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WILDLIFE · EASTERN GIRGir East & Dhari
The wild eastern flank of Gir around Dhari — open forest, farmland and riverbeds where Asiatic lions roam beyond the sanctuary, sharing the land with the people of Amreli.
Where lions share the land
To the south of Amreli, around the town of Dhari, lies the wild eastern flank of the Gir forest — a landscape of open woodland, scrub, river valleys and farmland where the Asiatic lion has reclaimed territory far beyond the boundaries of the core sanctuary.
Amreli’s eastern lions have made the district something of a laboratory for shared-landscape conservation: forest teams, village volunteers and a network of rescue posts manage encounters that would elsewhere end in conflict, and the lions in turn range through revenue land, riverbeds and sugarcane as though the map’s boundaries were advisory. Travellers should drive the country roads slowly at dawn and dusk, keep to vehicles where lions are present, and follow the guides’ instructions without improvisation — the coexistence here rests on people knowing exactly how to behave.
This is one of the most remarkable wildlife stories in India: lions here live not in a fenced park but across a shared landscape, moving through revenue forest, riverbeds and the fields of Amreli’s farmers in a delicate and largely peaceful coexistence with people.
The Dhari area — with the Ambardi safari park, the Shetrunji river and interpretation facilities — is the gateway to this eastern Gir country. For the traveller it offers not only the thrill of lion territory but a moving lesson in conservation: a place where India’s only wild lions and rural human life share the same sunlit, dusty land. (Booking for safaris is via the official portal.)
The coexistence is not sentimental — it is negotiated daily. Lions take livestock, compensation schemes settle the loss, and Amreli’s farmers have largely absorbed the arithmetic in exchange for a pride of lions as neighbours; the forest department’s rapid-response and rescue teams, and a network of trained local volunteers, keep the friction manageable. Conservationists watch the eastward spread closely, because a population confined to one forest is a population one epidemic from disaster; the lions colonising Amreli’s revenue land are, in effect, buying their own species insurance.
For visitors, Ambardi Safari Park near Dhari offers the reliable sighting — an enclosed section of the Shetrunji’s forest with tracked vehicle drives — while the surrounding country rewards slow driving at dawn and dusk with genuine wild chances. Book through the official Gir portal, base at Dhari or the Tulsishyam-side lodges, and travel December to March; the sanctuary side closes for the monsoon, but the eastern landscape’s roads stay open year-round.
An Asiatic lion in eastern Gir.
Lions beyond the park boundary
Chital in the eastern Gir country.
Gir's lions are protected in the western core.
They expand east into the Amreli countryside.
Lions and farmers share the Dhari landscape.
A living conservation story around Dhari.
Reasons to make the time
Free-ranging lions
Lions here range far beyond any sanctuary boundary.
Coexistence
Farmers and prides share fields, riverbeds and lanes.
Eastern Gir
Open woodland, scrub and the Shetrunji's valleys.
Dhari gateway
Ambardi safari park makes sightings accessible.
Conservation
The eastward expansion is conservation's rarest good news.
Wild country
Dust, thorn and low sun define the country's look.
What to look for inside
LIONSAsiatic lions
Asiatic lions roaming the eastern Gir range.
WILDLIFEDeer & nilgai
Chital, sambar and nilgai across the same ground.
How to spend an hour or two
Base at Dhari
Gateway to eastern Gir.
Take a safari
At the Ambardi zone.
Learn coexistence
Lions and farmers.
See the Shetrunji
River country nearby.
Respect the wild
Keep distance; stay safe.
Book officially
Use the forest portal.
The open eastern Gir country.
Forest, farm and riverbed
Eastern Gir is not a fenced park but a living landscape: a mosaic of revenue forest, thorn scrub, the wooded banks of the Shetrunji and other rivers, and the farmland of Amreli’s villages, across which lions and other wildlife range freely.
The Dhari area provides the access points — the Ambardi safari park, interpretation centres and guided routes — but the real spectacle is the shared country itself, where the wild and the rural meet. (Safari access is permit-controlled; book via the official portal.)
Open eastern-Gir country
Free-ranging lion population
Shetrunji river valleys
Dhari access & Ambardi zone
When to go
Cool and clear — the best season across Amreli.
Green country; Gir's core largely closes.
Hot, but the best season for Gir lion sightings.
⏰ Base around Dhari; book safaris officially, travel with guides, and never approach or feed wildlife.
Timings & entry
- Safari zones run in set slots
- Gir's core closes in the monsoon
- Permits and guides are required
- Allow a half to full day
- Book safaris via the official portal
- A guide accompanies each safari
- This is NOT a booking site — book officially
- Respect wildlife and local communities
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot and Diu are the nearest airports.
By Rail
Amreli and Dhari are the nearest stations.
By Road
Around Dhari, ~45 km south of Amreli.
In lion country
WILD & SHARED
The Asiatic lion's eastern range
What to shoot
Lions in the open country.
Coexistence
Forest meeting farmland.
Reach
A long lens on safari.
Etiquette
Quiet, no flash, keep distance.
Know before you go
More to see close by
Nagnath Mahadev
A revered old Shiva temple in Amreli
Shetrunji Dam
A large reservoir on the Shetrunji river near Dhari — a tranquil expanse of water amid…
Khodiyar Mata Mandir
A revered shrine of Khodiyar Mata, the warrior goddess who rides a crocodile — one of…
ISLANDShiyal Bet
A fishing island off the coast
6Eastern Gir Trails
Quiet forest roads far from the tourist gates
TEMPLEKamnath Mahadev
A revered Shiva shrine near Veraval
Where to eat near Gir East & Dhari
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
SNACKSGanthiya & fafda
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
STREETLocal bites
Bhajiya, chevdo and chaat.
Veg & seafood
Veg fare inland; fresh seafood on the coast.
Gir East & Dhari FAQ
What is special about eastern Gir?
Asiatic lions roam freely here beyond the sanctuary, sharing the land with people.
Where is it?
Around Dhari, south of Amreli town.
How do I see lions?
Via the Ambardi safari park and guided routes — book officially.
Is it safe?
Yes, with guides and sensible distance; never approach wildlife.
When is the best time?
December–March for comfort; summer for sightings.
What's the coexistence story?
Lions and farmers share the Amreli countryside in a largely peaceful balance.
Do I need a permit?
Yes, for the safari zones — book via the official portal.
What's nearby?
The Ambardi park, the Shetrunji reservoir and Dhari town.
Related places across Gujarat
Machchhu River
The Machchhu river flows through the Morbi area of Saurashtra and is closely bound up with…
QUIETSector Gardens
Leafy, walkable greens between the sectors
Gopnath
Clifftop Shiva shrine above the Arabian Sea
Tulsishyam
The first Jyotirlinga, rebuilt at the ocean’s edge
Swaminarayan Temple
A vibrant community temple in the old city
Babo Pithoro Shrine
The Rathwa deity of the Pithora paintings
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Published 25 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026