text:
Aguas Calientes

Aguas Calientes (now officially Machu Picchu Pueblo) is a small town at the bottom of the valley next to Machu Picchu, and the principal access point to the site. All visitors to Machu Picchu pass through Aguas Calientes and most spend at least one night here.

Understand
The town is perched on the bank of the Urubamba river. Across the river are sheer cliffs, and a creek flows down from the jungle into the river, bisecting the town. Several small bridges cross the creek. Virtually all of the town is pedestrian-only, making it very easy to get around.

Get in
There are no roads into Aguas Calientes. You must arrive by train or by foot.

By train
Two train companies serve Aguas Calientes. Try to book several days in advance if possible, especially in the high season. Tickets can be purchased online, or at travel agency and ticket offices in Cusco. Upon leaving the train station you will enter a warren of market stalls. Stay straight to head to the stream running through town where you can get your bearings.

Peru Rail
Peru Rail has two stations: Ollanta and Poroy. There are several departures daily, varying greatly in price. Pay attention to the station when buying tickets online, as the website presents both stations in the same timetable. Tickets should be bought in advance either online or at the Peru Rail office on the Plaze de Armas in Cusco. It is not possible to select your seats online, so if you have a preference, buy them at the station. Printed tickets are required, although they can be printed at the Poroy station at the ticketing office (and likely at Ollanta, although this has not been confirmed). The fares start at US$35 one way in the 'Backpackers' cars, which have decently comfortable seats and small snacks available for purchase. The 'Vistadome' cars are the mid-range cars, with nicer seats and included snacks. There is also a luxury option called 'Hiram Bingham', complete with gourmet meals and an observation carriage.

Poroy is a 20-min taxi ride from the Cusco Plaza de Armas and is the most convienent option for passengers departing from Cusco. However, in the rainy season Peru Rail only runs trains from Ollanta and ferries passengers via shuttle buses.

Ollanta is in Ollantaytambo, which is a small town 1hr 45min from Cusco. To get to Ollantaytambo, take a collectivo from Calle Pavitos in Cusco, S/15 (soles) per person. They start early in the morning, around 03:00, and run every half hour. Look for a newish van with seatbelts. Ollantaytambo is a small town with ruins of its own, and one popular route is to take the bus, spend a night in Ollantaytambo, then take the train to Aguas Calientes the next morning. The scenic train journey through the Sacred Valley takes about 3hr 45min from Poroy and 1hr 45min from Ollanta.

Inca Rail
Inca Rail also serves Aguas Calientes. Prices and service are similar to Peru Rail. The "bimodal" service is a combination of a minibus from Av de Sol in Cusco to Ollantaytambo, where you transfer to the Inca Rail train to Machu Picchu (in Aguas Calientes). Both the bus and rail sections are very scenic.

By car and foot/train
Several tour agencies offer a "Machu Picchu by car" tour for S/60-100 - an inexpensive way to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco. These start around 07:00 in the morning to go to Hidroelectrica on a 6-7 hour car ride up and down a very curvy mountain road with very spectacular views along the road. From there you walk to Aguas Calientes for 2½-3 hours. It is an easy, flat walk, you just have to follow the train tracks. It's also possible to catch a train at 14:50 for US$32 (Jul 2019). You'll spend the night in Agua Calientes and get up to Machu Picchu very early the next day, usually around 04:00. Minivans back to Cusco leave Hidroelectrica at around 14:30. This means leaving Machu Picchu at around 11:00. It's just enough time to visit the site for 3-4 hours, but not enough to climb Wayna Picchu or Montana.

If you want to have more time at Machu Picchu (recommended if you have the time), you can also organize the trip yourself: book the transport at a tour agency (S/70-80 for the round trip), book two nights in Aguas Calientes (there are plenty hotels and hostels to choose from), and buy your ticket for Machu Picchu in the Ministerio de Cultura in Cusco.

By foot
It is also possible to hike downstream along the railway tracks from Ollantaytambo or from the town at km 82, where the Inca trail starts. This is about a seven-hour hike (hiking on the train tracks is prohibited).

It's also possible to hike upstream along the train tracks from Santa Teresa (4 hours) or Hidroeléctrica (2 hours). You can take a minibus directly to Hidroeléctrica from Cusco for S/50 or make the journey by public transport. To reach Santa Teresa, take a bus towards Quillabamba from Cusco and get off at Santa Maria. The bus leaves Cusco at 08:00 (from the Santiago bus depot - S/20) and passes through Ollantaytambo, Urubumba and Santa Maria. It's a 7-hour journey from Cusco to Santa Maria. You can also take a minivan (colectivo) which leaves next to the buses (S/25-30 - 4 hours). At Santa Maria, take a connecting bus to Santa Teresa (S/6, 1½ hours) or a taxi (S/10, 1 hour). Walk 2 hours or catch a bus (S/5) to the hydro electric plant (planta hidroeléctrica). From there it's 2½-3 hours of walking to Aguas Calientes, and it's an easy walk, you just to follow the train tracks. It's also possible to catch a train for US$28 (May 2015) to Aguas Calientes, possibly much cheaper if you are Peruvian (leaves hidroeléctrica at 16:00 and for Peruvians it's S/10). As the tracks are still in use, be careful, especially when crossing bridges and in the tunnels.

There are also hiking paths coming from Mollepata, Cachora and Huanicapa for the extremely adventurous. You will want to get your hands on some topographical maps beforehand. Hiking and Trekking around Cusco is available for S/25-30 and has details on the routes you can take.

Get around
The town is compact and walkable, and there are no vehicles apart from the buses to Machu Picchu and a few work vehicles.

Do
Aguas Calientes is in the cloud forest, and there are several hikes in the jungle and along the river. The town also offers the usual activities for a tourist location, as well as the thermal baths that give the town its name.

Birdwatchers can find Torrent Ducks and White-Capped Dippers in the river, and Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks--the national bird of Peru--can be found in the jungle outside of town. Several books are available discussing the bird life near and around Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes that also discuss birds that can be found in the cloud forest.

In town:

Going downstream towards Santa Teresa, you can follow the train tracks or follow the road along the river. This road runs until it reaches a bridge that crosses the river where the road winds up to Machu Picchu. At this point you can turn right and cut up to the train tracks and continue to follow the river along the tracks. Walk on the tracks is prohibited and dangerous. In the downstream direction you can find:

Going upstream towards Ollantaytambo:

Following the train tracks upstream from Machu Picchu Pueblo towards Ollantaytambo you will see some other ruins and a waterfall.

Buy
Prices on most things are relatively high, so if you're on a very tight budget, bring some snacks and water from Cusco. If you're planning to use a credit card for hotel or purchases, note that most places only accept Visa. However, prices on basics such as snacks and water are not much higher than Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

There is a big market along the road to Machu Picchu, and a big handicraft market in front of the railway station.

Some shops sell hand-painted t-shirts, which are far more expensive than other t-shirts in Peru but are a little more creative.

Eat
There are many restaurants catering to travelers. Prices can be expected to be somewhat higher due to the isolation of Aguas Calientes and the difficulty of importing supplies. Some travelers have reported incorrectly calculated bills and hidden charges on bills. One ploy to be aware of is for the bill to be 10-15% more than advertised due to "tax" and "servicio". This is fairly easy to avoid if you are aware of it - when the tout is inviting you into the restaurant, he or she will name a price. Agree to the price and say, "No tax, no servicio, no nada mas." When they bring the bill, you may have to remind them of this agreement, but there is usually no problem if it is agreed up front. The waiter may tell you he earns no wages, and the service charge is his only pay, but this is not true. Only ever pay what is advertised.

The town is full of pizza restaurants, which are a safe option.

There are also Chifa restaurants (Chinese food) and Peruvian restaurants serving set menus. These will usually run S/10-15, and depending on where you go will be something along the lines of palta rellena (stuffed avocado), soup, main course (generally trout, beef or chicken), tea, coffee, fruit juice, wine or pisco sour.

The smaller restaurants up the hill will often offer more food for half the price of the larger establishments, and the quality is usually the same.

There are two cafes outside the entrance to Machu Picchu that have decent cafe-style food and are surprisingly reasonable.

Drink
Many bars try to lure in customers with 4-for-1 happy hours lasting the whole evening. Beware that the price is fourfold of the normal prices in Cusco. These "four" cocktails are also each about the size of one normal-priced cocktail. It is often not a terrible deal, but it is not truly four-for-one.

Signs warn that it is not allowed to sell and/or consume alcoholic beverages after 23:00. However, it's not too hard to find a place to drink some beers after this time.

Sleep
There are many sleeping options in Aguas Calientes. There is one very expensive hotel right next to the Machu Picchu entrance.

Connect
Internet cafes are spread around the town with slow connections. They offer local and long-distance calls as well. They charge S/3-4 per hour and there are also CD and DVD burning facilities to store your photos. DVDs cost S/15 each to burn.

Stay healthy
There is a 24-hour pharmacy "Multiservicios Botica Carita Feliz" in Calle Collasuyo, north-west of the main square Plaza Manco Ccapac.

Go next

 * Cusco take the train.
 * Ollantaytambo take the train.
 * Santa Teresa head down stream, its about a four hour hike.
 * Choquequirao you'll need camping equipment, food, a map and GPS would be good too.

title: Aguas Calientes


text:
Aguascalientes (state)

Aguascalientes is a state in the Bajío region of Mexico. The state has several attractions to visit such as the capital city's colonial architecture, and the San Marcos Fair, and offers activities such as hiking, sport fishing and cycling in the Sierra Fría nature reserve. Some tourists explore the former mining towns in the north of the state (in the municipalities of Asientos and Tepezalá), which are now almost ghost cities. The haciendas, hot springs, and baths scattered around the state are also of historical and recreational relevance.

Cities

 * — the city has many parks, gardens and parks you can also see different buildings and old churches. The San Marcos Fair is held in this city
 * — small colonial mining town with historic sites and gracious charm
 * — small, scenic colonial city with abundant guava orchards
 * — small town with an Insurgency museum in a restored hacienda
 * — small town known for its resilience and its iconic "Broken Christ" statue

Itineraries

 * Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is a historic route through Bajio and Northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico. The route is a.

Understand
Most of Aguascalientes' population of 1.4 million inhabitants (2019) live in its capital city. Its name means "hot waters" and originated from the abundance of hot springs that were found in the area.

Aguascalientes is the smallest state in Mexico by area, and 27th of the 29 states by population.

Get in
Aguascalientes International Airport (Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo) is outside the capital city, it has daily flights from Mexico City, Tijuana, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston.

Get around
Buses are the best way to get between cities. The biggest bus station in the state is in the capital, Aguascalientes, where you'll find the main bus station (Central de Autobuses) on the south side of the city. Aguascalientes is served by major bus lines including Primera Plus, Omnibus de Mexico, and ETN. Smaller, local bus lines serve local routes and nearby towns. Because Aguascalientes is a very small state, a taxi to anywhere is affordable and often the most convenient way to get between destinations.

, Av de la Convención de 1914 Sur 408, Las Américas, Aguascalientes. The bus station, is on the south side of the first ring, 5 km (3 miles) from main square.

See
The state's capital city has gained the reputation as a great destination for its superb colonial architecture visible in the colonial center, as well as the modernity and dynamism in the outskirts.

El Cristo Roto ("the Broken Christ") is a sculpture that measures about 25 m and sits on an island of the Plutarco Elías Calles Dam in the municipality of San José de Gracia. There is also the Sanctuary of the Broken Christ where you can see the different types of Christs to scale that the different churches in the state have. Access to the sculpture is only by waterway by boat and when arriving at the island, you must climb a staircase to reach the sanctuary and the sculpture. (Daily 07:00-19:30, boat fare adult M$30, child M$20.

Do

 * The San Marcos Fair is held in the city of Aguascalientes annually between April and May.

 * The Festival de las Calaveras (Festival of Skulls) is held in the city of Aguascalientes in the last week of October and the first week of November. It includes the parade of the skulls, exhibition of crafts related to the day of the dead, traditional gastronomy pavilions, and the so-called "living altar".

 * Boca de Túnel adventure park, about 15 km north of the city of San José de Gracia on the San José De Gracia-Tortugas Highway, is a system of canyons where you can do extreme sports such as climbing, going up one of the two zip lines that exist, passing over hanging bridges. The park also has a camping place and cabins

 * The Sierra Fría Nature Reserve in the northeast of the state includes the municipalities of San José de Gracia, Calvillo, Rincón de Romos, Jesús María and Pabellón de Arteaga. You can do various activities such as camping, hiking, sport fishing, guided walks and cycling. Its oak and pine forests and wide ravines are home to pumas, lynxes, boar, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, raccoons and many other animals.

 * Thermal spas are what gave the state its name. Soak in the mineral baths in the Aguascalientes, Calvillo or one of the smaller outlying towns.

Buy
There are various handicrafts and textiles that can be purchased in the state such as frayed, hook and majolica fabrics, and saddlery. In the municipality of Jesús María you can obtain wood carving and quarry.

Eat
The gastronomy of Aguascalientes was influenced by the foods of the neighboring states and varies depending on the city. The typical foods of the state are the menudo, the birria dish, the "chascas" and the enchiladas that are accompanied with pickled pork and vegetables. You can also enjoy chiqueadas gorditas in the municipality of Jesús María. In the city of Aguascalientes there are the flutes, golden tacos, and there is also the Mercado Juárez where you can find various dishes such as the best birrierías in the state and have the traditional Menudo for breakfast on Sundays. In San Francisco de los Romo they have the traditional elaboration ofcarnitas, in Pabellón de Arteaga are the traditional burritos.

The municipality of Calvillo is the largest producer of guavas in Mexico.

Stay safe
Aguascalientes is often regarded as the safest city in Mexico, and while crime can occur anywhere, the state has one of the country's lowest crime rates.

Go next

 * León
 * San Luis Potosi

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Aguascalientes (state)


text:
Aguateca

Aguateca is in the Peten department of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala.

Climate
Tropical jungle

Get in
Getting to Aguateca is not particularly difficult, if coming from Guatemala city catch a bus to Coban then a bus to Sayaxche. From there you can have a guide take you via wooden canoe, they are not dugouts. The canoes have motors, but the trip takes a few hours, the last of which is through very narrow swampland. Be prepared to dodge weeds that brush against the boat, as well as the pole that the guide uses to steer!

See
Aguateca has some of the best-preserved Mayan ruins in Guatemala. You will see stelae and temple ruins that may not be the largest or most imposing, but great care has been taken during excavation to preserve the area. Its location makes it half the fun: you are more likely to encounter archaeologists at work than other tourists.

Sleep
The closest accommodation to Aguateca is at Chiminos Island, a short boat ride away on Laguna Petexbatun.

Lodging
Chiminos Island Lodge, pleasant eco-lodge overlooking Laguna Petexbatun. The hotel is only accessible by boat and should be booked in advance. This can be done directly with the hotel or through a recognised tour operator who will be able to provide transport to and from the property as well as a guide.

Stay safe
There have been a hefts on the microbus from Cruces to Sayaxche.

title: Aguateca


text:
Aguaytía

Aguaytía is the capital of the Padre Abad province in the Ucayali region of Peru. It is a town in the Peruvian Amazon between the cities of Tingo María and Pucallpa.

Get in
You can fly in on one of Peru's national airlines to the City of Pucallpa and then drive by bus or by autotaxi, or, for the more adventurous, you could try coming in on a bus from Lima.

Get around
Mototaxis are the standard mode of transportation for Aguaytía.

See
There is not very much in the way of sightseeing in Aguaytía. Most attractions are water-related.

 * The Cascading Bride's Veil (Velo de la Novia): a few miles towards Tingo María you can find this famous waterfall, which is a nice place for a day trip.
 * The Devil's Shower Waterfall
 * Alto Shambillo Waterfall
 * Loroyacu Waterfall
 * Loroyacu Waterfall

title: Aguaytía


text:
Agulhas National Park

Agulhas National Park is in the Western Cape of South Africa. Cape Agulhas is the most southern tip of Africa. It is located in South Africa's Western Cape Province. It is not the most spectacular cape or the most popular with tourists, but as the Southern tip of Africa it still attracts a growing number of people each year.

The official location of the most southernly tip of the continent is 34°49'58" south and 20°00'12" east.

Understand
Agulhas National Park is located on the southernmost tip of Africa where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. The park form part of the Cape Floral Kingdom UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History
The park was proclaimed in March 1999, but it will take a number of years in order to acquire and consolidate all the land that is to form the complete park.

Birds
Damara Tern breeds at De Mond Nature Reserve and can be seen along the Struisbaai Boardwalk. Denham's Bustard, Blue Crane and Secretarybird are some of the larger, more visible species present, while Southern Tchagra, Large-billed Lark, Agulhas Clapper and Agulhas Long-billed Lark, Cloud Cisticola and Grey-backed Cisticola are common amongst the smaller species.

This park hosts a variety of habitat types and great biodiversity of birds. Large expanses of coastal fynbos allow birders access to species such as Cape Sugarbird, Southern Doubled-Collared Sunbird and Orange-breasted Sunbird, and the patches of renosterveld hosts vulnerable species such as Hottentot Buttonquail and Black Harrier.

The historical Springfield Saltpans is a yearly haven for hundreds of Lesser and Greater Flamingo, the rare Chestnut-banded Plover, thousands of Little Stint, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, and some scarce species such as Eurasian Curlew and Red Knot. Along the Zoetendalsvlei and Nuwerjaarsrivier, waterbirds such as African Rail, African Purple Swamphen, Black Crake and an array of other waders occur frequently. Other raptors found in the area includes Lanner Falcon, Yellow-billed Kite, African Harrier-Hawk, African Marsh-Harrier, Martial Eagle, Booted Eagle, African Fish-Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Jackal Buzzard and Forest Buzzard.

Mammals
Not many terrestrial mammals occur, but the Cape Grysbok is something to look out for in the coastal fynbos. In the ocean you can look out for Cape Fur Seals and a variety of whales, dolphins and porpoises. The Southern Right Whales come to the bays to breed from August to November.

Vegetation
The floral diversity includes some 2,000 species of indigenous plants including 100 that are endemic to the area and over 110 Red Data species. The Agulhas Plain is an important component of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest and richest of the six plant kingdoms of the world.

Many different vegetation types occur in this area. One of them is the endemic Elim (laterite) fynbos, restricted to a few patches in the region, the smallest land surface of any vegetation type in SA. Some of the species confined to this vegetation type are Leucodendron elimense spp. Elimense and Leucodendron laxum (vleirosie).

Limestone fynbos is the endemic-rich vegetation associated with the Bredasdorp Formation limestones. Lime-rich soils are mainly alkaline (pH values greater than 7,5, whereas other fynbos soils are acidic, with a pH value of 4,5 - 6,5) and represented by species like Mimetes saxatalis, Protea obtusifolia, Leucodendron meridianum and Watsonia fergusoniae.

Other vegetation types include acid sand proteoid fynbos, neutral sand proteoid fynbos, restioid fynbos and wetlands.

Climate
Generally hot and dry in the summer months with most rainfall occurring during the winter.

Get in
You can get there by car from Bredasdorp. You will reach Bredasdorp by travelling on the N2 highway, which runs from Cape Town along the east coast via the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth and taking the Caledon turnoff. It is about 100 km to Caledon from Cape Town and then more than 100 km further to Bredasdorp. All in all about 2 hours from Cape Town to Bredasdorp. The roads are good but narrow with a speed limit of 100km/h. Most of the intercity bus companies stop in Caledon. Alternatively, you can get there by a scenic gravel road from the fishing village of Gansbaai via the rural hamlet of Baardskeerdersbos and the Moravion mission village of Elim.

It can be accessed via the N2 highway, which runs from Cape Town along the east coast via the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth, turning off at Caledon and passing through Bredasdorp when coming from the west. From the east, leave the N2 near Swellendam and pass through Bredasdorp to get to Cape Agulhas.

Alternatively, you can get there by scenic gravel road from the fishing village of Gansbaai via the rural hamlet of Baardskeerdersbos and the Moravion mission village of Elim. The nearest towns are L’Agulhas and the fishing village of Struisbaai.

Fees
Valid until 31 October 2017:
 * South African citizens and residents (with ID): R37 per adult, R18 per child, per day
 * SADC nationals (with passport): R74 per adult, R37 per child, per day
 * Foreign visitors: R148 per adult, R74 per child, per day

Get around
Access roads to Rhenosterkop and Rietfontein are gravel roads.

The southernmost tip of Africa is dominated by three towns. Arniston, Struisbaai and L’Agulhas. Whale watching in the spring is fascinating as are the spring flowers. Fishing, scuba diving, and surfing are great in this part of the world.

The Foot of Africa marathon is held each year in October (14-15 Oct 2017).

See
Cape Agulhas is not as spectacular as the Cape Peninsula, but there are only few people and you can enjoy the lonely atmosphere far from all big cities. You might also see some whales.

Struisbaai is a coastal village boasting the longest continuous stretch of white sand coastline in the Southern part of Africa. Struisbaai also boasts the picturesque harbor, the fishing cottages of Hotagterklip, 2km north of town is a favorite subject with South African painters. Some of the old fishermen's cottages have been restored and are now protected as national monuments. You could also view the Cape Agulgas light house, one of the oldest in South-Africa, and the most southern tip of Africa, where the two Oceans, The Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet in the Aghulas National Park.

 * Southernmost tip of Africa (see Geographical records)
 * Southern Right Whale - between June and November
 * African Black Oystercatcher - an endangered species with a population of less than 5000 adults
 * Saltpans
 * Saltpans

Do

 * Rasperpunt Trail - A 5.5km circular hiking trail, with its start/end at the Meisho Maru shipwreck. Experience the coastline, coastal fynbos, ancient fish traps, fresh water fountains for the first half of the walk. Turn inland, cross the gravel road and work your way up the ridge with magnificent views of the Rasperpunt rock formations and the coastline. The route markers are numbered along the route and a self-guide booklet can be purchased at the reception.
 * Two Oceans Trail - Follows a circular route through the park. The name of the hiking trail is linked to a viewpoint on top of the Sandberg from which the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean can be seen. The trail passes through indigenous fynbos and is about 10.5-km long and takes most hikers 4-5 hours to complete the entire trail. There are two alternative routes - a 3-km (one hour) and slightly longer route of 4.5 km (2 hours) for hikers who may not wish to walk the entire route. The route is marked with coloured markers. A self-guided booklet can be purchased at the main reception office.
 * Spookdraai Trail - The trail starts at the beginning of the town of L'Agulhas. The trail takes the hiker on a short journey to explore the fynbos, birdlife and historical points of interest. Look-out spots highlight the southern-most towns, the sea and the point where the two oceans meet. At a relaxed pace the trail could be completed in less than 3 hours. An information pamphlets is available at the Tourism Office situated inside the lighthouse.
 * Walking on the beach.
 * Body boarding and surfing outside the harbor.
 * Swimming at the beach
 * Fishing from the beach or harbor jetty.
 * Climb up inside the lighthouse.
 * Walk the "spookdraai" hiking trail.
 * Take a ride through the Agulhas Nature Reserve.
 * Just enjoy the blue sky country at its best.

Buy
The Kapula Candles factory in Bredasdorp is famous for its African-style candles.

You can buy beautiful souvenirs at the "Shell Shop", Struisbaai, and watch the fishing fleet come in each afternoon and buy some fish off the boats.

Eat
You can eat great seafood at the Nostra Restaurant

In Struisbaai, the scones at the Lighthouse are exceptional, for fish and chips go to Pelican's at the harbour and the pizza's at Bella Luna are nice, but if you would like to eat with a view you can go to Nostra on the Struisbaai beach.

Sleep
The towns of L’Agulhas and Struisbaai provide various options.

Go next

 * The De Hoop Nature Reserve is 70 km away, but a very good spot to see some whales and to enjoy the beauty of nature.
 * Cape Town and its attractions are not too far.
 * The Garden Route in the east is very famous with tourists.
 * Danger Point Peninsula and its hinterland, concentrated around Gansbaai lies to the West of Cape Agulhas. Apart from its marine attractions, (boat-based whale watching and shark-cage diving)it has vast tracts of unspoilt fynbos in public and private reserves.
 * The Waenhuiskrans Cave in nearby Arniston is a stunning cave open to the ocean.

title: Agulhas National Park


text:
Agumbe

Agumbe is a small village that lies in malnad region in Shimoga (district) of Karnataka state. Agumbe is well known for two things. Firstly, it records the highest rainfall in Southern India. And secondly, for its scenic outlook and Sunset view point.

Get in
By air

Nearest Airport is Mangalore airport which is 106 km from Agumbe. Bangalore airport is 378 km away.

By train

Agumbe is not reachable by train from other Indian cities. However Udupi is closest railway station which is 54 km from Agumbe.

By bus

There are buses from Bangalore KSRTC(Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation). There are plenty of private buses that ply from the Shimoga, Udupi and Mangalore to Agumbe.

Get around
Agumbe is a small place and one can walk around or take auto-rickshaw. One can visit nearby places by taking local buses as well.

See
Agumbe is well known for its scenic beauty and rain forest with many beautiful falls. The sunset view point is famous place and on a clear day one can view sun setting in Arabian sea from a view point 826 M(2710 ft) above sea level.

Barkana Falls

Barkana Falls is the 10th highest waterfall in India with a height of 850 ft/259 mts. It is formed by the Seeta River.

Onake Abbi Falls

This is another waterfall near Agumbe. In the Kannada language, "Onake" means a pounding stick which is used to pound grains in villages.

Jogigundi

This is a small water fall which is very near to Agumbe, it takes about 10 to 15 min to reach this place.

Koodlu theertha falls

A beautiful waterfall just 20 km from Agumbe, includes a Trek of 3-4 km and you will reach the most beautiful falls in the entire state.

Do
Agumbe being part of the western ghats offers some good places for hiking/trekking with scenic beauty around. One can visit any of falls around or go for trekking in the nearby hills.

Buy
Their own hand made things .Using phanerogams.

Eat
Agumbe is small place and may not get much option to eat. However one can eat local food and drink tea/coffee at bus stand hotel and also at Hotel Sri Ganesh on the main road that connect to Shimoga and Udupi. Don't forget to visit small tea stall (popularly known as Bhattara tea) near to checkpost. The speciality of the stall is vanilla flavoured tea and hot vadas

Drink
It is better to stock up beforehand

Sleep
The inspection bungalow and the Mallya Residency near the bus stand are the two commercial places where the visitors can stay. They are available on a first come first serve basis and the Inspection bungalow gives the first preference to government officials. Especially visit Malgudi Farm House(Contact-8277310405) a nice place to do night camp in tents inside the jungle.

Go next

 * Udupi
 * Shringeri
 * Bhadra Tiger Reserve
 * Sirsi
 * Yellapur
 * Mangaluru
 * Dakshina Kannada

title: Agumbe


text:
Ahal Province

Ahal Province is the central region of Turkmenistan. Wikivoyage also covers the Ashgabat capital district as part of Ahal Province.

Cities

 * – home to the White Wheat Museum, built in 2005 to house historical artefacts from the area
 * — the country's largest city and national capital, home to an array of bizarre, enormous monuments and palatial buildings constructed by the late megalomaniacal dictator, Saparmurat Niyazov.
 * — a town on the northern rim of the Kopet Dag mountain range.
 * (Abadan) — a small city home to a large power plant.
 * — a small town on the rim of the Kopet Dag mountain range.
 * — site of the Turkmens' last stand against the Russian Empire.
 * — a small city on the Hari River (Tejen River).
 * - the newest city in Ahal Province, its name is referred to the title and nickname held by former President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

Other destinations

 * – an archaeological site from the Bronze Age
 * — the Gates of Hell — an arresting, colossal flaming crater — is in the middle of the Karakum.
 * — an 11th-century mausoleum south of Tejen.
 * — the ruins of one of the most important cities of the Parthian Empire.

Understand
Geographically, the province is divided into 3 parts (mountains, foothills and plains) from the south to the north.

The climate of the region is continental, characterized by hot summers and cold winters, low humidity, and low atmospheric pressure.

Get in
Ashgabat International Airport is the main port of entry into the province.

See
In Velayat, there are a number of historical monuments from the reign of the Parthians and the great Seljuks (Seljuk is an Oghuz Turkic warlord and a founder of the Seljuk dynasty) in Altin Depe (Altyndepe), Nissa and Sarahs (Serakhs).

Ulug Depe is 4 km south of the village of Dushak and 175 km northeast of Ashgabat, which is an archaeological site of the Bronze Age of the Yaz culture. It has an area of 26 ha, which forms part of a network of large settlements of ancient farmers on the foothill strip of the Kopetdag along with Kara Tepe, Namazga-Tepe, Altyndepe and Yylgynly-depe.

There is a large international equestrian complex in the foothills of the Kopetdag.

Central Asia as a whole is known for its carpets – the Turkmen Carpet Museum has a rich collection of Tekke and Sarik carpets, which also includes the world's largest hand-woven carpet.

Jeitun archaeological site, about 30 km north of Ashgabat on a sand dune in the Kara Kum Desert, is one of the oldest archaeological sites in Turkmenistan. The settlement dates back to the 7th century BCE and is considered as the first proof of agriculture in Central Asia.

title: Ahal Province


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Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad (Gujarati: અમદાવાદ Amdāvād) is the fifth largest city in India with a population of 6.5 million. Although it is the commercial hub of one of the most prosperous states of India, Gujarat, it's not the state capital, which is its twin city of Gandhinagar, to the north.

Ahmedabad is a good example of contrast between the materialistic attitude and the spirituality of self-renunciation. One of the fastest growing cities in India, Ahmedabad is a centre for information technology, education and industries. Bhadra Fort, Shaking Minarets and Tran Darwaja are the foremost historical sites of the city. Kankaria Lake and Vastrapur Lake are places which let you feel the pleasure of nature. If you want to enjoy the colourful side of this area, then pay a visit during the major festivals of Ahmedabad: Uttarayan and Navratri are two festivals that are celebrated with great zeal and gusto. Winter is considered the best time to visit the city.

Districts
The classification below is according to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). The West Zone and New West Zone are on the west side of the Sabarmati River while all other zones are on the east side. Locals rarely refer to these zones, but rather to one of dozens of neighbourhoods of which the city is made up.

History
The city was founded by King Karandev (Karna) in the 11th century and originally called "Karnavati". The Hindu kingdom of Karnavati retained its importance until 1411 when Sultan Ahmed Shah conquered Gujarat and created a new city nearby, naming it Ahmedabad, after himself.

The city was built in an open and spacious plain to the east of the Sabarmati River. It included a smaller known fort as Bhadra Fort. The city wall had twelve gates. The city gradually expanded in every direction, with well laid out beautiful buildings, lakes and mosques on both sides of the river.

In 1753 the combined armies of Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaekwad took the fort, ending Mughal rule in Ahmedabad. During the 64 years of rule by Gaekwad and Peshwa, the city became cleaner. In 1818 the British annexed Ahmedabad. During this period the municipality committee was founded and a railway link was established.

The British restricted themselves to the cantonment area and didn't take much interest in the city. Nor did they get around to colonising Ahmedabad culturally; they didn't set up schools, churches and clubs all over the city as they did in other cities they integrated to their way of life.

Ahmedabad was a cradle of the non-violent movement for India's independence, being host to the Sabarmati ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. Ahmedabad poses a mixture of rich tradition and modern feel.

Today
The Gujarati community is known for its hospitality and for being shrewd businessmen. Ahmedabad is a big industrial city long reputed for its textile industry, and today more so for its chemical, petroleum, international trade & IT industries. It is also known for its financial services industry, and as the modern hub of the Jain Religion. The city has institutions such as the Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad, National Institute of Design, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information & Communication Technology, IHM, MICA, EDI, Nirma University, Swaminarayan Gurukul, CEPT (Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology) University and NIFT.

Climate
Summer starts by mid-March and lasts up to mid-June. The typical temperature on a hot, sunny day in May would be 34-44°C (93-111°F) It's advisable not to visit during the summer. With the arrival of the monsoon by mid-June, the city becomes a fun place. You'll be able to enjoy the various monsoon specialities of the city like boiled or roasted corn dishes on road-side stalls or some special local dishes like. There are also some famous Hindu festivals like Rakshabandhan (or Rakhi) and Janmastam, the birth date of Lord Krishna, which fall during this season. You may sometimes end up in floods. Winter is the best season to visit the city when the typical temperature is 5-20°C (41-68°F).

Talk
The local language is Gujarati. Hindi is understood by almost everyone and English understood by well-educated people and most people in the tourism industry.

By plane

International flight connections include Muscat, London Heathrow (Air India), Kuwait (Kuwait Airways), Dubai (Emirates), Doha (Qatar Airways), Sharjah (Air Arabia) and Singapore (Singapore Airlines).

Domestic destinations with daily flights include Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, Kolkata, Jaipur, Pune, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Kandla and Surat. Most domestic airlines have a flight in and out of Ahmedabad.

Passengers arriving in the morning are advised that the international terminal is not open 24 hours, and may not open until the late afternoon. As at other Indian airports, you will likely be denied entry until approximately three hours before your scheduled flight even if the terminal is open. Therefore, connecting between a domestic and an international flight will often involve waiting outside for hours with the throngs of touts and hustlers.

There are several options for getting from the airport to the city:

 * By car: The Hansol area where the airport is lies near the river banks, between the areas of Shahibaug and Naroda that give access to Ahmedabad. For travelling to most of the main areas of Ahmedabad, head in the direction of Shahibaug. To the opposite of the river banks is the area of Motera - Chandkheda which are the northern ends of Ahmedabad and are better accessible through Koteshwar - Bhat Road (enters Motera through Koteshwar) or Ring Road (leading to Visat, turning left at Tapovan Circle); both these roads branch at different points on the road from Airport Circle (in direction of Naroda from the airport) to Koba Circle (take left from Airport Circle onto Indira Bridge). Also the SG Highway can be accessed by heading straight on the Ring Road, instead of turning left for Visat.
 * An auto rickshaw or a taxi should cost roughly ₹ 200 or 300 respectively. Save yourself considerable hassle by using the prepaid booth, or preferably arrange a pickup in advance with your hotel.
 * AMTS buses serve the airport directly. These buses have an extensive network all over the city.
 * BRTS bus no 1000 runs between the airport and Karnavati club with 29 stops. The maximum fare is ₹50. The buses have AC and arrive every 30 minutes.

By train
Indian Railways has a very wide network all over India. There are multiple stations in Ahmedabad. The website of Indian Railways will show you trains from a particular station to your destination along with days, timings, fares and availability. This will help you find trains from individual stations of Ahmedabad (separate searches) as not all trains stop at all stations except of course, Ahmedabad Junction (ADI) where each train halts (and for longer durations than any other station). Booking can be done through the website of IRCTC, a subsidiary of Indian Railways or through any of the railway reservation centres throughout India.

Ahmedabad Junction
(station code: ADI) is connected with Mumbai (500 km), Vadodara Jaipur, Jodhpur and Delhi with trains several times a day. Daily connections (or multiple weekly connections) are also available to several other major cities including Bikaner, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Udaipur, Indore, Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Nagpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Puri, Chennai, Nagercoil, Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore and Coimbatore. Direct trains are also available for Jammu, Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Kolhapur, Goa, Mangalore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

It is in the area of Kalupur (Central Zone). It has a road-side Janmarg BRTS stand within the campus of the railway station, which is just outside the main entrance of the railway station. It is directly served by BRTS buses on the Line no. 9 (towards RTO Circle [Northern West Zone] and towards Ellisbridge [Central West Zone]) and Line no. 10 (towards Vasna [Southern West Zone]) and AMTS also directly serves the station to various parts of the city.

Sabarmati Junction
has two sections at Ranip (station code: SBI) and Dharmnagar (station code: SBT). The Ranip section is for west and south-bound trains, while the Dharmnagar section is for north-bound trains.

The whole station is in the neighbourhood of Sabarmati (Northern West Zone), is served by BRTS buses through the BRTS stations of either Sabarmati Powerhouse (closer to the railway station) or Sabarmati Police station, both on Line no. 8 (towards Maninagar (South Zone) and towards Visat Junction (serving the suburb of Chandkheda)). It is also served by AMTS buses directly.

Maninagar
(station code: MAN)

It is in Maninagar (South Ahmedabad) is directly served by BRTS buses on the Line no. 1 (towards RTO Circle [Northern West Zone]), Line no. 5 (towards Iskcon New West Zone) and Line no. 8 (towards Visat Junction [Northern West Zone]). AMTS buses also serve the railway station.

By state bus
Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has buses from all the parts of the Gujarat state entering into the city. The central bus terminus at Geeta Mandir, with other terminals at Subhash Bridge and Naroda; minor stops include Paldi and Sabarmati Tollnaka. It is advisable to pre-book seats due to the likelihood of crowding.

From bus terminals/stops to city
(Central Zone) is served by BRTS buses through the Aastodia Darwaja station on Line 9 (towards RTO Circle [ West Zone ] and towards Ellisbridge [ West Zone ] ) and AMTS buses serve through the stop of Astodia Darwaja.

The GSRTC stop of is accessible through the BRTS station of Sabarmati Police station, both on Line 8 (towards Maninagar [ South Zone ] and towards Visat Junction [serving the suburb of Chandkheda]). AMTS buses also have a stop nearby.

From South Gujarat, and Maharashtra
Driving to Ahmedabad from Mumbai on the new highway (NH-8) takes around 8 hours (without traffic) to travel 550 km. You'll pass Vapi, Valsad, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, and Nadiad on your way. Driving on the NH-8 is an energy sapper and no fun as there is a huge amount of truck traffic. Broken down trucks on the highway regularly cause traffic jams for hours on end. The journey from Vadodara to Ahmedabad can also be done via the dedicated express way (NE-1) which does not pass through any towns, rather than NH-8.

The expressway from Vadodara (South Gujarat) to Ahmedabad ends at C.T.M. (South Zone).

Via east
Turning right at C.T.M. is the Narol - Naroda Road leading you to Naroda in North East Ahmedabad, while passing through the areas of Vastral, Odhav, Nikol, etc. on the right side of the road and the areas of Maninagar, Shastri Nagar, Hansol (Airport Area) on the left side of the road. For the northern areas of Sabarmati, Motera, Chandkheda, etc.rcle, where the Narol - Naroda Road ends, head straight on NH-8 and turn left at Ranasan Circle onto Ring Road. Turn left at Tapovan Circle, after a few km, Motera will be on the left side of the highway, Chandkheda on the right. The highway ends at Visat, from where turning left will lead you to Sabarmati.

Via west
Turning left at C.T.M. is the Narol - Sarkhej Road which passes through Nehrunagar, Narol, Vatwa, Ghodasar, etc. ending at a T-junction on Vasna Road (or Jawaharlal Nehru Road). From here turn left, pass through the areas of Juhapura, Makarba, etc. till a Y-junction arrives. The right arm will lead you to Sarkhej Cross Roads, from where you turn right onto the S G Highway. The left arm at the Y-junction will lead you via Sarkhej, at Santhal Circle, turn right onto the Ring Road.

Ring Road is preferable if your destination is far (near Northern Ahmedabad) otherwise use Sarkhej–Gandhinagar Highway (S G Highway). Also for Bopal, use only Ring Road.

The major entry points from S G Highway are the areas of Prahladnagar, Shilaj, Vastrapur, Satellite, Bodakdev, Thaltej, Sola, Ognaj, Gota, etc.

Via north and east
You can enter Ahmedabad by passing through Gandhinagar. The intercity highway starts at Indroda Circle (CH 0) (South Gandhinagar), passing through Koba Circle and Tapovan Circle and ends at Visat (Northern West Zone), the junction to the suburbs of Sabarmati, Motera and Chandkheda. Rather than going to Visat, you can also choose to join Ring Road: From Koba Circle head on the road to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) International Airport, but turn left at Rajasthan Hospital Circle and you're on Ring Road. From here you can connect to the areas of East Ahmedabad such as Nikol, Odhav, Vastral, etc. Also the southern areas of Ahmedabad, such as Ramol, CTM, Ahmedabad - Vadodara Expressway, Narol, Vatwa, etc. are accessible through Ring Road.

Via west
Another option is to bypass Gandhinagar using Mahatma Mandir Road, then turning right at Sargasan Circle onto S G Highway. You may stay on the S G Highway or turn right at SGVP Circle (also known as Vaishnodevi Circle) onto Ring Road. There are several entry points along the border of extreme Western Ahmedabad, such as Gota, Ognaj, Sola, Thaltej, Bodakdev, Satellite, Vastrapur, Shilaj, Bopal, Prahladnagar, Sarkhej (where S G Highway ends) and Juhapura. For getting to Bopal, use Ring Road rather than S G Highway. Also if you've to go to Southern Ahmedabad, choose Ring Road as it'll be a much faster option than S G Highway.

Get around
The services of AMTS and BRTS run from 6AM to 11PM.

By AMTS city bus
The local city buses are run by since 1947, forming a wide network covering almost all the points of Ahmedabad. Any destination in the city can be reached from anywhere in the city by AMTS.UTTAR PRADESH To identify them and distinguish them from the state transport GSRTC buses or the private luxury buses here is the key: The older buses in this service are painted in red and white or in red and yellow, whereas new bright red ones put up under JnNURM are having electronic display boards. You may easily ask around the people esp. those waiting at one of the AMTS stops about the route, time, etc. as the information displayed is in Gujarati. Also, Public Transit option on Google Maps will show you the nearest AMTS stop while searching directions from your location to the destination and it also gives information about the bus numbers, transfer points, etc. though timings might not be reliable. Also you may install an unofficial app named 'Ahmedabad AMTS Info', available on Google Play Store for Android devices, which guides you regarding travel routes, transfers, etc.

There are other terminals at Kalupur, Sarangpur, Old Vadaj (Juna Vadaj), Maninagar, Akhbarnagar (Nava Vadaj), Vasna and Naroda and the depots at Jamalpur, Memco (Naroda Patiya) and Memnagar. In total, AMTS has around 1200 stops with 210 routes.

It is mandatory to board the bus from the rear end door and alight from the front end one. The conductor on the bus will issue you a ticket according to your destination stop. Keep handy some notes of ₹ 10/20/50 denominations rather than the higher ones as the fares are very low (these buses are the cheapest means to travel in the city). A pay - per - ride fare will cost you a minimum fare of ₹ 3, while the maximum fare is only ₹ 25). You may also opt to buy a Man Pasand ticket worth ₹ 45 (available from the bus conductor) which entitles you to unlimited rides for a single day, though it is not preferable to purchase the ₹ 45 ticket as you can complete the journey of going around 4-5 places in just ₹ 30–35. As buses are the most common transport facility for many in the city they are often overcrowded.

During the journey you may request your co-passengers or the conductor to inform you when the destination arrives/is about to arrive so that you don't miss getting off at your stop and then have to take a reverse trip. Also keep moving towards the front end door as the bus will be crowded with people standing in the corridor between seats and it might be difficult to quickly rush to the door and get off, when your destination arrives (the bus won't halt at a stop more than 10-12 sec, unless it's the AMTS Central Terminus at Lal Darwaja or the last stop of the journey).

Routes can be found at AMTS bus routes (English)

Heritage/Pilgrim Tours (Dekho Amdavad)
AMTS has a special programme Dekho Amdavad, i.e. See Ahmedabad for sight-seeing in Ahmedabad. The buses are air-conditioned. The starting point is Law Garden Civic Centre. +18002337951, +917926589172
 * Morning Tour: 7:45AM start at Law Garden Civic Centre, visiting Siddi Saiyyed Mosque (Jali), passing through Jhulta Minara (Shaking Minarets), Prem Darwaja (Love Gate), Delhi Darwaja (Delhi Gate), visiting Hutheesingh Jain Temple, Sardar Patel Memorial, Gandhi Ashram-Museum and returning at 1PM.
 * Afternoon Tour: 1:45PM start at Law Garden Civic Centre, passing through IIM, Ring Road, APMC, visiting Sarkhej Roza, Vaishnodevi, Adalaj Stepwell, Gandhi Ashram-Museum, Hutheesingh Jain Temple, passing through Prem Darwaja (Love Gate), Jhulta Minara (Shaking Minarets), visiting Kankaria Lake and returning at 8:15PM.
 * Sunday Special Pilgrim Tour: 8AM to 8PM. Visits at Jalaram Temple (Paldi), Bhadrakali Temple (Bhadra/Lal Darwaja), Siddhivinayak Temple (Lal Darwaja), Jagannath Temple (Jamalpur), Hutheesingh Jain Temple (Shahibaug), Swaminarayan Temple (Shahibaug), Gayatri Temple (Shahibaug), Camp Hanuman Temple (Shahibaug), Dholeshwar Mahadev Temple (Gandhinagar), Akshardham Temple (Gandhinagar), Trimandir (Adalaj), Vaishnodevi Temple (S G Highway), Balaji Temple (SG Highway), Bhagwat Vidyapeeth (Gota), ISKCON Temple (S G Highway).

By BRTS city bus
(bus rapid transit system) has silver and blue-coloured buses running on dedicated corridors in the centre of the roads. BRTS does not cover the entire city, but wherever available it is the best way to commute as it is remarkably faster than other modes (as no other vehicle can ply on BRTS corridor) and all the stations are marked well, in both English and Hindi. One can also travel using a combination of BRTS, AMTS and/or auto rickshaw. The ticket systems of BRTS and AMTS are not integrated. The fares are only slightly higher than AMTS (min. fare ₹ 4, max. fare ₹ 36)

The BRTS stations are elevated shelters in the dedicated central corridor of the city roads, from where you can purchase your ticket. Keep the ticket with you until you get off at your destination, where you show the ticket to the checker and then leave the station on to the road. Buses are equipped with central automatic doors that open up automatically when the bus halts at a station. While the bus is about to arrive at a station, there are announcements with name of the station along with display on the electronic board inside the bus. Inside the stations, there are boards displaying real-time information about arrivals or upcoming buses, along with the routes and estimated time remaining for the arrivals. The name of the station will be printed in white letters on blue strips on the sides (horizontal) and on the roof of the station (vertical).

All BRTS buses and stations are wheelchair accessible except those of RTO Circle and Kalupur Railway Station, which are roadside shelters unlike the standard BRTS stations.

For information on all the BRTS stations, visit the above-linked website, which shows them according to the line, or install an unofficial Android app, which provides information such as travel options, routes, fare, time, station names, etc. (The Public Transit option on Google Maps doesn't show BRTS services, only the AMTS ones)

There are 12 BRTS lines and 126 stations, with more under construction. The current lines are:

 * Line 1 RTO Circle - Maninagar
 * Line 2 Anjali (Vasna) - Naroda
 * Line 3 RTO Circle - Naroda
 * Line 4 RTO Circle - Sarkari Litho Press (Delhi Darwaja)
 * Line 5 Bopal - Iskcon - Maninagar
 * Line 6 Soni Ni Chali - Odhav - S P Ring Road
 * Line 7 Sarkari Litho Press (Delhi Darwaja) - Science City Approach
 * Line 8 Chandkheda - Visat Junction - Maninagar
 * Line 9 RTO Circle - Town Hall (Ellisbridge)
 * Line 10 Anjali (Vasna) - Kalupur Railway Station (Ahmedabad Central)
 * Line 12 RTO Circle - Nehrunagar - Kalupur - RTO Circle
 * Line 13 Anjali (Vasna) - Kalupur - Akhbarnagar - Anjali (Vasna)

By auto rickshaw
These yellow and green three-wheeled noise machines, known as auto-rickshaws or simply rickshaws, are always cheaper than taxis, and much costlier than AMTS or BRTS when distance is longer than 3 km. They are not very comfortable and spacious. The drivers might ride very roughly, in which case you might request him to drive smoothly and slowly.

Shouting 'auto' or 'rickshaw' at a passing rickshaw should be enough to catch the drivers attention. In most cases, the drivers will be able to understand Hindi and maybe even a few words of English. They are normally quite helpful, but some will try to cheat tourists. As always, agree on a fare before getting in. Day and night fares are different. If you look an out-of-the-town person, you may end up getting overcharged. For example, he might insist on a fare based on meter and take you to your destination through a longer route. Having some understanding about the distances can be helpful.

By taxi
Since auto rickshaws are the dominant travel mode apart from BRTS and AMTS, there are few taxis in Ahmedabad. So you will hardly find a taxi on the roads to hail whenever needed, though you may either book a taxi from a hotel or directly book one outside the railway station. There is a government authorized taxi stand. ₹ 950 per day for 12 hours. It may be more costly to book through hotels, and it is better to negotiate with the driver directly. Online bookings are also possible at various websites.

See
Ahmedabad has several floridly carved historic monuments including the Stepwell at Adalaj and the Rani Mosques (dedicated to Rani Sipri and Rani Rupmati). There are some museums and art galleries. Modern office buildings and malls dot the more recently developed areas.

Important places to see include:
 * The Gandhi Aashram or Sabarmati Aashram in West Zone was once the house of Mahatma Gandhi and he founded the ashram in 1915. Today, without doubt, it is the biggest visitor attraction in Ahmedabad. It lies on the tranquil stretch of the Sabarmati river and was referred to as the Satyagraha Ashram during the lifetime of the Mahatma. It was from here that the Mahatma began his famous 'Dandi March' in 1930 to protest against the Salt Tax imposed by the British. The ashram today continues the work started by the Mahatma and houses a handicrafts centre, a handmade paper factory and a spinning wheel factory.
 * Bhadra Fort in Central Zone once housed royal palaces and well-laid gardens. It boasts the temple of Bhadrakali and was built in 1411 during the Maratha rule.
 * The Calico Museum of Textiles, in Central Zone, has a magnificent collection of rare textiles dating back to the 17th century. The museum is widely regarded as one of the finest textile museums in the world. It has a fine collection of textiles, clothes, furniture, temple artefacts and crafts. Also has a collection of marble, sandstone and bronze icons.
 * Dada Harir ni Vav is a stepwell in Central Zone.
 * The Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in West Zone is one of the oldest performing arts academies in the city. Its amphitheatre Natarani has a fabulous performance venue overlooking the Sabarmati river, and is one of the few places to bring internationally acclaimed performing artists to the city.
 * Hutheesing Jain Temple, in Central Zone, is an impressive white structure, the Jain temple built of white marble and elaborately carved is dedicated to Dharmanath: the 15th Jina or Jain Apostle. Similar to all Jain temples, this temple to is rich in intricate carvings displaying, among other things, musicians.
 * Heritage Houses of poles, A living heritage, the structures are 200–400 years old and the residents people are old Ahmedabadi families who still follow age old traditions. Souvenir shop offering local crafts. Has an old world in a large house which is like a palace.
 * The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, in New West Zone, is housed in an architecturally impressive building.
 * International Society for Krishna Consciousness Temple, in New West Zone, depicts Krishna, and his lover, Radha, who is regarded as the personification of love.
 * Auto World Vintage Car Museum has a collection of more than 100 cars including Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maybach, Jaguar, Cadillacs, Austin, Chrysler, Lincoln and Ford. You can even drive them for ₹500 for 3.5 km. It's in the East Zone.
 * Jama Masjid, in Central Zone, is amongst the most popular tourist sights in the city. Built of yellow sandstone this mosque stands on 260 pillars which support 15 domes at varying elevations. This imposing structure reflects the Muslim architecture of the 15th century.
 * Jhulta Minara, in Central Zone, is quite an unusual structure: Jhulta Minara or swaying minarets are a part of the mosque of Siddi Bashir and can be moved back and forth by applying a little force at the topmost arch. The mosque was built by master craftsmen and the crucial mechanism that leads to the vibration is still a mystery.
 * Kankaria Lake, in South Zone, is a circular lake built in 1451. In the centre of the lake is an island garden with a summer palace. It has a beautiful Musical Fountain show, although the music isn't too good the lights and fountain are worth the visit. 'Bal Vatika' - an aquarium, a boat club, a toy train, a natural history museum and a zoo.
 * Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden, in South Zone, is one of the best zoos in India.
 * The Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum (L D Institute of Indology) in West Zone, is one of the best art museums in the city. It has a wide collection of Indian miniature paintings, stone sculptures, terracotta, paintings of Tagore, art of Nepal and Tibet, bronzes, textiles, wood work, cloth paintings, metal sculptures, coins. The museum houses priceless collection of books, manuscripts and other reference material from ancient India.
 * In the Law Garden in West Zone, you can purchase handicrafts and traditional Gujarati outfits, amongst other things.
 * The National Institute of Design, in West Zone, is a design institute with over 16 disciplines of design.
 * Parimal Garden in West Zone is a public park with nice green surroundings. A good place to jog and relax.
 * Sabarmati Riverfront runs across the city on both the banks of the Sabarmati River. It is a refreshing place in the mornings; a very relaxing atmosphere in the evening.
 * Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial, in Central Zone, is a memorial and museum dedicated to the first Home Minister of independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
 * Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, in West Zone, is an international cricket stadium. Watching Team India play here is a wonderful sight as thousands of fans cheer for them.
 * Sarkhej Roza in New West Zone, is known for its architectural complexes.
 * Gujarat Science City, in New West Zone, is a large science theme park with plenty of places to experience.
 * Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, in Central Zone, is unique for its exquisite screens.
 * Swaminarayan Gurukul, a residential and day boarding school run by the Swaminarayan faith of Hinduism. It teaches not only formal education but also provides training in horse-riding, archery, dairy development.
 * SG Highway, or Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Highway, a hub of entertainment in Ahmedabad's New West Zone. The same road leads to Gandhinagar as well, where there is Akshardham temple and other places of interest.
 * Teen Darwaja, in Central Zone, has 3 arched entrances. It was built by Sultan Ahmed Shah to serve as a royal entrance to Maidan south of Shahpur near Lal DarwajaShahi. Mughal emperor Jehangir and his wife Nur Jahan used to watch the Tazia procession of Mahuram from over these gates.
 * Vaishnodevi Temple is a replica of famous Vaishnodevi temple at Sola Gandhinagar Highway in New West Zone.
 * Vastrapur Lake in New West Zone is an artificial lake surrounded by a walking trail with pretty gardens.

Itineraries

 * Ahmedabad Heritage Walk

Films
Watch a Gujarati film at Gauri Cinema in East Zone, or at Sapna Cinema in New West Zone.

Watch a Bollywood (Hindi) or Hollywood film at Cinépolis, Sunset Drive-In Cinema, PVR Cinemas or Mukta A2 Cinema in New West Zone; or Grand Cinemas in West Zone.

Festivals

 * Diwali — one of the popular festival in Ahmedabad. It's called the festival of light. People make many sweets and meet each other on this day. It is a festival of Lord Rama and belongs to Ramayana.
 * Makar Sankranti (International Kite Festival, Uttarayan) — it marks the end of winter and return of the sun to northern hemisphere in 14 January. On this day, many in the city start the day with kite flying, and continue into night with the flying of lamps (Tukkal) attached to kites. Visitors come from around India for the celebration and international visitors have come from many countries.The sky is dotted with colourful kites throughout the day.
 * Raksha Bandhan - A festival celebrated by sisters and brothers. The festival consists of a sister tying a rakhi on the brother's hand. They ask to be by their side forever and also save them from all the problems they might face in the future. The festival is generally celebrated in the month of August.
 * Holi (Festival of Colours) — a pan-Indian festival where people apply colour on their beloved very well known as 'gulaal', which was ideally made of 'Kesuda' a flowering plant. But, now people use the powdered form. People gather at one place forgetting all their problems and have fun in this festival. It is also very well associated with myth or Holika - Phrlad & Hirnayakashyapu.
 * Navratri (Fesstival of Nine Nights) — the nine-day long festival devoted to Goddess Shakti. The festival also has the famous folk dance of Gujarat "Garba". The festival continues for nine nights, everybody takes part into it with same emphasis. Each night starts with ceremonial "Aarti" and is followed by Garba until midnight. The Garba dance is carried out around the statue of Goddess Shakti. It is also played with Dandiyas in hand. During these nights, the city is beautifully decorated and nights become short.
 * Eid-Ul-Fitr OR Ramdhan Eid is celebrated on the first day of Shaw'waal, at the completion of the Ramadan (or Ramzan, as they call it). Shaw'waal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The Eid-al-Fitr is a joyous day when Muslims express joy for the health, strength and the opportunities of life, which they believe Allah has given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the month of Ramadan.

The Muslims of Ahmedabad and surrounding villages come to Eidgah (a holy place to perform Eids' Namaz (prayer) and Shahi Jam-E-Masjid. The people decorate their homes, shops, buildings, greet each other etc.

Buy
Ahmedabad is known for its textile industries including traditional hand embroidered and tie-dyed clothes. If you buy from the roadside shops, be prepared to haggle. It would not be advisable to try these without a local guide. The city's main market area is situated at Teen Darwaja, Dhalgarwad, Ratan Pole, Manek Chowk(old areas)near Lal Darwaja and newer markets such as CG Road and Sarkhej - Gandhinagar highway near Vastrapur & Gurukul. It is generally a crowded area, and very crowded during festival seasons, although with a wide variety of clothes. The street side shops near Law Garden also offers good choices. Some shops such as Bandhej and Sanskruti offer these traditional items at fixed (and maybe overpriced) rates. But now the big shopping malls are offering almost all the things at a very cheap rate. Local sweet shops, where traditional Gujarati sweets will catch your attention: some the more famous are Bhogilal Mulchand Kandoi, Jai Hind and Ras Ranjan.

Eat
Ahmedabad is a gastronomic paradise, and there are many restaurants. Gujaratis are fond of eating and the food generally tends to be on the sweeter side. Gujaratis are mostly vegetarians hence most local dishes are vegetarian. However, with the recent advent of international and domestic food chains non-vegetarian food has become popular. Ahmedabad is famous for its ice-creams because of abundance of dairy products in the state and Gujaratis' penchant for sweets. Local specialities include Dhokla, Khandvi, Srikhand, Haandvo, Bhajiya amongst others.

A famous food from Ahmedabad and/or Gujarat is the 'Cheese and Pineapple Jam sandwich which is sold by most sandwich vendors in Gujarat, especially in Ahmedabad, despite this dish being famous in Gujarat, the other parts of India find this dish to be disgusting, wait till you actually try the sandwich!

There are lots of Gujarati dining halls where you can get unlimited "thali" meals for around ₹250. A thali consists of variety of concoctions including salads, appetizers, snacks, breads, pulses, vegetable curries and sweets.

If you have not stayed in India for long, select a food place which is famous and well organised (hotels, big restaurants). Otherwise, its fun to eat at one of the road side stalls, especially at the Khau Galli in Law Garden area and Khan Pan Bazaar in Manekchawk. Various stalls open in the evening until late at night. You may enjoy Paani - Puri (Gol Gappa), Indian Chat, Indian Sandwiches, North Indian, Indian-Chinese and some continental cuisines, amazingly at road-side stalls and for less than a ₹60 item. Sarkhej–Gandhinagar Highway (SG Road) in New West Zone has transformed into a restaurant strip. It has over 100 restaurants in a five-mile stretch offering most varieties in all price ranges.

 * Sankalp (Area: Chimanlal Girdharlal Road, SG Road) A chain with outlets across them city that specialises in South Indian food. It set an Guinness World Record for the "longest dosa (thin-crepe) in the World" (25 feet)
 * Honest (Area: Panchwati, SG Road, etc.) A well-known fast-food chain that started as road-side stall serving Pav-Bhaji and Pulav in Law Garden area and now a fledging restaurant chain
 * Mirch Masala (Area: Chimanlal Girdharlal Road, SG Road) Serves North-Indian food in a typical highway "dhaba" setting. Excellent food but more interesting for its decor.

Other than these that are several other restaurants that serve excellent food for example (Swati Snacks, House of MG both famous for Gujarati food in chic setting, Bawarchi for Punjabi food, etc.) For western palates, a good way to find new restaurants is to ask a local, especially someone young who would certainly know about such places. International chains like Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Subway are present throughout the city.

Drink
Gujarat is one of the few Indian states where alcohol is prohibited. But this applies only to Indians. If you have a non-Indian passport / green card holder/ PR status, you can get an alcohol permit valid for one month by going to an alcohol shop in a large hotel and purchasing one. Hotels that have alcohol shops include: Cama Hotel in Khanpur, Hotel Inder Residency, Opp. to Gujarat College, Comfort Inn President Hotel at CG Road among others open Monday to Saturday noon-8PM, ph no. +91 79 26467575. Many local people will be able to direct you because they can purchase alcohol on a 'health' licence. If you are non-resident of Gujarat, then one can get alcohol permits issued at alcohol shops on showing proof of travel to Ahmedabad like (1) Air/Train/Bus ticket,(2) any Identity proof by Govt. with Photo, Address & birthdate preferably driving licence and (3a) your Ahmedabad address proof such as Residence Address of Local friend/relatives electric/telephone bill/ driving licence or (3b) Proof of stay at hotel.

However, if you are staying longer you will need a non-resident permit. For that, you will need: a photocopy of passport including your entry stamps, a photocopy of visa, a photocopy of a local resident's ID card (drivers licence will probably be easiest). As of January 2009, ₹1000 (although the person may ask for ₹50 extra as a bribe but should not be given). If you can get a local person to go with you, the entire experience will be a lot easier.

Directions 1 Get your copies notarized as ‘true’ copies. If you don't have easy access to someone who can do this, the Prohibition and Excise Department will direct you to a nearby office. This will cost about ₹10 per copy. 2. Go to Prohibition and Excise Department which is just off the Ellis bridge on the Victoria garden side of old city. 3. Pick up the bank payment form, and get copies notarized if you haven't already done this. 4. Fill in the name and local address for the permit holder 5. Get a rickshaw and go to the State Bank of India which is very near by. If a rickshaw is not available, the bank is in walking distance. 6. Pay ₹1050 (or the asked fee) at the State Bank of India 7. Get an ink stamp on form from bank 8. Take your copies, your payment slip and your forms back to the Prohibition and Excise Department. 9. The Department office will provide you with form F.L. /A-1. Fill out form and ask for more than the maximum allowed (ask for about 6 units) to ensure you get the maximum. 10. Pay ₹2 at the Department office. Receive two stamps which are to be stuck onto get form F.L. / A-1 form to show you have paid.

You will either be able to pick up the license immediately, or in a few days. Once you have your licence, you take it to a large hotel where they have an alcohol shop, and make your purchases.

Bootlegging is rampant, but it carries a risk as well. Decent brands of Indian whisky start around ₹200 as do rum, vodka and gin. Premium brands range from ₹600 to ₹1,800 for 12-year-old Scotch. It is difficult to find beer, wine, champagne and imported spirits.

Booze is strictly a private affair and don't expect to order a drink at a restaurant, and there are no pubs or bars, and you will have to drink in your hotel room or at someone's home. If someone invites you to a party, there is a good chance you will be offered a drink there. Under a new amendment to the law prohibiting alcohol, you cannot be arrested or detained for consuming alcohol illegally unless you misbehave under influence or are bootlegging. However, it is best to consume alcohol at your hotel room or at a very close friends place. Consumption of alcohol in hotel rooms has implied consent from the hotel who will serve you ice, glasses and mixers.

Many small shops sell lassi, a yogurt drink. Lassi choices include: sweet, salty, with almonds. Farki, Girish Cold Drinks and Krishna Dairy are some of the famous ones. Apart from this, Janta Ice Cream and Cold Drinks offers a delicious drink cold Chocolate Coco, a chocolate flavoured thick shake. Janta has its shops across Ahmedabad. There is also a very wide variety of fruit juices available. Most large places like Havmor are reputable and use good water, but you should exercise care when drinking at smaller places.

Sleep
Cheaper hotels are available on the eastern side of the Sabarmati in the old town area.

More expensive and newer hotels are available in the more affluent Navrangpura area.

In case you don't have an idea where to go when you arrive to the city, you could ask a rickshaw driver to take you to Relief Road which has plenty of budget accommodation available and is pretty close to the main train station.

Connect
International code for India is +91 The local area code is 79. Thus in total, +91 79 must be prefixed to a phone number.

Buy pre-paid SIM
To buy a SIM card foreign nationals need to provide a photocopy of their passport, Indian visa page, a passport-sized photo and a proof of residence in India. As with much in India, the associated bureaucracy can be slow and frustrated. Activation of a SIM card can take a number of days.

The top mobile phone networks in India are:

Emergency information

 * Emergency Help (at any time) - 108
 * Police - 100
 * Fire - 101
 * Ambulance - 102 / 108
 * Airport Inquiry - 141
 * Railways I.V.R.S. - 139
 * Railways General Enquiry - 131
 * Telephone Directory Inquiry - 197
 * Telephone Local Assistance - 199

Cope
The railway reservation office, and tourist booking window, are in an air conditioned building just outside and to the right (when looking from the street) of the Kalupur Railway station. Other railways stations are able to book tourist quota, but often refuse to serve you and refer you to Kalupur Railway station after a lengthy wait.

 * Canada and United States Visa Facilitation Centre Gujarat Chambers Building, Shri Ambika Mills, Ashram Road (Ellis Bridge)

Hospitals
For medical emergencies, dial 108.

The main Apollo Hospital is in the twin city of Gandhinagar, but very close to the airport. The Apollo City Centre is in Ellisbridge area (West Zone).

 * Rungta Hospital Calgiri Marg, near Police Station, Jhalana Gram, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302017, ✆ +91-89550-00333, relationship@rungtahospital.com
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in
 * Rungta Hospital Calgiri Marg, near Police Station, Jhalana Gram, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302017, ✆ +91-89550-00333, relationship@rungtahospital.com
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in
 * Jeevan Rekha Hospital: S24, Central Spine, Mahal Yojna, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302 025, Call: 0141-5155050, info@jrsh.co.in

News
Stay updated with local news.
 * Newspapers in Ahmedabad include Hindi dailies as Herald Young Leader, Metro Herald, and English dailies such as The Times of India (TOI), The Indian Express, Daily News & Analysis (DNA), The Economic Times and The Financial Express, Ahmedabad Mirror (AM). Newspapers in other languages (Gujarati and Hindi) include Divya Bhaskar, Akila Gujarati News, Gujarat Samachar, Sandesh,Sukan Samachar, Rajasthan Patrika, Sambhaav Metro and Aankhodekhi.
 * The state-owned All India Radio Ahmedabad is broadcast both on the medium wave and FM bands (96.7 MHz) in the city. It competes with five private local FM stations: Radio City 91.1 (91.1 MHz), Red FM 93.5 (93.5 MHz), 94.3 My FM (94.3 MHz), Radio One (95.0 MHz), Radio Mirchi 98.3 (98.3 MHz). Gyan Vani (104.5 MHz) is an educational FM radio station run under media co-operation model.

Stay safe
People are friendly and the police will help you when you have an emergency. Ahmedabad is relatively safe because alcohol is not permitted: no late-night rowdyism as seen in other cities.

Police stations
Ahmedabad City Police has around 35 major police stations besides the minor police chowkis.

For emergency, dial 100.

Find your police station depending on the area. Contact details (e-mail IDs and phone numbers) can be found when clicking on the respective station.

Go next

 * Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar - a 35 km ride from Ahmedabad is not to be missed. They have various shows throughout the day showing the rich Indian heritage and the legend of Lord Swaminarayan. The water show in the evening is one of the best you will find in India.

 * Adalaj Step-Well - a remarkable structure, dug five stories deep underground and full of intricate carvings. 15 km north of Ahmedabad. See Gandhinagar article for details.
 * Nal Sarovar - Bird Sanctuary About 65 km southwest of Ahmedabad, spread over 120 km2, the lake - Nal Sarovar - the extensive reed beds and marshes are an ideal habitat for aquatic plants and animals. The lake attracts a large variety of birds like plovers, sandpipers, stints, cormorants, grebes and openbill storks among others. The best season to visit the sanctuary is November to February.
 * Thol Bird Sanctuary This sanctuary is about 30 km west of the city centre. Just as Nal Sarovar, this lake attracts a large variety of bird species. It has become more preferable for the amdavadis to take an early morning trip. Although it does not have any facilities like boating, it has turned out more favourable as this is a lesser known place. It will be best to rent a taxi for a morning as there is no public transport available here. November to March is the best time to visit.

title: Ahmedabad


text:
Ahmednagar

Ahmednagar is in Maharashtra state of India. Ahmednagar has more than 500 years history traced back to 1490 CE. You can find traces of Nizamshahi, Shahjahan and Peshwas until the British took over Ahmednagar. If you are visiting Aurangabad or Pune, visit Ahmednagar as well. Ahmednagar is around 120 km from Pune or Aurangabad.

Get in
Ahmednagar is in the west central part of Maharashtra, roughly east of Pune. It's 120 km away from Pune and Aurangabad, 280 km away from Mumbai and 175 km away from Nasik.

Ahmednagar is also served by trains from Pune towards Manmand though there is no direct train from Mumbai.

Get around
Walking, bicycling, auto rickshaws, city buses are your choices.

See

Buy
Clothing

Eat
Visit local eateries, try even clean street food if possible. Avoid known hotels. Savedi Road has lot of good restaurants

 * Some good Dhabas on way to Nagar serve nice gauran chicken.
 * MG road - Chowpatti - after 21:00
 * Dees place in Camp - Bhingar - Jamkhed road - very good non-veg food.
 * Tasty & sweet boiled milk, Raman Sandwich & Puffs, Sopan Batata Vada, Rasana Special Misal, Bansimaharaj Mithaiwala's special Gulabjamuns are very popular.
 * Some good Dhabas on way to Nagar serve nice gauran chicken.
 * MG road - Chowpatti - after 21:00
 * Dees place in Camp - Bhingar - Jamkhed road - very good non-veg food.
 * Tasty & sweet boiled milk, Raman Sandwich & Puffs, Sopan Batata Vada, Rasana Special Misal, Bansimaharaj Mithaiwala's special Gulabjamuns are very popular.
 * MG road - Chowpatti - after 21:00
 * Dees place in Camp - Bhingar - Jamkhed road - very good non-veg food.
 * Tasty & sweet boiled milk, Raman Sandwich & Puffs, Sopan Batata Vada, Rasana Special Misal, Bansimaharaj Mithaiwala's special Gulabjamuns are very popular.

Drink
Rabdi-Basundi @ Bombay Sweets, Hot-Masala-Milk on MG road after 22:00.

Sleep

 * Stay with friends: there are no private hotels.

Go next

 * Pune
 * Aurangabad
 * Paithan
 * Nashik

title: Ahmednagar


text:
Ahvaz

Ahvaz (Persian: اهواز, also Romanized as Ahwaz) is a city in Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran.

Understand
Ahvaz sits on the banks of the Karoun River, which splits the city into two large districts. The western half is mostly housing with some government departments. The eastern half is both residential and industrial. The main train station is on the western side and the airport is on the eastern side.

It is extremely hot in the summer. Expect 45°C in July and August.

By plane
There are daily flights from Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. There are weekly flights from Dubai-Kuwait City-Mashad. Airlines serving Ahvaz airport are Iran Air-Caspian Airlines-Mahan Airlines-Eran Air-Aria Air-Iran Air Tours-Iran Asseman Airlines.

There are many travel agencies. OXIN travel agency sits on the corner of the 7th street in Kianpars. They have flight tickets for all the destinations in Iran, and provide vacation tours to Asian countries like UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Vietnam.

By train
There are daily trains from Tehran-Khorramshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.

Ahvaz is the major junction for trains heading from the southern ports to Tehran, and from Tehran you can change trains and go further to Mashad or Tabriz.

There are 3 daily trains to Tehran. (ایستگاه راه آهن اهواز) is located on the western side of the city, with Saat (ایستگاه مترو ساعت) being the nearest metro station.

By car
There are several highways that lead to Ahvaz, including Route 5, which goes to Ahvaz from the capital of Iran, Tehran.

By bus
There are daily buses to many destinations in Iran: The main bus station is in Kampelo for buses headed north (i.e., Tehran).
 * Ahvaz-Tehran
 * Ahvaz-Isfahan
 * Ahvaz-Shiraz
 * Ahvaz-Mashhad
 * Ahvaz-Khorramabad

For buses headed east (Isfahan and Shiraz-Masjed Suleiman), the station is at 4 Lions Square.

Southbound buses leave from Khorramshahr Square.

Get around
Taxis roam around the city 24 hours a day and are relatively inexpensive. Around 30,000 rials for the longest trip in the city.

There are also taxi agencies everywhere, if you can't find one on your own, all the hotels have taxi agencies.

Buses ply most inner city routes and are very cheap.

See

 * Karoon county or known as "Kut Kut" is where most of the Ahvaz tourist attractions are gathered. Kut Kut is the home to water buffaloes. Its Arab residents have a culture that is unique in the country. They live a simple village-like life just 10 minutes drive away from city center. They answer every "hello" with sincere "welcome". They bring their cattle to the water during the day, making a breath-taking view. Also their simple yet strong breakfast is offered to every traveler who knocks on the door.
 * Ghazaviyeh Village is one of the most elegant villages in the region. It is 6 km away from the city, filled with date palm farms and vineyards which are all green even in the dead of summer. Here, you can see the famous classic Arabic gatherings every day at noon, and participate in their coffee ceremonies hosted by the head of the village.
 * One of the attractions of Ahvaz is the oil well flares on the border of the city, but it's only nice at night time.
 * One of the attractions of Ahvaz is the oil well flares on the border of the city, but it's only nice at night time.
 * One of the attractions of Ahvaz is the oil well flares on the border of the city, but it's only nice at night time.

Buy
All the Ahvaz neighborhoods have a local market place. The upscale shops are mostly situated alongside Chamran Blvd. (Kianpars), Zeitoon Karmandi (Cheetah Square), and the main bazaar is on Taleqani Street.

Budget
There are many sandwich shops and fast food shops in the city. Most are average.

A good ice cream store is in a cellar below a cake store. Haji Baba Coffee Shop can be found next to the bazaar, heading towards the white bridge.. No English spoken.

Mid-range
Oxin Hotel Restaurant- Try the Shir Mahi (fish) kebabs and they also serve great meat kebabs. They have specials that change daily.

Splurge
Astoria Hotel Restaurant-Expensive and below average food.

Drink
You cannot legally find alcohol in Iran so your drinking is limited to soft drinks and fruit juice.

There are many good fruit juice shops in Ahvaz and you will find them easily. In the summer stay away from cantaloupe juice and banana milk shakes.

Budget
There are many mehmansara (guest houses) in Ahvaz. Most don't admit foreigners and the ones that do are not up to foreign standards. But they are inexpensive.

Naderi Hotel is a decent one.

Mid-range
Oxin Hotel is near the airport and is moderately priced. It has an excellent restaurant and the rooms are clean and they have great air conditioning. They also have large screen televisions in the lobby and mostly show football games. They speak very good English and can help you arrange any kind of tour or transport.

Hotel Iran is reasonably ok. Ask for a renovated room; there is plenty of hot water and good AC in refurbished rooms. Basic English is spoken. The restaurant is good and reasonably priced at around 90,000 rials for a chicken kebab.

Connect
You can find small internet cafes across the city which provide you with a high quality internet connection; these small shops are called "coffeenets" by locals. Public Wi-Fi networks might be a little hard to find and aren't recommended for an emergency. It is important to note that the Iranian government banned some of the social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube but Whatsapp and Instagram are easily accessible.

Stay safe
Iran is generally a safe country. It is advised however, that being an obvious tourist may attract some unwanted attention from interested Iranians, but do not be alarmed or react negatively. Standard advice to keep your bag secured and safe, and to leave personal and valuable belongings in your hotel room or hotel safe should be regarded. Iranians are generally peaceful, hospitable people, but it is advised to act with caution when walk in the streets alone late at night or when approached by strangers to the same degree that you would in your native country.

Emergency services

 * Police: 110
 * Fire department: 125
 * EMS: 115
 * Road EMS: 115 or 112

Stay healthy
Ahvaz, in Iran according to a 2011 WHO survey is found to be the worst air polluted city in the world. People with respiratory problems, for example asthma patients, should consider before visiting.

Cope
Not easy without Farsi or Arabic. The Arab visitors to Ahwaz have little trouble in communicating as the majority of the city's population are Arabs (almost 70%), so the local residents can communicate with Arab tourists and visitors or can act willingly as interpreters from Farsi to Arabic and vice versa.

Go next

 * Abadan
 * Khorramshahr
 * Dezful
 * Masjed Solayman
 * Izeh
 * Shushtar

title: Ahvaz


text:
Ahwa

Ahwa is a city in South Gujarat.

See

 * Botanical Garden of Vaghai
 * Dhulda
 * Gira Falls
 * Mahal
 * Water fall of Girmal
 * Saputara

Do

 * Camping
 * Climbing
 * Fishing
 * Swimming
 * Tracking

Buy

 * You can buy wooden bamboos articles made by local people at Ahwa (dist.HQ).

Eat
There is no restaurant found in Dang, you have to arrange for your food on your own.

Drink
You can find Desi Mahuva/Kesuda drink.

Sleep

 * Come with sleeping bags.

title: Ahwa


text:
Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

The |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park straddles the border between the ǁKaras region of Namibia and the Northern Cape region of South Africa.

Understand
The immense |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park was formed when the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa was joined with the |Ai-|Ais Hot Springs Game Park in Namibia. It contains the Fish River Canyon Park. The South African part is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The park is one of the few places where the Nama, a pastoral semi-nomadic tribe still survive. They speak the Nama language and move with their seasons and are known for living in beehive-shaped huts known as haru oms, made of reeds.

Fees
Entrance fees are due at selected tourism spots, for instance at ǀAi-ǀAis and Hobas. Travelling the national and regional roads in the area is free, including the C13 along the Orange River.

Fees in South Africa (valid until 31 October 2017):
 * South African citizens and residents (with ID): R70 per adult, R35 per child, per day
 * SADC nationals (with passport): R74 per adult,	R37 per child, per day
 * Foreign visitors: R148 per adult, R74 per child, per day

See

 * Orange River

Do

 * Hike the
 * Bath in the

Backcountry
There are several wild camping spots on the Orange River, for instance

title: Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park


text:
Aichi

Aichi Prefecture (愛知県) is a prefecture in the Chubu region of Japan and was the host of Expo 2005.

Cities

 * - Japan's fourth-largest city and the capital of the prefecture
 * - a textile manufacturing town to the north of Nagoya. Hosts one of Japan's 3 major Tanabata festivals.
 * - a large castle and two kinky fertility shrines
 * - the site of Expo 2005 turned into Ghibli Park
 * - A suburban town with a small castle
 * - A center of ceramic art
 * - Popular beach for surfing
 * - car manufacturing hub
 * - yes, that Toyota
 * - yes, that Toyota

Other destinations

Tourist information sites

 * Aichi Now is the prefecture's official multilingual guide site.

 * Visit Aichi is another multiligual site by the local tourist association.

By train
The Tokaido Shinkansen has stops in Toyohashi, Anjo (Mikawa-Anjo), and Nagoya on its way from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka. The Shinano provides connections from Nagano and Matsumoto, Hida from Toyama and Takayama, Nanki from Shingu and Mie Prefecture, and the Shirasagi allows those in Kanazawa and Fukui to get to Aichi faster. All of the above lines are covered by the JR Rail Pass.

The only private railway that provides access to Aichi is Kintetsu Railway. Kintetsu serves much of the Kansai area. It is only likely to be the fastest option if you want to reach Aichi from Mie or certain parts of Nara.

By bus
As one of Japan's largest cities, the many highway buses coming in and out of Nagoya make Aichi very accessible by bus from many faraway places, some of which take a lot of time and money to reach by train. There are direct buses to/from Nagoya from Sendai, Fukushima, Koriyama, Utsunomiya, Tokyo, Kofu, Fujiyoshida, Nagano, Matsumoto, Ina, Iida, Niigata, Toyama, Takaoka, Kanazawa, Fukui, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Okayama, Kurashiki, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Matsuyama, and Fukuoka.

Get around
Using train for transportation is common in Aichi. The major railways are　Nagoya Tetsudo (名古屋鉄道), JR Tokai (JR東海), and Aichi Kannjyo Tetsudo (愛知環状鉄道). The JR Tokai line connects the major cities. For smaller towns, the Meitetsu and Aikan lines may prove convenient. The city of Nagoya has a subway.

See

 * See one of the oldest remaining castles in Japan (Inuyama)
 * Discover two of Japan's "Six Kilns" (Seto and Tokoname)
 * Learn about the past, present, and future of railway travel and technology at the SCMaglev Railway Museum (Nagoya)
 * Marvel at the hundreds of fox statues at Toyokawa Inari (Toyokawa)
 * Explore the grounds of Nagoya Castle, one of the original great castles of Japan (Nagoya)
 * Learn about the history of Toyota and see a variety of old and new car models (Toyota)
 * Pray at Atsuta Shrine, mentioned in the Kojiki and home of one of the National Regalia (Nagoya)
 * See Tokugawa Ieyasu's old stomping grounds (Okazaki)
 * Reminisce in the old 2005 Expo Park (Nagakute)

Eat
Aichi is famous for its "miso (味噌) culture". Miso is one of Japan's traditional seasonings. (Usually Japanese eat miso as "miso soup". Of course people in Aichi eat miso soup, too.) People spread sweetened miso paste on fried pork, fried shrimp (it's not tempura), tofu and so on.

Other Aichi specialities worth a try are:

Tebasaki - grilled chicken wings with a sweet, mildly spicy glaze and white sesame seeds. Eaten with the fingers, they are a popular and delicious izakaya delicacy.

Tenmusu - a local variety of onigiri, filled with prawn tenpura and a fruity brown sauce.

Kishimen - flat, ribbonlike wheat noodles, usually served cold with a dipping sauce, but sometimes hot in broth.

Aka-miso soup - Red miso soup rather than the standard white miso you get everywhere else in Japan.

Miso katsu - Fried pork cutlet (tonkatsu), but is topped with a miso based sauce.

Drink
Melon Soda is a popular drink in summer.

AM

 * NHK Radio 1 – 729 kHz
 * NHK Radio 2 – 909 kHz

FM

 * FM AICHI 807 - 80.7 MHz

Go next

 * Ise - one of Japan's holiest shrines, just a short trip south from Aichi

title: Aichi


text:
Aigues-Mortes

Aigues-Mortes is a town in the Occitanie region in southwest France, with well preserved medieval city walls surrounding a historical centre.

By car
Take the highway south from Nimes.

By train
Aigues-Mortes has a train station, like most places.

Get around
The historical centre is all contained within a compact area of the city walls, easily explored on foot.

See
Aigues Mortes is a nice fortified city, where it's possible to visit the ramparts, the walk through the village and the nearby Salt Works.

Do
Walk around the ramparts of the medieval city walls, and see inside the various towers, including the Constance Tower. This costs money. The ticket office, located in the North West corner, offers audio guides, but is closed at lunchtime.

Buy
Lots of shops selling tourist nick-nacks

Eat
There are many pleasant cafes and restaurants within the city walls, particularly around the central square.

 * Sushi Shu Japanese Restaurant

Sleep

 * Mona Lisa Royal Hôtel

Go next
The cities of Montpellier and Nimes are closest to Aigues-Mortes.

La Camargue delta of the River Rhone.

title: Aigues-Mortes


text:
Aihole

Aihole is a village in Karnataka, on the banks of Mallaprabha River, 122 km from Hubli, the Silicon Plateau of India. Aihole was the first capital of the Chalukya Kings. It had a school of temple architecture where artisans used to learn the craft of temple building and sculpture. Consequently, Aihole has hundreds of temples in villages and fields nearby. The architecture of these temples will enthrall you.

By car
The nearest town to Aihole is Badami, 40 minute away by road. Bagalkote is 47 km from Aihole. Badami is connected by NWKRTC buses from different places of Karnataka state.

By rail
Badami ( Station Code: BDM) is the nearest railway station to Aihole. Many trains going to Bagalkote ( Station code: BGK ) from Hubbali and Bengaluru do have a stop at Badami. Mumbai CSMT to Gadag super fast express ( 11139/11140) via Pune has a stop at Bagalkot railway station.

By plane
Hubli (Hubbali) airport is the nearest airport.

Get around
Aihole is a small place; all destinations can be explored by foot. The temples are scattered all over the Aihole village. Autorickshaw ( three wheel passenger vehicle )  can be used  to commute if you cannot walk for long time or distance. The roads to temples are very narrow so big vehicles may find it difficult to manoeuvre.

See

Bear in mind that this was a school of temple architecture, so you will see temples built in different styles. An artisan was taught to move progressively from simple to more complex forms of sculpture (as seen on pillars in the Durga Temple). Yellow sandstone is a relatively soft material and easy to carve on. Hence this was used as the material here.

Unlike most Indian temples, the names of the temples in Aihole do not reflect the deities placed inside. When the British stumbled upon these temples, they were inhabited by local villagers who were using these as shelter. So some of the names reflect the residents at the time, others describe their location, and so on.

Eat
Please pack food for your trip as there are no restaurants in Aihole. Road side shacks serve tea or local eatables or butter milk.

Drink
Tea made with cow's or buffalo milk. Buttermilk is refreshing during summer months of March, April and May.

Sleep
There are few hotels in Badami. Clarks Inn and KSTDC's Mayura Chalukya are major ones. There are options of staying at Bagalkote which is 47 km away.

Connect
By B.S.N.L ( Cellone ) mobile signal service provider as it is cheap and widely available.

Go next

 * Pattadakal
 * Badami
 * Lakkundi
 * Dharwad
 * Hampi
 * Mangalore
 * Udupi

title: Aihole


text:
Aiken

Aiken is a small city in South Carolina.

Get around
While there is limited public transit service in Aiken, a car is by far the most effective way to see the city.

Go next

 * Augusta (Georgia), the largest city in the Central Savannah River Area.

title: Aiken