Amazing India’s Rann Utsav

There are regular flights from Mumbai to Bhuj. Bhuj is the nearest airport to the Rann of Kutch.The flight took about 1h 10 min, and ticket price ranges from ?1500-3500. From the Bhuj, we took a taxi to reach Rann of Kutch where the grand Rann Utsav is held.

Being held in the Dhordo village of Kutch, the Utsav is lined-up with ethnic tents that have just the right amenities for us to live in the midst of the desert region. It's best to accommodate yourself in a tent to enjoy the festival in its rustic sense. Dig into our welcome breakfast in the most atypical Gujarati style!

Kick-offed our first tour in the Utsav with the exhibition center. With all things exciting, the exhibition center has an array of paintings, artifacts, and sub cultural items reflecting on the ethnicity and native traditions of Gujarat! We got a better understanding of the lifestyle and ethnicity of the land of legends!

Enjoyed the hefty meal and kept going for more until we satisfied with everything we downed with n-number of glasses of butter milk! From Undhiyu, Khaman to jalebi fafda, we did not miss out on any Gujarati delicacy! The Utsav sure promises eating at its best!

Evenings were filled with musical galas and ethnic melodies. Humm along with the melodious singers, learn the traditional songs and take back some colloquial tunes of Gujarat from the festival. The chilly weather will need some heating up too! Warmed our self round the campfire zone and got back to all the merrymaking around!

Brace for an adventurous camel ride! Quite a number of camel operators are stationed around the Utsav region to take you on a thrilling camel safari. Hi on the camelback, put on your warmers and maybe witness the sunrise along the desert horizons. The silhouettes add to the beauty of dawn, making it so picturesque that you'll want to eternally freeze the moment.

Who doesn't like a little retail therapy, especially at an Utsav like this? An artifact bazaar is set up, especially for tourists to lay their hands on the local miniature effigies and handicrafts of Gujarat. You would definitely want to buy some gifts for your family and friends back at home from this art bazaar.

Redo what you've been doing since your first meal, hogg on those exquisite delicacies! Trust us, you're not going to get enough of it! But don't worry, they have other varieties too!

Migrate to the nearby Khandwa village to take back some Gujarati wisdom with you. Since Gujarat is the land of textiles, a little knowledge of their clothes and fashion would be an enlightening task. Learn about what makes textiles so popular, learn the unconventional weaving techniques and hone your knowledge about garments.

After a fun workshop, we returned to the Utsav zone and wind up our day with a few folk dance performances by local dancers, shaking a leg to the ethnic sounds of the land. They perform a few daredevil activities which will stun you to glory too! Be a sport and dance along with them before you bookend your day with this entertaining night! Head for dinner before returning to your abode.

There's no better way to start our last day at the Rann Utsav with a rugged DPV jeep ride! Meandering through the desert roads, we marveled at the far off vistas of this legendary land, en route our intense ride! Some serious adrenaline rush during the ride pump us up for the day!

The pride of the Utsav, the hot air balloon ride is the crowned glory of the festival topping off as the prime attraction of the Utsav. Hop onto the wicker basket for a lighter-than-air aircraft experience, keep your cameras handy and venture into the sky. The ride over the desert was surely an exhilarating one.

After a few days of hustling around, an unwinding session is much needed. We soaked our self in the chants of the meditation room and flex our muscles for a bit.

On the last leg of the Utsav, chilling by the campsite was the most ideal way to epilogue our Rann Utsav tour. Jammed along with the fellow tourists, played a few games and recapitulate all our amazing experiences and memories that we are taking back. Dig into a gamut of varieties and eat like royalty off the luxuriating Gujarati Thali. Ended our day with a dash of indulgence!

A little sightseeing of the Rann of Kutch is important since we came all the way here. Woke up early and went to The Kalo Dungar. Being the highest peak in the Kutch area, it the perfect spot to catch sight of the whole of Rann with a panoramic view. The Dungar is known for the famous Dattatreya Temple, which is of immense significance because of the folklore attached to it.

Breakfast at the Desert King Resort is sure to be an offbeat experience. Seated in an earthy restaurant, you'll be nestled in a very cost but warm hut and you'll be digging into the most delicious meal after the Rann Utsav. The Chaas served in earthen pots will delight you to the core. You can't help but reorder the dishes at the resort restaurant. Pocket-friendly and appetizing,

The most ancient museum of Gujarat, the Kutch Museum boasts of its collection of notable and extinct Kutchi Script and ancient coins. Tribal artifacts being the major highlight of the museum, other objects on display include exhibits of embroidery, paintings, arms, musical instruments, sculpture and precious metalwork.

Extremely economical, you'll be devouring a great lunch at the Viram Garden Restaurant. Serving Chinese, Punjabi, and even traditional Rajasthani cuisines, the meals are super appetizing, healthy and delicious. The ambiance is also a cozy one! If you're visiting the restaurant on a special occasion, don't forget to dig into their special day meals.

You sure are craving for a diverse landscape apart from the desert by now! So it's ideal to head to Mandvi Beach. One of the most serene beaches on the Northwestern shore of Kutch, it makes for the perfect destination to come and relax during winter mornings and dip your feet in the cool waters of the sea.

Serving Italians and Chinese indulgences, Dunes is one of the finest restaurants you'll find in the vicinity of Mandvi. Satiating food accompanied by a magnificent sea view will be a nice way to wind up your trip as a whole! The classy ambiance, the unforgettable Italian and a nice family meal off the beach will make the last moments in Kutch a memorable one.