Road to Heaven in Dholavira: Complete Guide 2025

The Road to Heaven in Dholavira is perhaps the most astonishing and unique travel experience in India in 2025. This highway is about 30 kilometres long, located in an area known as the Great Rann of Kutch, and connects the village of Khavda to the ancient archaeological site of Dholavira in Gujarat. Along this renowned stretch of highway, visitors will also find Praveg Resort Dholavira (a nice stay option) close to the heritage area. This stretch of highway has gained international recognition for its spectacular scenery on each side—salt flats and shallow water creating an incredible reflection and ethereal look—as if you are driving through heaven on Earth.

What Is the Road to Heaven?

The Road to Heaven in Dholavira in the local language (Varudu Road) is about 30 km long, between Khavda and Dholavira, situated in the unique ecosystem of Rann of Kutch saline desert. It was built in 2019 to enhance connectivity and support tourism, especially for travellers interested in visiting Dholavira, which was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021. It forms part of the national highway system that improves access to this remote area and is now open to the public to use. 

The road became extremely popular after the Gujarat summit, where the 2023 G20 highlights originally discussed the road as a heritage and tourism route. The road has some perfectly straight sections along with perfectly blue sparkling salt marsh lakes, visually portrayed on both sides of the road that appear surreal.

Route and Distance Information

• The total distance from Bhuj to Dholavira by road is about 220 km.
• The Road to Heaven stretches for about 30 km from the village of Khavda to Dholavira.
• Khavda is about 72 km northwest of Bhuj, the district headquarters.
• From Khavda to the village of Adhav is approximately 22 km, and it is at Adhav that the Road to Heaven starts.
• The destination Dholavira, an archaeological site, is located on Khadir Bet island in the Rann of Kutch.

The road is mainly paved and flat and while driving is pleasant, it is important to carry your own supplies, as fuel and food resources are extremely sparse in the remote area.

Why the Road to Heaven?

The highway's poetic name results from its amazing natural environment, which includes vast white salt flats and blue waters that mirror the sky so perfectly that it looks like you are driving through the clouds, or in a different type of heaven. Travellers experience virtually no traffic on the road to heaven and enjoy losing themselves in the scenic and magnificent vistas, which appear large at sunrise and sunset, and there are plenty of mist or cloud covers that may help dramatize the looks.

Best Time to Visit

• The best months to visit are between November and February, when it is cool and dry.
• During these months, the salt flats are most visible, as well as the migratory birds such as flamingos.
• The famous Rann Utsav festival is also held at this time, attracting crowds of people celebrating culture on a flat landscape.

About Dholavira

Dholavira is known as one of the five largest sites of the Harappan people and the greatest archaeological site in India regarding the Indus Valley Civilization from 3000 and 1500 B.C.E. As of 2021, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which displays advanced town planning, water conservation systems, and protective structures. Special features include:

• The city was laid out in a citadel, middle town, and lower town.
• Ingenious water reservoirs and garbage drainage systems adapted to the desert environment
• Ancient artifacts such as copper tools, beads, and seal,s which display extensive trade networks
• The ruins afford insight into the history and culture of one of the earliest urban civilizations in human history.

Tourists can view the well-preserved remains and learn from museums and interpretative signage.

Travel Tips

• Get an early start in Bhuj so you can maximize daylight for your drive to the Road to Heaven Dholavira.
• Bring enough water, snacks, and fuel as services are limited along the route.
• Photographers will have limitless opportunities for stunning photographs, particularly around the golden hour.
• Do your best to preserve the delicate ecological and archaeological sites.
• There's no entry to the Road to Heaven and no entry fee to Dholavira.
• At Dholavira, consider hiring a local guide who is knowledgeable to appreciate it for its archaeological dimensions, as one will be better able to comprehend what they will be photographed and/or seeing without a guide.

Connectivity and Access

• By Air: The nearest airport is Bhuj Airport, which is approximately 8 km from Bhuj city.
• By Rail: Bhuj Junction is the nearest railway station.
• By Road: Bhuj to Dholavira can be reached by vehicle or taxi in approximately 4–5 hours over 220 km.

The Road to Heaven is also connected to major cities in Gujarat, including Ahmedabad (approximately 406 km from Bhuj).

Calm and Comfy stay

Praveg Resort Dholavira, one of the best hospitality companies in India, situated close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dholavira, invites you to a calm and comfy stay surrounded by history and nature. Enjoy calm and comfy stays, gentle and soothing hospitality, and the gateway to the famed "Road to Heaven," it does provide the best base for experiencing the tranquillity of the place, ancient heritage, and the surreal nature. Whether it's staring into the unimaginable twinkling sky or focusing on the mysteries of the Harappans civilization, your time here will definitely be recalled as one of your life's unforgettable experiences.

Final thoughts

Now that it is open to the public in 2023, the road to heaven in Dholavira has substantially increased tourism in Kutch. The road to heaven is quickly becoming a "must-visit" tourist spot during the winter Rann Utsav, and helping the local economy with extensions in the length of stays, new local transport routes, and sales of handicrafts by locals.