Hello, Local Guides,
Last week I organized meet-ups at three different eco-tourism destinations in Dang District, Gujarat. My aim behind the meet-up here was to bring these unknown places to more people through the platform of Connect so that people get involved in the eco-tourism activity and provide employment to the local people and small businesses there.
Together with other 4 Local Guides, we began our journey at 10 pm on Sunday evening to our first meeting point, the Kilad Campsite. We arrived at Kilad campsite at 6 am after a 370-kilometer drive.
Day 1 (Kilad Campsite)
On the first day, we woke up early and visited the nearby Vansda National Park. The dense bamboo forest here is full of natural beauty and is home to about 20 leopards. We spent almost four hours in the forest. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any wildlife during our visit.
From there we had lunch at a traditional tribal restaurant in the town of Waghai. Where we enjoyed authentic Dangi thali. Dangl people use more pulses, especially in food. Their tradition that consists of Nang Rotta, Udad Dal, Muth, and Bhujyu (Tribal Sweet). After relishing the sumptuous Dangl food, we reached back to the campsite to rest. In the evening we went trekking in the nearby river and forest and then after dinner, we joined the campfire activity. It was a busy day for us.
Day 2 (Devinamaal Campsite)
Early the next morning We visited Gira Waterfalls and Waghai Botanical Garden before going to our second meeting point. We reached the Devinamal camp location after roughly two hours of travel. We rested for a time after lunch before returning to our jungle adventure. Our guide, a forest guard, introduced us to the various trees, insects, and birds that inhabit the forest. By the time we returned to the campsite late at night, dinner was ready, and we enjoyed the food prepared by the locals. After dinner, we engaged in some activities with the schoolchildren who visited the camp.
Day 3 (Mahal Campsite)
On the third day before we reached our last meet-up destination, we decided to visit the famous Don Hill Station at Dang. We woke up early in the morning and started our journey towards Don Hill station. After about an hour’s drive, we reached Don Hill station. The winding, slender roads were terrifying. As soon as we reached the hill station, we were all mesmerized by the cool air and grandeur of Don Hill.
(There is a story behind the visit to this place. Don is the last village in Gujarat, but Google Maps showed it in Maharashtra, so I fixed it with the help of the Google Maps team.)
After spending three to four hours at the Don Hill Station, we headed towards our final destination, Mahal Campsite. The campsite is located in the forest about 3 km from the main road. When we arrived here, we were all mesmerized by its natural beauty. It was one of the greatest eco-tourism campsites I have visited so far. We stayed here in a tent. Again, we participated in activities such as jungle trekking and campfires. It was a truly memorable visit for us.
3 days is not enough time to enjoy the natural beauty of the Dang district but due to time constraints, we had to stop the trip here and bid farewell to return home.
Thank you to all the Local Guides who accompanied me and made this trip together an unforgettable experience.
Regards,
Naresh Darji
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