Gujarat offers a remarkable diversity of habitats for wildlife enthusiasts, from deep teak forests and arid grasslands to coastal wetlands and marine ecosystems. The state is home to several species found nowhere else in India in such concentrations, including the Asiatic lion, the Indian wild ass, and the four-horned antelope.
The flagship destination is Gir National Park, the last refuge of the Asiatic lion, but Gujarat's network of sanctuaries extends well beyond Gir. Blackbuck National Park near Bhavnagar shelters over 1,500 blackbuck, while the Rann of Kutch's Wild Ass Sanctuary protects India's last population of the Indian wild ass across vast salt flats. Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary, just an hour from Ahmedabad, draws migratory flamingos and pelicans each winter.
For something different, the Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch protects coral reefs, sea turtles, and octopuses along 42 islands -- one of the few places in India where you can walk on exposed reef beds at low tide.