Gir National Park

The Gir Forest National Park was established to protect the last surviving population of Asiatic lion in the world.

Gir is a mixed deciduous forest with teak, ber, flame of the forest, jamun, and a variety of acacias. The land is hilly, with numerous rivers.

Wildlife in the park is varied, with sambar deer, chowsingha, nilgai and chinkara antelopes, leopard, and wild boar.

There are more than 200 bird species including the peafowl, gray partridge, jungle bush quail, painted sand grouse, common green pigeon and several species of doves.

The Gir is also home to the marsh crocodile, which can be seen easily in its rivers, particularly in the lake of the Kamaleshwar dam.

The Gir is rich in history and folklore. There are ancient temples, like Kankai Mata and Tulsishyam, a place of pilgrimage with hot springs.

The forest is also famous for its cattle herders, the Madharis, whose buffalo form a substantial part of the lions' diet.

The Madhari's herder lifestyle has changed little over the years, and their folklore and traditions are a unique record of coexistence of humans with lions.

There are a number of long, scenic drives through the thick forest cover in the park. The park can be reached by road from the nearest town of Veraval, which is about 26 miles from the park.