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Kutch
Splendid Sojourn!
TOUR OVERVIEW
Gujarat is a happy land. You meet helpful people round every corner, smiling and ready to help. It is boisterous in colour and sound, simple in its living and always has a homely feeling to it. And yet, surprisingly, it is not as discovered as it should be. Our 9 day long sojourn in the Gujju land is just to do that.
Let’s feel the much hyped Gujarat with its progressive thinking and traditional living. And discover Kutch. Splendid, Mysterious and overwhelmingly diverse Kutch. Soak in the landscapes, lore and hospitality. And of course, enjoy the sisterhood of your fellow travellers.
Price: INR 47000 + 5% GST
Single Occupancy Supplement – INR 15000 + 5% GST
DISCOUNTS:
- Get a discount of INR 1500 if paid in one go.
- Early bird discount of INR 1000 if booked on or before 21st September 2019.
Check out our Video
GALLERY
Day 1 - 21 Dec 2019
Reach Ahmedabad. Today, we are exploring the architectural and gastronomical wonder that Ahmedabad is. Visit Akshardham , Adalaj ni Vav. Overnight at Ahmedabad.
Day 2 - 22 Dec 2019
Check out after morning tea, and visit a local breakfast joint. Try on the Gujarati farsans. Today we will have a morning peek in the life of Sabarmati Ashram and soak in the calm. We proceed to the Little Rann of Kutch, experiencing a gradual change in the landscape and wildlife. LRK is known for its variety of winged friends and wild ass. Lets meet them all! Overnight at Little Rann of Kutch.
Day 3 - 23 Dec 2019
Let us enter Kutch today. If weather permits, we enter in style by an open jeep cross country ride into the Rann. Kutch is a unique blend of unimaginable landscapes, harsh life, kind people, magnificent architecture and colourful art. Visit the beautiful sunset at the Rann of Kutch Lake. And yes! The lake is different from the White salt pans of Rann of Kutch. Didn’t we say that Kutch has unimaginable landscapes?? Oh we did! Overnight at Dholavira.
Day 4 - 24 Dec 2019
We visit the pre-Harappan excavation sites of Dholavira today. We move today to Bhuj, the district headquarters of Kutch. Visit Bhujodi, a weavers’ village. Stay back for a facade show at Vandemataram Memorial Park. Our stay tonight is in a village at the outskirts of Bhuj, surrounded by handicrafts.
Day 5 - 25 Dec 2019
Today is the unimaginable landscape day. Get to see the highest peak of Kutch which looks over the Rann. Visit the last point of Indian border for civilians without permit. And (oh! This is the best part) see the white desert in its sparkling white and marshy glory. Enjoy the folk music with dinner. Overnight at Hodka.
Day 6 - 26 Dec 2019
Today is a light day. Artists, Fossils and a relaxed haveli with a school in the compound are on the agenda. If Bhuj didn’t give you your fill of art, we visit another village today to get live demonstrations of Rogan practised by just this village in the entire world. We will be exploring the rural Kutch today in Devpur. Overnight at Devpur.
Day 7 - 27 Dec 2019
Explore the Bhuj town today. Museums, palaces and a walk in the Bhuj Bazar. Try some local street food and gorge on a superfull Gujarati Thali. Of course, top up the shopping list some more. Overnight at Bhuj.
Day 8 - 28 Dec 2019
After breakfast, depart for Ahmedabad. Visit Shrujan LLDC for its beautiful and well curated collection of handicrafts from around the Kutch. Also visit Ajrakhpur, a village with multiple national awardees preserving the block print art. Reach Ahmedabad late evening. Overnight at Ahmedabad.
Day 9 - 29 Dec 2019
Step out after morning tea for a guided heritage walk in the Old Ahmedabad. Enjoy local breakfast. Visit the heritage monuments, pols and listen to the story. End the walk with maska bun at a tea stall with graves! Proceed to airport for your respective flights.
Inclusions
- All meals – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and two tea/coffee, starting from lunch on Day 1 till breakfast on Day 9
- Transport in an AC vehicle throughout the trip. Auto Rickshaws, if needed, in old Ahmedabad.
- Parking and Toll
- All stay on twin/double sharing basis in Ahmedabad, Little Rann, Dholavira, Bhuj and Hodka; and on triple sharing basis at Devpur where the rooms are family rooms.
- All entry and permit charges.
- Folk music program in Hodka
- Ahmedabad Heritage walk on Day 9
Exclusions
- Tips
- Shopping
- Food other than inclusions – breakfast on Day 1, Lunch on Day 9, mid-meal snacks etc.
- Camera charges
- Tips and personal expenses
- Medication
- Flights/Train to Ahmedabad and back, from your city of residence.
- Any cost arising due to natural calamities, personal flight delays and aspect beyond our control. We will definitely facilitate an alternative and handle the contingency, the cost being yours.
- 5 % GST
Terms & Conditions
REFUNDS/CANCELLATION:
- If cancelled 90 days or more in advance, cancellation fee is 12% of the trip amount. You may park the token money with us for future trip within next 6 months, without any charges.
- 25% of the trip cost if cancelled 60 days in advance.
- 50% of the trip cost if cancelled 59 to 16 days in advance.
- Last 15 days – no show – entire amount will be forfeited.
- If you use our services to book flights, cancellation charges of the flights will apply.
Option of Deferred trip:
You have the option of parking the paid amount with us for a future trip, if you wish to cancel joining this trip 60 days or more in advance.
Following conditions apply:
- This option is valid only on trip with duration of 5 nights or more
- You need to choose the trip you would like to go with instead (the deferred trip) within 2 months of deciding to cancel.
- The travel start date of the deferred trip should be within 6 months from the day you decide to cancel.
- There can be only one such change and once you decide the deferred trip, the cancellation policy of that trip applies.
- You cannot choose a short trip (less than 5 days) as a deferred trip.
Disclaimer
- 50% of the trip cost is required to confirm the booking.
- The booking does not include flights as the flight rates are extremely unpredictable. However, we can help you book your flights for the trip
- All our trips are well-researched, including identifying access to medical facilities. In case of a medical emergency, F5 will assist the traveler in getting medical attention.
- F5 Escapes is in no way responsible for any untoward incident happening due to the ignorance/negligence of the guests, natural/man-made calamities, accidents or any other events that are out of human control during the trip.
- F5 reserves the right to cancel the trip under certain conditions – in such a case, the amount will be refunded in full.
- The trip is NON-ALCOHOLIC as Gujarat is a dry state.
Arrival & Departure timings
This trip is Ex-Ahmedabad. Joining us from different city?
Reach Ahmedabad on Day 1 by 10 AM and book your return journey after 2PM on Day 9.
Weather
It is the peak of winter in Gujarat, so expect cool to cold weather. Dress up in layers. But also expect sharp sun as this is a desert. Temperature might vary from 12 degree to 25 degree.
*Please note that now a days, climate/ weather is dependent on many factors and unpredictable hence above information might be subject to change during your actual travel days
Stay
We are staying in a mix of homestays, NGO run guest house, hotels and community run resort. The rooms will be AC in Ahmedabad, Bhuj and Dholavira. At Zainabad, Khamir, Hodka and Devpur, the rooms are made with local materials and hence cool in the day and warm at night.
NOTE ABOUT SMOKING:
Everyone joining is an adult and we realise that we cannot dictate the behaviour on how you should enjoy the trip. All we ask is to respect your roommate’s comfort smoke outside the room, even if the rooms have ashtray.
Fooooood!
We have tried and planned your meals at great restaurants/homestays/village etc., but there will be instances where we will need to have lunches on the way from one city to another. The local Kutchi and Gujarati food will be the focus.
Note > Prepare > Accept > Embrace:
- A little bit of walking will be required, especially in the Akshardham temple, while visiting Kalo Dungar, Bhuj Market walk, Ahmedabad Heritage walk and on the White Rann. You will have to sit and travel in tempo traveller for long while travelling from Zainabad to Dholavira, Bhuj to Ahmedabad and Dholavira to Bhuj.
- The cross country ride in the Rann depends on how well the Rann has formed (dried). If it isn’t completely dried out, it will be marshy and the ride across will not be possible. In that case, we will use the highway to reach Dholavira.
- Kindly be aware and considerate to your fellow travellers and we promise you a great time together!
- Toilets are generally not a problem but at times when we are driving across the vast desert of Kutch, we may have to resort to the nature’s way of bushes as there is practically nothing else and no one around! The points of departure and arrival will have good toilet facilities.
- Some monuments decide closing at the last moment due to maintenance issues. It is impossible to predict it now. We have planned the trip so as to avoid their official closing days. In most cases, we will be able to re-do them on some other day, in the eventuality of maintenance closure.
- Dholavira is an extremely remote place and not many tourists go there. So you will find establishments which are basic and people who are sweet but not well versed with tourism service. Please be patient. Your trip lead will ensure that you get the comfort and basic cleanliness. The place will be totally worth going there. It is one of its kind.
- Old Ahmedabad is a crowded area with narrow lanes and sometimes cattle jostling for space. It is also the heritage part of the town and has some fascinating monuments and stories. Please do come with an open mind to explore. If narrow lane hustle bustle is not your cup of tea, you can relax at the hotel before your flight.
- Kindly cooperate with your trip lead and follow the guidelines given by her so that we can execute the plan as smooth as possible.
- Please come with an open mind and we will guarantee you experiences of a lifetime!
‘F5 Escapes’ is a Bangalore-based, experiential travel company, with a focus on redefining the way women travel in India. The premise of F5 is an ambitious dream – to put India on the global travel map as a preferred destination for women from across the globe.
F5 Escapes offers fixed departure all-women group tours, customized itineraries for families, groups and solo travellers. We also do in-city engagements which include #JustGo travel meetups, workshops to educate women on travel safety, sustainable menstruation, motorbiking etc.