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Location:
160 kms from Surat, Gujarat.
Altitude: 1000m Above Sea Level.
Main Attractions: Saputara Lake, Ropeway.
Best Season: April To Early July.
 9
km from Saputara begins the town of Waghai around which many delightful
tourist spots are situated. The drive itself is scenic and the air pure
and refreshing.
PRIME ATTRACTIONS
Gira Falls: One km off the Saputara-Waghai Road, leads to a vast
clearing where the picturesque Gira Falls emerging from the Kapri
tributary can be viewed. An absolute must from June to November.
Visitors can get refreshments from a small tea and snack stall. Picnic
huts make it an ideal spot for relaxing and picnicking.
Botanical Garden: There is a large (24 hectare) garden with 1,400
varieties of plants from all over India. The amateur nature lover can
marvel at different varieties of bamboo like the Chinese bamboo, Golden
bamboo, Beer Bottle bamboo etc. and enjoy strolling along the beautiful
walkways each lined with different species of tree.
Visitors can also pick up cactus plants and enjoy a picnic at the picnic
spot in the garden. Permission is required to enter. Drinking water and
toilet facilities are available.
EXCURSIONS
Unnai Mata Temple And Hot Springs: A drive of about 19 kms from
Waghai brings one to the Unnai Mata Temple. Visitors can bathe in the
hot spring attached to this famous temple of considerable historical
significance.
Vanil Udyog: A sprawling sawmill cum woodworking unit, which also
sells furniture that the tourist can book and get delivered by paying an
advance. The visitor can enjoy a guided tour and watch the
transformation of logs of wood into tasteful furniture.
Permission is required to enter. Vanil Udyog provides employees to
assist as tour guides. Drinking water facilities are available.
Vansda National Park: A rich and old forest, predominantly
covered by very tall teak trees, mango groves and gigantic creepers. The
forest is extremely dense and some parts are dark even during normal
daytime. The forest is a habitat of monkeys, deer, a few leopards and a
wide species of birds. Permission is required to enter the park.
Ambapada: A typical Dangi village located about 1 km off the
Saputara-Waghai Road, near the Gira Falls. The route to it is somewhat
tricky but very scenic as it is surrounded on all sides by lush and tall
bamboos. The tourist can take a walk in and around the village and also
see some tribals engaged in the making of toys and lamps out of bamboo
roots.
The circuit has numerous wayside tea and biscuit stalls and also small
wayside dhabas near Waghai.
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