Dwarkadhish, Nageshwar and Bet Dwarka
Dwarka · 9 hrs · Cab included · Pickup from your stay
From ₹2990 for the whole vehicle, up to 8 people. The price is per car, not per person.
Vehicles
- Swift Dzire: Sedan. Best for a couple or a small family. ₹2990 for the vehicle.
- Tata Sumo: Rugged 8-seater. The most room for the money. ₹3490 for the vehicle.
- Innova or Ertiga: The comfortable one on a long hill day. ₹4990 for the vehicle.
A temple town with a midday close, and an island you can now drive to
Dwarka's temples keep old hours. Dwarkadhish opens early and closes for the afternoon from about one to five, Bet Dwarka's temple closes around midday too, and Nageshwar and Bet Dwarka are 17 and 30 km out along the coast. Get the order wrong and you spend the afternoon outside locked doors.
So the day runs in one direction: Dwarkadhish at opening, Rukmini on the edge of town, then north along the Okha road to Nageshwar and Gopi Talav, and over Sudarshan Setu to Bet Dwarka before its temple closes. Since the bridge opened in 2024 the island no longer depends on the ferry, which has made it a simpler morning, though the temple lanes are walked. The afternoon is Shivrajpur's beach and the drive home.
There is no app cab in Dwarka and the autos do not go out as far as Bet Dwarka and wait. The car is yours for the day at one flat price for the vehicle, and you are back at your stay in time for the evening aarti at Dwarkadhish if you want it.
Your day, stop by stop
1. Dwarkadhish Temple
Krishna's temple on the Gomti creek, its spire carrying a flag changed several times a day. It closes for the afternoon from about 1 pm to 5 pm, so it comes first. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside; there are lockers near the gates.
2. Rukmini Devi Temple
About two kilometres outside town, a small twelfth century temple to Krishna's consort, carved all over. The priests tell the story of why it stands apart from Dwarkadhish, and they tell it well.
3. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
One of the twelve jyotirlingas, about 17 km out on the Okha road, with a large seated Shiva outside. The sanctum is below floor level and the queue moves steadily on most days.
4. Gopi Talav
A small tank on the way to Okha, linked in legend to the gopis of Vrindavan, with the pale clay sold as gopi chandan. Ten minutes.
5. Bet Dwarka and Sudarshan Setu
Since February 2024 the island has been reached over Sudarshan Setu, a 2.3 km cable-stayed bridge from Okha, so the car crosses and the old ferry queue is optional. The Keshavraiji temple closes around midday, which is why the morning is planned the way it is.
6. Shivrajpur Beach
A clean beach with Blue Flag certification, between Okha and Dwarka, with shallow water close in and almost no buildings. An easy hour after a morning of queues.
Beach entry where it is collected, and any water sports
In your price
- Private vehicle with driver for the full day
- Pickup and drop at your stay in Dwarka
- Fuel, tolls, driver allowance and parking, including on Bet Dwarka
- The route timed to the temples' midday closures
- GoExplorer support number for the day
Not included
- Offerings and prasad
- Beach entry and water sports
- Meals
- Anything personal
What you pay on the day
- Offerings and prasad at the temples
- Locker charges where they apply
- Beach entry and water sports at Shivrajpur
- Lunch and anything personal
Who this suits
Pilgrims, families and anyone doing the Saurashtra temple circuit. The queues mean standing, and Bet Dwarka involves a walk through the lanes; otherwise it is an easy day. The sedan seats four, the Sumo eight and the Innova six, each at one flat price for the car.
What to bring
As little as possible into the temples: phones and cameras are not allowed in Dwarkadhish and go in the lockers. Modest clothing, shoes that come off easily, a hat, water, and swimwear or a change if you plan to wade at Shivrajpur.
Wind and sea, not rain
The day runs in rain and wind. In a storm warning the authorities can close the beach or the bridge; if Bet Dwarka cannot be reached we swap in more time in Dwarka or offer a free reschedule, and if the day cannot run at all you get a full refund.
Cancellation
- More than 24 hrs before: Full refund
- Within 24 hrs: 50% refund, or reschedule free once
- No show: No refund
Safety and the operator
Run by a licensed local ground operator, one driver per vehicle, commercially registered and insured. At Shivrajpur, swim only in the flagged area and only when the lifeguards are on duty; the Arabian Sea is rough in the monsoon and swimming is often stopped.
Questions
Is the price per person?
No. It is one price for the whole vehicle for the day. Eight of you in the Tata Sumo pay ₹3,490 between you, not each.
Do we still need the ferry to Bet Dwarka?
No. Since Sudarshan Setu opened in February 2024 the car drives across from Okha. Boats still run if you would rather go by sea, paid at the jetty.
Can we see the evening aarti at Dwarkadhish?
Yes, on your own: the temple reopens at about 5 pm and you are back at your stay by 4. Timings shift on festival days, so check with the temple on the day.
Can we add Somnath to this day?
No. Somnath is about 230 km away. It has its own day, run from Somnath, and we suggest staying there a night.