Rann of Kutch

I have been inspired by the great saying that “while job fills your pocket, travel fills your heart”. Having travelled almost every nook and corner of India, the only adventure spot that was left for me to explore is the Great Rann of Kutch. Situated in Gujarat, 108 kms of bhuj to be precise, it is also called the white desert. Gujarat, a state of India, known for its culture, has many places of historic importance and scenic beauty, but Rann of Kutch is arguable the must go travel destination. The place has so much to offer including the great Rann Utsav, the new moon view and the sunset point that makes this place an ideal vacation spot not just with friends but with family as well. The heritage of the place can be easily seen in the locale people which makes it a culture rich place.

The Demographics

Talking about its existence, this salty marshland stretches across approximately 7,500 square feet of area in Gujarat and shares its endless expanse of white desert with Pakistan’s province Sindh. In India, this vast desert is accessible from Khargoda in Surendranagar district of Gujarat. While, I took a taxi to reach the desert expanse, other motor vehicles such as buses and two wheelers also ply on the route charging varied rates.

When to Visit the White Desert

Rann of kutch is known for its extreme weather conditions. While, in summers the temperature increase to a maximum of 49 degree celsius as the sun is at its peak, the temperature plummets to 0 degrees during night and in winter months. Therefore to avoid extreme weather, I prefered visiting the desert post October when the desert starts to dry up. During monsoons the desert get submerged into the water and there are high chances that you might not enjoy your stay here in the marshland. As Tropic of cancer also passes through the Rann of kutch and this makes it particular hot and humid.

As the desert lacks some of the basic facilities such as food, water and toilets, the best time to head out to the dessert is early morning after having the breakfast or during the night when the sun is not at its peak. I took up a locale guide to understand the weather changes and the best time to stroll the place. This is how i understood that strolling the white expanse during the full moon is the beauty to behold. Therefore, I made sure that I capture the glowing full moon during my visit at night.

World Heritage Site

During my visit to the Rann of Kutch, i was introduced to wild ass sanctuary that is also the little Rann of Kutch. This wild ass sanctuary is a surreal place that UNESCO has attributed as a world heritage site. This wildlife sanctuary is the biggest sanctuary of India that harbours one of the endangered species Wild Ass (Khur) that is on the verge of extinction. During the safari in the sanctuary, I saw some really bizzare species of reptiles, invertebrates, amphibians and zooplanktons that are easily spotted. A trip to this sanctuary makes your stay in Rann worth while.