Bhavnagar: the gateway to the Asiatic lion sanctuary

On Gujarat's coast, Bhavnagar remains the departure point for the Gir Sanctuary, the only place on Earth where Asiatic lions survive in the wild.

The center, gateway to the last sanctuary of Asiatic lions, is comfortably explored by motor rickshaw.

The Nilambag Palace, a former royal residence now a hotel, reflects the splendor of the maharajas who ruled Bhavnagar until Indian independence.

Steps away, the Takhteshwar Temple, on a hill overlooking the city, offers a panoramic viewpoint over the Gulf of Khambhat.

Heading inland, you can reach the Gir National Park, the only remaining wild habitat in the world for the Asian lion, a subspecies distinct from the African one.

Toward evening, Bhavnagar's markets animate the diamond trade, an industry historic to the city since the colonial period.

Gir National Park remains the only place in the world where the Asiatic lion survives in the wild, a genetically distinct subspecies from the African lion that once ranged from the Middle East to India.

Bhavnagar, founded in 1723 by the Gohil rulers, remains an important diamond cutting and polishing centre today, an industry employing tens of thousands of artisans in the region.