Gujarat's hilltop retreat
Saputara — the name means ‘abode of serpents’ — is Gujarat’s only hill station, a cool and green resort town set at around 1,000 metres in the Sahyadri (Western Ghats) on the border with Maharashtra, in the heavily forested, tribal district of the Dangs.
Developed as a planned hill retreat, it offers a refreshing escape from the plains: a pretty lake with boating, landscaped gardens, a ropeway and viewpoints (Sunset Point, Table Top, Gandhi Shikhar), a museum of Dangi tribal culture, and cool walks among the hills.
Surrounded by waterfalls, forests and tribal villages, and famously the one place in Gujarat with a genuine misty-monsoon hill character, Saputara is the gateway to all the natural wonders of the Dangs. A cool green world above the plains.
Saputara hill station.
How Gujarat got its only hill resort
Green Sahyadri hills.
The name 'Saputara' means 'abode of serpents', after the snake worship long practised by the area's tribal communities.
The town sits high in the Sahyadri (Western Ghats), giving it the cool climate and forested character that set it apart from the Gujarat plains.
Saputara was developed as a planned hill resort — Gujarat's only one — with a lake, gardens, a ropeway and viewpoints laid out for visitors.
It is the gateway to the Dangs, a tribal and heavily forested district of waterfalls, villages and natural wonders.
Reasons to make the time
Only hill station
Saputara is the only hill station in Gujarat, which alone makes it a different kind of trip from anywhere else in the state.
Cool climate
It sits at around a thousand metres in the Sahyadri, high enough to stay genuinely cool when the plains are unbearable.
Lake & gardens
The lake at the centre of town has boating, gardens along its edge and is where the evening crowd gathers.
Ropeway
A ropeway runs up to Sunset Point, and there are viewpoints strung along the ridge above the town.
Tribal culture
The tribal museum covers Dangi life — dress, instruments, tools and ritual objects of the district's communities.
Gateway
It is the gateway to the Dangs, whose waterfalls and forest are the real reason to come this far south.
What to look for inside
THE HILLSSaputara
Gujarat's only hill station, high in the green Sahyadri.
THE LAKESaputara Lake
The boating lake at the centre of town, with gardens along its edge.
How to spend an hour or two
Boat on the lake
Paddle or row across Saputara Lake, the calm green heart of the hill station.
Ride the ropeway
Take the ropeway up to the viewpoints for sweeping views over the forested hills.
See Sunset Point
Catch the famous sunset view as the light falls across the Sahyadri ridges.
Visit the tribal museum
Explore Dangi culture at the museum dedicated to the tribal life of the Dangs.
Walk the gardens
Wander the Step Garden and other landscaped greens dotted around the town.
Explore the hills
Head out to the waterfalls and forest that surround Saputara across the Dangs.
The Saputara hills.
A cool green retreat
Saputara is Gujarat’s only hill station — a planned resort town at ~1,000 m in the Western Ghats of the tribal Dangs, with a boating lake, gardens, ropeway, viewpoints and a Dangi tribal museum, surrounded by waterfalls and forest. The gateway to all the natural wonders of the Dangs.
Planning it in detail? See our Saputara and the Dangs guide.
Gujarat’s only hill station
~1,000 m in the Western Ghats
Lake, gardens & ropeway
Gateway to the Dangs
When to go
The monsoon is when Saputara is at its best — mist through the hills, waterfalls running everywhere, everything green.
November to February is cool, clear and comfortable, with the best long views from the ridge.
Even in April and May the elevation keeps it well below plains temperatures, which is why the town exists at all.
⏰ The Dangs are loveliest in and just after the monsoon, when the hills are green and the waterfalls full.
Timings & entry
- Open in daytime hours
- Green in monsoon
- Cool through winter
- Pair with Saputara
- The town is free to roam
- Attractions ticketed separately
- Lovely in the monsoon
- Cool — carry a layer
Getting there
By Air
Surat airport (~120 km).
By Rail
Bilimora / Waghai line.
By Road
Saputara / Ahwa.
At Saputara
HILLS & MIST
Gujarat's hill station
What to shoot
Green Sahyadri hills falling away from the ridge.
Detail
The lake at the centre of town.
Best time
Sunset from the ridge, and mist at dawn.
Setting
Forested slopes running out across the Dangs.
Know before you go
More to see close by
WATERFALLGirmal Falls
The tallest waterfall in Gujarat
4Anjan & Padmadungari
Hidden waterfalls and forest eco-trails
5Artist Village
Watch Warli artists paint tribal folklore
WATERFALLGira & Girmal
Gujarat’s mightiest cascades, in full monsoon roar
ECO-CAMPMahal Campsite
Riverside forest camping in Purna
Hatkeshwar Mahadev
A hill Shiva shrine above Saputara
Where to eat near Saputara
THALIGujarati Thali
Meals on the plains route.
FARSANDhokla & farsan
Steamed snacks.
STREETSaputara stalls
Corn, snacks & chai.
Tribal Dangi fare
Nagli rotla, bamboo shoots & forest produce.
Saputara FAQ
What is Saputara?
Saputara — the name means 'abode of serpents', after the snake worship long practised by the area's tribal communities — is Gujarat's only hill station, a cool green resort town at around a thousand metres in the Sahyadri.
Where is it?
In the Dangs, Gujarat's most heavily forested district, in the far south of the state on the Maharashtra border.
Is there an entry fee?
The town itself is free to visit. The ropeway, boating, museum and gardens each carry their own small charge.
When should I visit?
The monsoon and the weeks after it for greenery and waterfalls; November to February for cool, clear days and the best long views.
What's nearby?
Saputara itself, the waterfalls and forest of the Dangs around it, the tribal villages, and Purna sanctuary to the north.
How long does it take?
One to two days. A single night lets you catch both the sunset and the morning mist, which is what most day-trippers miss.
Related places across Gujarat
WATERFALLShankar Waterfall
A lush forest cascade near Dharampur
ISLANDShiyal Bet
A fishing island off the coast
Paliyad Khodiyar
A revered Khodiyar Mata shrine at Paliyad — the Vihat dham of the crocodile-riding goddess, crowned…
HERITAGENehru Gate
A grand ceremonial gateway in town
WATERFALLGira Falls
A wide curtain of water near Waghai
NATUREBhiloda
A forested town in the Aravallis
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Published 23 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026