Somnath

Seaside temple town in Gujarat, home to the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva.

FamousPilgrimageHeritageBeach

Somnath draws pilgrims to its rebuilt Chalukyan-style temple on the Arabian Sea shore, consecrated in 1951. Around it lie a cluster of sites tied to the Krishna story, a river confluence and an evening sound and light show. It suits families, older travellers and anyone interested in temple history, and the trust guest houses make a short stay easy.

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Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.

Best time to go

When	What to expect
October to March	The most comfortable weather; January lows are about 11 C and highs about 32 C. Maha Shivaratri falls in this window and brings big crowds.
April to June	Hot, with May highs of about 42 C. Visit the temple early or late in the day.
Monsoon (about July to September)	Rainy. The evening sound and light show is not held in the rainy season.

Sights and activities

Somnath Temple

The seaside temple of Shiva, counted as the first Jyotirlinga, rebuilt after independence and consecrated on 11 May 1951. Phones, cameras and smartwatches must be left in the free cloakroom.

Distance: In Prabhas Patan, about 0.5 km from Somnath railway station.
Entry: Free
Timings: 6 am to 10 pm daily; aarti at 7 am, 12 noon and 7 pm
Time needed: 2-3 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Jay Somnath Sound and Light Show

An evening show inside the temple complex that tells the history of Somnath with narration, music and lights.

Distance: Inside the temple complex.
Entry: About 30-50 rupees
Timings: Evening, about 7:45 pm to 8:45 pm; not held in the rainy season
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Triveni Sangam Ghat

The ghat where the Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati rivers are believed to meet before reaching the sea.

Distance: Close to the temple, within Prabhas Patan.
Timings: 6 am to 6 pm
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Dehotsarg Tirth and Geeta Mandir

Dehotsarg on the Hiran riverbank is linked to the end of Krishna's earthly journey. The nearby Geeta Mandir has 18 pillars carrying the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita.

Distance: About 1.5 km from the temple.
Timings: 6 am to 6 pm
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Bhalka Tirth

The spot where, by tradition, the hunter Jara's arrow struck Krishna.

Distance: About 5 km from the temple on the Prabhas-Veraval highway.
Timings: 6 am to 6:30 pm
Time needed: 45 minutes

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Ahilyabai Temple

A temple built by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar in 1783, with a lower chamber that houses a Somnath Mahadev shrine.

Distance: In Prabhas Patan, near the main temple.
Timings: 6 am to 7 pm
Time needed: 30 minutes

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Somnath Museum (Prabhas Patan Museum)

Holds sculptures and carved remains from the 10th to 12th century Somnath temples.

Distance: In Prabhas Patan.
Timings: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm; closed Wednesday and 2nd and 4th Saturday
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Somnath Beach

The shore of the Arabian Sea right beside the temple, good for an evening walk.

Distance: Next to the temple.
Entry: Free
Timings: Open all day
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Getting there

By bus: GSRTC and private buses link Somnath with Ahmedabad (about 327 km, 8-10 hours), Rajkot (about 200 km), Junagadh (about 90 km) and other Gujarat towns.
By train: Somnath station (SMNH) is about 0.5 km from the temple. Veraval station, about 7 km away, has more trains, such as the Saurashtra Janta Express from Mumbai Bandra Terminus via Ahmedabad and Rajkot.
By air: Diu airport is about 63-85 km away (sources differ). Rajkot airport is another option, about 200 km by road.
Where to base yourself: Prabhas Patan, near the temple gate, where the Somnath Trust guest houses and most hotels are.

Getting around

The temple, beach, Triveni Ghat and guest houses in Prabhas Patan are close enough to walk between.
The Somnath Trust runs a Tirth Darshan bus to nearby shrines from the main gate at 8:30 am and 3:30 pm for a small fee.
Taxis run between Veraval and Somnath, about 7 km, for roughly 500-700 rupees per trip according to a route planner.
Wheelchairs and golf carts for seniors and disabled visitors are available at the temple main gate.

Often combined with

Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.

Gir National Park: Road, about 1.5 to 2 hours, about 75 km by road. See the Gujarat: Dwarka, Somnath and Gir trip
Dwarka: Road along the coast, about 5 to 6 hours, about 240 km by road. See the Gujarat: Dwarka, Somnath and Gir trip

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Where to stay

Budget level	Type	Price per night
Budget	Somnath Trust guest house (Lilavati or Maheshwari) or dormitory	₹750 to ₹1,904
Mid-range	Sagar Darshan trust guest house or 3-star hotel	₹3,400 to ₹4,600
Luxury	4-star hotel such as Sarovar Portico or Kings Kraft Tremezzo Inn	₹4,978 to ₹9,600

Food

Each Somnath Trust guest house has a restaurant or bhojanalay serving Gujarati, Punjabi, Chinese and Indian thali meals. More hotels and eateries are in Prabhas Patan and Veraval.

Try these

Gujarati thali (rotli, dal, rice, shaak and sweet)
Punjabi thali
Indian thali at the trust bhojanalay

Trust guest house kitchens serve vegetarian meals.

Daily costs

Budget level	Stay per room	Food per person	Local transport
Budget	₹950	₹400	₹100 per person
Mid-range	₹3,800	₹800	₹700 per vehicle
Luxury	₹5,600	₹1,500	₹2,000 per vehicle

Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.

Permits and documents

No permit is needed. Room bookings with the Somnath Trust are made only on somnath.org or at its offices; the trust warns against booking through WhatsApp or UPI requests.

Safety

By day: A busy pilgrim town with heavy security at the temple; electronic devices are not allowed inside.
At night: The temple area stays busy until the 10 pm closing and the evening show; stay near the lit main roads afterwards.
Solo women: The temple area is crowded with families and pilgrims.
Roads: Highways from Rajkot, Junagadh and Ahmedabad are long drives; Ahmedabad is about 7-8 hours by car.
Emergency numbers: 112 (all emergencies), Shree Somnath Trust: +91-94282 14914

Practical

Mobile network: All the main networks (Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL) work in town.
ATMs and cash: ATMs are easy to find in town.
Fuel: There are several petrol pumps in and around town.
Medical: Hospitals are easy to find across the city. In an emergency dial 112, or 108 for an ambulance in most states. Veraval, 7 km away, is the nearest larger town.

Coverage maps: Jio · Airtel · Vi · BSNL. Report a problem

Accessibility

Seniors: Wheelchairs and golf carts are available at the main gate, and there is a lift inside the temple premises.
Children: Guest houses provide cradles and extra beds; the beach and evening show suit children.
Wheelchair users: Wheelchairs are available at the temple main gate and a lift operates inside the premises.

Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.

Culture and responsible travel

Dress modestly; mini skirts and revealing clothes are not allowed in the temple.
Remove footwear at the free shoe house before entering.
Phones, cameras, smartwatches and laptops are not allowed inside; use the free cloakroom lockers.
Photography inside the temple is prohibited and smoking is banned near the temple.
Ask for a receipt for any donation, and book rooms or pujas only through the official trust website.

What to pack

Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
Sunscreen, a hat, swimwear and sandals
Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and socks for hot stone floors where shoes come off. Some temples do not allow phones or bags, so carry little
Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts

Multi-stop trips that include Somnath

Gujarat: Dwarka, Somnath and Gir, 6 nights

At a glance

State: Gujarat
District: Gir Somnath
Altitude: About 5 m
Gateway: Veraval
Best time: Oct-Mar
Ideal trip: 2 days
Difficulty: Easy. Reached by road, and the sights need little walking.

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About this page

Checked against online sources in October 2026. Not field-verified. ATMs, fuel and hospitals from OpenStreetMap, October 2026.

Could not be confirmed online:

Altitude is approximate; Somnath is on the seashore and no exact figure was found.
Sound and light show ticket price (30-50 rupees) comes from one travel site, not the trust; the trust gives the start as 7:45 pm on one page and 8 pm on another.
Entry fees and timings for Triveni Ghat, Dehotsarg, Geeta Mandir, Bhalka Tirth, Ahilyabai Temple and the museum were not confirmed.
Ahmedabad taxi fare and Veraval-Somnath taxi fare are converted from US dollar ranges on a route planner and are approximate.
Mumbai to Veraval train fare is an approximate figure from a route planner; class-wise fares were not found.
Ahmedabad bus fares come from a booking site listing in the Somnath to Ahmedabad direction.
Diu airport distance differs between sources (63 km and 85 km).
Meal prices were not found online; daily food costs are estimates.
Local auto-rickshaw fares and the Tirth Darshan bus fee were not found; local transport costs are estimates.
Mobile network, ATM, fuel and hospital details were not confirmed.
Monsoon months are approximate; the trust only says the show stops in the rainy season.
Room rates exclude GST; hotel prices are from booking sites and change by date.

Cover photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sources: Incredible India - Somnath Temple, Shree Somnath Trust - home, Shree Somnath Trust - FAQ, Shree Somnath Trust - Nearest places, Shree Somnath Trust - Pilgrim facilities, RailYatri - Saurashtra Janta Express 19217, Thomas Cook - Somnath Temple guide, ixigo - Somnath to Ahmedabad buses, Rome2Rio - Ahmedabad to Somnath temple, Rome2Rio - Mumbai to Somnath temple, Rome2Rio - Veraval to Somnath temple, Adani One - Hotels in Somnath, OYO - Hotels in Somnath, Trawell - Triveni Sangam Ghat, Trawell - Dehotsarg Tirth and Geeta Mandir, Trawell - Bhalka Tirth, Trawell - Ahilyabai Temple, Incredible India - Prabhas Patan Museum