South Gujarat is very doable in terms of road trips from Mumbai. Here’s a 4 day road trip from Mumbai to Gujarat covering 4 cities and easily doable over a long weekend. Apart from road trippers, this itinerary may also be of use for family travelers and history lovers.
Day 1: Mumbai to Daman (170km)
As a corporate slave, I still went to work on the day of my travel. Clocked out in the second half, picked my backpack and commenced the road trip. We started at 5:30 pm and took about 3 and half hours to reach Daman at 9:30 pm. We checked into Devka Beach Resort in Daman. Fancy resorts line-up the shore at Devka Beach, ranging from medium to expensive. If you’re looking for a budget hotel in Daman, it is best to stay near the market area, away from the beach.
Day 2: Daman to Vadodara (250km)
Early morning, we went off to explore Daman and had 6 hours in the city until we moved onwards. Daman is a tiny union territory spread just over 70 km². But the city is gifted with beaches as a coastal town and also has a rich Portuguese history. Look out for quaint churches and chapels like Bom Jesus and Our Lady of Rosary. Two major Portuguese forts – Sao Jeronimo and Moti Daman fort are a must visit. We also managed to cover Devka Beach and Jhampore beach as part of our itinerary. (You can check my post on ‘Daman Travel Guide for a Weekender’ to get details on what to see in Daman along with snapshots)
As the sun bid adieu, so did we. At dusk, we drove for Vadodara. In about 4 hours we were at our hotel and slept the night off. We chose not to pre-book a hotel in Vadodara and instead trusted our luck to find reasonable stay options on arrival. Sayajigunj near Vadodara train station has plenty of hotel options in the range from budget to expensive. We stayed at Effotel by Sayaji. If you have a slightly higher budget, then Sayaji Vadodara and Regenta Fairlark are great hotels options in Vadodara.
Day 3: Vadodara to Champaner-Pavagadh (50km)
The next day, we visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, 50km from Vadodara and took about an hour to reach via Halol.
Built by Sultan Mamud Begada of Gujarat, Champaner was once a flourishing township and the capital of Gujarat. Today, it’s a lost and forgotten city. Ruins date as early as 8th century and are spread across several kilometers. It is best to hire a guide, so he can wrap the tour for you in a concise manner (guides charge apprx. Rs 500). Must visit ruins include the Sahar ki Masjid, Jami Masjid, Kabootar Khana Pavilion, Saat Kamaan (Seven Arches) and Lakulisa Temple. (Read my Photo Essay on Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park).
Kalika Mata Temple on Pavagadh hill is another great site that holds religious significance for Hindus. During Chaitra (March-April) and Navratri, devotees hike to the hilltop, which is commendable since it needs great stamina and endurance. There’s also a ropeway at the base camp that takes you up the mountain, from there you have to climb another 200 steps to reach the temple top. Sounds tiring, but it’s worth the view!
By 5pm, we left Champaner to return to Vadodara. On the way, we visited the EMI Temple (Dakshinamurthy Temple) – a serene religious site where the temple structure is built using Aluminium. There is a story that the structure was made from aircraft scrap, although the temple does not endorse this information. EMI Temple is maintained by the Indian Army authorities in Vadodara.
Day 4: Vadodara to Anand (50km ) and Anand to Mumbai (470km)
On the last day, we checked out from our hotel in Vadodara, and it was finally time to visit the most important site in the city – Laxmi Vilas Palace. The royal structure originally built by Sayaji Gaekwad III in 1890, continues to remain the residence of Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad till date. Some rooms in the palace are open for visitors. Ensure that you also visit Fatehsingh Museum in the near vicinity that houses rich oil paintings of Raja Ravi Verma. (Read my full post on visit to Laxmi Vilas Palace).
We left from Vadodara towards Anand at 1:30pm. The only reason to add Anand to the itinerary was to visit the Amul Dairy Headquarters. Our visit to Anand was timed to arrive between 2pm and 4pm which are visiting hours for tourists. Apart from the factory itself, there is a small dairy museum. (Read full story on visit to Amul Factory here).
Anand was our final stop in Gujarat, following which, we headed back to Mumbai. We left at around 5 pm to cover a 470km journey and reached Mumbai at 1 am.
Alternate itinerary: Vadodara to Statue of Unity (90km) to Mumbai (412km)
If you’re not keen on visiting Anand, you can replace it with a visit to the Statue of Unity – the world’s tallest statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – just 90km from Vadodara. Start at 7am, enjoying a scenic drive in the countryside and reach the Statue of Unity on the banks of the Narmada at 10am. It is suggested to book your ticket online, at least a day prior, so you can save time, and enjoy strolling around monument. The ticket will allow you to go to the upper deck of the monument – 153 meters – so you have a panoramic view of the entire region. By 3pm, you can leave from here to drive back to Mumbai.
The Statue of Unity in the Kevadia colony is a huge tourist complex with hotels, restaurants and activities to do. On my second trip around this region, I decided to spend a night in Kevadia. There are a couple of budget tourist hotels – of the lot, Hotel BRG Budget Stay is quite popular with family travellers – we stayed here! Ramada Encore by Wyndham Statue of Unity is also a nice property within close proximity to the monument. You can also stay at the Statue of Unity – Tent City 1 and Tent City 2 for the best views but expect to spend a little more.
Food in Gujarat
Gujarat is known for their elaborate vegetarian thalis and filling snacks. But I was gladly surprised to easily find non vegetarian meals in Vadodara. The city has a decent Muslim population which makes it easy to find your Tandooris, Tikkas and Mutton Rogan Josh. Check out food crawls in Vadodara.
Seafood is your bet in Daman. Since the union territory is governed by Delhi, alcohol is freely available. However, one cannot take alcohol beyond Daman boundaries. The Restaurant scene in Champaner-Pavagadh is nothing to boast of. Stick to the basics and avoid experimenting here!
Important things to know
- Photography is restricted inside EMI Temple in Vadodara.
- Champaner-Pavagadh and Anand were both day trips from Vadodara. If you’re short on time, you may choose to skip Anand, or replace Anand with a visit to the Statue of Unity (the tallest statue in the world).
- Be prepared to shell out for tolls on this road trip. The NH 8 is a smooth drive but you pay the price for it. Our total toll charges were well over Rs. 1300 (round trip).
Road trip essentials
On long road trips, prioritizing comfort is crucial. The journey should be fun not taxing. Make sure you have everything for a smooth and comfortable drive.
- Invest in a sturdy mobile holder for your car to keep navigation at your fingertips.
- Carry a neck pillow for those quick, short naps.
- If its a family road trip with kids, invest in a car seat organizer with multiple pockets.
- And a high-speed car phone charger with dual outputs for quick phone charging, keeping you powered up throughout the journey.
