first hand feel of the rural Gujarat.

Reaching There And Places To Visit

Kutch is famous all over the world as the Great Rann of Kutch. This incredibly unique stretch of land is spread across India and Pakistan. Kutch is the largest district in India. A huge part of Kutch is the Rann of Kutch. The low wetland of Rann of Kutch gets underwater during the rains. It dries off completely during the summer. The scorching hot heat and brightest sun make the white land shine throughout the day. The Rann of Kutch is famous for the marshy salt flats as the white salty surface gives the Rann as unique identity. Kutch has a distinct location as it is surrounded by the seasonal wetlands on the north and east. To the south of Kutch is Gulf of Kutch and to the west is the Arabian Sea. You can visit the sanctuaries at Chari Daand. It is a great idea to visit the sanctuaries early, preferably at dawn as you can see an amazing variety of birds. Gandhidham is a great place to visit. The legendary Rann Utsav is organised each year between December and March. This vibrant festival of the culture, art, craft, music and dance of Gujrat is a one of its kind celebration of the magnificent ethos of Gujrat. There are scores of beautiful stalls showcasing and selling some rare, unique and exquisitely decorative artefact and clothes. Make it a point to shop for stuff that you may not get anywhere else. You can enjoy the local hospitality and the delectable cuisine of Gujrat. Check out the local culture more closely by visiting local houses specially created to give an authentic experience to the tourists. Kutch Museum is also a great place to visit when you are in Kutch.

Points To Note While Planning Trip (Car/Bike)

1. The most important thing is to service your car or bike before you embark on the road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch. Make sure all the basic features are functioning properly. Check the condition of the engine. Check if the safety functions are working properly. Although there are fuel stations (gas stations) on your route, it is advisable to carry fuel with you. In the next section you can read about the diesel and petrol pumps/station en route.
2. It is a safe and well built highway. However, make sure you know the gas stations (petrol pumps) on route.
3. Eat at clean eateries and pack dry snacks and water for the journey.
4. Learn some local phrases and words to communicate at the gas stations and restaurants.
5. Carry a first aid kit for minor medical emergencies. Carry anti-vomiting medicines for motion-sickness. Check the weather before starting the journey. Apply a good quality sunscreen to avoid excessive exposure to the sun.
6. Above all make sure you carry your car insurance or two wheeler insurance documents with you.

Diesel/Petrol Pumps

There are diesel/petrol pumps of Reliance, HPCL and Adani on route. Petrol stations can be found at Morbi, Bhuj, Dholavira and Mandvi.

Overnight Halts (If Any)

You can take an overnight halt at Bhuj. There are hotels with good reviews. You can choose your specifications online or on call. It is advisable to use online portals to browse places and ensure that you are not met with any unpleasant surprises. Plan the overnight trip carefully and keep your belongings safe. Bhuj offers a lot of comfortable and safe places that are perfect for an overnight stay. Most of the hotels offer free breakfast. Ensure that you have chosen and informed about the correct food preference to get the best value. The overnight halt will refresh you for the remaining journey.

Distance/Altitude Change Graph

The route of your road trip from Ahmedabad to Kutch and back will cover a distance of around 1,296 kilometers and will take you to Little Rann of Kutch, Morvi, Bhuj, Dholivira, and Mandvi.
This round trip involves no major changes in altitude. You will take around 7 – 10 days to complete the trip.

Stay And Eat With Other Eating Places

At Morbi you can relish local cuisine as well as south Indian and Punjabi dishes at places like Thakar Lodge, Shubh, Grand Mom’s, and Mahesh. At Bhuj there are plenty of great options like the Green Rock for vegetarian food and Noorani for non vegetarian food. At Dholavira you can check out the Gujarat Tourism Guest House. At Mandvi you can relish amazing variety of food like the famous Kutch Pedas at Gabhabhai Pendawal. Zoraba the Buddha and Dunes offer regular vegetarian food. Kathiyawadi Thaali, Kutchi Daabeli, Thepla and Lilva Kachori are some of the most famous delicacies of Kutch that you can eat at many restaurants on route or sample something authentic at someone’s’ home. Check out options to try homemade Kutchi food at Puna Sumar Marvada for an authentic Kutchi home stay and cuisine. This place is located near the Chaari Dhaand Bird Sanctuary.

Mobile Connectivity

Mobile connectivity is decent. Make sure your cellphone is charged well. Also carry a fully charged portable mobile charger with you to avoid any disturbance in connectivity due to low battery.

ATM's

There are more than a dozen ATMs of various banks like Allahabad Bank, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda and Axis Bank.

Mechanics

There are many car servicing and repair shops en route Ahmedabad to Kutch. There are diesel/petrol pumps of Reliance, HPCL and Adani on route. Petrol stations can be found at Morbi, Bhuj, Dholavira and Mandvi. At the petrol pumps you can get your car or biker checked and serviced.

Medical Facilities

In Morbi you will find Krishna Multi-specialty Hospital and Shyam Hospital. In Bhuj you will find Akshar Hospital and Viable Hospital. At Mandvi there is AIIMS hospital and Gauri hospital. At Ahmedabad you will find many specialty hospitals. It is advisable to carry essential medicines and a first aid kit on your journey.

Electricity

Throughout the state of Gujarat there is good supply of electricity. However, the rural areas may receive electricity intermittently during summer or winter. Overall, most of the restaurants and hotels will have a power back up system in case of electricity shortage.

Tool Kits

A good tool kit for a your road trip should have screwdrivers, wrench, socket set, adjustable pliers, wire dykes, pocket knife, hammer, baling wire and zip ties, silicon sealant, duct tape, and tire plugs.

Article Author: Sham Srinivas

#TravelInsurance

09th Jun,2020

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28th Apr,2020

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28th Apr,2020

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28th Apr,2020

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