Nal Sarovar

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Nal Sarovar – They don’t need Passport or Visa

Nal Sarovar is a sweet water lake of approximately 120 sqkm, located about 65 km from Ahmedabad, 42 km off Sanand town of Gujarat. It is a marshland with shallow waters (4-5 feet). It is a home for nearly 200 species of mainly migratory birds coming from far off Europe and Russia during Indian winter.

It is believed that there was sea at this site separating Saurashtra from mainland Gujarat some 75,000 years ago. The sea connected the Gulf of Cambay and the Gulf of Kutchchh. Land has risen, the sea has receded and now it is a shallow sweet water lake. When rains are excessive, the lake over flows in to the Gulf of Cambay. In Harappan age, there used to be the port of Lothal in the Gulf of Cambay.

Best season to visit Nal Sarovar is between November and February. Chances of spotting exquisite birds are more when water level in the lake decreases, ideal condition is when water is 4-5 feet deep or less. So in a year when it has rained particularly well, season is delayed, shortened and less birds stay in the lake because water is deep.

Ideal time of the day to visit is at sun rise. Although Govt accommodation is available, it is not used or is not possible to use as the facility is not maintained. There isn’t even a canteen. Stay is not recommended. Few resorts have come up on Sanand-Nal Sarovar road.

You have to leave your vehicle at the parking site (2 km from boating site) and buy entry ticket. Tickets cost Rs. 295 per person (305 on weekends) and that include two way taxi ride from parking to boating site, boat ride of 2 hours and entry to ‘interpretation centre’.

Although Govt has tried well to control exploitation by boat operators, they are not really interested in the ‘official’ two hour package. They pursue hard to travel further (to restricted areas) on extra charge. Police guards are posted to prevent this, but they intervene only if asked to. If you are law abiding citizen, you can’t see more than 3-4 varieties of birds in the limited permitted area.

The boats are pushed with the help of a bamboo in the marshy waters. Paddles do not work as rich sub-water vegetation rise almost to the surface. Motorised boats are not allowed. It is fun to traverse through tall grass rising from the water, boat scraping through the grass.

You should consider yourself lucky to spot 3-4 smaller varieties of birds. Boating is restricted to a very small area of the lake (1/10^th – in a way, good) and birds know this! They prefer to stay in peaceful, distant waters or islands.

There are dozens of small islands in the lake and only one (Dhrabla) is officially allowed for visit. It is 30 min boat ride from the main centre. At Dhrabla you take your time to enjoy the traditional Kathiavadi meal comprising of 2-3 vegetables, jaggery, garlic chutney and bajra na rotla (150 per dish) prepared by women of local Padhar tribe. Worth trying.

The ‘interpretation’ centre is quite informative but is poorly maintained. There were no lights in the exhibit cases or panels. We had to use our mobile flash to see the details.



On the whole, a good half-day picnic.

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