December 23-27, 2026

Rann of kutch Wild West

Flamingos, Gudkhur, Falcons, Foxes and More!

Wildlife Photography Tour of Rann of Kutch

5 Days

Group: 8 Pax

Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

Wildlife Photography

December 23-27, 2026

₹ 49,950 Per Person

Tour Overview

A short 2 hour drive from Ahmedabad, the capital of the state of Gujarat, leads us to the Little Rann of Kutch. Flooded during the monsoon months, this salt marsh transforms into a unique landscape in winter. The cracked earth shows up in one of the flattest and driest places on earth. In fact, you can see the horizon all around you in the Rann!

So, why are we traveling to this desert? Well, this desert holds many secrets. In winter, many birds migrating from Europe and Central Asia make this beautiful place their home. The water bodies dotting the borders of the Rann are painted pink and white by flamingos, ducks, geese and pelicans. Magnificent raptors – eagles, harriers, buzzards and falcons – make the best of this bounty of life. The wide-eyed Short-eared owls are wonderfully camouflaged in the scrub. Flocks of Common and Demoiselle cranes fill the sky at dawn and dusk. Many rarities and endangered birds are also seen here, including Macqueen’s bustard, Pallid scops-owl, Merlin, Cream-coloured courser and Greater hoopoe-lark.

It’s not just the birds. Herds of the Gudkhur (or Indian Wild Ass) – the beautiful sandy coated animal – can be seen foraging in the grasslands around the Little Rann of Kutch. This is the only place on earth where these magnificent mammals live! Desert foxes, Indian foxes and jackals are often encountered on drives early in the morning and late in the evenings, as are Jungle cats and Desert cats. On lucky evenings, wolves and hyenas show up too! And the sunsets here add a golden touch to the long days out in the field photographing the wildlife of India’s Wild West.

Join us on our flagship tour to Little Rann of Kutch this December! Our blockbuster tour has been an all-time favourite with our clients who’ve made brilliant photographs and had many memorable experiences over the past 15 winters.

Tour Highlights
Trip Start and End Location

Zainabad, Gujarat

Airport Code

AMD - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad

Trip Start Date

23 December 2026

Trip End Date

27 December 2026

Dress Code

Suitable for the wildlife photography in winter

Price Includes
  • Accommodation on double occupancy basis at Little Rann of Kutch.

  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner on all days starting with lunch on Day 1 and ending with breakfast on Day 5

  • 7 Safaris in Little Rann of Kutch

  • Forest entry fees

  • Photography sessions, on-field assistance and image reviews

  • All applicable taxes.

Price Excludes
  • Camera Fees

  • Transport from your location to Zainabad (location of resort at Little Rann of Kutch) and back. We’ll facilitate cab-pooling from Ahmedabad to Zainabad and back.

  • Additional beverages, snacks and mineral water ordered at the resort

  • Tips and other expenses not mentioned in the includes list above.

Tour Itinerary
  • Day 1:

    A 2-hour drive takes us from Ahmedabad to the Little Rann of Kutch. We check in at our resort in Zainabad. After lunch, we have an introduction and orientation session on Little Rann of Kutch. It’s now time to head out on our first foray into the Rann. With the light slowly turning golden, we’ll explore the Rann for wildlife that are enjoying the last rays of warmth. As the sun goes down the horizon, we return to our resort for a sumptuous dinner. Your mentor will review your photographs and advise you on the tips and tricks to make the best of the next 3 days.

  • Day 02 and 04:

    The days begin early, as we leave the resort before daybreak. The aim would be to reach the Rann as the golden rays start emerging on the horizon.  We’ll explore different areas of the Rann on different days, aimed at uncovering as many secrets of the Rann as we can. Depending on our excursion for the morning, we’ll either carry packed breakfast with us or return to the resort for breakfast.

    Around lunch, we’ll spend some time reviewing photographs or going over sessions on wildlife photography.

    During the evening safaris, we’ll work on different photography techniques like photographing silhouettes of the Asiatic Wild Ass. It is also a great time to see harriers as they settle down on the open Rann to roost.

  • Day 05:

    It is now time to bid goodbye to the wonderful place that is Kutch. After breakfast, we head to Ahmedabad from where we’ll take our respective modes of transport back home. The memories will linger on in the many photographs that we’d have captured during this time, along with friends that we’d have made on the journey and the adventures we’d share with them.

  • Please note that the itinerary above is subject to fair weather and other factors. Darter Photography reserves the right to make changes to the above itinerary at any point of time. Also, please note that photographs in the slideshow are indicative and dependent on various external factors.
Is this Tour For You?
  • Wild West is designed for photographers of all levels of expertise – amateur and serious – who would like to photograph the wildlife of Little Rann of Kutch. As in all our tours, the group size would be limited so that the Darter Photography Expert can interact closely with every participant.

    Wildlife enthusiasts who are not photographers, but are keen to see and experience Kutch, are also welcome to join this group. This extensive trip, covering most of the habitats in Kutch, will keep you enthralled from start to finish.

  • Is This Photography Tour For You?

    Wild West is designed for photographers of all levels of expertise, amateur and serious, who would like to photograph the wildlife of Little Rann of Kutch. As in all our tours, the group size would be limited so that the Darter Photography Expert can interact closely with every participant.

    Wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers who are not photographers, but are keen to see and experience Little Rann of Kutch, are also welcome to join this group. This trip, covering the grasslands of Little Rann of Kutch and surrounding habitats, will keep you enthralled from start to finish.

  • Can I bring my non-photographer partner with me?

    Yes, you can. Wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers who are not photographers, but are keen to see and experience Little Rann of Kutch, are also welcome to join this group. This trip, covering the Little Rann of Kutch and surrounding habitats, will keep you enthralled from start to finish.

    However, non-photographers should note that our itineraries are designed keeping photography in mind. We are generally slower than typical travel itineraries and don’t make a long sightseeing list. Please note that we do not offer separate pricing for non-photographers.

  • I am not a keen photographer. But I want to join this tour with your group. Can I still join?

    Yes. If you are keen to see and experience Little Rann of Kutch, you are welcome to join this group. This trip, covering the Little Rann of Kutch and surrounding habitats, will keep you enthralled from start to finish. Please note that we do not offer separate pricing for non-photographers.

  • Getting to Little Rann of Kutch

    During the tour, we'll be staying at Zainabad on the periphery of the Little Rann of Kutch. Zainabad is a comfortable 2 hours drive from the nearest airport at Ahmedabad (AMD). We'll facilitate cab-pooling with other participants, where possible, between Ahmedabad and Little Rann of Kutch.

Cancellation Policy

– 25% of the tour fee is charged as a cancellation fee for cancellations earlier than 60 days before the start of a tour.
– 50% of the tour fee is charged as a cancellation fee for cancellations between 59 days and 45 days before the start of a tour.
– 80% of the tour fee is charged as a cancellation fee for cancellations between 44 days and 31 days before the start of a tour.
– No refund for cancellation within 30 days of the tour start date or for a no-show.

Cancellations have to be communicated via an email to photography@darter.in. The date of email receipt in our account will be used to apply the cancellation policy mentioned above.

Note: Please note that the tour and the itinerary above is subject to favourable weather and other conditions. In case of any obstacles, we will do our best to make alternate plans. The cost of the tour or any part of it will not be refunded in the event of unfavourable conditions during the tour days.

Expert on this Tour
https://darter.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Shreeram-Profile.jpg

Shreeram MVDirector and Photography Mentor

Shreeram MV is a professional photographer, photography mentor and naturalist. What started off as a fascination for birds in a lake behind his house turned into a journey across the natural world. For this IIM Bangalore graduate, the passion for travel and wildlife enabled him to charter his own course outside the corporate world. He has explored and photographed places across the world as diverse as the savannahs of Africa, the ice continent of Antarctica, the islands of New Zealand, the rainforests of the Western Ghats, the salt marshes of Kutch, the grasslands of Tal Chapar, the deciduous forests of South and Central India, the high-altitude plateau of Ladakh, the coasts of peninsular India, the forests of North-east India and the islands of Andaman. His approach to wildlife photography has evolved into telling stories about the place and its habitats, biodiversity and human interactions with nature. He is a well-published and awarded photographer. His articles and photographs have been published in diverse print and digital magazines such as National Geographic Traveller, Sanctuary Asia, Saevus, Lonely Planet India, Terrascape, Nature inFocus and JLR Explore. As a naturalist, he has been associated with Jungle Lodges and Resorts and Karnataka Eco-tourism Development Board in training and certifying naturalists from across the state. His approach to wildlife photography is to bring back photographs that tell stories – about the place and its habitats, the diversity of flora and fauna and human interactions with the wilderness. Composition and light are his favourite tools in crafting new perspectives of the natural world. His personalized style of mentorship, where he works with each participant’s individual interests and strengths, has been much appreciated over the years. See some of his work at Shreeram MV Photography

Shreeram MVDirector and Photography Mentor

Experience wildlife photography at pristine biodiverse locations around the world.

Get in Touch with US

Shreeram MV

+91 97400 83260

Manish Lakhani

+91 99988 66669
glimpse of Little Rann of Kutch
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