SAFARIS

Safaris are organized by open car from the Reception Centre located on the main street of Sasan, at the entrance of Sinh Sadhan Guesthouse. Departures are three times a day, at 6am, 8:30am and 3pm. There are eight different tours within the park, and each tour takes 3 hours. The best time of day to see the lions is early in the morning. The last count was 523 lions and lionesses in the reserve, so the chances of seeing them are high.
The Gujarat government, in charge of the management of the Sasan Gir sanctuary, has decided to ban foreign tourists. The prices charged differ outrageously depending on whether one has an Indian passport or not. If this practice is common everywhere in India and allows Indians to access the treasures of their culture, in Sasan Gir it takes exorbitant proportions. Moreover, the reservation system is complex. You must first obtain a permit for one of the three possible time slots. The government issues 30 permits per slot, half of which are available for pre-booking via the Internet. If you were not lucky enough to get your permit before arriving in Sasan, you will have to queue at the Reception Centre. Permits are issued 30 minutes before the start of each safari. However, it is best to come much earlier in order to get one. If you want to see the lions in the early morning, the authorities recommend that you come at 4am.
You will also need to find a jeep (Gypsy) and take a guide. This is a much simpler procedure. Gypsies and guides are waiting in front of the reservation center and you will just have to choose the vehicle that suits you, if they don't assign you one.

What if you are not a group of 6 people?
The only solution is to scour the local hotels. In high season, you will have every chance of finding people to share the costs with (and maybe even find someone who already has a permit). In low season, it's a different story. When we were in Sasan, we were the only foreigners in town.

You can also book your safari in advance on the Gir Park website. However, you should know that the ticket is not modifiable. You must therefore fill in the names of all participants. The price (staggering) includes the permit, the rental of the vehicle, the guide, the return trip from your resort, but only one permit for camera!