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Gujarat

Nal Sarovar

Shallow 120 sq km Ramsar lake of flamingos and punt boats

LakesWildlifeOffbeat

Best time to visit Nal Sarovar

peak shoulder off-season avoid

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

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Nal Sarovar season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Nov-Feb brings flamingos, pelicans and cranes; get there for first light and let a boatman punt you out.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Mar-May shrinks the lake to cracked mud in 43 °C heat, and by April there is little water and fewer birds.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Jun-Sep refills the marsh but every migrant has gone north, the heat stays heavy and the boatmen have nothing to show.

Autumn October to November Prime time

October is the arrivals month and numbers build weekly, but the real spectacle is a November-January thing.

What Nal Sarovar is actually like

Dawn birders and Ahmedabad families; boatmen bargain hard, no stay at the lake so sleep back in the city

Getting to Nal Sarovar

64 km west of Ahmedabad via Sanand, ST buses to Vekaria or a half-day taxi; gates open at 6 am

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
1 day
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
8 m
State
Gujarat
Coordinates
22.7670, 72.0330

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Nal Sarovar?

November to February is peak season in Nal Sarovar. March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to September. October is the arrivals month and numbers build weekly, but the real spectacle is a November-January thing.

How many days do you need in Nal Sarovar?

1 day is the usual stay. Dawn birders and Ahmedabad families; boatmen bargain hard, no stay at the lake so sleep back in the city.

How do you get to Nal Sarovar?

64 km west of Ahmedabad via Sanand, ST buses to Vekaria or a half-day taxi; gates open at 6 am. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Nal Sarovar expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Gujarat

All 27 destinations in Gujarat