Gujarat is where Krishna is believed to have ruled from a city by the sea, and where the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas faces the Arabian Sea at Somnath. Conch shells sound at dawn in Dwarka. Jain pilgrims climb Shatrunjaya hill barefoot before sunrise, and Ambaji’s lanes smell of coconut and incense by 7 AM. That’s why the famous temples in Gujarat bring in devotees from every state, all through the year.
If you’re planning a darshan trip here, the list of must visit temples in Gujarat is long. Somnath and Nageshwar are two of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Dwarkadhish is one of the Char Dham. Ambaji and Pavagadh are revered Shakti Peeths, while Palitana and Girnar are among the holiest Jain hills in India. Few states let you cover a Jyotirlinga, a Char Dham and a Shakti Peeth in one week.
The tricky part is the distance between them. Dwarka and Somnath are 237 km apart, and Ambaji is close to the Rajasthan border. Several temples in Gujarat shut their doors for 3 to 5 hours in the afternoon. Phones aren’t allowed inside most sanctums, and festival weeks bring lakhs of pilgrims into one small town. Reach late and you miss the evening aarti you planned the whole day around.
Aarti times, afternoon closures, dress codes, ropeway fares and road distances decide how many temples you can actually cover in a day. We’ve listed them for each temple, along with a day-wise route. With a Chiku Cab booked for the full trip, you leave each temple on your own time, not on the bus timetable.
Plan Your Gujarat Temple Tour with ChikuCab
Planning to visit famous temples in Gujarat, including Somnath Jyotirlinga, Dwarkadhish, Nageshwar and Ambaji? Travel comfortably with ChikuCab’s one-way and round-trip taxi services. Choose a sedan or SUV for family travel or a Tempo Traveller for larger pilgrimage groups. Enjoy convenient road travel between Gujarat’s famous temples and nearby destinations.
A Short History of Temples in Gujarat
Many ancient temples in Gujarat were built under the Chaulukya, or Solanki, kings in the 11th and 12th centuries. Modhera’s Sun Temple carries an inscription dated 1026 to 1027 CE, the same period in which Mahmud of Ghazni raided Somnath.
Somnath was destroyed and rebuilt several times after that. Sardar Patel pushed for its reconstruction in 1947, and the present temple, now one of the most famous temples in India, was consecrated on 11 May 1951.
Krishna’s story ties the coast together. Dwarka is believed to be his kingdom, and Bhalka Tirth near Somnath is where he is believed to have left his body. Jain kings and merchants added the hill temples of Palitana, Girnar and Taranga. These mythological stories and carved stone halls shape the history of famous temples in Gujarat.
10 Famous Temples to Visit in Gujarat
These ten are the top temples in Gujarat for most pilgrims. Temples change their timings during festivals and Adhik Maas, so we recommend checking the official temple darshan timings with the trust a day before you leave.
Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple, Gir Somnath
Waves hit the sea wall behind Somnath loud enough to hear through the evening aarti. Somnath Temple is the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas and the reason most families plan a Saurashtra trip at all. Prabhas Patan’s lanes fill with flower sellers and the smell of ghee lamps by 6 AM.
Built in the Kailash Mahameru Prasad style, the temple lights up at night for a light and sound show on its own shikhar. Stay back after the 7 PM aarti to watch it.To learn more about the temple’s history, darshan schedule and nearby attractions, read our Somnath Temple guide.
| Detail | Information |
| Darshan | 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM |
| Aarti | 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 7:00 PM |
| Light and Sound Show | 7:45 PM (ticketed, cancelled on heavy rain days) |
| Entry | Free |
| Nearest Railway Station | Veraval Junction, 7 km |
| Nearest Airport | Keshod, 55 km |
Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka
Drums start up every time the priests change the 52-yard flag on Dwarkadhish’s shikhar, and devotees on the street below stop to look up. The flag is changed several times every day.
Also called Jagat Mandir, Dwarkadhish Temple is one of the four Char Dham and the most important of the famous Krishna temples in Gujarat. Its five-storey mandapa rests on 60 pillars, and the shikhar rises 50 metres over the Gomti river. You enter through Moksha Dwar and leave through Swarg Dwar, which opens onto 56 steps down to Gomti Ghat.
| Detail | Information |
| Mangla Aarti | 6:30 AM |
| Morning Darshan | 6:30 AM to 1:00 PM |
| Temple Closed | 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM |
| Evening Darshan | 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM |
| Shayan Aarti | 8:30 PM |
| Nearest Airport | Jamnagar, 133 km, or Porbandar, 105 km |
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Dwarka
Seventeen km out of Dwarka on the Okha road, a seated Shiva statue 25 metres tall appears over the scrub before the temple does. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is the second of the two Jyotirlinga temples in Gujarat, and its sanctum is below ground level, so you step down for darshan.
Men are sometimes asked to wear a dhoti for close darshan, and the temple provides one. Rukmini Devi Temple and Bet Dwarka are the other famous temples near Dwarka on this road, so we plan most Dwarka day trips with all three in one loop.For more details about the route, temple timings and travel information, see our Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple guide.
| Detail | Information |
| Darshan | 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM |
| Aarti | 6:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 7:00 PM |
| Distance from Dwarkadhish Temple | 17 km |
Akshardham Temple, Gandhinagar
The Sat-Chit-Anand water show starts after sunset with jets of water, fire and Sanskrit chants rising behind the stone mandir. BAPS opened Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar in 1992. The mandir is 108 feet high, with 97 carved pillars, 17 domes and not a single piece of iron or steel.
Phones, cameras and bags aren’t allowed inside the complex, so leave them at the free cloakroom. At 21 km from the airport, Akshardham is the easiest of the famous temples near Ahmedabad to cover on the day you land.
| Detail | Information |
| Open | Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM (last entry) |
| Closed | Every Monday |
| Exhibitions | ₹60 adults, ₹40 children (3 to 11 years) |
| Water Show | 7:30 PM, ₹100 adults, ₹70 children |
| Dress Code | Shoulders, upper arms and knees covered |
Ambaji Temple, Banaskantha
There is no idol inside Ambaji Temple. Priests worship the Shree Visa Yantra behind a curtain, and devotees aren’t meant to look at it directly. “Bol Mari Ambe, Jai Jai Ambe” echoes through the Arasur hills as padayatri groups arrive on foot.
Ambaji is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths and the first name on any list of famous Mata temples in Gujarat. Gabbar hill, 4 km away, has a ropeway and steps up to the original shrine. During Bhadarvi Poonam 2026, more than 34 lakh devotees came in the first five days, which puts Ambaji among the most visited temples in Gujarat.
| Detail | Information (revised from 16 July 2026) |
| Morning Aarti | 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM |
| Morning Darshan | 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM |
| Afternoon Darshan | 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM |
| Evening Aarti | 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM |
| Evening Darshan | 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM |
| Distance from Ahmedabad | 185 km |
Modhera Sun Temple, Mehsana
By noon the stone steps of the Surya Kund are warm under bare feet, and pigeons flap out of the carved sabha mandap every few minutes. King Bhima I built this Sun Temple, one of the oldest and most historical temples in Gujarat. The stepped tank in front holds 108 miniature shrines.
No worship takes place here today. The ASI maintains it as a monument, and the sanctum is aligned so the first rays of the sun reach it on the equinoxes. You can pair it with Rani ki Vav in Patan on the same day.
| Detail | Information |
| Timings | 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Entry Fee | ₹40 for Indian visitors |
| Light and Sound Show | 7:00 PM |
| Distance | 100 km from Ahmedabad, 35 km from Patan |
Kalika Mata Temple, Pavagadh
Bells ring at the top of Pavagadh hill, and the wind carries the sound down to the ropeway. The temple is part of the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In June 2022, a flag was hoisted on its restored shikhar for the first time in 500 years.
The ropeway goes up from Machi in 6 minutes, and then you walk 250 steps to the temple. At 54 km from the city, Pavagadh is the most popular day trip among famous temples in Vadodara Gujarat.
| Detail | Information |
| Darshan | 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM (4:00 AM to 8:00 PM in Navratri) |
| Aarti | 5:00 AM, 6:30 PM |
| Ropeway | 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, ₹150 adults, ₹80 children |
Palitana Jain Temples, Bhavnagar
Bare feet slap on stone in the dark as pilgrims start the Shatrunjaya climb at 4 AM, chanting “Jai Adinath” between breaths. More than 860 temples cover the hilltop, and the main shrine belongs to Adinath, the first Tirthankara. This is the holiest of the famous Jain temples in Gujarat.
The climb is 3.5 km and over 3,700 steps, with dolis at the base if you can’t walk it. Nobody stays on the hill after dark, because it is believed to belong to the gods at night.
| Detail | Information |
| Timings | 4:00 AM to 6:00 PM (everyone descends by evening) |
| Climb Time | 2 to 3 hours one way |
| Closed | Four monsoon months (Chaturmas), reopens on Kartik Purnima |
| Distance | 56 km from Bhavnagar |
Girnar Temples, Junagadh
Ten thousand steps go up Girnar, past chai stalls and langurs, to the Dattatreya peak. The Jain temples of Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara, come first, and Amba Mata Temple is higher up at the top of the ropeway. Together, they are the heart of the famous temples in Junagadh Gujarat.
The ropeway covers 2.3 km in 7.5 minutes and saves you the hardest part of the walk. Bhavnath Mahadev at the foot of the hill holds a five-day Mahashivratri fair with Naga sadhus.
| Detail | Information |
| Ropeway Timings | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Ropeway Fare | ₹699 adults |
| Distance from Sasan Gir | 72 km |
Ranchhodraiji Temple, Dakor
The smell of frying Dakor na gota from the stalls outside reaches the steps of Ranchhodraiji Temple. Krishna is worshipped here as Ranchhodrai, and legend says his devotee Bodana carried the idol from Dwarka in a bullock cart.
Gopalrao Tambwekar built the present temple in 1772, with 8 domes and 24 turrets. On Phagun Purnima (Holi), lakhs of devotees walk here from Ahmedabad. For families looking for the best temple to visit near Ahmedabad as a day trip, this is the one we suggest.
| Detail | Information |
| Morning Darshan | 6:45 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Evening Darshan | 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM |
| Phones and Cameras | Not allowed |
| Distance | 90 km from Ahmedabad airport |
Famous Temples in Gujarat by City and Region
The famous temples of Gujarat aren’t limited to the top ten. Every district has a famous mandir in Gujarat that locals swear by.
Temples in Ahmedabad and Near the Airport
Ahmedabad has the first Swaminarayan temple ever built, at Kalupur, consecrated in 1822. Its carved wooden brackets are painted in deep reds and greens. Hutheesing Jain Temple, built in 1848, is a short drive away.
For a quick darshan before a flight, Camp Hanuman Temple is close to Ahmedabad airport. The Jagannath Temple at Jamalpur starts the city’s Rath Yatra every Ashadhi Bij, and ISKCON on SG Highway rounds off the famous temples in Ahmedabad Gujarat.
Saurashtra Temples Around Somnath, Dwarka and Rajkot
Most famous temples in Saurashtra are close to Somnath and Dwarka, so you can add them to the same trip.
- Bhalka Tirth, Triveni Sangam and Geeta Mandir are the famous temples near Somnath railway station.
- Close to Dwarka railway station, Rukmini Devi Temple is 2 km from Dwarkadhish.
- Bet Dwarka, an island temple of Krishna, has been reachable by road since 2024 over the Sudarshan Setu from Okha.
- Jalaram Bapa’s temple at Virpur, one of the famous temples in Rajkot Gujarat, hasn’t accepted donations since 2000.
- In Bhavnagar district, Nishkalank Mahadev at Koliyak stands in the sea, and you can walk to its five Shiva lingas only at low tide.
- Tulsishyam and Satadhar are the famous temples near Gir National Park.
Temples in Kutch
The famous temples in Kutch Gujarat are far apart, so plan a full day for each. Mata no Madh is home to Ashapura Mata, the kuldevi of Kutch. Koteshwar Mahadev and Narayan Sarovar lie at the westernmost tip of India, where the wind smells of salt and the only sound at dawn is the temple bell. Few spiritual places in Gujarat are this quiet.
North and South Gujarat Temples
Among the famous temples in North Gujarat, Bahucharaji in Mehsana is a Shakti Peeth. King Kumarapala built Taranga’s Ajitnath Jain Temple in the 12th century. Shamlaji, in the Aravalli hills, is a Krishna temple with a big Kartik Purnima fair.
The famous temples in South Gujarat are greener and quieter. Unai Mata near Navsari has hot water springs next to the temple, and Sabari Dham in the Dang forest is linked to Shabari of the Ramayana. In Vadodara, the army-built EME Temple has an aluminium-clad dome you can spot from the road.
Gujarat Temple List by Deity
Some devotees plan only the famous Shiva temples in Gujarat, others only the Shakti Peeth temples in Gujarat. This Gujarat temple list groups the shrines by deity.
| Deity | Temples |
| Lord Shiva | Somnath, Nageshwar, Bhavnath, Nishkalank Mahadev, Koteshwar |
| Lord Krishna | Dwarkadhish, Bet Dwarka, Ranchhodraiji, Shamlaji, Bhalka Tirth |
| Mata and Shakti | Ambaji, Kalika Mata, Bahucharaji, Ashapura Mata, Chamunda Mata |
| Jain Tirthankaras | Palitana, Girnar, Taranga, Hutheesing, Bhadreshwar |
| Swaminarayan | Akshardham, Kalupur, Vadtal, Bhuj |
Festivals and Temple Fairs in Gujarat
Festivals celebrated in Gujarat temples bring the biggest crowds of the year, but the aartis, processions and traditional rituals are worth planning for.
Mont
| Festival | Temple | Month | What Happens |
| Janmashtami | Dwarkadhish, Dakor | August or September | Midnight darshan |
| Bhadarvi Poonam | Ambaji | September | Padayatris walk in from across Gujarat |
| Navratri | Pavagadh, Ambaji, Bahucharaji | September or October | Garba, longer darshan hours |
| Kartik Purnima | Somnath, Palitana, Shamlaji | November | Somnath fair, Palitana yatra reopens |
| Lili Parikrama | Girnar | November | 36 km forest walk around Girnar |
| Mahashivratri | Somnath, Bhavnath | February or March | Night-long puja, Naga sadhus |
| Phagun Purnima | Dakor | March | Padayatra from Ahmedabad |
Roads into Dwarka and Ambaji are restricted during big festivals, and hotels fill up weeks in advance. Book your cab early for these dates, and we’ll plan drop points close to the temple.
Temple Darshan Timings and Entry Rules
Temple entry rules and visitor guidelines are similar across Hindu temples in Gujarat, but a few are strict about phones and dress.
| Temple | Phones | Dress Code |
| Somnath | Deposit at cloakroom, no photography inside | No shorts or sleeveless tops |
| Dwarkadhish | Deposit at lockers | Saree or salwar suit preferred, men in full-length pants |
| Nageshwar | Keep switched off inside | Dhoti for close darshan (provided) |
| Akshardham | Not allowed in complex | Shoulders and knees covered |
| Ranchhodraiji | Not allowed | Modest clothing |
| Palitana | Avoid carrying | Modest clothing, no leather items |
Facilities available for pilgrims in Gujarat include free shoe stands, cloakrooms and drinking water at the main temples. Still, carry a cloth bag for footwear and some cash for prasad, parking and dolis, since UPI doesn’t always work on hilltops.
Planning a Gujarat Temple Tour Itinerary
Yes, you can visit Somnath and Dwarka in one trip. They’re 237 km apart, a 4 to 5 hour drive along the coast via Porbandar. Most famous religious places in Gujarat fall on one of two routes, which makes a Gujarat temple tour itinerary easy to plan.
| Route | Road Distance | Drive Time |
| Ahmedabad to Dwarka | 440 km | 7 to 8 hours |
| Dwarka to Somnath | 237 km | 4 to 5 hours |
| Somnath to Junagadh | 91 km | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Ahmedabad to Ambaji | 185 km | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Ahmedabad to Bhavnagar | 170 km | 3 hours 20 minutes |
| Vadodara to Pavagadh | 54 km | 1 hour 15 minutes |
5-Day Saurashtra Temple Route
| Day | Route | Darshan |
| Day 1 | Ahmedabad to Dwarka | Dwarkadhish evening aarti, Gomti Ghat |
| Day 2 | Dwarka local | Nageshwar, Rukmini Devi, Bet Dwarka |
| Day 3 | Dwarka to Somnath | Sudama Mandir at Porbandar, Somnath aarti and light show |
| Day 4 | Somnath to Junagadh | Bhalka Tirth, Triveni Sangam, Girnar ropeway |
| Day 5 | Junagadh to Ahmedabad | Virpur Jalaram, Chotila Chamunda Mata |
7-Day Gujarat Pilgrimage Tour
Add two days for a full Gujarat pilgrimage tour. Day 6 covers Palitana from Bhavnagar, with an early start for the 4 AM climb. On Day 7, the route goes north to Ambaji and Gabbar hill, with Akshardham on the way back to Ahmedabad.
This plan works well for famous temples in Gujarat for family trips, since no day has more than 8 hours on the road. We can also customize it to add Gir National Park or the Rann of Kutch, two of the best places to visit in Gujarat after the temples.
Best Time to Visit Temples in Gujarat
October to March is the best season for temple pilgrimage in Gujarat. Mornings are cool enough for the Palitana and Girnar climbs.
- April to June gets hot. Saurashtra and Kutch cross 40°C by noon, so plan darshan before 11 AM.
- Monsoon arrives in July. Palitana stays closed, Girnar steps get slippery, and ropeways shut in strong wind.
- Shravan, Navratri and Kartik bring the biggest crowds to pilgrimage places in Gujarat, so reserve hotels two weeks ahead.
Getting Around Gujarat Temples by Road
Ahmedabad airport is the main entry point for a temple tour in Gujarat. Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Keshod and Bhavnagar airports bring you closer to specific temples. By train, Dwarka and Okha stations serve the Dwarka temples, and Veraval serves Somnath.
Trains and buses don’t connect the religious places in Gujarat to each other well. Nageshwar, Bet Dwarka, Gabbar hill and Palitana’s base all need a car once you reach the nearest town. We provide sedans, SUVs and tempo travellers as per your group size, with pickup from the airport, station or hotel. Fare starts from ₹10/km, and the driver waits at each temple while you finish darshan.
We recommend starting each Dwarka day with the 6:30 AM mangla darshan. You’ll finish Nageshwar before its 12:30 PM closure and still have the afternoon for Bet Dwarka.If you are starting your journey from Ahmedabad, explore our Ahmedabad cab service and outstation taxi service for intercity travel.
FAQs About Famous Temples in Gujarat
Which are the 10 most famous temples to visit in Gujarat?
Somnath, Dwarkadhish, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Akshardham, Ambaji, Modhera Sun Temple, Kalika Mata at Pavagadh, Palitana, Girnar and Ranchhodraiji in Dakor. Together they take you to Jyotirlingas, Shakti Peeths, a Char Dham and the holiest Jain hills.
Which is the most famous Hindu temple in Gujarat?
Somnath Temple. It is home to the first Jyotirlinga, stands on the Arabian Sea shore at Prabhas Patan and was rebuilt in 1951. Dwarkadhish, one of the Char Dham, comes a close second.
Which Jyotirlinga temples are located in Gujarat?
Gujarat has two Jyotirlingas, Somnath in Gir Somnath district and Nageshwar, 17 km from Dwarka. You can cover both on a single Saurashtra trip.
What are the darshan timings and aarti timings of Somnath Temple?
Somnath opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 10:00 PM. Aarti is held at 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and the light and sound show starts at 7:45 PM.
What are the daily darshan timings of Dwarkadhish Temple in Dwarka?
Morning darshan begins with mangla aarti at 6:30 AM and ends at 1:00 PM. Doors reopen at 5:00 PM and the temple closes at 9:30 PM.
What are the darshan timings and aarti schedule of Ambaji Temple?
Since 16 July 2026, morning aarti is at 7:00 AM and evening aarti at 7:00 PM. Darshan continues through the day with short breaks, and the gates close at 9:00 PM.
What is the best time to visit famous temples in Gujarat?
October to March, when mornings are cool for hill climbs and coastal drives. Summer heat crosses 40°C, and Palitana closes during the monsoon.
How many days are required to visit the major temples in Gujarat?
Five days are enough for Dwarka, Nageshwar, Somnath and Girnar. With Palitana and Ambaji added, you’ll need seven.
How can I plan a pilgrimage covering Somnath, Dwarka and Nageshwar Jyotirlinga?
Three days work well. Spend two in Dwarka for Dwarkadhish, Nageshwar and Bet Dwarka, then drive 237 km along the coast to Somnath for the evening aarti. We cover this route with the same cab and driver for all three days.
How can I reach famous temples in Gujarat by train, flight or road?
Ahmedabad is the main airport, with Rajkot, Jamnagar and Keshod closer to Saurashtra. Dwarka and Veraval have railway stations, but shrines like Nageshwar and Gabbar hill need a cab from town.
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