Every winter a temporary town of tents goes up at Dhordo, the last village before the White Rann of Kutch. For three or four months it is the base for Rann Utsav, Gujarat Tourism's festival on the salt desert, and it is the only place to sleep within a few minutes of the white salt flats. This guide covers how the Tent City works, how to get there from Ahmedabad, what to book and when, and what changes when you are bringing a group of 40 or 140 instead of a family of four.

AUM Event builds tent cities and runs group travel and offsites from our Ahmedabad office. We are not the Rann Utsav operator, so treat this as a planner's guide: confirm dates, tariffs and inclusions with the official Rann Utsav booking channel before you pay.

Rann Utsav Tent City at a glance

Where: Dhordo village, Kutch district, on the edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. About 85 km north of Bhuj.
When: The season usually opens in late October or November and runs to February. Exact dates change every year, so check the official calendar before booking.
What you get: Tents with attached bathrooms, all meals in a central dining hall, an evening programme of Kutchi folk music and dance, and organised trips to the White Rann viewpoint.
Tent categories: From non-AC Swiss cottage tents to premium AC tents and larger suites. Most packages are priced per tent per night with meals included.
Climate: Days are pleasant in the mid-20s °C. December and January nights can fall close to single digits, so pack proper warm layers.

Getting to Dhordo from Ahmedabad

Dhordo is roughly 400 km from Ahmedabad by road, which is seven to eight hours with a meal stop. Most people break the journey at Bhuj or travel to Bhuj by rail or air and drive the last stretch.

By road: Ahmedabad to Bhuj via Bhachau, then Bhuj to Dhordo on the Khavda road. Leave Ahmedabad by 6 am to reach in time for the White Rann sunset.
By train: Day and overnight trains run between Ahmedabad and Bhuj, including the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail service. From Bhuj station it is about 1.5 to 2 hours by car to Dhordo.
By air: Bhuj airport has flights from Mumbai. Groups flying from elsewhere usually route through Ahmedabad and continue by road or rail.

Entry to the White Rann needs a permit, which is issued at the Bhirandiyara checkpost on the Bhuj–Khavda road and online. Tent City packages normally arrange it for guests; check that yours does, and carry the ID you used to book.

When to go: full moon, weekends and the holiday rush

The White Rann looks very different by moonlight, so nights around the full moon are the first to sell out, followed by the Christmas to New Year week and long weekends. If your dates are fixed by a school holiday or a company calendar, book as soon as the season's dates are announced. If you are flexible, mid-week stays outside the full-moon window are quieter and easier to get.

Sunset at the salt flats is the main event of each day. Plan arrival before 3 pm on day one so you have time to check in, collect permits and get to the viewpoint.

A simple 3-day plan from Ahmedabad

Day 1: Drive or take the morning train to Bhuj, lunch, continue to Dhordo. Check in, then sunset at the White Rann and the evening cultural programme.
Day 2: Sunrise on the salt (optional and cold), then Kala Dungar, the highest point in Kutch, for the view over the Rann. Afternoon at the craft villages of Hodka, Ludiya or Nirona, known for embroidery, mud-work huts and rogan art. Back for a moonlit walk if the dates allow.
Day 3: Check out after breakfast. Stop in Bhuj at Smritivan, the 2001 earthquake memorial and museum, and Aina Mahal, before the drive or train back to Ahmedabad.

With an extra day, Dholavira, the Harappan city that became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, is a long but worthwhile excursion, best done with an early start.

Bringing a corporate group or offsite

Rann Utsav works well for dealer reward trips, leadership offsites and incentive groups because the setting does the heavy lifting. What a family can improvise, a group of 60 cannot. These are the points we plan around:

Block the tents early. Group allocations on full-moon and holiday dates go months ahead. Hold the block first, then build the agenda around it.
Plan the transfers as one move. Bhuj has a small airport and a single main road north. Book coaches from Bhuj station or airport timed to arrivals, and keep one vehicle on standby for late joiners.
Ask for private space. The cultural programme is shared with other guests. For an awards night, a town hall or a team dinner, ask the operator for a private area and timing, and bring your own sound if you need a stage moment. Our sound and AV team can supply a portable setup.
Design for a dry state. Gujarat is a dry state, so build the evening around folk performances, a bonfire and the desert itself rather than a bar.
Food is vegetarian Gujarati and Kutchi. Flag Jain meals, allergies and any non-vegetarian expectations at booking, not on arrival.
Budget the cold. Shawls or fleece for the group, warm drinks at the viewpoint and a buffer for late sunrises add little cost and a lot of goodwill.

If you want team activities in the White Rann, keep them light: a sunrise photo walk, a craft workshop with local artisans or a sunset ceremony works better on salt and sand than a full games programme. For ideas that suit the setting, see our corporate team-building activities.

When the public Tent City is not the right fit

Some groups need more control than a shared tent city allows: a 300-person dealer meet with a conference session, a wedding with its own décor and kitchen, or a fixed date the public camp cannot hold. In those cases a private camp is an option. AUM Event designs and builds tent cities where hotels do not exist, with tents, power, water, sanitation, dining and security planned as one site. Our corporate retreat tents page explains how we scope a private camp for offsites.

Rann Utsav or the Statue of Unity Tent City?

Planners in Ahmedabad often weigh Dhordo against the tent cities at Ekta Nagar near the Statue of Unity. The short version:

Distance: Ekta Nagar is about 200 km from Ahmedabad, roughly half the drive to Dhordo. That makes it the easier choice for a two-day group trip.
Season: The Statue of Unity tent cities operate for much of the year. Dhordo is winter only.
Experience: Ekta Nagar offers the 182 m statue, its viewing gallery and the attractions around the Narmada dam. Dhordo offers open desert, the salt flats and Kutchi crafts and music.
Note for planners: The Statue of Unity is closed to visitors on Mondays, so do not schedule your main visit for that day.

Frequently asked questions

When does Rann Utsav 2026–27 start?

The festival usually opens between late October and November and runs until February. Dates are announced by Gujarat Tourism each year; check the official Rann Utsav site before you book travel.

How far is the Tent City from Bhuj and Ahmedabad?

Dhordo is about 85 km from Bhuj, around 1.5 to 2 hours by car, and roughly 400 km from Ahmedabad, about 7 to 8 hours by road.

Do I need a permit to visit the White Rann?

Yes. A White Rann entry permit is required, issued online and at the Bhirandiyara checkpost. Tent City packages usually include it, but confirm when you book.

What is the best time to see the White Rann?

Sunset every day, and nights around the full moon if your dates allow. December and January have the clearest skies and the coldest nights.

Can a company host an offsite or award night at Rann Utsav?

Yes, with planning. Block tents early, ask the operator for private space for your session, and plan transfers from Bhuj as a single move. For larger or fully private events, a custom tent camp is an alternative. Talk to AUM Event about either.

Rann Utsav Tent City, Dhordo: A Planner's Guide for 2026–27