Gir National Park

The park lies in the southwest of the peninsular state of Gujarat in the West of India and is the last refuge of the remaining Asian Lions. The 116 square-mile sanctuary created to protect the last wild population of lion outside Africa. The Gir is a mixed deciduous forest with teak, flame of the forest, some acacia and banyan trees. It is a hilly tract with many rivers and offers long pleasant drives of beauty.

Gir today is the only place in the world, outside Africa, where the lion can be seen in its natural habitat.From Biblical times till a hundred years ago, the Asiatic lion roamed over a vast area ranging from Greece through West Asia to Bengal and Bihar.The last lion seen outside Gir was in 1884, and the king of the jungle has taken his final refuge in Gir.Even in Gir the number of lions had dwindled to as low as just 15 around 1910. Serious and timely protection measures have raised their numbers to just over 300.

An important part of the Gir Protected Area is the 4 sq km spread known as the Gir Interpretation Zone, about 12 km from Sasan Gir Village, the headquarters of the park. The Zone has a cross-section of wildlife within the park, and a visit here almost guarantees a lion sighting, which is otherwise a hit-or-miss affair in other parts of Gir.

The Topography
The state of Gujarat has some splendid wildlife reserves that are quite out of the ordinary. The Gir National Park is the only home in India of the Asiatic Lion of which there are nearly 300 in the park. This sanctuary lies in the Gujarat peninsula in South West India and is gifted with a terrain that is rugged with low hills and the vegetation is full of mixed deciduous, with stands of Teak, Acacia, Jamun, Tendu and Dhak trees, interspersed with large patches of grasslands. On the hills of the trees are sparse and stunted.
Major Wildlife Attractions
Lion
Gir Sanctuary is the last and only home of the critically endangered Asiatic Lion. These lions are a smaller more compact version of their African version, and are best viewed at dawn or dusk when they are on the move.

Leopards
Leopard is considered to be one of the most beautiful and graceful animals in the jungle, also the most dangerous one. Popularly known as the Prince of Cats, this animal is the most adaptable from the family of predators.

Another major attraction among the reptile population of Gir National Park are the numerous non-venomous Snakes such as the Indian Rock Python along with the four venomous varieties, which are Indian Cobra, Common Krait, Saw Scaled Viper, Russell's Viper.

Access
The nearest airport is Keshod, at a distance of 90 km from Sasan Gir; the other airport is Rajkot at a distance of 140 kms. Sasan Gir has a railway station of its own, with train connections to a number of other cities and towns in Gujarat and its neighbouring states Vehicles are available for hire at Gir, and are easily the best way to see wildlife in the park. Some of the most popular routes for a drive are the Sasan-Kamaleshwar Dam, the Sasan-Kankai.

Best time to Visit
December-mid June (closed during monsoon till mid October)

Where to Stay
Lion Safari Lodge.