White Desert is one of the biggest salt deserts in the world. It is a mesmerizing place to visit in Gujarat, known for its Rann Utsav which takes place from November to February annually. This year Rann Utsav is happening from October 28, 2019, to February 23, 2020, that is all about spellbound landscapes with music and dance carnival. It is a grand cultural fiesta from hogging to shopping all in one place under the same sky. You will definitely fall in love with this place when you will see men and women dressed up in Gujarati attires, dancing on peppy and groovy songs. You will be amazed to see the natural beauty of White Rann of Kutch when the light of the full moon flashes on white desert. In this popular festival, the traditional culture of Gujarat is glorified which also enhances tourism in India. In this article, we will tell you all the details about the Rann Utsav.
How to Reach
Rann Utsav takes place in Dhordo village which is 80km north of the Bhuj city. You can easily reach here either by train or by flight. The nearest station or airport is Bhuj. In case there is no flight connectivity from your town, then you can go for a train journey. You can travel to Bhuj from Delhi in train 14311 Ala Hazrat Express (via Ahmedabad) that runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays while on other days of the week, you can travel by train 14321 Ala Hazrat Express (via Bhildi). To travel from Mumbai to Bhuj one can take train 22903 Bhuj AC Superfast Express which is the fastest train between these two cities and takes about 13 hours to reach destination from Mumbai. Bhuj railway station is well connected with other cities of India.
Where to Stay
To get the authentic desert feels, you can stay in a tent city that has swiss tents. There are more than 350 luxurious tents which are equipped with wooden carpets. The price of the premium tent starts from Rs. 7100 and goes up till Rs. 24000 depending upon your package. The rates of the tents are as per the Rann Utsav dates like, the price of the tent is comparatively higher on full moon nights than the usual days.
Package Costs
There are numerous packages available for the Rann of Kutch depending upon the number of days for which you want to travel. The starting range of the packages is from Rs. 5500 for 2 Days/1 Night. Another one priced at Rs.10,000 for 3 Days/2 Nights and so on. To dig deeper into this, you can even visit the official website of Rann Utsav.
Weather During Rann Utsav
Rann Utsav takes place in the winter months. When everyone else in the country is coping with the shivering cold, Gujarat is settling to a 4-7 degree temperature below the normal average. Lately, the weather in Gujarat is turning drastically cold in winter season as spells of cold waves from North India can be felt till the New Year. A shout out to all the travellers who are planning to head onto Gujarat must know that mercury level can sharply fall. So, be ready to get shivers!!
Things you can do in Rann Utsav Fiesta
Rann Utsav offers a multitude of things like sightseeing, stargazing, handicraft items, folk dance, music, and other adventurous activities.
Scintillating Sightseeing
You can experience here numberless things such as staying in Tent City, watching a beautiful sunset, solo ride in the desert by hiring a Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV), desert safaris. Witness moonrise and sunrise here by enjoying a camel ride for an exhilarating experience. Additionally, Kalo Dungar which is said to be the highest point in Kutch will give you an aerial view of desert along with Dholavira lake. Don’t forget to carry your binoculars as you can even get to see Pakistan.
You will be awestruck by seeing the vast expanse of white sand land. And if it is a full moon night along with the cultural fiesta then, it is a cherry on the cake!! Look up at the sky that is devoid of pollution. Trust us, as you will take a walk in the desert in the moonlight you will get to see the serene white desert.
Cultural Carnival
One of the mandatory things of Rann Utsav is folk artists from every nook and corner of Gujarat. You can have the authentic desert experience here by actually living in an imaginational life of bonfire in desert along with folk music and dance. Along with these, take a hot air balloon ride which will give you an enchanting bird view of Kutch. You can also hop on a bike and jeep ride to get the vibrant hues of white salt sand desert.
Delectable Delicacies
Well, one of the most important activities here is finger-licking food. It seems that the organizers of this festival are big foodies. There are dining halls that serve delectable Kutchi food. In order to cater to your craving for food during odd hours, there are numerous food joints even at night that offers a wide variety of world-famous Gujarati snacks and food items.
Shop till you drop
You can get your hands on handcrafted Gujarati items, leather products, embroidered fabrics, beautifully crafted silverware, souvenirs, jewelry, wall paintings and what not! Even if shopping is not your thing, take a tour of the nearby villages by which you can get a plethora of information about the culture of Kutch and local communities. Learn artistic skills from the artists who excel in handicraft products and take back home some exquisite masterworks.
Some people find winters very gloomy and frailty. But Rann Utsav gives the sight of pure joy and happiness to you in winters. Now, you have a legit excuse to visit the desert of Kutch.
Are you now all set to plan a trip to Rann of Kutch now? Book your tickets now through Trainman app. Download Trainman App and check PNR Status of the ticket booked, Seat Availability, Running Status and so on.
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