Saputara, situated in the Dang district of the state of Gujarat in India is a hill station city.

This beautiful hill station of Gujarat is perched up on a plateau on the Sahyadri Range at the altitude of 1000m in the area of the Dang forest. The climate here is quite cool and the highest summer temperature does not exceed 28 degrees centigrade. Saputara is located 160 km away from Surat. According to the Hindu legend Lord Ram had spent 11 years of his exile in these forests.

Saputara literally means “habitat of serpents. There is a snake image on the banks of the river Sarpagana that is duly worshipped by the tribals living here.

Saputara has been well developed into a hill station complete with hotels, museum, swimming pools, theatre, and parks. It has a lot of gardens, beautiful locations. The cool climate of this place makes it a perfect place for summer getaways. The resort here is well equipped with adventure sports too. This resort is known as Saputara Hill Resort and paragliding is an activity that you can do and have fun.

The dense forest of Saputara is a home to the tribals living here. The village life and their unique dance performances interest the tourists greatly.

Climate

Saputara has a comfortable and pleasant climate with the temperature of summers ranging from 27 degrees Celsius to 31 degrees Celsius. The temperatures in winter vary from 9 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. The monsoon arrives in Saputara from mid of June and lasts till the end of October.

Saputara is a hill station that rejuvenates the tourists all around the year with is comfortable climate. The rough variation in temperature has never been seen in this hill station. Saputara is a model of general and wildlife attraction. This is a destination for tourists that are hit by the scorching everyday lives of the city.

With the arrival of monsoon in Saputara, the place gets a divine look and feel. The whole atmosphere is delightfully green, or under a thick cover of rain drops or the whole place is covered in fog. This is certainly the best season as it gives an adventurous makeover to this land. The place is full of clouds, mist and a tourist will not be able to see the nearby hills. This place becomes romantic heaven for the people in love. When the rain stops, a visibly green atmosphere can be seen filled with small and big waterfalls everywhere.

Shopping

The tourists visiting this place can pick up jewelry, vases, key chains, pottery, paintings, pen stands etc. These are handcrafted with the material found locally. The craftsmen here also organize workshops for little children where they can learn tips and tricks for making simple items at home.

How to Reach

By Air: Mumbai is the nearest airport.

By Rail: Waghai, on Billimora is nearest railway station. Waghai has a narrow gauge section of western railway. Therefore, for people who are coming from Surat, Ahmedabad or even Mumbai, Billimora is the station you can get dropped off. This place has a direct bus service for Saputara.

By Road: The state transport and luxury buses are duly connected with Saputara. These buses connect Saputara from the various centres of Maharashtra and Gujarat. This place is located 51 km away from Waghai and 409 km from Ahemedabad.

Local Transport: One can easily hire jeeps from Ahwa for a tour within and outside the Saputara range. Mini buses by Chitrakoot ply during the peak season. There are tours which are organized by the TCGL.

Attractions

Mahal

Mahal is a region which is located at 60 km off the Saputara. This region is dominated by the Purna Sanctuary. The long drive which the tourists take passes through the lush green forest of the Dang. This area is full of high wooden slopes of the bamboo trees.

Artist Village

This is a very special place as you are able to see the tribal handcrafted material on display. You can also learn their craft and get your hands at work. You will be happy to try out your hand at the Warli painting or other craft tribal objects. This place is administered by Surya Goswami and Chandrakant Parmar. It is a very special place to learn about the culture of the region and tribals. This village has simple accommodation at cheap prices.

Vansda National Park

This park was originally a private forest owned by the Maharaja of Vansda. But now the park covers the area of 24 km². Even though the area of the forest is small it consists of leopard, tiger, giant squirrel, python, rusty-spotted cat, four-horned antelope and pangolin etc. to visit this national park a tourist requires the permission of Chief Wildlife Warden, or DFO, Ahwa.

Purna Sanctuary

It is a forest that covers the area of 160 km². This forest is a part of the most dense and moist deciduous forest of the Western Ghats in Gujarat. This forest is located in Mahal, approximately 60 km north of the Dang. The sanctuary can be reached by crossing the Gira River and Purna River. There is bamboo pathways created for trekkers but a prior permission is necessary to enter the forest.

Sunrise Point

This is a place which offers the finest view of Saputara and the adjoining Malegaon area. A tourist can reach Malegaon after a walk of 1.5 km in the direction of Waghai. The name of this place has restricted the tourist traffic as many people believe it is a place to be visited only during sunrise. But, people can come here at any time of the day to see the beautiful view of the region. However, Tata Consultancy Services have suggested renaming of this place as Valley View Point.

Sunset Point

This is a place that provides the best view of the vastness of the Dang forest. One can also easily view the tribal villages in the forest. The dense forest area has tribal villages scattered around it.

Gira Falls

This is an excellent option for a day break from Saputara. The Gira falls are located 52 km away from Saputara. This is one place that must not be missed especially in the monsoon months.

The Ropeway

This is a ten minute ride that takes you across the valley to the sunset point. The trip is organized by Hotel Vaity.

Excursion

If you are looking for a day’s excursion outside Saputara then you can also move ahead towards the wildlife sanctuary of Mahal Bardipura forest. This place is located 60 km away from Saputara. It is a home for trekkers offering rivers and bamboo paths.

Places to Stay

There are a lot of hotels in Saputara apart from the usual cottages and log huts. These places offer you a great deal of comfort. There are a lot of restaurants and wayside stall for food other than the usual hotels. The Gujarat Tourism Corporation also has a well equipped guest house in Saputara.

You will find a lot of restaurants offering gujarati and maharashtrian style home cooked food in and around the region of Saputara.