Pehle Gujarat Dekho

Tribal Culture & Traditions of Gujarat

  • Useful Information
  • Ahmedabad - North Gujarat - Central Gujarat
  • 8 Nights / 9 days
  • Overview
The eastern belt of Gujarat forms a vital ecological and cultural corridor stretching from the Aravalli hills to the Dangs forests, connecting some of India’s most significant mountain ranges. This journey takes travelers through Gujarat’s tribal heartlands, home to vibrant Adivasi communities like the Bhil, Rathwa, Gamit, and Kotwalia who maintain ancient wisdom, artistic traditions, and sustainable practices. From UNESCO heritage sites to remote forest villages, witness sacred ceremonies, distinctive art forms, and forest-based sustainable practices while exploring the profound ecological wisdom and cultural resilience preserved in this living heritage landscape.
  • Highlights
  • Bhil and Garasia tribal communities with their sacred clay horse rituals and mountain worship in Banaskantha
  • Ancient temple ruins and tribal ceremonies in the Polo Forest
  • Ahmedabad's UNESCO World Heritage old city with traditional pol architecture
  • Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park - UNESCO World Heritage site with 114 monuments
  • Bhasha Academy Museum dedicated to preserving indigenous languages and cultural traditions
  • Distinctive spiritual Pithora paintings of the Rathwa tribe in Central Gujarat
  • Dinosaur Museum and Fossil Park at Balasinor
  • Santrampur Fields and Flower initiative
  • Dangs district - Gujarat's tribal heartland with indigenous communities maintaining forest wisdom and craft traditions
  • 'Healing with the Forests' experience at Vansda showcasing ancient ecological knowledge
  • Request Details
  • HTA Recommended Hotels
  • Ahmedabad: House of MG, Ahmedabad (A Heritage Hotel) OR Mani Mansion (A Heritage Hotel) OR Mangaldas Ni Haveli - 1 (A Heritage Homestay) OR Mangaldas Ni Haveli - 2 (A Heritage Homestay) OR Jagdip Mehta Heritage House (A Heritage Homestay)
  • North Gujarat: Bhavani Villa, Danta (A Heritage Homestay) OR Darbargadh, Poshina (A Heritage Hotel), Dowlat Vilas Palace, Himmatnagar (A Heritage Homestay) OR Dowlat Vilas Palace – The Heritage, Himmatnagar (A Heritage Homestay) OR Vijay Vilas, Vijaynagar (A Heritage Hotel)
  • Central Gujarat : Shri Joraver Vilas, Santrampur (A Heritage Homestay) OR Garden Palace, Balasinor (A Heritage Homestay) OR Raj Mahal, Devgadh Baria (A Heritage Homestay), A Home for Nature Lovers, Jambughoda (A Heritage Hotel) OR The Palace, Chota Udepur (A Heritage Hotel) OR Darbargadh Kadwal (A Heritage Homestay) OR Kadwal County, Kadwal (A Heritage Homestay)
  • Day Wise itinerary
Day 1: Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is a dizzying mix of modern, contemporary and medieval, deservedly India’s first UNESCO Urban World Heritage Site. The old city comprises traditional houses (pols) in gated streets with characteristic bird feeders, public wells and religious centres. Ancient stepwells and ornate 15th-century mosques contrast with contemporary modern Ahmedabad on the opposite riverbank. Spend a day exploring bazaars, mosques, temples, Sabarmati Ashram, Gandhi’s headquarters from 1917 to 1930, the magnificent 15th-century Adalaj stepwell and sampling street food.
Ahmedabad’s old town is UNESCO urban heritage awarded and rightly so. It is a labyrinth of 700 neighbourhoods known as pols; a dense cluster of multi-storeyed traditional homes built with a strong sense of community, security and to minimize sunlight & heat of the summer months.
The Sabarmati Ashram showcases the life of Mahatma Gandhi and the independence movement of India, and the Adalaj Stepwell is 15th century, five stories deep and extraordinarily beautiful. These stepwells were vitally important on the ancient caravan trade routes.
Overnight: Ahmedabad City.
The Bhil and Garasia tribal communities maintain intriguing sacred practices which focus on mountain worship and creating clay horses to be used as offerings to carry prayers to the gods. Nearby, the semi-nomadic Rabari people still wear traditional dress and their weekly village markets are vibrant gatherings where friends meet, handicrafts and fresh produce are traded, and delicious local snacks are cooked on open fires. In the evening, temple ceremonies take place where ancient traditions continue to link these communities to their ancestral lands.
Overnight: Banaskantha Dist, North Gujarat Region.
The Polo Forest near Vijaynagar, housing ruins of 10th-15th century Hindu and Jain temples, has a fascinating location, being at the intersection of both the Bhil and Dungri Garasia tribal regions. Here, traditional tribal ceremonies for harvests, coming of age ceremonies and ancestor worship still take place in its sacred groves, and local elders are still able to identify hundreds of medicinal plants growing within the forest.
Overnight: Sabarkantha Dist, North Gujarat Region.
The Princely State of Balasinor, though better known for its Dinosaur Museum & fossil site is also home to tribal villages and offers a cultural blend of princely history and indigenous tradition. Its local villagers continue agricultural and craft-based lifestyles, and their evening gatherings often centre around traditional music and storytelling.
In Santrampur, tribal communities such as the Bhil and Vaghadiya continue to preserve traditional customs through seasonal festivals and community rituals. Many families still rely on the forest for food, medicine, and livelihoods, and local markets are important hubs where artisans sell handwoven fabrics, wooden tools and wild goods, foraged from the forest.
‘Santrampur Fields and Flowers’ in an initiative by the Santrampur Royal Family – rooted in tradition and sustainability. Their focus is on curated, locally sourced products like teas, jams, sherbets, chutneys, and organic flour really highlights the region’s agricultural and cultural richness.
Overnight: Mahisagar Dist, Central Gujarat Region.
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring 114 monuments dating from the 8th to 16th centuries—including impressive mosques, the citadel, and a helical step well.
The Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary is made up of Teak, Bamboo and Mahudo amongst other indigenous trees and as well as being home to panther, the four-horned antelope, blue bulls, hyena, jackal, wild boar and sloth bear, it also contains many medicinal plants and herbs. There are 25 tribal villages in and around the sanctuary which provides an insight into how these communities co-exist with India’s natural heritage.
Overnight: Panchmahal / Chota Udepur Dist, Central Gujarat Region.
The Bhasha Academy, is a must visit, one-of-a-kind museum which is dedicated to preserving ‘the voices’ of the indigenous communities of India, their languages, music, instruments, belief systems and culture.
The distinctive Pithora paintings of The Rathwa tribe are spiritual artworks, with roots tracing back to ancient cave paintings, which adorn their homes and represent pre-Hindu traditions which have been maintained through countless generations.
Overnight: Panchmahal / Chota Udepur Dist, Central Gujarat Region.
Dangs is Gujarat’s most densely forested region and the only district completely inhabited by tribal communities, with ten different tribes maintaining centuries-old traditions. Small organic farms grow local vegetables, millets, paddy, lentils, and herbs, use ancient agricultural practices.
Overnight: Dang Dist, South Gujarat Region.
Discover the rich biodiversity of Dangs forests, including sacred forest sites to understand the spiritual beliefs of Dangi tribes and their profound connection to nature. The Kotwalia Adivasi community still practice remarkable bamboo basketry traditions creating traditional household items and fishing traps.
Experience the ‘Healing with the Forests’ experience at Vansda.
Overnight: Dang Dist, South Gujarat Region.
Travel to Surat Airport for your departure, carrying with you the memories of Gujarat’s extraordinary tribal heritage, ancient traditions, and living cultural wisdom.
  • Photos
Rathwa Tribe
Healing with the Forests at Vansda
Bhil and Garasia tribal communitie’s sacred clay horse rituals
  • Request Details

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