Organised annually by Gujarat Tourism, between November and February, the Rann Utsav in Kutch has been gaining popularity among Indian and foreign travellers over the previous few years.
Though it’s surely an interesting effort by Gujarat Tourism to allow people to revisit Kutch after it was left devastated by the 2001 earthquake, by creating a travel story linking to Kutch’s geographical and cultural distinctions, the value for money the Kutch Rann Utsav offers is, unfortunately, pretty discouraging.
To own a tent (a Premium Tent, or a Rajwadi Bhunga, as named) that comes with complimentary meals and a one night/two days package, it costs nearly 6 thousand Rupees per person (excluding 18% taxes). For every extra person, in the tent, you pay an additional 4 thousand (and more taxes). This means a family of three can end up paying over 15 thousand Rupees for one night in Rann Utsav.
Please check the official festival website for the updated price list!
Also, before I share more about my experience and why I discourage you to go there, I want to share other useful resources I have written about the region. Here’s my Kutch travel blog with backpacking tips, for more on what to see and do in Kutch other than the Rann Utsav.
If you want to visit more places in Gujarat, here’s a more detailed tourist destination in Gujarat guide. For Ahmedabad only, here’s the Ahmedabad travel blog. I also recommend you to not miss the popular step-wells in Ahmedabad, particularly Adalaj Stepwell. They are some of the most popular historic destinations, other than Kutch Rann Utsav in the entire Gujarat.
Now, let’s get started with the topic at hand…
Rann Utsav In Kutch
…what to expect?
To be honest, a massive tented city, with a bit of chaos and many neatly staged cultural experiences!
The tent city of Dhordo, where Kutch Rann Utsav takes place, is moreover walled because the tourism department wants to keep those, who are not paying them any money, away from the show. A total turn-off!
I feel that due to the lack of information available online, about the entire Kutch region and its amazing natural White deserts, the organisers of Rann Utsav see it as a burgeoning commercial opportunity to make money. Sorry for the bad tone, but I personally find it that way.
Moreover, given the facts that the White Desert around Dhordo was perhaps the most crowded and dirtiest as compared to other White Desert locations I have visited, a visit to the White Desert from the tent city happens in buses instead of camel carts as otherwise advertised – it would not be wrong to say that the Rann Utsav is a total rip off.
Getting The Big Picture
The major reason for anyone visiting Kutch is to explore its two natural landscapes: 1) Great Rann of Kutch for the White Desert (that you find at Kutch Rann Utsav) and 2) Little Rann of Kutch for the barren crack-land & salt-mashing.
During my 25 days of backpacking across Gujarat, out of which a fair share was spent exploring the Great and Little Rann of Kutch, I found a few impressive and offbeat sites that were far better than the Great Rann of Kutch located near the tent city of Dhordo (where the Rann Utsav takes place).
The White Rann near Dhordo, as I found out, was crowded and has been turned partially brown (from white) due to its overexposure to tourists. It was moreover impossible to hear the silence here and enjoy the moment on your own, as I apparently did in the more isolated and comparatively offbeat corners of White Rann.
Crowds Start Appearing In Big Numbers, At the White Desert Around Dhordo Before Sunset
Dhordo is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spent 3 days at Rann Utsav in Dhordo City, where his 31 Lakh Rupee bullet proof tent was made new around the world.
What To Do, If Not Visit The Rann Utsav?
In one sentence… plan your own itinerary! Particularly if you’re alone, and are more or less interested in exploring the natural landscapes of Gujarat, over a crowded can-be-experienced-anywhere-in-the-world sort of fair.
A better alternative to the White Rann around the Dhordo Rann Utsav is the offbeat location of ‘Ekal Ka Rann’ located around 100 kilometres east of Bhuj (almost the same distance as Bhuj-Dhordo). I would particularly recommend Ekal Ka Rann to those who are looking for something more romantic, due to its isolated location.
Romantic sunset at Ekal Ka Rann
To get the best experience of driving on the White Desert, however, head straight to Dholavira. This is where you’ll come across a 7-kilometre straight road that passes through the White Desert on its either side.
Road To Dholavira
Still, if you think that The White Rann near Rann Utsav in Dhordo is something you would at least want to explore, thanks to all the hype it has gathered during the years, you can always make a day tour from Bhuj. And it takes just a little over 4 hours for a round trip to Dhordo (from Bhuj).
If you do not book accommodation in Dhordo, you cannot access the premises of the tent city, where the Rann Utsav takes place, but that doesn’t stop you from going to the White Rann and checking out the nitty-gritty of a local marketplace located in Dhordo.
Moreover, make sure you’ve your own transport, as the state transport buses do not go all the way to Dhordo and leave you somewhere in the middle of Bhuj-Dhordo. To rent a bike, you’ll find only one shop inside the city of Bhuj, or you can make a deal with a local and rent theirs for a day – just the way I did!
How To Travel Rann Utsav
Though I don’t really recommend you to visit this place if you are still going, and thinking about how to visit Rann Utsav, let me at least share the tips.
Most resorts in the area will arrange transport for you from Bhuj. Including if you booked yourself accommodation in Rann Utsav. Of course, they will charge for it, but it is convenient, given there are no buses operating on this route anyway.
To get to Bhuj, however, you can…
- Take the train to Bhuj Railway Station. You can find regular trains from Delhi or Mumbai to Bhuj.
- Fly, as we have a domestic airport in Bhuj. If you the flights are too expensive, you can also fly to Ahmedabad and then take a bus/train from Ahmedabad to Bhuj.
- Travel on a bus if you are coming from someplace in Gujarat or nearby cities in Rajasthan.
Additionally, as I said above, you can stay in Bhuj only, hire a cab or a motorcycle and do a day trip to one of the nearby Great Rann places. This way you can also visit other popular highlights in Gujarat like Lakhpat Fort and explore some local art forms in Kutch.
Best Time To Travel
Most of the places in Kutch get flooded in monsoon and start drying up in October. Beginning the end of October until the end of March is the tourist season in Kutch.
For Rann Utsav, the best time to visit is the months of January and February. This is when the temperature is most pleasant.
Most accommodations start closing in mid-March and stay closed until November.
If you want to avoid crowds, November, December and March are the best months. If you want to enjoy the weather, January and February months are the best time to visit Rann Utsav.
It’s best to visit the desert only in the early morning or evening, otherwise, the salt can be blinding. Also, full moon nights are the best (also the most crowded of all days in the season) for photography.
Here’s the link to Gujarat Tourism website for more details about Gujarat and Rann Utsav in Kutch.
Hi Dev,
You suggested the Rann is best visited during the early hours of the day and the evening. What do you suggest I can do during the rest of the day if I wanted to witness both the sunrise and sunset?
Thank You.. This was exactly the information I needed.
Dev,
Thanks a lotttttt for saving my money and time and precisely I was gonna travel with my toddler who is an year old. Glad that I read this blog just before booking my flights.
Hey Dev
Thankyou for putting this across. After my recent Rann trip I was wondering why people kept gushing about Rann when I felt disappointment..abject disappointment. Kutch is beautiful but not the way its marketed. Gujarat tourism needs to wake up and atleast maintain basic facilities. Bhuj to Dholavira is a long drive…not advisable for 7km stretch of Rann if you are not interested in historical ruins! You are exhausted and the tourism dept doesnt offer decent washrooms at the end of this drive…the washrooms looked like they hadnt been cleaned since Harappan age!
Hi Dev
Great piece of advice man.
Any other must see places around bhuj that are less frequented??
Interested in places that are quite and devoided of noisy tourists.
Thanks
Thanks Dev,
My takeaway – suggestion to travel to ekal ka raan and dholavira.
One of the few articles with very specific inputs, value adding
hi, kutch is a wonderful place and nice article.
Great pictures!
great post and beautiful clicks!
hello Dev,
Pravin Ahir here, For better view of RANN visit Dholavira, Many more places you can explore in dholavira. I have my Resort in Dholavira just 100 meter from White Rann and 2km from Dholavira Harappan site. Visit once to enjoy and experience the real feel of white Rann.For booking contact : 9978112327, Rann Resort Dholavira.
That road looks amazing – so deserted!
Hi Alice, but Kutch is wonderful. You won’t regret visiting. Dev has shared some very interesting places of Kutch. Make sure you read those stories as well.
Best wishes!
Kuldip
Hii Friends,
Kutir Craft resort (+919879432076) Good Budgest Resort Stay Nr. Rann Utsav Main Festival And White Desert.
Great shots! Super informative post! 🙂
Agreed, my visit to Rann was at first underwhelming too. But, I think, talking to artisans and workers regarding the fest and how it has helped them makes for a more memorable experience. Another interesting experience was talking to them about demonetization and how in unison, they all said it didn’t impact them. Else, I agree to ditch the tent city and live in home-stays built around by villagers across Rann. I just returned from Rann and I think- Bhuj and Mandavi are better options to explore as well, than just exploring Rann.
Cool stuff any very informative, felt like one-stop guide for the travelers. Thanks to the increased curiosity I found interesting information. this year Rann Utsv will starts from 1st Novemeber 2017.
Oh. But you seem to be someone from the official Rann Utsav. And the problem is, you still did not understand. I was speaking against the Rann Utsav. Sorry though!
Dev…. good to read your Frank opinion about the Rann Utsav.
I would put it this way, that the experience at the white desert is definitely one of it’s kind….but it can be experienced on your own, without staying at the tourism village in the tents…it’s criminally expensive and I’m sure, no great experience. Can’t say, as I haven’t stayed there.
But 2-3 years back, visited the white desert. We left early morning from Bhuj, it was the most peaceful and blissful time with very few people. Just wanted to see the awesome beauty of the place.
So, according to me, it’s definitely worth a visit if planned on your own.
I really wonder why the transport facility has not improved in so many years. But well, the people are a friendly and hospitable kind, so it makes up for the other minuses!
I would recommend this place for at least one visit….I feel like going again and again!!
That’s true Kanan. Couldn’t agree more with what you wrote, especially about the transport system, and friendly locals who make up it up to tourists. If I will be in India this year, I will try to cover a few more places in Kutch.
That’s true Kanan. Couldn’t agree more with what you wrote, especially the transport system and friendly locals who make up it up to tourists. If I will be in India this year, I will try to cover a few places in Kutch.
Completely agree with your view, during our last trip to Kutchh, what we did is. We reached Kalo dungar by evening and stay overnight there. From Kalo dungar, you will have a beautiful view of the desert and early morning walk around hill is a bliss. Then we start our journey towards Dhordo and it was awesome experience without worrying about crowd.
Great Rann of Kutch (White rann) is not just Dhorado Village where Rann Utsav festival organised. Kandhwand-Kuran are other villages from you can see this Great rann of Kutch. From Bhachau-Kharoi-Chobari -Ekal rann is another point where you can see Great Rann of Kutch. Then, Jannan-Amaraper ( on Dholavira road) are other points where you can see Great Rann of Kutch. Staying Kutch is not that costly if you are family.Ladies are most respectable in this area.In any village home -Dhorado-Hodaka-Janan-Amraper just say that I am coming to see Kutch- they will accommodate to family but for lonely single person it is very difficult to get accommodation .Kutchchi will not allow you to enter their premises/village. So, next time when you will go to kutch preferly with family.
After my one day visit to Kutch ,I infer Rann Utsav is about supporting local communities and respecting local culture through Hi-tech, hi-end marketing promoted by State tourism supported by Head of state. As South Indian tourist, our moments of truth is sighting the Pink banner from Bachhau itself and the tastefully decorated Rann city from ground to skies .Only the informed,rich and affluent tourists can enjoy the sojourn. Its a zero -sum game, somebody’s expense is a tourist industry gain.As As a traveller -the view of white expanse of desert with mirage is the best take-away.
After my one day visit to Kutch ,I infer Rann Utsav is about supporting local communities and respecting local culture through Hi-tech, hi-end marketing promoted by State tourism supported by Head of state. As South Indian tourist, our moments of truth is sighting the Pink banner of Rann Utsav from Bachhau itself and the tastefully decorated Rann city from ground to skies .Only the informed,rich and affluent tourists can enjoy the Rann sojourn. Its a zero -sum game, somebody’s expense is a tourist industry gain.As As a traveller -the view of white expanse of desert with mirage is the best take-away.
We traveled in December and made bhuj as our base. Agree that there is no point starting at rann utsaav. You can easily start from bhuj in the morning and visit white rann , Kalo dungar and India bridge and reach back bhuj
That true Amit. Do a day trip and come back to Bhuj, or wherever nearby you’re staying. Doing that makes a little more sense, at least to us. Where did you stay in Bhuj by the way? Any recommendations for other readers?
If the Govt tents are costly one can stay at numerous resorts around Ranotsav campus which are comparatively cheaper than those of Govt. Gujarat tourism has failed to create tourist friendly facilities such as world class toilets, drinking water outlets, resting places such as benches, Gazebos, picnic tables, instruction boards showing other sightseeing spots with Kms with arrow signs, nearby petrol pumps showing distance ( probably there is only one petrol pump between Bhuj and Dhodo. At Kalo Dunger, the toilets constructed there are never cleaned and maintained. Govt tourism dept is doing nothing for the benefit of tourists.
Slow claps Dev for this post. Heading to the backpacker’s guide…. now 🙂
Hi, i visited rann this january and stayed at dhordo village bhunga. But i was very disappointed and i thought i might be the only one.
I totally agree with dev that visiting rann is not bad but it is not worth to spend on their lucrative packages. Even the pictures on govt recognised tour website is fake. It gives an impression as if the camel or bus safari will take you righ through the rann, or the dance group are dancing on rann or the tents are on rann. but its not like that. Everything is 5 km away.
Its better to visit other places of gujarat and keep white rann in your itinerary than stay there in tents near rann.
I agree, there is no point visiting during Rann festival becoz of the over crowding (Due to ad blitz by Gujarat tourism).
We visited it 10 days before festival and it was peaceful.
I loved your pic of Ekal ka Rann sunset absolutely beautiful, other pics are also lovely but that one is my favorite.
Yea the crowd during the Rann Ustav was indeed mental. By the way good tip there about visiting the place before the Utsav, thanks for that. And Glad you like the pictures 🙂
Hello Dev,
This is Kuldip, we met at Nirona village (Lacquer work). Happy to read your blog and I agree with what you have written about Rann Utsav. I think it is too commercial and artificial.
Kutch can be experienced differently and there are better alternatives.
Best regards,
Hey man, thanks for writing. Think I remember you. You the one who were sitting there, while I was taking the picture of the artist who was working, right? I remember speaking to you as well. Small world man, small world. And so glad to see your message 🙂
I was honestly planning a trip there, glad I didn’t. This is an amazing post, saved me a ton of money. Thanks!
Hey Pooja, thanks for writing. I never wanted to discourage people from visiting Rann Utsav, by writing this post. What I was trying however was to point out that the value for money that Rann Utsav offers is actually pretty bad. And there are so many other amazing places in Gujarat, equally or perhaps more beautiful, that are left totally untapped because they’re not promoted by Gujarat Tourism. Hope you get my point.
Thank you so much Dev….u have indeed saved me a lot of money. I am going to mandvi in Dec 17 and was planning to take a one night tent stay( obviously becoz of the rann of Kutch hype). But looking at the prices I thought I needed to Google more and came upon your blog. I guess I will make mandvi my base and travel to the rann as a day trip. Read about home stays and I thought it would be interesting and as I am traveling with my family (husband 2 kids and mother in law) could you recommend any place? Thanx once again for an eye opener blog
Sure Rashida. I can recommend Vibe Camps which is located at Ekal Ka Rann (the other side of White Rann). From there you can do day trips to LRK and the Unesco heritage Dholavira site. Moreover, white Rann is only 10 mins on moto from there. Contact Abhay who owns the property: 9033038810. You can most certainly tell him that I gave you his contact (you never know if that helps you get some discount, lol, he’s a friend! Though please name my blog ‘footloosedev’ as he may know a few other Dev or Devesh haha.) Good luck!
Heard a lot about Ran Utsav. did not know it can be so disappointing. thanks for sharing your true experience.