Junagadh: Old Town, Inscription and the Nearby Girnar Hills

Junagadh can be explored through several very different highlights: historic sites in the town, a rock inscription, a large zoo and its close connection to the Girnar Hills. The Heritage Walk, two Jain temples and Ashok Shilalekh give culture a tangible place in your travel plans. Together with Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden and the Girnar steps, which begin near Junagadh, they offer a range of different focal points. This gives you the chance to consider which experiences you would like to shape your stay.

Heritage Walk and Temples in Junagadh

The Junagadh Heritage Walk runs mainly through the old town west of Uparkot and ends at Mandvi Chowk. Along the way, it takes you to Uparkot Gate, Lashkari Vav and the stepwell at Ram Temple. The walk therefore has both a clearly defined route and named stops. If you would like to plan your trip around the old town’s sites, the Heritage Walk offers a tangible cultural focal point.

Two Jain temples also shape Junagadh’s cultural character: one belongs to the Digambara tradition and the other to the Śvetāmbara tradition. They stand on opposite sides of a chowk, one to the north and the other to the south. The distinct traditions and the temples’ locations add a separate dimension alongside the Heritage Walk route. If you are interested in religious traditions as well as a route through the old town, you can take both into account when planning.

Ashok Shilalekh and Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden

Ashok Shilalekh is carved into a rock in Brahmi script and Pali. The inscription addresses resistance to greed and animal sacrifice, as well as kindness and gratitude. It is noteworthy not only for its form, but also for the ideas it explicitly expresses. For travellers who enjoy exploring the themes of a place, the inscription adds a distinct perspective to the temples and the Heritage Walk.

Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden offers a different focus. The zoo covers 200 hectares and opened in Junagadh in 1863. The area gives an idea of its scale, while the opening year provides a historical reference point. This makes the zoo a distinct attraction alongside the cultural sites. While the Heritage Walk focuses on its route through the old town and its stops, the zoo stands out for its size and history.

Girnar and Getting to Junagadh

The Girnar mountain range lies near Junagadh, in Junagadh district in the state of Gujarat. It is also known by the names Girinagar and Revatak Parvata. Steps leading up to the Girnar Hills begin near Junagadh, close to Damodar Kund. This offers two different travel experiences to choose from: the Heritage Walk, which runs mainly through the old town, and the steps leading uphill. If you would like to include a mountain experience in your travel plans alongside cultural sites, Girnar is a distinct focal point in the area around Junagadh.

Junagadh is connected to the Western Railway network of Indian Railways. State Transport Corporation buses link the town with major cities and towns in Gujarat, as well as places in other Indian states. Include these transport connections in your travel plans and check the schedules that apply to your travel date before setting off.

When looking for a holiday rental in Junagadh, you can first decide whether you would like to focus on the old town and inscription, the zoo or the mountain experience.

Discover more destinations: Nanodara, Bhavda, Nani Mogari, Raval, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Rupavati, Bhuj

Return to the main travel overview: Gujarat.