Gir is the only place in the world outside Africa, where the lion can be seen in its natural habitat. The last remaining bastion of the Asiatic Lion, Gir is also home to one of the largest leopard populations in any park in India, making it an excellent place to see big cats of a different kind.

The lion sanctuary project was initiated in 1972 to create a balance between the endangered lions and the indigenous Maldhari tribe. With over 800 guards patrolling the entire park, Gir has become one of the best-protected sanctuaries in India. No wonder that from 20 lions at the turn of the century there are now over 300 lions at Gir. This makes your chances of sighting a lion very high.

Apart from spotting a colourful array of birds, Gir is also a great place to interact with local tribes. The main tribe is a nomadic pastoral community called Maldhari, who live in scattered settlements called 'nesses'. Gir is also home to a Negroid community known as Siddis, who are African in origin but speak Gujarati. The park is open from mid October and a Lion Safari by jeep showcases the diverse habitat of Gir.

Gir has some of the largest panthers imaginable. Other wildlife to look out for are the Four-Horned Antelope (the only four-horned ungulate in the world), Indian gazelle (chinkara), Spotted Deer (Chital), Blue Bull (Nilgai), Wild Boar, Wolf, Hyena, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Hare and other mammals found in the forest. The Kamleshwar dam in the middle of the sanctuary is home to a record population of marsh crocodiles.

Interesting birds at Gir are the Paradise Flycatcher, Grey Drongo, Grey & Painted Francolin, Painted Sandgrouse, Bush Quail, Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Bonnelli's Eagle, Shikra Hawk, Sirkeer Cuckoo and White-necked Stork. The Lion safari offers a fair cross-section of habitats and wildlife of Gir. Nearly 70% of the tropical dry deciduous forest is covered by old teak plantations.