Padam Dungari Eco Campsite

Gujarat tourism has changed a lot over the years. Various strategies have been implemented in order to promote popular as well as remote areas in Gujarat. We have lots of naturally beautiful places in Gujarat, which have been upgraded with basic facilities so that tourists can enjoy it to the fullest. Gujarat tourism and forest department have been promoting eco campsites for a long time. Eco campsites are, as the name suggests, camping sites giving you an experience of living in nature’s laps. They usually have facilities such as tents so that you can stay overnight or a day or two. Today we’ll talk about Padam Dungari, located in Vyara, district Navsari.

How to reach Padam Dungari?

Padam Dungari is around 23 km from Vansda, hence close to Vansda National Park. You can find a bus to the village and a railway station that is around 10+ km from the village. However, the road route would be the best choice.

• Bardoli – Padam Dungari: around 56 km
• Navsari – Padam Dungari: around 68 km
• Surat – Padam Dungari: around 89 km
• Valsad – Padam Dungari: around 78 km
• Vapi – Padam Dungari: around 100 km

Facilities in Padam Dungari

There are some basic facilities like:

• Cafeteria / Restaurant
• Dormitory
• Reception – to inquire or get information about the site
• 2 AC and 8 Non AC cottages
• Tents with toilet and bathing facilities
• Orientation center – it gives you an overall summary of what the site is about and what you will experience throughout your stay
• Rescue center – for injured wildlife animals and birds
• Amphitheatre
• Separate kitchen and dining places
• Machaans for wildlife viewing (Machaans are made from wood to stand or sit on)

How to book your stay at Padam Dungari?

The site is open to the public from 9 am – 6 pm on all days of the week. You may contact www.gujarattourism.com to ask about available cottages, tents, and the tariff.

According to the resources, the costs are as below:

• Dormitory – INR 2500 for maximum 10 people
• AC Room – INR 1500
• Non-AC Room – INR 800
• Tent – Not sure if they provide to all or only students. Please contact on the number given below to know more.

You can call on this number for bookings: 97278 78583

Places to visit near Padam Dungari

The distance of places mentioned is in terms of their distance from Padam Dungari.

• Unai mata temple (10.2 km) – It is one of the most famous hot water springs temples in Gujarat. People usually go to this temple to perform traditional holy ceremonies and rituals. Moreover, it is believed that lots of illness can be cured by bathing in this hot water. However, one should take appropriate measures and precautions before going in.
• Chand Surya temple (4.4 km) – Situated near the banks of river Ambika, Chand Surya temple is located in Bartad, Gujarat. It is not really huge but the atmosphere is tranquil. And the temple has remarkable historic importance.
• Ghusmai mata temple (3.4 km) – The temple is next to a mountain and located in the forest area. The mountainous area gets all hints of greens during the rains.
• Waghai botanical garden (27.2 km) – This garden conserves a huge range of local and exotic plants. You may not find a human guide to usher you throughout the garden because there is plenty of written information everywhere and hence, it is self-explanatory. Moreover, the garden is open from 8 am – 6 pm and entry is free.
• Gira Falls, Waghai (30 km) – One of the most famous and beautiful waterfalls in Gujarat is Gira Falls or Gira Dhodh. It is absolutely beautiful and lavish during monsoon and mostly inactive during other seasons. It is perfect for photography lovers, but utter care must be taken by all before going near it.
• Vansda national park (35.4 km) – You can find ample flora and fauna of various species. There are also various reptiles like python, cobra, kraits (highly venomous Asian snake of cobra family) and more.

Most of the information about the facilities have been taken from the Gujarat Tourism website. They have stressed a lot on maintaining the dignity of the environment and respecting the space and silence the wildlife needs. There are a few points that I think we must all follow while exploring Padam Dungari or any wildlife sanctuary.

• Talk softly and keep your smartphones silent so that you don’t scare off the wild birds and animals
• Do not use flash while taking photos and do not disturb the wildlife just so you can capture the best shot
• Discard the trash in the bins
• Do not spit on the ground or on walls
• Follow the instructions on the signs you see on the site
• Do not smoke as cigarettes stubs can cause forest fires

My own experience

I’ve been to Padam Dungari twice now and I must say its a very peaceful place. You will feel really connected to nature as you are surrounded by its wonderful creations. I personally don’t think you need to stay overnight here, but if you want to explore it early morning or see how it feels at night, then you may. I don’t know if you are allowed to go out and about at night during your stay, but I don’t recommend. If you look closely and pay attention you may find various species of birds which cannot be seen in cities.

Humans have been messing with nature to suit their needs ever since the evolution. We are trying so hard to change everything in nature when everything we need has already been created in nature, by nature. Its only good for the breathing kind if we understand this soon enough. So let’s enjoy the nature in its true form, in the way it has been created for us.

Enjoying a getaway requires nothing but your mental presence. Physical presence is not enough. Just keep your phones, laptops, and everything aside for a while and you’ll see how wonderful nature is. It will teach you a lot of things only if you keep yourself open to it.

On a final note, I’d like to thank Darpan Dodiya for letting me use photos captured by him! 🙂

You must have heard this before but it cannot be emphasized enough, so I’ll say it again :

“Sometimes you need to disconnect to stay connected”

With that said, we are aiming to cover a series of articles about other such eco campsites in Gujarat. So I hope you visit them and stay connected to nature!

Happy camping! 🙂