Saputara hill station is located in the North Sahyadri ranges at an altitude of 1000 meters in Dangs district. The beautiful town with dense forest is the only hill station in Gujarat. The planned hill station offers boating and swimming facilities, ropeways, theatres and a museum. There are good possibilities of long treks to nearby villages and the tourists can relax by the side of the Saputara Lake in the pure mountain air with just a touch of chill. It is great joy for city-dwellers to experience the murmuring of rivers, chirping of birds, sunlight filtered through tree foliage, lush greenery and the silence of the forests. And they can enjoy the stars shining on a clear night. Saputara means the ‘Abode of Serpents.’ Its Adivasis worship a snake idol on the banks of the river Sarpagana on the festivals like Holi.

Waterfalls and wildlife

The places of tourist interest at Saputara include the artists’ village, boating club, echo point, forest nursery and log huts, Hatgadh Fort, Honeybee Centre, Lakeview Garden, Nageshwar Temple, and Purna Sanctuary. Saputara’s wildlife excursion tours show its rich wildlife amid scenic beauty. The excursion covers places like the Botanical Garden, Mahal Forest, Gira Falls Temple and Hot Springs, Unnai Mata Jambalaya, Dangs Darbar, Girmal Falls, Saptashringi Devi Temple and Hatgadh Fort.

Forest treks

In the artists’ village, the visitors can purchase tribal work or themselves or try to learn Warli painting or make tribal objects. The Vansada National Park was originally a private forest. Visitors have to get permission from the forest authorities to visit the 24 square km park. The 160-square- km Purna Sanctuary is a dense deciduous forest with Purna and Gira Rivers crossing it. It has bamboo-lined pathways for trekkers. Here too, prior permission is necessary for a visit.

Places of interest

Among other interesting places are: The Saputara Lake amid a green setting and having boating facilities; sunrise point, which offers a breathtaking view of the forests; the ten-minute ropeway ride that leads to the sunset point; Gira Falls 52 km away; spectacular rose gardens; and the treks in the Mahal Bardipura forest, 60 km away.

Reaching Saputara

Surat is the nearest airport, 172 km away, for Saputara. There is a plan to have its own airport soon. The nearest railway station is Waghai, on the Billimora-Waghai narrow gauge. Billimora is the more convenient railway station. State transport buses and private luxury coaches are available from Waghai and Ahmedabad. The drive along the state highway is through scenic territory. Saputara is 420 km from Ahmedabad, 300 km from Vadodara, 80 km from Nashik, and 185 km from Mumbai. The Maharashtra border is just 4 km from Saputara.

Moderate climate

The climate of Saputara is moderate. The mean summer temperature varies from 27 degree Celsius to 31 degree Celsius and the winter temperatures from 9 degree Celsius to 20 degree Celsius. The best time to visit is from the middle of March to the middle of November. Visitors can be comfortable with light protection against cold. The members of the fair sex can opt for the trendy parka jackets for women without being troubled by chilly weather.