Jeep Safari - Lion Safari at Sasan Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

Sinh Sadan - Administrative building at Sasan Gir

I recently happened to visit the Gir National Park at Sasan Gir, Gujarat. Fascinated by the urge to see the Asiatic Lion in the open, like most other people, I too started the research for a Jeep Safari (also known as Lion Safari) as it is known at the Gir National Park at Sasan Gir. However, there are very less credible sources on the internet which tell the complete story.

First, some facts

Route in the Safari

A jeep safari, as the name implies is a safari in an open jeep with two rows of three people each at the back. Maximum of 6 people are allowed in a jeep. You are also accompanied by a driver and a licensed guide. You can also take additional person with you, which however would make the space a little congested.

The entire safari takes around 2.5 to 3 to and fro on one of the 7 routes in the national park.

Starting point of the Safari

The Gir Jeep Safari needs permits from the administration at Sinh Sadan, one for each jeep. The number of permits are limited to 30-45 and varies depending on the season (peak and non-peak). Half of these permits are available for booking online, while half of these are booked on the day of the safari.

There are three timings for the safari:

6:00 - 9:00

9:00 - 12:00

15:00 - 18:00

Getting the Permit

1. Online Booking

First attempt should be made to do the booking online. This prevents a lot of hassles specially related to booking and cost. There are a lot of private websites which offer Gir Jungle Safari packages online. However these cost way more than the actual cost. The actual website one should visit is http://girlion.in for online booking of permits.

The permits cost around INR 400/- for Indians and INR 2400/- for foreigners. The other charges of jeep, the guide and any camera charges are to be paid at the venue. All of this on an average costs around INR 2000/- which is reasonable enough for 6 people.

2. Current Booking

If you fail to book permits online, you can do it on the spot as well in current booking. Only 50% of the permits are available for online booking. Rest 50% are done on the day of safari. However, it is a little difficult to get permits in current booking as there is a lot of competition due to limited permits. Most of the times, only 15 permits are available for each the three slots. In other words only 45 permits are allowed in current booking each day. The queues for permits start as early as 3AM for 9:00 - 12:00 slot. These include some desperate individuals as well as people of local agents who charge a lot of money to guarantee a permit for you. It's your choice :-)

Once you get the permit, you get a guide alloted who guides you through the safari.

Deers at Sasan Gir

Although, there is no guarantee of getting to see any animal, on an average, you will see a lot of deers and most of the times a lion. Other than that the dam view at the end of the trail is worth a view! 

Asiatic Lion at Sasan Gir

Staying at Sasan Gir

It is advisable to reach Sasan Gir before the day of safari to avoid any problems in getting the permits.

There are a lot of cheap hotels at walking distance to the main building - Sinh Sadan. Its a small area of population mainly because its a tourist spot. If you are interested, there is a short movie telecast at Sinh Sadan, in the evenings around 7 PM about the facts and history about the Gir National Park. Its worth a watch!

Hope you a very happy and lucky visit to Sasan Gir!