Textile and Craft Tour (11 days)

Start your day with a visit to Sabarmati Ashram This was Mahatma Gandhi's home for many years You'll see the charkha (spinning wheel) that Gandhi used to promote self-reliance Next, we'll head to Shreyas Folk Museum Here, you'll get a great overview of Gujarat's traditional arts and crafts Look out for the colourful embroideries and intricate wood carvings In the evening, we'll go shopping at Law Garden market This is the perfect place to buy some bandhani work Bandhani is a type of tie-dye that's popular in Gujarat Feel free to practice your haggling skills!

We've got a long drive today, but it'll be worth it! First stop: Patan This town is famous for its Patola silk saris We'll visit a weaving centre to see how these intricate double-ikat textiles are made It's mind-boggling how skilled these weavers are! Next, we'll stop at Modhera Sun Temple This 11th-century temple is a architectural marvel Don't forget your camera – the carved details are stunning Finally, we'll reach Bhuj, our base for exploring the Kutch region

Today we'll visit some nearby craft villages First up: Bhujodi village Known for its weaving and block printing You might want to pick up a traditional Kutchi shawl here Then we'll head to Ajrakhpur This village specialises in Ajrakh block printing You'll see how they use natural dyes to create bold, geometric patterns In the evening, we'll visit Aina Mahal in Bhuj This 18th-century palace has a great textile collection Look out for the beautiful mirror work – it's dazzling!

Today we're going on a full-day trip to the Banni region We'll visit villages like Hodka, Dhordo, and Khavda Each village has its own embroidery style You'll also see some amazing leather work This is your chance to meet local artisans and see them at work Don't be shy – they love showing off their skills to visitors!

We're off to the coastal town of Mandvi today The main attraction here is the Hiralaxmi Craft Park It's like a living museum of Kutchi crafts You'll see demonstrations of block printing, bandhani, and more We'll head back to Bhuj in the evening If you're up for it, we can explore the local market for some last-minute Kutch souvenirs

Time to say goodbye to Kutch as we drive to Rajkot Once we arrive, we'll visit the Watson Museum It's got a bit of everything – archaeology, colonial history, and local handicrafts In the evening, we'll explore the local markets Rajkot is known for its bandhani and embroidery See if you can spot the differences from what we saw in Kutch!

After breakfast, we'll drive to Jamnagar Our first stop will be the Bala Hanuman Temple It's famous for its non-stop chanting of "Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram" It's been going on since 1964! In the afternoon, we'll explore the local markets Jamnagar is known for its brass work You might want to pick up a souvenir or two

We've got a long drive today, so we'll set off early Once we reach Vadodara, we'll take it easy In the evening, we'll visit the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum It's housed in a beautiful palace You'll see some amazing paintings, including works by Raja Ravi Varma

Start the day with a visit to the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery It's got a great collection of arts and crafts from around the world Next, we'll explore MS University's Faculty of Fine Arts This is where many of India's top artists studied If we're lucky, we might catch a student exhibition In the afternoon, it's time for some shopping! We'll head to Bandhani Bazaar It's your last chance to stock up on colourful textiles

After breakfast, we'll drive back to Ahmedabad If you're up for some last-minute shopping, we can stop at Banascraft or Gurjari These shops stock handicrafts from all over Gujarat Then it's time to head to the airport for your flight home Safe travels, and don't forget to show off all your new textiles when you get home! What's Included: Airport transfers All accommodation (10 nights) Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle English-speaking guide throughout the tour Entrance fees to all mentioned sites Daily breakfast What's Excluded: Flights to and from Ahmedabad Visa fees Travel insurance Meals other than breakfast Personal expenses (souvenirs, laundry, etc.) Tips for guide and driver