Gir forest was originally the private hunting grounds of the Nawabs of Junagadh. Today Sasan Gir is a National Park that is roamed freely by the royal Asiatic lions. These magnificent species are one of the most threatened species but the efforts of the wildlife sanctuary of Sasan Gir have led to a gradual increase in their numbers within Gir. The Asiatic lions have become extinct from the rest of Asia due to hunting and poaching. Visiting the Gir forest with kids is a great opportunity for kids to see these mighty beasts and other wildlife forms in their natural habitat.
Visiting Gir Forest with kids: How to get there
Gir National Park is open to tourists from mid October to mid June every year. You can reach Gir forest from Junagadh, Somnath and Diu. You can either travel by train or bus to Junagadh and then take a bus or taxi to Gir Forest which is about one and a half hours away. If you are visiting Gir forest with kids, from Somnath, you can either take a bus or a taxi to cover this one hour journey. Diu Airport is the closest airport to Gir National Park and If you are visiting Gir forest with kids, from Diu like us, the most convenient way is to take a taxi that can drop you at Gir forest. You can also take public or private buses from Diu that take about two hours to reach Gir Forest.
Visiting Gir Forest with kids: How to plan a safari
While visiting Gir Forest with kids there are two options that you can take to explore Gir Forest, through a jungle jeep safari or by a group safari bus or gypsy. If you are planning for a jeep safari it is recommended to book the jeep online and apply for the permit in advance. There are specific timings for the safari and only a certain no of tours are available on a daily basis.
If you are visiting Gir Forest with kids, a jeep safari is more convenient and exciting. Watching the Asiatic lions and other wildlife forms will be a memorable experience. We have done other jungle safaris but the rate of animal spotting on this safari was better than most. The safari bus takes you for a tour through Devalia safari park which is not the actual wildlife sanctuary but an interpretation zone. However, you will be able to ee many animals on this tour too.
Visiting Gir Forest with kids: The safari experience
The morning jungle trail safari is said to have more lion spottings as lions come out to hunt for food. However, a morning safari will need you to wake up really early as you need to reach the gates of Gir National Park by 6 am. The morning jeep safari for Sasan Gir forest is scheduled from 6 am – 9 am. Only a limited number of jeeps are allowed hence booking your slot beforehand is necessary.
As you enter the gates, the jeeps take a while to roam through the jungle. The landscape is quite dry and thus makes wildlife spotting easier. A safari experience in an open vehicle is quite different from watching wildlife captured in cages in the zoo. There is a certain amount of thrill and excitement as you anticipate spotting the king of the jungle in their natural habitat.
My first safari experience was in Sri Lanka in Udawalawe National Park and I had the same feeling as we were driving around Gir forest. Only this time, it was to meet the Asiatic lions. To be honest, there were some nerves too as it can feel a bit daunting to be in the presence of wild and ferocious animals like lions and leopards. But visiting Gir forest with kids is safe and the caretakers are around the vehicle convoy. The caretakers are the ones who take care of the lions and other animals in the forest and they seem to have a bond with the animals.
We saw lions, deers, jackals, antelopes and many birds during our jeep safari. A bus safari through Devalia safari park ensured more spotting as we saw more lions and a few leopards too. Our driver mentioned that Summer is the best time to visit and lion spotting is at its peak. However, if you are visiting Gir forest with kids, it can get really hot even during early summer mornings in this area, so please do plan accordingly. We visited during March and we had a decent sighting of wildlife at Gir National Park.
Even though many would have asked us to reconsider a safari with a toddler, we wouldn’t have had it any other way. Visiting Gir forest with kids can seem to be overwhelming but if all you need is to plan well and be prepared for the trip.
