Kankaria Lake receives a very good amount of footfall on an annual basis, perhaps it is one of the perks of being a famous tourist attraction and the second largest lake to visit in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
While visiting here, one can find many public attractions nearby such as Kamla Nehru Zoo, Kids City, Water Rides, Food Stalls and many other things. Apart from this, one of the highlighting factors of this destination is the Kankaria Carnival. It is a week-long event held in the last week of December. This carnival is more like a festival where many activities related to culture and art are organized.
Talking a little bit about its history, it won't be wrong to say that this lake was initially known as the Hauz-e-Qutub. Built-in the 15th-century, this lake was completed in the year 1451 which was during the reign of Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II.
Kankaria Lake is a popular tourist spot in Gujarat that cannot be missed on your trip to the city. One can find a great number of tourist spots here like Kankaria lake zoo, amusement parks, toy trains, kids city along with Ahmedabad’s eye. Apart from all this, the culture and the food of this city are really amazing to experience and thus are very strong reasons to visit not just Kankaria lake but also zero in at various tourist attractions of Ahmedabad.
Summer months can be overwhelming or rainy season can be a fuss. So, the best option would be to go for winter months from the months of October-February. Though, the official timing of the Kankaria Lake may vary from day to day of the week. The general timing slots of visiting Kankaria lake are 4:00 am to 8:00 am and then from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. The entry fee of Kankria lake is Rs.25 for adults and Rs.10 for children. For senior citizens and children below 3 years of age, there is no entry fee. For students who visit this beautiful tourist spot in Ahmedabad, the entry fee is just Rs.1.
History of Kankaria Lake Ahmedabad
If the records of the 14th-century chronicler Merutunga are to be believed then, a Chalukya ruler named Karna had built a temple here dedicated to Goddess Kochharba at Ashapalli after defeating their chief.
After this event, Karna went on to establish a city by the name of Karnavati nearby where he simultaneously commenced the construction of Karneshvara and Jayantidevi temples. Next to the Karneshwara temple, he built the Karnasagra tank. Many experts claim that it is this city of Karnavati which is known as the city of Ahmedabad in modern times and the Karnasagar tank came to be known as the Kankaria lake.
However, this identification is not proved and neither it is certain in any way. It is just a part of local myths and folklores.
Another theory regarding the same suggests that the construction of this lake was started by Sultan Muizz-ud-Din Muhammad Shah II in the 15th century. The inscriptions present at the lakeside also mention that it was completed during the reign of Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II. And it was after him that this place was also named as the Hauz-e-Qutub.
Major Attractions in and Around Kankaria Lake
1. Nagina Wadi
The Nagina Wadi is located at the very centre of the Kankaria Lake. This place can be accessed by walking on the straight, tree-lined walkaway. The beauty of this place is well enhanced during the night time mainly because of the overall brilliant laser lights which wrap this whole place with their vibe. From here, you can also get access to ski boats and jet skis. It is one of the best places to visit near Kankaria Lake.
2. Kamla Nehru Zoo
Established in 1951, this zoo spreads over an area of around 117 acres witnessing more than 20 lakh visitors on an annual basis. Here, you get to find a very diverse range of animals like deers, lions, snakes, bears and various variety of beautiful birds. For those who love wildlife, this tourist spot in Ahmedabad is not less than any treasure trove.
3. Rides
Kankaria lake offers you with different rides to explore like Aqua Kart, Vertical Swing, Water Sports, and Black Flashride. Overall, it’s quite an amazing experience to ride these carts.
4. Mini Toy Train Ride
The toy train is located near Gate No. 3. Taking a ride in this train offers you an amazing experience of the lake. The charges are Rs. 25 for adults and Rs. 10 for kids.
How to Reach Kankaria Lake
Being the second largest lake in Ahmedabad, Kankaria Lake is a very popular travel destination to explore locally. It serves as a hub for various tourism activities. Kankaria Lake, Ahmedabad is situated at an overall distance of 951, 527, 1,955, 1,490 km from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru respectively. Here is how you can reach here via the following routes.
By Air
Ahmedabad has its own airport by the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. This airport links the city of Ahmedabad with other Indian cities like Delhi, Nashik, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer.
- Delhi - You can board AirAsia, Spicejet, IndiGo, Go Air, Vistara flights from Delhi’s IGI airport. The airfares start from Rs.3,000-Rs.4,000.
- Mumbai - You can take Vistara, Air India, Go Air, IndiGo flights from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.3,000.
- Jodhpur - Take Air India, Vistara flights from Jodhpur Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.3,000
- Jaipur - You can board Spicejet, Air India, IndiGo flights from Jaipur International Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.3,000
After you deboard at the airport, you will need to further cover 12-14 km. For commuting, you can take a cab to reach here.
By Road
You can also reach Kankaria Lake, Ahmedabad via well-maintained road networks as well. Here is the route you can take from the following places to reach here. Apart from this, you can als opt fot interstate buses to reach here from nearby places. Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation buses operate to and from from nearby places.
- Delhi - 951 km via NH48 or Beawar-Pindara Road
- Jaipur - 683 km via NH 58 or NH 48
- Kota - 545 km via NH48 or NH27
- Jodhpur - 448 km via NH62 or NH48
By Train
Ahmedabad is also well connected by an extensive railway network and has a train junction of the same name. This particular railway station is also the largest railheads present in Gujarat.
It is interesting to know that after the Mumbai division, this station is considered as the second-highest revenue-generating system of the western railways. Here is the route you can follow to reach here via the following places.
- Delhi - Board Gujarat S Kranti from H.Nizamuddin Railway Station and deboard at the Ahmedabad Junction.
- Jaipur - Board Ashram Express from Jaipur Junction and deboard at the Ahmedabad Junction
- Indore - Board GNC Express from Indore JN BG and deboard at the Ahmedabad Junction
- Surat - Get on board Shatabadi Express from Surat and deboard at the Ahmedabad Junction
- Rajkot - Board Surat Intercity from Rajkot Junction and deboard at the Ahmedabad Junction
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here
