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Gujarat

Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)

Forest camp on the Purna river in Gujarat's densest jungle

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Best time to visit Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: October to February
  • Shoulder: March, June and September, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: July to August

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryOctoberNovemberDecember

Mahal (Purna Sanctuary) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec to Feb the Purna runs clear, valley mornings drop near 10 C and giant squirrels are easy to spot from the track behind camp

Summer March to May Shoulder

March is still green under the teak; by late April the leaf drops, the river shrinks to pools and the road in hits 40 C by noon

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Jul and Aug bring 2,500 mm of rain, the river crossings go under and the camp shuts; June and September are green and passable

Autumn October to November Prime time

October is the best month here: full river, leeches gone, the side streams still falling and Dangi hamlets out harvesting nagli

What Mahal (Purna Sanctuary) is actually like

Forest department tents and cottages by the river, no shops and patchy signal; evenings are a fire and the cook's nagli rotla

Things to do in Mahal

The local places worth your time in and around Mahal, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Shabari Dham

    Temple · 15 km out

    Temple near Subir marking where Shabari is believed to have fed berries to Ram, close to the Girmal falls

  • Girmal Waterfalls

    Waterfall · 15 km out

    Gujarat's tallest waterfall at about 100 ft, in the Dang forest of Subir taluka; at its fullest in the monsoon

  • Gira Waterfalls

    Waterfall · 36 km out

    Wide fall on the Ambika river just outside Waghai, reached by road; at its best in the monsoon

  • Waghai Botanical Garden

    Garden · 36 km out

    Garden of about 24 hectares at Waghai with some 1,400 plant species from across India, about 3 km from the Gira falls

  • Don Hill Station

    Viewpoint · 60 km out

    Plateau village at about 1,000 m in the Dang hills, about 33 km by road from Ahwa

Getting to Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)

Bilimora or Navsari railhead, bus 3h to Ahwa, then a jeep 35 km on through Subir; Surat airport is 140 km

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
3 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Doable solo with some planning
Altitude
202 m
State
Gujarat
Coordinates
20.9151, 73.6676

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)?

October to February is peak season in Mahal (Purna Sanctuary). March, June and September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid July to August. October is the best month here: full river, leeches gone, the side streams still falling and Dangi hamlets out harvesting nagli.

How many days do you need in Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)?

3 days is the usual stay. Forest department tents and cottages by the river, no shops and patchy signal; evenings are a fire and the cook's nagli rotla.

How do you get to Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)?

Bilimora or Navsari railhead, bus 3h to Ahwa, then a jeep 35 km on through Subir; Surat airport is 140 km. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Mahal (Purna Sanctuary) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.

Is there a festival in Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)?

Feb/Mar: Dang Darbar at Ahwa, just before Holi. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Mahal?

Shabari Dham, Girmal Waterfalls, Gira Waterfalls, Waghai Botanical Garden and Don Hill Station. Temple near Subir marking where Shabari is believed to have fed berries to Ram, close to the Girmal falls.

Nearby, and where to go next

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