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Unlike the west, the road conditions in India changes a lot in a short period. What is mentioned here is true as of December 2011. Traffic in Ahmedabad is quite bad (just like any other city in India). Auto-rickshaws are the best way to get around. They go by the meter and none refused to take us to the places we wanted to go (note that we never travel late evenings and in the nights). Most of them know only the important places like Sabarmati Ashram. If you want to go to the museums or some unknown site, please keep the phone number of the destination handy. This is true in Baroda as well. Travel between cities is easy assuming you don't mind hiring a car and a driver. Roads connecting the cities are very good. Try to start early. That will help you beat the traffic.
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If you know Hindi, you don't have to know Gujarati. Everyone speaks Hindi.
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Ahmedabad Museums: Calico Museum and NC Mehta Museum. Calico museum is a gem. It is primarily a textile museum. Even if you cannot stand looking at costumes, don't miss this one. Unfortunately, the museum can be visited only on a guided tour. There is a 10:30am tour and a 3pm tour and they both take you to different sections of the museums. Don't miss either one! Museum is free, but you have to book the tours weeks in advance. NC Mehta museum is a small one. About an hour or two should be sufficient to visit this one.
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Ahmedabad Mosques: Sidi Sayeed for its jali, Jama Masjid for its history, Ahmed Shah for its ceilings, Raj Babri for its Julta Minar. These can be visited within a couple of hrs. Start early.
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Ahmedabad other sights: Hatheesing temple has some good carvings, Dada Hari vav is the best step-well inside the city limit (if you cannot make it till Adalaj or Patan, this one is a must), Sabarmati Ashram.
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Around Ahmedabad: Akshardam in Gandhinagar (if you haven't seen the one in New Delhi), Adalaj Vav, Rani ki vav in Patan, Sun temple in Modhera.
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Baroda: Champaner ruins, Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda Museum, Tambekar Wada, EME temple. In Champaner, don't miss Jami Masjid and Shahar ki Masjid. Kevda and Nagina are good, but if you need to walk a bit to see them (they pale in comparison to Jami Masjid). Do carry a ID when visiting EME temple.
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Little Rann of Kutch: If you are staying at the Desert Coursers, pay for extra safari and take both morning and evening ones. Tell them that you want to goto the "creek" in the morning (birding is best then) and "salt pans" for the evening one (sunset is just spectacular). If you have to choose one, stick with the "salt pan". You have the best chance to see the Wild Ass then. You have come this far to see Wild Asses.
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Sarkhej Roza has some interesting Islamic buildings. The view of the ruins across the large tank is quite nice. But it is not a view to die for. Mosque at the sight is pretty as well. But the ones in Champaner are better.
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Akshardam in Gandhinagar. But if you have seen the one in New Delhi, you can give this a pass.
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Rani Roopmati, Rani Sipri and Sidi Bhashir Mosques. The ones mentioned under "don't miss" are better.
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City Museum, Kite Museum among the Ahmedabad museums.
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Gujarati Thali is simply heavenly. House of MG in Ahmedabad and Kansar (opposite to Hotel Surya) in Baroda are the best.
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Hotel Royal Highness (Ahmedabad): Rooms are decent size and are pretty clean. Bathrooms are spacious. Free breakfast is reasonable. Location is good central and all the city sights are short auto-ride or at a walking distance from it. Staff is friendly. The cost (Rs. 3000+) is a tad high. There aren't too many eating options next to the hotel. House of MG is great, but very expensive and that's all you got within walking distance from the hotel. Hotel restaurants aren't that great.
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Ginger (Ahmedabad): Located close to malls and shopping area, but far from the city sights. There is enough for the kids to do around the hotel. Rooms are clean and the staff is extremely professional. Rooms are small however. Breakfast is not free, but reasonable and they start early (7:00am). Travel desk is quite good.
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Desert Coursers (Zainabad): Well, there are just two options in this part of the world. One is this one at the park entrance and other is Rann Riders (10kms further away from the entrance). So this is closer to the park. Cost includes meals and one safari. Food is very good. The rooms are basic. There are options for a cottage or a room. Cottages are far better. Booking in advance does not guarantee you anything. The safari that you get is also a luck of the draw. But if you pay extra (Rs. 600 per head), the owner can arrange for a private safari to wherever you want.
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Hotel Surya (Baroda): Location is quite central and right next to the train station. The attached Myra restaurant serves very good Gujarati Thalis and is open early for lunch and dinner. The thali place across the street is the best in the town. The rooms are not that great, but they are re-building them. So they may be better in a few months time.
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Ahmedabad to Zainabad: 110kms, 2hrs. Most of the time is spent getting out of Ahmedabad. Start early to avoid traffic. Road is quite good. But there are two level crossings
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Ahmedabad to Modhera: 105kms, 1.5hrs. Roads are very good. Just take the toll road to Mehsana and ask for Modhera circle and take left there. That will lead you straight to Modhera. When you reach Modhera, ask for "surya mandir".
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Modhera to Patan: 30kms, 45mins to an hour. It is easy to reach Patan. But you have to squeeze your way through the town bazaar to get to Rani-ki-vav. You have to ask for directions.
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Ahmedabad to Baroda: 120kms, 2hrs. Getting to the expressway is the trouble. Once you are on it, it is smooth sailing to Baroda.
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Baroda to Champaner: 50 kms, 1hr. Good roads and good directions.
Time Required at the Sights
- Calico Museum, Ahmedabad: Since the visit is strictly by guided tours, it will take you 2hrs in the morning and 2hrs in the afternoon to see it.
- NC Mehta Museum, Ahmedabad: About 1 to 2 hrs.
- Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad: About 1 to 3 hrs (depending upon how much material you want to read at the site).
- Sarkhej Roza, Ahmedabad: About 2hrs.
- Adalaj vav: About 30mins to an hour.
- Rani-ki-vav, Patan: About 30mins to an hour.
- Sun temple Modhera: About 1 to 2 hours. I recommend taking a guide. Most of them don't speak English though. They all speak Hindi.
- Baroda Museum: About 2 to 4 hrs depending upon your interest.
- Champaner: 30mins if you want to stick to just Shahar ki Maskid and Jami Masjid, 1hr more if you want to visit Kevda and Nagina. Half a day more if you want to go up Pavgadh.
- Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda: 1 hr (that's how long the audio tour is).
- Maharajah Fateh Singh Museum, Baroda: 1 to 2 hrs
- Tambekar Wada, Baroda: About 30 mins.
- Safari timings, Zainabad: 8am to 11:30am; 3pm to 6:30pm.