Behind the wheel & Contributor

Vinod Kumar...know more about me

Route map Saputara - LRK Route map LRK - Jaisalmer

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Travelogue

Route
Part 1 - Mumbai - Hatgad (Saputara, Gujarat) 244kms/2.5hrs - Click here

Part 2 - Saputara - Patidi (Little Rann of Kutch)
Route - Route - Hathgad - Saputara - Vansda - Chikhali - Ankaleshwar - Vadodhra - Sanand - Patdi
Distance 501kms/8hrs

Our trip from Saputara continues to Little Rann of Kutch. We drive through the interiors of Vansda national park. After the Boriach toll we spot a McD and stop for breakfast. By 11:30 touch Vadodhara and by 2:30 we reach Patidi where our stay was in Bhavna resort and farm.



Reception of Bhavna Resort


A wide 10 acre of land, the resort is totally set up in a village atmosphere, with cottage homes and traditional settings. The lush green lawns and the rustic finish are a wonderful experience to stay. Their package included safari too so we did not have to book it. There is a swimming pool, a small curio shop, and evening they have the traditional dance and music. The cleanliness well its a personal matter so not much to comment on it.

Restaurant


Pool


Lawns


Log huts


In the evening we take a safari arranged by the resort, to the Wild Ass sanctuary in a jeep. The entry fees are to be paid per person. Permit is required for LRK, or else there is a fine of 20,000. Its strict now as some incidents of cars chasing wild ass have been reported. The patrol cars keep roaming, to check non permit vehicles.

jeep safari


Path to the Wildass sanctuary


Wild ass




This stretch of land in the Rann is the sole home of the Wild Ass in the entire world. They are easily visible at a distance, but as you move closer they tend to run away. Being the migratory season there were lots of birds Flamingoes,, sand-grouses, desert chats, desert wheatears, larks, quills, fancolins, etc. Lets the photos speak.



Barheaded goose


Common crane


Greater flamingoes


Pelicans


ducks


goose


Back in hotel, after dinner there was the local dance and music in the resort, but being windy and cold we prefferd to settle indoors.



Next day morning after breakfast, we visit the temple of Varchaa dada which is 30kms inside Rann. No permits are reqd in this route. Entry to Rann is from a village name Zinzuwada, We had to ask the locals for Dada's temple and then they guided us to the entry at the Madapol gate.







After the entry you can see the salt being heaped for processing. The road is tarred here, but further its katcha roads. The drive was good. Probably one of the best seasons to drive through the place.

The route is well marked with flags or milestones every few kms. There are white flags on white stones as well as red flags, follow the white flag to make it to the temple. The red ones also go to another temple. At this point of time, there were no slush , just the dry bed. Wild ass can be spotted at a distance here too. Just follow the white flags or the white stones to reach the temple.

marked roads with white flags


entry to temple


Goshala of temple


The local crowd throng the temple, the place was not deserted as expected by us. There are lots of huge horned cows and bulls around as there is a gowshala probably of the temple. The huge trees around the temple are a respite from the hot sun, and so spent a good half an hour in the shade to drive back. Further from here one can exit to Adesar and Palasva.

Back in the hotel, we check the small shop having the local kutch products. From kurtis, bags, jewellery, key chains, shawls, jackets etc they have a decent collection. The evening we have a small walk around the farm and the nearby places. The next morning we begin our onward journey to Jaisalmer.

Part 3 - Little Rann of Kutch - Jaisalmer
Route - LRK - Radhanpur - Tharad - Mahabar - Jalipa - Sheo - Akal - Jaisalmer
Distance - 509 kms
Time 8 hrs

The drive from LRK to Jaisalmer is 509kms and took us 8hrs. The route was via Radhanpur - Tharad - Mahabar - Sheo - Jaisalmer.

Our lunch


We plan to see the mahabar sand dunes. As google maps pointed took the slip road to the dunes, there are mud huts here and there. By 11:30 we were at Mahbar, nothing much like sam sand dunes, but we could test out 4x4 in a few dunes.

Mahabar dunes








We also planned to visit the Kiradu temples, but being a 55 km detour and the locals said that the roads are not good we dropped the idea.

Just around 30 km before jaisalmer is the akal wood fossil park. Its a huge park where centuries old fossilized wood are kept on display. Nothing much to see apart from the rock wood planks and trunks.











By 2:30 pm reach Club Mahindra Jaisalmer.