Girnar Trek

Overview of the Girnar Trek

The Girnar Trek runs 2 days and 1 night from Ahmedabad, graded Moderate, from Rs 4,200 per person. Route: Ahmedabad – Junagadh – Bhavnath – Girnar hill – Dattatreya temple – Junagadh – Ahmedabad.

What the Girnar Trek is like

Girnar is a single hill rising out of the flat Saurashtra plain just east of Junagadh in Gujarat, and it is one of the oldest continuously visited sacred sites in India. The summit is at about 1,100 metres, and the climb is made on a stone-paved stairway of 9,999 steps that has been walked for centuries. It is not a wilderness trek in the Himalayan sense. It is a pilgrimage route, and that is exactly what makes it interesting.

The mountain carries an unusual concentration of shrines. Near the top are the Jain temples of Neminath, the twenty-second tirthankara, whose temple complex is one of the largest on the hill and dates in its present form to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Below it is the Ambaji temple, and at the very summit the Dattatreya temple, where the footprint of Dattatreya is venerated by both Hindu and Muslim pilgrims. Lower down, at the foot of the hill, is the Bhavnath temple and the site of the Bhavnath fair, held at Mahashivratri, when sadhus come down from the mountain and the whole approach road fills with pilgrims.

The hill is also geologically interesting. Girnar is a laccolith, a dome of igneous rock pushed up into older sedimentary layers, and the boulder fields on the upper slopes are the eroded remains of that intrusion. The forest on the lower slopes is Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, which holds a population of Asiatic lions that have dispersed out of Gir Forest, along with leopard, chinkara and a long list of birds.

The climb is the point. The steps are steep and uneven, the last third is exposed, and the descent is harder on the knees than the ascent is on the lungs. Most people start before dawn to be on the summit for sunrise, which is when the plain below turns gold and the light comes up behind the temple.

The route in detail

Day one is the overnight or early-morning train or drive from Ahmedabad to Junagadh, roughly five to six hours by road. The afternoon is spent at the Uparkot fort and the Ashoka edict rock, both in Junagadh town, and then an early dinner and an early night. Day two starts at about 3:30 AM with a drive to Bhavnath, at the foot of the stairway. The climb is four to five hours at a steady pace, with tea stalls and water points at intervals and a long stretch of open steps above the tree line. The summit has the Dattatreya temple and the Jain complex, and the descent takes three to four hours. The group returns to Junagadh for a late lunch and then drives back to Ahmedabad, arriving in the evening.

Who the Girnar Trek suits

The Girnar trek suits anyone who can climb stairs for four hours and come back down again. It is a good introduction to hill walking for people who are not ready for a Himalayan trek, and it works well for a mixed group because the pace is set by the steps rather than by technical terrain. It is not suitable for anyone with serious knee or ankle problems, and the sheer number of steps makes it harder than the modest altitude suggests. Children over about ten usually manage it.

What the price includes

The price of Rs 4,200 per person covers 1 night accommodation in junagadh on twin sharing, and the rest of what is listed below. GST at 5%, insurance, and anything not listed under inclusions are extra.

Highlights of the Girnar Trek

• The 9,999-step stone stairway above Junagadh
• The Dattatreya temple at the 1,100 m summit
• The Neminath Jain temple complex on the upper hill
• Sunrise over the Saurashtra plain from the ridge
• Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, home to dispersing Asiatic lions

Girnar Trek Itinerary

Day 1: Ahmedabad to Junagadh

• Meet the group in Ahmedabad in the morning.
• Drive five to six hours to Junagadh through Rajkot.
• Check in and visit the Uparkot fort and the Ashoka rock edict.
• Early dinner and briefing on the climb.
• Overnight in Junagadh.

Day 2: Bhavnath, the 9,999 steps and the summit

• Wake at 3:00 AM and drive to Bhavnath at the foot of the hill.
• Start the climb at about 3:30 AM with headlamps.
• Climb four to five hours past the Ambaji temple and the Jain complex.
• Reach the Dattatreya temple at the 1,100 m summit for sunrise.
• Descend three to four hours to Bhavnath.
• Late lunch in Junagadh and drive back to Ahmedabad.
• Trip ends in Ahmedabad in the evening.

What is included in the Girnar Trek

• 1 night accommodation in Junagadh on twin sharing
• Breakfast on day 2 and dinner on day 1
• Return transport from Ahmedabad in an air-conditioned vehicle
• Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary entry and the stairway fee
• A trek leader and a local guide throughout
• Tea and water at the stalls on the climb
• First aid kit with the group

What is not included

• GST at 5%
• Travel, accidental, health and medical insurance
• Lunch on both days
• Porter, doli or pony charges on the stairway
• Personal expenses and temple donations
• Costs arising from weather or road closures
• Anything not listed under inclusions

What to carry on the Girnar Trek

• A government photo ID card, original
• Trainers or trekking shoes with good grip for stone steps
• A headlamp or torch, since the climb starts before dawn
• A warm layer for the summit, which is cold and windy at sunrise
• Two litres of water per person
• Sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses for the descent
• Knee support or a walking stick if you have had knee trouble
• Personal medication and a blister kit

Departure details

• Departs Ahmedabad on the starting day and returns to Ahmedabad on the final evening.
• Fixed departures run weekly on Fridays; the exact pickup point is confirmed on booking.
• Group size is capped at 20 trekkers.
• The trip runs on a fixed 2D/1N format and does not extend.
• Best season: October to March. Maximum altitude: 1,100 m.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best season for the Girnar trek?

October to March. The Saurashtra plain is hot for most of the year and the stairway has very little shade, so the cooler months are the only sensible window. December and January are the most comfortable, with cold mornings on the summit. The trek does not run from April to June because of the heat, and July to September is the monsoon, when the steps are slippery and the views are usually closed in.

How difficult is the Girnar trek and how many steps are there?

It is graded Moderate. The climb is 9,999 steps to a summit at about 1,100 metres, which is four to five hours up and three to four hours down. The altitude is not the challenge; the repetition and the steepness are. Anyone who can climb stairs steadily for four hours will manage it, but the descent is hard on the knees and a walking stick helps.

Is the Girnar trek suitable for solo travellers?

Yes. The route is a busy pilgrimage stairway with tea stalls and other walkers throughout, and the group stays together with a leader. Solo travellers are paired on twin sharing in Junagadh. It is also one of the easier trips to join at short notice because the group size goes up to 20.

What kind of accommodation is provided?

One night in a hotel in Junagadh on twin sharing, with attached bathrooms and hot water. There is no camping on this trip. Some pilgrims sleep in the temples on the hill, but this itinerary returns to Junagadh after the descent.

Can I see Asiatic lions on the Girnar trek?

Possibly, but it is not a wildlife trip. Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary holds lions that have dispersed from Gir Forest, and there are leopard and chinkara as well, but the stairway is busy and the animals stay away from it. If lions are the priority, a dedicated Gir Forest safari is a better use of a day.

Is there mobile network and are there facilities on the climb?

Coverage is good in Junagadh town and patchy on the hill, with some signal at the summit. There are tea and water stalls at intervals on the stairway, and basic toilets near the temple complexes, but no proper washrooms above Bhavnath. Carry cash for tea and for the pony or doli services if you need them.

Plan Your Trip

Explore related pages: All treks in Gujarat · Browse all destinations · All activities · Junagadh destination guide · Trekking in India.

Related Trips

• Kalsubai Peak Trek
• Pachmarhi Trek
• Dudhsagar Trek

Photo credits. Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the licences listed below. Each image is credited to its photographer; the licence terms apply to reuse of the image.

• Luckyanu6 — CC BY-SA 4.0
• Sachinvenga — CC BY-SA 4.0
• Arian Zwegers — CC BY 2.0
• Emmanuel DYAN — CC BY 2.0