Gira & Girmal

Gira and Girmal are two of the most admired waterfalls in the Dangs region of south Gujarat, tumbling through the green hills near Saputara. Fed by monsoon rains, they are at their most powerful and photogenic in the wet season and the weeks that follow, when the surrounding forest is lush and the rivers run high. Together they are among the natural highlights that draw visitors into this cooler, wooded corner of the state.

The falls sit in scenic hill country, with viewpoints and short walks that let you take in the cascades and the forest around them. Gira and Girmal each have their own character and setting, and both reward a relaxed visit with time to enjoy the sound and spray. Conditions change sharply with the seasons, so flow can be dramatic after rain and much reduced in the dry months.

What to see and do at Gira and Girmal

Viewing and photographing the waterfalls is the main pleasure, especially when they are in full flow after the rains. Short walks and viewpoints let you take in the cascades and the green hills around them.

The wider setting of the Dangs, with its forests and cool air, makes the visit more than just the falls. Combine Gira and Girmal with nearby Saputara and other Dangs sights for a rounded day out.

Gira & Girmal

How to get there

The falls lie in the Dangs of south Gujarat, reached by road from Saputara and regional towns along scenic hill routes. A vehicle is the practical way to reach them, with short walks to viewpoints once you arrive. Roads can be slippery in the monsoon, so drive with care.

Best time to visit Gira and Girmal

The monsoon and the weeks just after are the finest time, when the falls are full and the hills are green. In the dry months the flow drops considerably, so time your trip to the wetter season for the best spectacle, while taking care on wet paths.

Good to know

• Visit in or just after the monsoon for full flow.
• Take care on slippery paths and roads.
• Combine with a Saputara stay.
• Carry rain protection in the wet season.

Frequently asked questions

Two falls, one forest

The Dangs — Gujarat's smallest and greenest district — hold the state's best waterfalls, and Gira and Girmal are the pair everyone should see. They are often confused and worth distinguishing. Gira Falls, near Waghai on the district's western edge, is the accessible one: the Ambika river dropping about thirty metres over a broad rock lip, minutes off the Waghai–Saputara road. Girmal Falls, deep in the district near Girmal village, is the tall one — the Gira river plunging around a hundred metres in a single leap, the highest waterfall in Gujarat.

Gira is the easy stop on the way up to Saputara. Girmal is the expedition — an hour and a half of forest road beyond Waghai — and the reward is proportionate.

When they perform

Both are monsoon rivers, and timing is everything. From July the falls build; August to October is the spectacle, with spray drifting a hundred metres from Girmal's plunge; by December they thin, and by March they are a trickle on dark rock. There is no reason to make the Girmal drive in summer.

In full flood, respect the barriers. The rock aprons are polished and slick, the currents below the falls are violent, and both sites have taken lives from people wading where they shouldn't. Viewpoints exist because they are the safe places to stand.

The drive is half the point

Both falls sit in genuine forest — teak and bamboo, tribal villages, and the Dangs' road rhythm of cattle, chickens and school children. The Girmal road especially runs through the district's heart: Waghai's botanical garden at the start, the Purna sanctuary's fringe, village markets on their weekly days. Build in stops; driving it fast misses the district the falls belong to.

Practical notes

Waghai is the junction town for both falls — reachable from Surat or Navsari in about three hours, with Saputara an hour on. Gira has stalls, parking and a short walk to the viewpoint; Girmal has a viewing platform and very little else, so carry water and food. Both are free or near-free to visit.

Go on weekdays in season if you can — monsoon weekends bring crowds from Surat, and Gira in particular gets busy. Mornings give the best light on both falls and the emptiest platforms.

A workable Dangs day from the coast: Waghai botanical garden, Gira Falls, the forest road to Girmal, and back — or carry on up the ghat to Saputara for the night and take the district in two unhurried days instead.