5 Days: Gujarat & Diu

5 Days: Gujarat (Somnath, Dwarka, Gir) & Diu😀

This is when I had planned to explore some beautiful cities in Gujarat. I am sharing my 5-day trip Itinerary which might help planning your travel as well 😊

First, you can click below👇 to watch the short videos 📹 of the places for a better visual experience😊:

5-Day Itinerary:

Day 1: Somnath (Gujarat)
Day 2: Diu (beautiful island and part of the Union Territory of Daman and Diu in India)
Day 3: Sasan Gir and Junagadh (Gujarat)
Day 4: Dwarka (Gujarat)
Day 5: Beyt Dwarka and Surroundings (Beyt Dwarka is small island near Dwarka in Gujarat)

Day 1: Somnath

you can start your journey in Somnath, a city known for its magnificent Jyotirlinga shrine (One of the 12 Jyotirlinga) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Things to Do:

1. Somnath Temple: Attend the morning aarti at 7 AM and the evening aarti at 7 PM. I will suggest to attend the Aarti as per my personal experience

Don’t miss the Sound & Light Show at 8 PM, which beautifully narrates the history of the temple. I would recommend this also highly 😍.

Temple Timings: 6 AM to 9 PM
Aarti Timings: 7 AM, 12 PM & 7 PM
Sound & Light Show: 8 PM to 9 PM (Ticket: ₹25)

2. Somnath Beach: Relax and enjoy the serene beauty of the beach.

Other Attractions:

Sun Temple, Kamnath Mahadev Temple, Dehotsarg Tirth, Gita Temple, and Suraj Mandir.
Somnath Museum and Buddhist Sana Caves for history enthusiasts.
Tip: Hire an auto for ₹400-500 to cover all these sites conveniently.

In Somnath, you can opt for the Somnath Trust guest house for your stay🛏, which offers a range of options including Non-AC, AC, Premier, Suite, and Deluxe rooms available in all budgets. However, it’s advisable to check availability and book well in advance, especially during peak seasons when rooms tend to get booked quickly.

Additionally, there’s the Somnath Trust Bhojnalaya (Shree Somnath Prasad Annakshetra), where the Somnath Temple Trust offers free meals 🍲 (lunch and dinner) to devotees. You can also make voluntary donations as per your wish.

Everything is well-organized by the Somnath Temple Trust, whether it’s for the temple darshan or accommodation options, ensuring a smooth experience for visitors.

Day 2: Diu

You can take a day tour from Somnath. Diu is about 85 km from Somnath. Book a cab for around ₹3000 to take you there and explore and drop you back at Somnath at the end of the day. We had booked a cab.

Suggested Plan:

Leave Somnath by 8-9 AM to have ample time in Diu.
Visit key attractions like Diu Fort, Naida Caves, Saint Paul's Church, Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple and Nagoa Beach or indulge yourself into some water activity.
Return to Somnath late night if you prefer not to stay overnight in Diu. and if you want a relaxing day, then plan a stay in Diu.

Day 3: Sasan Gir and Junagadh

Experience the wilderness at Gir National Park, famous for its Asiatic lions. Again you can do a day tour from Somnath for Sasan Gir. It is approx. 40 km from Somnath.

Either book a cab or auto. We have booked a auto in 1500 Rs for taking us there and dropping back to Somnath in evening.

Safari Options:

Advance Booking: Book a safari online if you prefer a guided tour.
On-the-Spot: For a more spontaneous trip, get a government bus safari ticket at the counter when you arrive at Devaliya Park. Bus Safari ticket is just 190 rs per person.

Junagadh:

If time permits, visit Girnar Parvat and the Shiva Temple in Junagadh. As we didn't have much time left so we skipped Junagadh.
Otherwise, return to Somnath to explore any spots you missed on Day 1.

Travel to Dwarka:

End the day by traveling to Dwarka, about 250 km from Somnath. Book a cab, bus, or train in advance.

Day 4: Dwarka

Dwarka is one of the Char Dhams. Discover the spiritual and scenic beauty of Dwarka.

Things to Do:

Start with a holy dip in the sea, then visit the Dwarkadhish Temple (temple closes at 12 PM).
Afternoon: Relax at Sudama Setu and explore the Dwarka beach.
Evening: Visit the lighthouse, watch the sunset, and attend the evening aarti at 8 PM if you missed the morning one.
End the day with some local shopping and dinner.

Day 5: Beyt Dwarka and Surroundings

Beyt Dwarka is approx. 31km From Dwarka. So first you have to reach Okha and then take a ferry from Okha for Beyt Dwarka.

Please note that Shri Beyt Dwarkadhish Temple is closed in afternoon from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM approx. So, either plan visiting Beyt Dwarkadhish Temple in the morning or in evening.

From Dwarka, you can take a tour organized by a travel agent (₹250-300 per person), or hire a personal auto (₹800-1000) or a taxi to explore:

Dwarkadhish Temple

Day tour includes:

Rukmini Temple (this is in Dwarka itself), Shivrajpur Beach, Beyt Dwarka, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple (One of the 12 Jyotirlinga), Gopi Lake (Gopi Talab). You can spend more time at Shivrajpur beach and also can do water activities there.
The tour by travel agent typically starts at 8 AM and ends by 5-6 PM, bringing you back to Dwarka. I have taken this tour 😊

If you have more time and came by own vehicle, you can visit Marine National Park. I desperately wanted to visit this place due to diverse Marine life. But as I had limited time and it was group tour, I had to skip it. Hopefully some other time again I will visit it 😊

Plan your trip by flying to one of these nearby airports:

Jamnagar
Rajkot
Ahmedabad
Or take a flight to Diu if that suits your schedule.

How I planned with my family:

We reached to Ahmedabad by flight and then took a train to reach Somnath (also known as Prabhas Patan, and Railway station is Veravel Railway station).
We had booked Stay in Somnath (near Somnath Temple) and did day trip for Diu and Sasan Gir.
Then we took a overnight train to reach Dwarka and stayed in Dwarka near temple, and next day we did day trip to Beyt Dwarka.
And again took overnight Train to reach Ahmedabad, and explored few spots in Ahmedabad and took flight from Ahmedabad.