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Gir National Park — host of Gir Jungle Trail Festival

Festival · GUJARAT

Gir Jungle Trail Festival.

December · Gir National Park

Wildlife festival at Gir celebrating the Asiatic lion. Nature walks, photography workshops, conservation education.

Why it mattersCelebrating the last wild Asiatic lions — only 700 left, all here

Going for this? Gir National Park in December

NakshIQ score
5/10
Go

December is Gir at peak — 10-28C cool dry mornings, the dry deciduous forest fully thinned for excellent visibility, and the ~700 Asiatic lions reliably visible at waterholes by 7am. Forest Department jeep safari slots book out a week ahead; the morning 6-9am slot delivers the year's best sightings.

See the Gir National Park December guide →

Getting there

Elevation
160 m
Nearest airport
Diu — 90km / Rajkot — 160km
Nearest railway
Junagadh — 60km

Live in Gir National Park

Where to stay in Gir National Park

  • The Fern Gir Forest Resort

    ₹₹₹
    wildlife-lodge · Sasan Gir-Talala Road

    Fern Hotels' eco-friendly resort 6 km from Sasan Gir gate — pool, multi-cuisine veg restaurant, easy jeep pickup — the most consistent mid-range bed for families doing two safaris over a weekend.

  • Aramness Gir National Park

    ₹₹₹₹
    wildlife-lodge · Haripur, Sasan Gir

    18-kothi luxury safari lodge bordering Sasan Gir's teak forest — each kothi has a private courtyard and verandah, with the only twice-daily game-drive access to the lion sanctuary on this side of the park. Closed mid-June to mid-October.

  • Sinh Sadan Forest Guest House

    ₹
    government-hotel · Sasan Gir gate

    1911 Forest Department hunting-lodge guest house literally at the Sasan Gir National Park entrance, 5 min walk from Sasan railway station — the cheapest legal stay for early-morning permit pickups and post-safari lion-roar lulls.

All stays in Gir National Park →

Where to eat

  • Flavours of Forest Restaurant (Asiatic Lion Lodge)

    Asiatic Lion Lodge · ₹₹

    SignatureFarm-to-table Kathiyawadi using 70% on-farm vegetables

    After the morning 6 AM safari, the 11.30 AM-1 PM brunch slot here is the best timed meal — kitchen is on the lunch sequence and you can rest before the afternoon safari. Call ahead.

  • The Fern Gir Forest Resort Restaurant

    SH-26 Sasan Road, Talala · ₹₹₹

    SignatureEco-resort multi-cuisine, recommended Indian thali

    Spa-day buffet (when running) is the best value — bundled rates. Outside guests welcome but call ahead, especially in safari peak season (Nov-Feb).

  • Jagira Ananta Elite Restaurant

    Chitrod, Sasan Gir · ₹₹₹

    SignaturePatio-side multi-cuisine resort dining

    Buffet breakfast 7-10 AM is the standout meal — fills you for the day given safari schedules. Italian and Chinese are competent fallback dinners; for Kathiyawadi specifically, walk to Aaranya or Asiatic Lion Lodge.

  • Aaranya Resort Restaurant

    Bhojade Road, Sasan · ₹₹

    SignatureAuthentic Kathiyawadi resort dining

    Walk-in possible if the resort has lunch capacity — call 30 minutes ahead. Pool-side garden seating is the late-afternoon pick before evening safari.

All eateries in Gir National Park →

What else to see in Gir National Park

  • Gir Lion Safari

    Jeep safari through dry deciduous forest. 700+ Asiatic lions, leopards, crocodiles, and 300+ bird species.

    viewpoint
    3-4 hours

  • Devalia Safari Park

    Fenced interpretation zone with guaranteed lion sightings. 45-min bus safari. Perfect for families wanting certainty.

    viewpoint
    1 hour

  • Kamleshwar Dam

    Dam inside the park with resident marsh crocodiles. Bird watching hub — painted storks, flamingos, eagles.

    viewpoint
    1 hour

Other festivals in December, elsewhere

See every festival in December →

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