Monsoon Magic: Saputara Expects Record Visitors

As the monsoon season blankets the hills in mist, Saputara, Gujarat's only hill station, is attracting unprecedented crowds. This year's Monsoon Festival is poised to set a new record, with officials projecting visitor numbers to exceed 2.90 lakh, a significant increase from last year's 2.61 lakh. The steady rainfall has transformed the region into a verdant paradise, drawing tourists from Gujarat and neighboring Maharashtra eager to embrace the natural beauty.

Accommodation across Saputara and its vicinity is experiencing a booking boom, with hotels and tented camps reporting high occupancy rates. This surge highlights a growing preference for nature-centric getaways during the monsoons. The festival, initiated in 2009, has become a vital platform for promoting the Dang region's rich tribal heritage, folk arts, and traditional handicrafts.

Activities range from indoor events like talent shows and Warli workshops to outdoor performances of tribal dances and bamboo craft demonstrations. The festival not only offers diverse entertainment but also significantly contributes to the local economy, with previous years seeing substantial sales from handicraft stalls and increased visitor numbers for boating.