Treks Near Ahmedabad: Girnar’s 10,000 Steps, Pavagadh, Polo Forest and Weekend Hills

Trekking near Ahmedabad: what to expect from Gujarat’s hills

Ahmedabad sits on the flat plain of the Sabarmati, so there is no hill to hike inside the city. The trekking near Ahmedabad that people actually do is a drive away, and most of it is up stone steps to hilltop temples rather than along mountain trails. That changes how you should train: Girnar and Pavagadh test your thighs, calves and knees on thousands of steps, while Polo Forest, Saputara and Wilson Hills are gentler forest walks. The table lists what each one asks of you, with distances and heights from Gujarat Tourism, the ropeway operator and other sources named below (checked October 2026).

Girnar: the 10,000-step climb that Ahmedabad trekkers train for

Girnar, the hill above Junagadh, is the biggest single climb within reach of Ahmedabad. Gujarat Tourism describes pilgrims climbing 10,000 stone steps to the summit, ideally starting at dawn, and says the Temple of Gorakhnath stands on Gujarat’s highest peak at 1,117 m. The steps begin near Damodar Kund at the foot of the hill. The Jain temple cluster, including the 12th-century Neminath temple, sits about two-thirds of the way up, and the Amba Mata temple stands on the first peak. Plan a full day, and note that many temples on the hill close from about 11 AM to 3 PM, according to the same page.

Junagadh is about 355 km south-west of Ahmedabad, and Gujarat Tourism notes two express trains on the Ahmedabad–Veraval line, with Rajkot (about 103 km away) the nearest airport. Most people from Ahmedabad go overnight by train or bus, climb the next morning and rest before travelling back.

The operator says the Girnar ropeway spares pilgrims about 5,000 steps to the Ambaji temple, and that reaching the final summit on foot means about 9,999 steps in all. A common plan for a first visit is to ride up and walk down. Be careful with that: walking down several thousand steps is hard on the front of the thighs and the knees, and unused legs can be sore for days. If you want to walk the whole thing, train for the descent as much as the ascent (see the plan below).

Pavagadh: a half-day hill climb from Ahmedabad via Vadodara

Pavagadh is the closest serious climb to Ahmedabad. The Kalika Mata temple sits on the summit at about 800 m above sea level, and Gujarat Tourism says reaching it on foot is about a 5 km walk along a jungle footpath. Alternatively, a cable car runs from roughly the midway point, which is as far as the road goes. The ropeway operator puts the full climb at about 2,000 steps. The hill rises above Champaner, part of the Champaner-Pavagadh UNESCO World Heritage site, which is 45 km from Vadodara.

From Ahmedabad, that makes Pavagadh a long day: drive to Vadodara, on to Champaner, then climb. Start early, because the footpath is exposed and Panchmahal gets as hot as Ahmedabad by late morning. If you only want the stair section, take the road to Machi and walk from there instead of using the 763 m ropeway. Weekends and Navratri bring very large crowds on the steps, so a weekday start is the better trek.

Polo Forest: the easy hiking near Ahmedabad

If you searched for a small trek near Ahmedabad or a first hike with family, Polo Forest in Sabarkantha is the gentle option. Gujarat Tourism describes about 400 km² of dry mixed deciduous forest near Vijaynagar, which is about 160 km from Ahmedabad by National Highway 8, and the remains of an ancient city built around the Harnav river. The forest is at its greenest from September to December, after the monsoon, and winter brings migratory birds.

There are no long marked summit trails here; you walk forest tracks, river banks and temple ruins at your own pace, so distance is up to you. Gujarat Tourism warns that public transport to Vijaynagar is not always reliable, so most people drive. Carry all your water, keep to visible tracks, and finish before dusk.

Saputara and Wilson Hills: south Gujarat’s weekend hills

Saputara, in the Sahyadri hills of Dang district, stands at about 1,000 m above sea level, according to Gujarat Tourism, and is 409 km from Ahmedabad (164 km from Surat). It is a hill station rather than a single trek: walks between the lake, Sunrise Point and Sunset Point, and through the surrounding forest, are the main activity. The monsoon is when the Dang hills are greenest, but trails get slippery, so wear shoes with real grip.

Wilson Hills, 27 km from Dharampur in Valsad district, has an average elevation of about 750 m and sits beside the Pangarbari Wildlife Sanctuary. Gujarat Tourism calls it one of the better sites in the state for trekking and notes that it stays a few degrees cooler and less humid than the plains in summer. From Ahmedabad, you reach it via Surat, which is 234 km away, then Dharampur. Pair the two in one long weekend if you’re driving south.

Mount Abu and Guru Shikhar: the highest hike within a weekend of Ahmedabad

Just across the border in Rajasthan, Mount Abu gives Ahmedabad trekkers real altitude. The town sits at about 1,220 m on a plateau about 22 km long and 9 km wide, and Guru Shikhar, at 1,722 m, is the highest point in Rajasthan’s Aravallis. A road runs almost to the top, so the summit itself is a short walk; the trekking is in the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary around the plateau, which covers about 290 km². Treat Mount Abu as a winter weekend: daytime temperatures in winter are around 13–22 °C, while July and August each bring over 500 mm of rain. Abu Road, at the foot of the hill, is the railhead.

Best time for treks near Ahmedabad: the heat calendar

Heat, not rain, decides the trekking season around Ahmedabad. India Meteorological Department normals for 1991–2020 show average highs of 39 °C or more from April to June, with May the hottest month. November to February is the window for Girnar and Pavagadh, which is also what Gujarat Tourism recommends for Girnar. July and August bring most of the year’s rain, which is when Polo Forest and Saputara are at their greenest.

A 6-week plan to get fit for Girnar’s steps from Ahmedabad

Girnar is a stair climb, so train on stairs. Your apartment tower’s fire stairs are the best training ground in Ahmedabad: they are shaded, they are available at 6 AM, and you can count exactly how much you have done. Count the steps in one floor of your stairwell once, then measure every session in steps. The plan below builds to about a third of Girnar in one go, which is enough to finish the full climb steadily if you pace it. Our national guide on how to prepare for a trek explains the principles behind it.

1. 1

   Step-ups onto a sturdy step, 3 × 10 each leg

   The movement you repeat 10,000 times on Girnar. Drive through the whole foot and stand tall at the top.

2. 2

   Slow step-downs, 3 × 8 each leg

   Lower yourself off a step over three seconds. This trains the quadriceps for the descent, which is what makes legs ache for days after the climb.

3. 3

   Split squats, 3 × 10 each leg

   Single-leg strength and balance for uneven, worn stone steps.

4. 4

   Calf raises, 3 × 15

   Your calves carry you on every step, especially on the steep upper sections.

Staying safe on treks around Ahmedabad

• Start at first light. Even in winter, Ahmedabad’s average high stays near 28–33 °C. On Girnar and Pavagadh, aim to finish the hardest climbing before 10 AM.
• Carry more water than you think. Stalls on the pilgrim routes help, but don’t rely on them on a hot day or in forest areas like Polo.
• Pace the descent. Take short steps, use the handrail where there is one, and stop if your knees hurt. A trekking pole helps many people on steps.
• Avoid festival days for training climbs. Parikrama, Bhavnath Mela and Navratri crowds make steady pacing impossible.
• Check with your doctor first if you have heart, blood pressure or joint problems, or haven’t exercised for a long time. Girnar is a hard day for anyone.

Training through the heat is easier indoors: Personal Gym Training in Ahmedabad puts a coach on video at your society gym in Bopal or Satellite, and group classes in Ahmedabad let your trekking group train together for ₹499 per person. For flat training routes, see running tracks in Ahmedabad and our guide to cycling in Ahmedabad. Our TDEE calculator estimates how much to eat on long climbing days, and everything else is on online personal training in Ahmedabad.