Anubhav456 · File:A lion at Gir Forest National Park (2016).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · cropped and resized · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_lion_at_Gir_Forest_National_Park_(2016).jpg
Gir
The forest home of the Asiatic lion in Gujarat, with safari permits sold only through the Forest Department's official booking website.
The forest of the Asiatic lion
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, also called Sasan Gir, lies in Saurashtra in Gujarat and is known as the home of the Asiatic lion. Reference sources say it was established in 1965 and covers about 1,410 sq km, and the Forest Department manages it through divisions based in Sasan Gir, in Junagadh, and in Dhari, in Amreli district. Press reports say the 2025 lion census counted 891 Asiatic lions in Gujarat, up from 674 in 2020, though the counts for individual areas differ between outlets. Visitors see the forest through four kinds of permit-based visits: the Gir Jungle Safari, the GIZ Devalia Safari Park, the Ambardi Safari Park and the Girnar Nature Safari. All of them are booked through the Forest Department's official e-permit website and nowhere else. The main jungle safari is closed during the monsoon every year, while the Devalia and Ambardi parks are reported to stay open. This page sets out the rules as the Forest Department's own booking terms state them, marks what we could not confirm, and says what to check before you plan.
Explore Gir on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What a visit holds
Visits are structured around permit-based safaris and the facilities at Sasan Gir.
🦁 The four safari options
- The Forest Department's booking terms list the Gir Jungle Safari, the GIZ Devalia Safari Park, the Ambardi Safari Park and the Girnar Nature Safari
- Each e-permit covers one route in one time slot, for up to six adults and one child aged 3 to 12
- The Devalia Safari Park is closed every Wednesday, according to the terms
🌿 At Sasan Gir
- The Forest Department's site describes a Gir Orientation Centre in the Sasan guest house campus, with photographs, paintings and models of the reserve
- It also lists souvenir shops at Sinh Sadan in Sasan and at the Devalia park, and a garden of native medicinal plants
- Facilities and opening arrangements can change, so confirm on arrival
📋 Rules that shape a visit
- An eco-guide accompanies each safari, and is allotted at random by the authority
- Visitors must carry the e-permit and the original photo identity proof, and every person must be present when reporting
- Camera fees, if any, are listed locally at the reception centres
How a visit can run
Arrive and a first safari
Reach Sasan Gir, check the boarding point and the reporting time on your e-permit, and take the first safari you have booked. Carry the original identity proof for every person.
A second safari or another park
Take a second booked safari, or visit the Devalia or Ambardi park or the Orientation Centre. Each permit is for one route and one slot.
Leave room for changes
Keep a margin in case slot times change or a permit is cancelled, and check the official website for any change before you travel.
Getting there and around
Gir lies in Saurashtra, and we found no official travel details, so check your route before you set out.
Reaching Gir
- The Forest Department manages the area from divisions at Sasan Gir in Junagadh and at Dhari in Amreli district
- The Gujarat region page places Gir on the Saurashtra peninsula with Somnath and Dwarka
- Ask your lodging about road and rail options and the journey time from where you arrive
To the safari
- Each safari starts from a reception centre, and you must arrive 30 minutes before the slot
- The e-permit names your route and time, and the Forest Department can change slot times
- Allow extra time for the journey on the day
On the safari
- Safari vehicles and guides are arranged separately from the permit
- The permit does not include their charges
- Agree charges in advance and keep the e-permit and identity proof ready
What to know before you go
Five points shape a visit to Gir.
The Forest Department's booking site describes itself as the only official website for Gir online permits. The e-permit is required for the Gir Jungle Safari, the GIZ Devalia Safari Park, the Ambardi Safari Park and the Girnar Nature Safari. Press reports say three men were arrested in October 2025 for hoarding and reselling permits through manipulation of the booking website, so book only on the official site and be wary of anyone who offers permits at the gate.
According to the Forest Department's terms: carry the e-permit and the original photo identity proof (Aadhaar, PAN, driving licence or voter ID, and the original passport for foreign visitors); one permit admits up to six adults and one child aged 3 to 12 on one route in the selected slot; bulk bookings above six are not accepted; arrive 30 minutes before the slot or the permit is cancelled without refund; the permit does not include the guide and vehicle charges, which are paid separately; online booking opens three months ahead and closes two hours before the slot; and the department may change slot timings with the weather or for unavoidable reasons.
The Forest Department's terms say the Gir Jungle Safari is closed from 16 June to 15 October each year. A June 2026 report gave the suspension as 23 June to 15 October and said the safari was scheduled to reopen on 16 October, while a report of 7 October 2026 said Gujarat's wildlife sanctuaries and national parks would reopen to visitors on 9 October without saying whether the Gir core safari was included. We found no report of the 2026 reopening itself, so confirm the date on the official website. The Devalia and Ambardi parks are reported to stay open through the monsoon.
Press reports of the 2025 census, citing the Forest Department and the state government, give 891 Asiatic lions in Gujarat, up from 674 in 2020. Reports differ on the numbers for Gir and for the surrounding districts, and one article says the forest could support far fewer lions than are now counted. We therefore give the state total as reported and nothing finer.
We could not read official safari timings, routes, vehicle and guide charges or camera fees, so we state none of them. The booking site lists a contact email and telephone number for refund problems; use those, not a third party.
Choosing where to base yourself
Visits usually centre on Sasan Gir, where the safari reception centres are. We do not name properties.
Near Sasan Gir
- Staying near Sasan Gir shortens the journey to the boarding point, which matters because the Forest Department asks visitors to arrive 30 minutes before the slot
- Lodgings range from simple to more comfortable, and demand follows the safari season, so book early for the months around the reopening
- Ask whether your lodging can help with the safari vehicle and guide arrangements, which are paid separately
Before you book
- Check that your booking is for dates when the safari is open, since the main jungle safari closes each monsoon
- Ask about the journey to Sasan Gir from where you arrive, because road times can vary
- Confirm meals and check-in arrangements, particularly for early morning departures
If you want more than one day
- The Devalia and Ambardi parks give other ways of seeing the forest, and are reported to stay open in the monsoon
- Book each permit separately, since each is for one route and one time slot
- Keep the plan flexible, because slot times can change with the weather
Practical notes
A few details that keep a visit simple.
Booking
- Book only on the official website, and keep the e-permit with you
- Book as soon as the three-month window opens for your dates
- Check your name, date and route on the permit when you receive it
At the safari
- Carry the original photo identity proof for every person and be on time
- Follow the guide's instructions and keep a distance from the animals
- Pay the guide and vehicle charges as the arrangement requires, and agree them before you set out
Dress and conduct
- Wear comfortable clothing and carry water and sun protection
- Do not feed animals or leave rubbish in the forest
- Carry the identity documents you travelled on
Close by
Places in Saurashtra.
Frequently asked
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