Dasada

The last refuge in India of the Asiatic Wild Ass

Dasada is a small village occupied mainly by farmers, nomadic cattle herders and artisans. It is situated on the outskirts of the Rann of Kutch, a vast salt marsh that spans 30,000 square kilometers.

Dasada is the perfect base from which to explore the Rann of Kutch, the last refuge in India of the Asiatic Wild Ass, an elegant member of the horse family. In winter it is also home to migratory birds such as flamingoes, MacQueen's Bustard etc.

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Special Places to Stay in Dasada

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Rann Riders ($)

Rann Riders is a resort featuring different types of Gujarati traditional and tribal homes set around well kept lawns and shady trees.

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Desert Coursers ($)

Welcome to the true Kutch experience - at this simple ethnic resort run by Dhanraj Malik - descendant of an erstwhile local ruler.

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Things to see and do in Dasada

Wildlife Safari in the Little Rann of Kutch

A stay in Dasada includes cross-desert safaris across the Little Rann of Kutch in open vehicles.

The Rann of Kutch is a geographically unique landscape that was once an arm of the Arabian Sea. As the land became separated from the sea by geological forces, a vast, featureless plain encrusted with salt was formed, which is inundated with water during the monsoon rains.

The safari across the Little Rann visits the 'bets', islands on the ancient seabed that are now higher ground covered with grass and scrub.

These 'bets' support a variety of wildlife including the 'Gudkhur' (Asiatic wild ass) that is not found elsewhere. The wild ass is a handsome chestnut brown member of the equus genus (horse family). Capable of reaching high speeds when galloping across the Rann, the wild ass is usually seen in small herds.

The elegant blackbuck (Indian antelope), nilgai or blue bull (India's largest antelope) and the graceful chinkara (Indian gazelle) are other mammals seen.

The carnivores of the Little Rann are the endangered Indian wolf, desert fox, Indian fox, jackals, desert and jungle cats, and a few hyenas.

Bird Safari

The Little Rann of Kutch is a birding paradise and has been declared a Ramsar Site. During the safaris in the Rann expect to see large flocks of larks, and other dryland birds like sandgrouse, coursers, plovers, chats, warblers, babblers, shrikes, etc.

The best sightings can be made at the lakes and marshes in and around the Rann where birds gather in numbers beyond comprehension during the winter months from October to March. These are the months when large droves of demoiselle and common cranes are seen in incredibly large numbers. The wetlands also attract flamingos, pelicans, storks, ibises, spoonbill, a variety of ducks and other waterfowl.

The Rann is also the hunting ground of raptors like the short-toed eagle, aquila eagles, six species of falcon, buzzards and three species of harrier. It is one of the few places where harriers can be seen roosting on open-ground at night.

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The Little Rann of Kutch

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