Rann Of Kutch Tour

• After early breakfast at the hotel.
• Wake up early for a morning walk around the 21-acre farm and a closer look at the local flora and fauna. Alternatively, wake up at ease, indulge in a light breakfast with the Gadhvi’s and depart for Hodka, a Meghwal village situated near the Indo-Pak border, with little boys running around a cluster of bhungas (circular mud huts with conical thatch roofs) and pretty girls dressed in hand-embroidered kanjiris (long choli blouses) and colourful chaniyas (skirts) drawing water from the wells, Hodka boasts rusticity that makes it look like it’s straight out of a movie scene.
• Visit the skilled leather artisan Umrabhai Kana, who owns a dairy farm and specialises in leather craft, passed down from generation to generation. Umrabhai makes a variety of mugs, jackets, harnesses, hats, footwear etc., from leather which is coloured and decorated with intricate patterns. Don’t miss interacting with his wife Bayabai who has travelled as far as France to exhibit her embroidery work.
• You can choose to eat local, homemade lunch with Ranabhai Phota’s welcoming family in Hodka. The men in the Phota family graze their cattle while the women spend their time making embroidered mirrors, bags, hair clips and more. They also deal in gorgeous Ajrakh bedspreads, shawls, dupattas and quilts. (*Travellers Choice).
• On the way and proceed to Gandhi Nu Gaam at Ludiya which is one of the 16 villages that were rebuilt from scratch after the 2001 earthquake. Built from locally-sourced materials, the village houses three schools, community buildings, religious shrines, a water harvesting system and 455 traditional bhungas, each hand-painted in vibrant colours and richly embellished with lippan (mirror) artwork. A visit here not only gives you a chance to understand the sustainability model of the village but also to interact with the local artisans who are masters in their craft. Gandhi Nu Gaam is a great place to pick up some beautiful thread work accessories like earrings, bangles, finger rings and more.
• Continue your onward journey to Dholavira via the new Dholavira Highway, also known as “The Road to Heaven”, with the sparkling Rann of Kutch Lake on both sides of the road, what you see are scenic vistas of the glistening waters of the lake or white crystal beds and deep blue skies. The landscape varies depending on the time of year. The winter months of October to March are likely to treat you to the latter as this is when the water has evaporated, leaving behind an endless stretch of parched, and blindingly white saline dessert. Since the road isn’t completely paved yet, expect some dust and bumpy stretches. Also, you might not find any shops or cafes on the highway. So make sure to stock up on some snacks to munch on during the drive.
• On arrival in Dholavira late evening, you must drive past the excavation site to reach Dholavira Homestay in the nearby Amarpar Village, where you can stay for the night. The homestay offers camping tents as well as traditional bhungas and delicious local meals. Opt for one of their accommodation options for added comfort or spend the night in your motorhome.
• Overnight stay at your hotel or luxury tent.

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS

• Evoke Dholavira

• Start as early as 5.30 am and head for a short, easy trek to Chipar Point – a viewpoint located in Khadir Bet, a small isolated island near Amarpar village. Around five km one way from the homestay, the trail takes you through arid hillocks peppered with dried grass and shrubs, at the top of the hill, you will see several flat, platform-like rocks jutting out with their uneven edges. These overhanging rocks are hot spots for photographers, from the top, you can see the ground merging into the vast white desert, often dotted with a herd of wild asses. Stay until the sun rises fully, illuminating the landscape.
• After a filling breakfast at your homestay, depart for the World Heritage Site of Dholavira.
• Visit Dholavira, the Indus people, one of the world’s first largest civilisations, prospered here from 2900 BC to 1500 BC. Discovered in 1968 by archaeologist Jagat Pati Joshi, this remote archaeological site takes you back 4,500 years and lets you visualise life during the Harappa period. The excavations have revealed a complex town of stone buildings half sunk in the soil. The well-preserved town comprises a fortified city with its citadel, a series of houses, a dedicated space for art and craft, a ceremonial ground, a cemetery and an efficient water management system which demonstrates the ingenuity of the people living here. You can book a guided tour for a deeper understanding of the seven stages of civilisation, from development to maturity to decay.
• Visit the Museum, located on the same site and have a look at jewellery and artefacts made from clay, copper, shells, semi-precious stones, gold, ivory and other materials as well as a signboard in the Indus Valley script found during archaeological excavations.
• After spending quality time at Dholavira, consider a quick lunch of Gujarati thali at Rann Resort Dholavira which is only a three-kilometre drive from the site.
• Post lunch, commence your journey towards Bhuj, via the same Dholavira Highway.
• Visit Khavda Village, is your first stop where you can learn about painted pottery, one of the oldest existing art forms. Meet Kumbhar (potter) Abdul Ibrahim whose forefathers migrated to Kutch from Sindh a few hundred years ago. The family has been making earthen pots, such as matka for water storage, plates, bowls, kulhads, lamps etc. with the same designs as those found on the pottery from the Indus Valley excavations. Made from “rann ki mitti”, procured from a lake area near Khavda, all earthenware is coated with a thin wash of geru (red colour) and baked in a furnace using wood and cow dung. While men shape clay into pots on a potter’s wheel, Kumbhar women look into surface ornamentation. They use natural paints in colours like black, red and white to decorate each piece of pottery with distinct, nature-inspired designs.
• Overnight stay at your hotel or luxury tent.

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Bhuj House

• After breakfast at the hotel. Start early for a drive to Mamai Dev Kaliya Dhrow, a geological wonder located on the banks of Nirona river in the Vatachhad village.
• The drive of an hour and a half from Jadura Tekri brings you to Vatachhad from where you board one of the local jeeps for an off-road drive of around four to five kilometres.  Colloquially known as the Grand Canyon of Gujarat, Kaliya Dhrow is a natural landscape where history and nature collide beautifully. Referred to by the local herders as ‘Kotaro’, its series of narrow gorges are formed through ages of exposure to wind and water. Rocks, in shades of rust, crimson, purple, and sienna, indicate different levels of carbon, chemical weathering and mineral deposits. This gem remained hidden until it appeared on the “52 Places to Love in 2021” list created by an American daily newspaper after reviewing 2,000 entries from around the world.
• End the visit at the chai shop sitting at the topmost point of Kaliya Dhrow.
• Drive back to Bhuj and grab something you can eat on the way to the newly-built Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum situated atop the Bhujiyo Dungar on the outskirts of the city. If you are someone who loves museums, Smritivan (Forest of Memories) could easily consume three to four hours of your time. It’s seven interactive and immersive galleries Rebirth, Rediscover, Restore, Rebuild, Rethink, Relive, and Renew are a journey from the earth’s evolution and the historic past of Kutch to the impact of the earthquake on the region and first-person stories of revival from survivors and artisans. In one of its rooms, you can write a message on a paper leaf and hang it on the tree while the other lets you pay your respects to the deceased by lighting a virtual flame. The engrossing 470-acre space holds within itself the world’s largest Miyawaki forest with over three lakh plants and 50 check-dam reservoirs with nameplates of the 13,000 earthquake victims. The museum is closed on Mondays.
• Experience a memorable conclusion to your four days of mindful travelling around Kutch, consider a 30-minute hike to reach the memorial’s Sun Point which is its highest point overlooking the city of Bhuj. Spend some moments in silence as you watch the sun go down and absorb all you have experienced in this land of magic and mystery. Bhuj has something for everyone or you can alternative plan could include places like Aina Mahal, Prag Mahal, Kutch Museum, and Hamirsar Lake. Regional Science Centre, LLDC (Living and Learning Design Centre) and Vande Mataram Memorial in Hiralaxmi Craft Park in Bhuj are other notable museums you can add to your itinerary.
• Overnight stay at your hotel or luxury tent.

• After breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit the Somaiya Kala Vidya, offers design and business education for artisans of Kutch using an approach based on existing traditions. Book a workshops, where you can to learn techniques the traditional Kutch weaving is practice, block printing, batik, Bandhani, or Shibori, is a tie dyed resist, traditional Natural dying process of Kutch, embroidery, etc. from the skilled artisans of Kutch. (Contact: +91 2836 260406).
• Return to the hotel and checkout.
• Move towards Bhuj airport or railway station to travel back to desire destinations.
• Rann of Kutch Tour Ends.