Our Girnar packages are based in Junagadh, Gujarat, and come in two kinds. The first is the Lili Parikrama, the 36 km walk around the Girnar hills that happens only once a year, from Dev Uthani Ekadashi to Kartik Purnima. In 2026 it runs from 20 to 24 November. The second is Girnar darshan, which you can do any time of year: the ropeway or the steps up to Amba Mata, then the Jain temples and, for those who can manage the steepest part, Guru Dattatreya’s peak. Both need 2 to 3 nights. From Mumbai, a daily overnight train runs to Junagadh. We plan both with older parents in mind, and we’re honest about the parts they should skip.
Girnar packages at a glance
| Package | Nights | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Girnar Lili Parikrama | 3N / 4D | The 36 km forest walk over two days, with a Junagadh hotel before and after | Fit walkers, only in the Kartik window |
| Girnar Darshan | 2N / 3D | Ropeway to Amba Mata, Jain temples, Dattatreya climb, Junagadh temples | Families, any month |
| Girnar with Somnath | 3N / 4D | Girnar darshan, then Somnath Jyotirlinga for the evening aarti | A short Saurashtra pilgrimage |
| Girnar, Somnath and Dwarka | 6N / 7D | The full Saurashtra circuit with two Jyotirlingas and Gir | A once-in-a-while family yatra |
The full day-wise plan for Girnar Lili Parikrama 3N/4D is on its own page. The other formats are built from it, adding or dropping days, and any of them can be changed to suit you.
The longer circuit has its own page: Dwarka, Somnath and Girnar darshan.
What is the Lili Parikrama, and when is it?
It’s a walk of about 36 km through the forest around the Girnar range, done in the days between Kartik Sud Ekadashi (Dev Uthani Ekadashi) and Kartik Purnima, the full moon of Dev Diwali. Lakhs of pilgrims walk it every year.
| Year | Parikrama dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Planned for 2 to 5 November | Cancelled for the public after rain damaged the route; saints did a symbolic parikrama |
| 2026 | 20 to 24 November, formal start at midnight on 20 November | Going ahead, with drought and lion warnings (see below) |
| 2027 | Dev Uthani Ekadashi falls on 9 November 2027 in the panchang | Official dates are announced by the Junagadh administration a few weeks ahead |
The route starts and ends at Bhavnath Taleti, at the foot of Girnar. Sources agree on four legs:
- Bhavnath to Zina Bava ni Madhi, about 12 km. This leg goes through dense forest and climbs the Intwa ni Ghodi pass. Many pilgrims stop for the first night here, near Hasnapur dam.
- Zina Bava ni Madhi to Malvela, about 8 km. Some take a detour via the Sarkhadiya Hanuman temple.
- Malvela to Bordevi, about 8 km. A hilly stretch with steep climbs and descents.
- Bordevi back to Bhavnath, about 8 to 9 km. An easier finish.
Some pilgrims walk the whole thing in one very long day. Most take two or three days, sleeping at the camps along the route, where community groups (utara mandals) run free kitchens. We plan for two walking days with a night at Malvela, and a proper hotel in Junagadh before and after.
Good to know for 2026: rainfall in Junagadh was below normal this year, so natural water sources along the route are low. The forest department and the water supply department are digging extra bores. Lions have also been coming up onto Girnar, and news reports mention 4 to 5 recent attacks on people. The District Collector has asked small children and senior citizens with health problems to stay away from the parikrama this year, and has asked everyone to keep to the marked route. We would follow that advice: a Girnar darshan trip at another time is the better choice for them.
Girnar darshan: the steps, the peaks and the ropeway
Gujarat Tourism puts the climb at 10,000 stone steps to the top, starting near Damodar Kund and Bhavnath. If you’re walking, start at dawn and allow the whole day. The hill has several peaks and hundreds of Hindu and Jain temples. These are the main ones, in the order you reach them:
| Stop | What it is |
|---|---|
| Jain temples | About two-thirds of the way to Amba Mata. The biggest and oldest is the 12th-century Neminath temple, dedicated to the 22nd Tirthankar. The Mallinath temple dates from 1177. |
| Amba Mata | The temple on the first peak, where the ropeway arrives. Newly married couples come here to pray. |
| Gorakhnath | A small temple on Gujarat’s highest point, 1,117 m. |
| Guru Dattatreya | A shrine to Lord Dattatreya on a steep, narrow peak beyond Gorakhnath. For many Maharashtrian families this is the reason to come. |
| Kalika | A shrine to Kali on the last outcrop. |
The Girnar ropeway starts at Bhavnath Taleti and takes about 9 minutes to rise roughly 900 m to the Amba Mata peak, saving you the hardest half of the climb up. On the operator’s official site the fare is ₹699 for an adult (over 110 cm) and ₹350 for a child of 90 to 110 cm, and it runs from 7 am to 5 pm. There are also private cabins. It sometimes stops in strong wind, so don’t plan the ropeway for your last hour before a train.
From Amba Mata to Gorakhnath and on to Dattatreya you’re on the steps again, and this is the steepest section. Allow a few hours for the return walk from the ropeway’s upper station. Many temples on the hill close for the afternoon, roughly 11 am to 3 pm, though the Neminath temple stays open all day. So the earlier you start, the more you see.
Notes for senior citizens
- Lili Parikrama: it’s a forest walk with steep, rough ghodis and basic camps. In 2026 the administration has specifically asked elderly pilgrims not to come. Please take that seriously.
- Girnar darshan: the ropeway brings Amba Mata within reach of most people. Dattatreya is a different matter. The steps beyond Amba Mata are steep and exposed, and we would only suggest them to parents who walk comfortably now.
- Dolis: porters carry pilgrims up the steps in dolis. Agree the rate and the stops before you start.
What to carry for the parikrama
- Walking shoes you’ve already broken in, not new ones, plus a spare pair of socks.
- A water bottle and refills. The parikrama is meant to be plastic-free, and cloth or eco bags are handed out at the start.
- A sheet or thin mat and a light shawl. Forest nights in late November get cool.
- A torch, basic medicines and a photo ID. Mobile coverage is patchy, so agree a meeting point with your group.
Best time to go
For darshan, go between November and February, when the steps are cool enough to climb in the morning. Avoid the parikrama days themselves unless you’re doing the parikrama, because Bhavnath and the ropeway are packed then. The other big crowd is the Bhavnath Mahashivratri mela in the month of Magha (February or early March), a five-day fair at the foot of Girnar with naga sadhus. Hotels in Junagadh fill up early for it. Summer climbs are hot and the monsoon makes the steps slippery.
Getting to Junagadh
- From Mumbai by train: the Saurashtra Janta Express runs daily from Bandra Terminus to Veraval via Junagadh, overnight. There are also weekly and special trains on the same line. From Pune, connect through Mumbai.
- By air: Rajkot is the usual airport, about 100 km from Junagadh by road. Keshod, closer to Junagadh, got a Mumbai flight under the UDAN scheme in April 2026, but schedules there change, so we check before booking.
Questions pilgrims ask before booking
Can I do the Lili Parikrama on other days of the year?
No. The forest route is opened for pilgrims only in the Kartik window. The rest of the year it’s protected forest. If your dates don’t fit, go for Girnar darshan instead.
Does the ropeway go to Dattatreya?
No. It stops at the Amba Mata peak. Gorakhnath and Dattatreya are reached on foot from there, and the climb is the steepest of the whole hill.
How many days do I need?
For darshan, two nights in Junagadh is enough. For the parikrama, plan three nights: one before you start, one on the route, and one to rest after, before the train home.
What if the parikrama is cancelled, as in 2025?
We keep the Junagadh hotel and turn the trip into Girnar darshan by ropeway, with a day at Somnath if you’d like.
Official sources: Gujarat Tourism’s Girnar page and the Girnar ropeway operator’s site for tickets.
Steps, peaks and temple details checked November 2026 against Gujarat Tourism and the Junagadh district site. Ropeway fares and hours are from the operator’s official booking site. The 2026 parikrama dates, water and lion warnings come from Gujarati news reports of early November 2026, and the 2025 cancellation from news reports of that year. The 2027 date is from the panchang and is not yet official. We confirm the current position when we send your quote.