Visit Ambaji Temple, Gabbar Hills: The Shaktipeeth Ambaji Temple (2024)

Gabbar Hills are in Gujarat. The Gabbar Hills is also home to a small Ambaji temple, supposed to be the original one, and not to be confused with the other Ambaji temple that’s about two to three km away from this one. If you plan to visit the Ambaji Temple, read on to know more about the place and find out what to expect.

Some devotees regard the two temples as one and say that this is the Shaktipeeth of the other Ambaji temple.

The Ambaji Temple, Gabbar Hills Experience

The Ambaji Temple on the Gabbar Hills is small but beautiful, and devotees still make a beeline to it. One way to reach the top of the hill and pay respects at the Temple is via the ropeway. The ropeway experience will be novel for several people as well, as there are very few places in India that have a ropeway.

Many devotees decide to climb the stairs instead of the ropeway, which is an excellent experience as well. This Ambaji Temple is one of the Shaktipeeths in India as well. At this place, you will see a jyoti that’s lit permanently. And of course, you get a great view of the valley below.

Image Source

You will spend around two hours to ride on the ropeway and explore the Temple and return. The locals call the ropeway the ‘Udan Khatola’ and are a favorite among children, as you also get a birds’ eye view of the entire valley while traveling upwards to the top of the hill. Though there’s always a crowd here, you won’t feel hassled. You can also spend around half an hour taking in the pious, calming, and serene experience that you get at the Ambaji temple.

Though there’s no written rule about photography here, make sure that you do not invade anyone’s privacy or hold the proceedings while photographing yourself or someone who is accompanying you. Also, if you are going up to the hill, the temperature will be extreme either way, and Gujarat has harsh weather anyway. So, make sure that you pack correctly for the weather and travel.

Image Source
Ambaji Temple and Gabbar Hills are in the Banaskantha District, Gujarat. Banaskantha is a place of cultural interest as well as a tourist location.

Therefore, several restaurants offer boarding and lodging at all budgets. If you are booking online, make sure that you read the rules and regulations, as well as the cancellation procedure. Some hotels might have rules and regulations that are not mainstream. For example, they might not allow singles to share a room. Some might not allow pets. You will also need to check what kind of cuisine is available in the hotels, as there are chances that the hotels might not serve meats and specific cuisine that you are looking out for. In such a case, you might need to make your food arrangements somewhere else. In some cases, the hotels won’t refund you the money even if you cancel well in advance.

Places to Visit Near Ambaji Temple, Gabbar Hills

The Gabbar Hill and the Ambaji Temple is in Banaskantha. There are some places in Banaskantha that you can visit. The first place to visit is, obviously, the other Ambaji Temple that’s about four kilometers from Gabbar Hill.

Image Source
For those who love nature, Banaskantha also has the Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can spend a couple of hours in the lap of nature. You will see several birds and other flora and fauna in the sanctuary. You can also visit the Kumbhariya Jain Mandir, which has some of the most exquisite carvings and sculptures you will see.

The Dantiwada Dam is another nearby location that you can visit. It is about an hour’s drive from the Ambaji temple. Another famous structure here is the Kamakshi Temple, which is very near to the Ambaji temple. A visit to the Kamakshi Temple is a rare opportunity to see the Southern style of architecture so far in the North. You also have the Varai Dham Golden Temple in Palanpur, which is about an hour’s drive from Ambaji. The Varai Dham Golden Temple is a unique one because it makes it look like it’s made out of gold. Another ancient temple that you can visit if you drive for an hour is the Balaram Mahadev temple.

How to Reach Ambaji Temple, Gabbar Hills

It is simple to reach the Ambaji Temple at Gabbar Hills. Banaskantha connects well with most of the cities in India. Trains and buses ply on through the Mumbai Ahmedabad and Pune route. Buses ply on the route as well. The nearest national airport is the Deesa Airport, which is also known as the Palanpur airport. The International Airport, Sardar Vallabhai Patel Airport is about 200 km away from Banaskantha.