Booking for Tourism at Gir Forest There has been a profusion of hotels and guest houses in and around Sasan Gir. Yet, the Gujarat Forest Department-run Sinh Sadan is probably the best place to stay there, despite the fact that booking a room is a slightly difficult exercise. Quote:
The Sinh Sadan, Forest Department’s Guest House and a famous hunting lodge in the past, was constructed in 1911. There are 70 beds (8 AC, 2 delux, 10 ordinary rooms and one dormitory) with annual capacity of over 16000 occupancy. This rest house is equipped with all facilities to cater to the needs of tourists. Tents are also pitched in the campus to provide accommodation to the visitors during peak period of tourist season. Source | You need to write a letter or preferably send a fax to
The Manager
Sinh Sadan Guest House
P.O. Sasan, Taluka: Talala,
Dist. Junagadh, India. Pin : 362135
Phone/FAX: 02877-285540
On receiving a confirmation by fax, you need to send them a DD for the booking amount, and you can have your room - the tariffs can be seen in the previous post.
Now to book for your trip(s) into the jungle. There are 3 timings - at 6:30AM, 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM.
For each session, only 30 bookings/vehicles are allowed - and 15 of these are available through prior reservation. It is best to reserve your safari(s) beforehand by writing to
The Range Forest Officer ( Reception )
Sinh Sadan Guest House
P.O. Sasan, Taluka: Talala,
Dist. Junagadh, India. Pin : 362135
Phone/FAX: 02877-285540
He will send you a confirmation by replying to your fax, and you need to pay nothing beforehand. The payment can be made and the permit picked up on the previous evening between 5 & 7 PM. Otherwise, there is a huge crowd waiting to grab the other permits, and if you are unlucky enough to visit during peak season, you'll end up facing a crowd like this and standing in a queue for a few hours. The cost of a safari for up to 6 persons is:
1) A charge of Rs.550 in total for the permits and guide fee;
2) Rs.1000 for hiring a Gypsy, payable at the counter itself. You could opt to take your own car into the forest too, provided it is Euro-III/BS-3 compliant (you need to have the original RC and PUC available, along with your DL, with copies);
3. Rs.100 per camera (above 7.1 MP, but then which camera today isn't?). No charges for cellphone cameras. Do make sure you declare all cameras that you take inside, else there's a penalty of Rs.1000 in case you are caught, for taking in a camera without paying the requisite fees. Some guides actually report you to the gate.
Last edited by SS-Traveller : 3rd April 2013 at 10:33.
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