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Mosques of Champaner
Champaner has several large and prominent mosques, a testament to its time of glory as the capital of Gujarat during the Mughal reign. Most date from the late 15th century.

    * Jama Masjid: The most central is the Jami Masjid, with two 30m minarets flanking the main entrance, two floors of open arcades, and detailed carvings and jaali around the pillared courtyard.

    * Nagina Masjid: The Nagina Masjid, on a high plinth in front of a wide open filed, has three standing domes over the main hall, and a nearby cenotaph with impressively carved columns and niches.

    * Kevada Masjid: The Kevada Masjid has another cenotaph near its tank for ritual ablutions, and many carved mehrabs.

    * Sahar ki Masjid: The Sahar ki Masjid, next to the original royal enclosure, is believed to have been the private mosque of the sultans, and has a large dome at each of the three entrances.

    * Lila Gumbai ki Masjid: The Lila Gumbaj ki Masjid, on a high platform, has a central fluted dome that was once colored, and a central hanging kalash in the prayer hall.


Sikander Shah’s Tomb, Halol
Sikander Shah, ruler of Champaner who was assassinated by Imad-ul-Mulk, Khusqadam in 1526 AD, is buried here along with his two brothers. A beautiful stone structure with fluted domes, though simple, it is quite remarkable in its aesthetics and craftsmanship.


Sakar Khan Dargah, Halol
This is the largest mausoleum in the old city. It stands on a low plinth with a large dome.

Mandvi/Customs House
Originally built to separate the royal palace from the rest of the development, the Mandvi stands in the middle of the Champaner fort. During Maratha rule, it was used as a customs house.

Makai Kothar / Navlakha Kothar
These are large brick structures with domes used for storing grain for the garrison.
 

Citadel
The citadel built by Mahmud Begda has walls running north-south, with many bastions and gates. All of the gates were two-storeyed, with rooms for watchkeepers. Four of the gates are still in good condition. The east and south gates (known also as the Halol and Godhra gates) are very large rectangular gates, and are the most worthwhile to visit.
 

Helical Stepwell
This 16th century well has a 1.2m-wide staircase that spirals down along the wall of the well shaft, making it quite unusual in design among stepwells of the region.


Brick Tomb
One of the only brick tombs in Gujarat, it has a central brick dome, four corner domes, and four arched entrances on the four sides.


Pavagadh Fort and Early Temples
The earliest part of the Champaner compound, the Pavagadh fort was an important fortress of the Solanki kingdom. The walls of the fort are still standing in parts, as are parts of the earliest known Hindu temple, a Lakulisa temple dated to the 10th-11th century. Other Hindu and Jain temples dating to the 13th-15th centuries, are of the Nagara style.



Gates of the Fort Walls
The first line of defense of the Pavagadh fort was the great wall surrounding it. The walls, and the gates surrounding it, date to the 13th century. The first fortification is entered through the Atak Gate, which has two gateways and catapult structures. The western end has the Budhiya gate, with three gateways. The Machi gate has four successive gates joined by huge battlements; of these the Moti or Sadan Shah gate is the most important, cut through solid rock.



Pavagadh Hill/Kalika Mata Temple
At the summit of Pavagadh hill, 762 m above sea level, is the temple to Mother Kali, which is the oldest in the area, dating from the 10th-11th centuries. Hindu pilgrims were coming to visit this temple from long before the development of Champaner as a major city, and they continued for hundreds of years after its decline, right up to the present day. To reach the temple at the summit is about a 5 km walk along a jungle footpath to the top of the hill; otherwise, there is a cable car which will haul you to the summit from about the midway point, which is the last place accessible by road. The temple has large fortifications and an open chowk in front, with two altars for sacrifices, and an array of lights for special occasions. The idol of Kalika Mata in the inner sanctum is only the head, the mukhwato, painted in red. Also present are full idols of Mahakali and the yantras of Bahuchara. The temple is open from very early to quite late, to accomodate pilgrims arriving at all hours. The Machi Haveli is a rest house available for pilgrims.


Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary
An easy destination to combine with a visit to Champaner is the Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, a mere 20 km away (70 km from Vadodara). Full of forests of teak and mahuda trees, bamboo, and other lush vegetation, Jambughoda is home to large populations of many kinds of wildlife. The leopard at the top of the food chain is the primary predator, and its numbers have been increasing recently. Other large wildlife include the wild boar, nilgai (blue bull, the largest antelope in Asia), jackal, hyena, barking deer, sloth bear, and chausingha(four-horned antelope).

Before independence, the region belonged to the princely state of Jambughoda. The valleys nestled in the well-forested hills have always been home to many tribal settlements. There are many places to hike through the forests in the sanctuary and it is a marvelous camping site.  For those without the experience to camp, a forest rest house is available beside the Kada reservoir, one of two reservoirs in the sanctuary.

The nearest bus and rail access is Shivrajpur, just 1 km from the sanctuary.



Dhanpari Eco Campsite Dhanpari is a well-stocked forest ecotourism site situated inside the Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, inside the Panchmahal District of Central Gujarat. The campsite is surrounded by this magnificient forest which is home to a variety of flora an fauna. The plant species inlude teak, bamboo & other plant species. He leopard is the top predator here and other animal species include the sloth bears, blue bulls, jackals, wild boars, four horned antelopes and a variety of reptiles.

The area has two water reservoirs, one at Kada and the other at Targol. The campsite is near the Kada Dam and its a beautiful site to visit with a picturesque location and it also has a forest rest house. Other sightseeing options are the Jund Hanuman Temple which is 10 kms away from the campsite and also the Targol reservoir.

Facilities:

    * Orientation Centre
    * 3 Deluxe Cottages & 10 Normal Cottages with attached bath & toilet facilities
    * Tented Accomodations with separate bathing & toilet facilites
    * Separate Kitchen & Dining places
    * Veg and Non-Veg available with the help of ETC (Eco Tourism Committee)
    * The campsite has a beautiful Walking Nature Trail
    * Separate area for Campfire
    * Machaans for landscape & wildlife viewing
    * Fully developed campsite managed by ETC

Tips:
Being a responsible nature lover is our way of showing reverence to Mother Earth, a few tips for you to remember -

    * Make sure to visit the orientation centre first before you start exploring the campsite as that would give a good picture of what you are about to experience during your stay.
    * Most of these Eco Campsites use electricity which is generated by using solar energy, hence please use it responsibly.
    * No smoking whatsoever (cigarette butts cause many forest fires.)
    * No flash or intrusive photography (for example, don’t pluck leaves to clear a better view; reposition the camera instead.)
    * Do not carry any music system or sound making device along with you and remember to keep them switched off if you are driving around.
    * Picking plants or insects is prohibited in any area; do not remove anything from the parks or sanctuaries.
    * Do Not indulge in any quick or sudden movements to scare off wildlife.
    * Do not try going too close to the animals.
    * No pets should accompany you.
    * No littering. Trash is only to be disposed of in proper receptacles.
    * No hunting devices or other weapons should be carried, as well as used.



Kevdi Eco Campsite
Kevdi is a well-stocked forest ecotourism site situated on the route connecting Jambughoda Sanctuary and Ratanmahal Sanctuary. It has a wonderful location as it is situated at the bank of a river. It comes under the Chhota Udepur forest division. It is loacted 14 kms away from the Kanjeta Eco Campsite.

The site is rich in biodiversity. Sloth bear, panther, hyena, giant flying squirrel are often sighted at the site. The nearby tribal communities depend heavily on forests and forestry activities. It is developed as an eco-tourism site due to the feel that it provides of rich forests and biodiversity. The main attraction of the campsite is the flying squirrel which can be spotted in the evening and the sloth bears.

Facilities:

    * Orientation Centre
    * Tented Accomodations only with separate bathing & toilet facilites
    * Separate Kitchen & Dining places
    * Beautifully, Well-Designed Amphitheatre
    * Separate area for Campfire
    * Machaans for landscape & wildlife viewing
    * The campsite has a beautiful Nature Trail
    * The entire site is surrounded by bamboo walls

Tips:
Being a responsible nature lover is our way of showing reverence to Mother Earth, a few tips for you to remember -

    * Make sure to visit the orientation centre first before you start exploring the campsite as that would give a good picture of what you are about to experience during your stay.
    * Most of these Eco Campsites use electricity which is generated by using solar energy, hence please use it responsibly.
    * No smoking whatsoever (cigarette butts cause many forest fires.)
    * No flash or intrusive photography (for example, don’t pluck leaves to clear a better view; reposition the camera instead.)
    * Do not carry any music system or sound making device along with you and remember to keep them switched off if you are driving around.
    * Picking plants or insects is prohibited in any area; do not remove anything from the parks or sanctuaries.
    * Do Not indulge in any quick or sudden movements to scare off wildlife.
    * Do not try going too close to the animals.
    * No pets should accompany you.
    * No littering. Trash is only to be disposed of in proper receptacles.
    * No hunting devices or other weapons should be carried, as well as used.



  

Information not available

Information not available

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