Patan (Rani ki Vav)
The stepwell off the 100-rupee note, plus patola looms
Best time to visit Patan (Rani ki Vav)
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, off-season
- Aug, off-season
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: November to February
- Shoulder: March and September to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to June
Patan (Rani ki Vav) season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Dec-Feb at 10-28 °C suits the seven carved storeys of Rani ki Vav and a patola weaving demo in the old town.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Apr-Jun is 43 °C above ground; the stepwell itself stays cool but the walk in from the gate does not.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Jul-Sep is humid and grey with damp stone underfoot, but you get the seven tiers of sculpture without a queue.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov is clean and mild: do the vav at opening, Sahastralinga Talav after, Modhera the same afternoon.
What Patan (Rani ki Vav) is actually like
Quiet small town with Salvi family patola workshops, simple lodges and almost no visitors midweek
Getting to Patan (Rani ki Vav)
Mehsana railhead 55 km or Ahmedabad 125 km by ST bus; the vav is 2 km from Patan bus stand
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
- 79 m
- State
- Gujarat
- Coordinates
- 23.8589, 72.1017
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Patan (Rani ki Vav)?
November to February is peak season in Patan (Rani ki Vav). March and September to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Oct-Nov is clean and mild: do the vav at opening, Sahastralinga Talav after, Modhera the same afternoon.
How many days do you need in Patan (Rani ki Vav)?
1 day is the usual stay. Quiet small town with Salvi family patola workshops, simple lodges and almost no visitors midweek.
How do you get to Patan (Rani ki Vav)?
Mehsana railhead 55 km or Ahmedabad 125 km by ST bus; the vav is 2 km from Patan bus stand. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Patan (Rani ki Vav) 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
-
Modhera (Sun Temple)
Gujarat
Solanki sun temple over a stepped kund of 108 shrines
40 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly under an hour by road
-
Vadnagar
Gujarat
2500 year old town of torans, lake ghats and Buddhist ruins
70 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Little Rann of Kutch (Dasada)
Gujarat
Salt-flat safaris for the last wild asses and crane flocks
80 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Idar (Idariyo Gadh)
Gujarat
Palaces and Jain shrines stacked on giant granite boulders
120 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Mount Abu
Rajasthan
Rajasthan's only hill station, oasis from the heat
150 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 4 h by road
-
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
UNESCO old city of pols, stepwells and street food
140 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Nal Sarovar
Gujarat
Shallow 120 sq km Ramsar lake of flamingos and punt boats
160 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Polo Forest (Vijaynagar)
Gujarat
Jain and Shiva ruins lost in Aravalli forest by the Harnav
160 km from Patan (Rani ki Vav), roughly about 3 h by road
More places to visit in Gujarat
- Ahmedabad Gujarat
- Bhuj Gujarat
- Champaner-Pavagadh Gujarat
- Dholavira Gujarat
- Dwarka Gujarat
- Gir (Sasan Gir) Gujarat
- Gondal Gujarat
- Idar (Idariyo Gadh) Gujarat
- Junagadh (Girnar) Gujarat
- Little Rann of Kutch (Dasada) Gujarat
- Mandvi (Kutch) Gujarat
- Modhera (Sun Temple) Gujarat
- Nal Sarovar Gujarat
- Narara (Marine National Park) Gujarat
- Ninai Falls (Dediapada) Gujarat
- Palitana (Shatrunjaya) Gujarat
- Polo Forest (Vijaynagar) Gujarat
- Rann of Kutch (Dhordo) Gujarat
- Saputara Gujarat
- Somnath Gujarat
- Statue of Unity Gujarat
- Tarnetar Gujarat
- Vadnagar Gujarat
- Velavadar (Blackbuck National Park) Gujarat
- Wankaner Gujarat
- Wilson Hills (Dharampur) Gujarat