Poicha and AATAPI Wonderland — often spelled Atapi — lie on either side of Vadodara, and together they make one of the easiest family trips from Rajkot: a temple morning with gardens on the Narmada, and a day of rides, shows and dinosaurs.
Nilkanth Dham at Poicha is managed by Rajkot’s own Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul, so many Saurashtra families already know it by name. AATAPI Wonderland, near Ajwa on the other side of Vadodara, is run in partnership with Gujarat Tourism and the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, and is the state’s largest theme park.
The two are roughly 80–90 km apart, so most families take one each day, with a night in or near Vadodara in between.
Nilkanth Dham, Poicha
Nilkanth Dham opened in October 2013 on the bank of the Narmada at Poicha, a few kilometres short of Rajpipla. The main Swaminarayan mandir, with its 31 shikharas, stands inside the Narayan Sarovar, a lake built around it, and the campus is laid out as gardens to walk through.
Entry to the temple is free. Darshan runs from about 6 AM, with the Mangala aarti, to the Shayan aarti at 8:30 PM; the Maha aarti at around 7 PM, with the temple lit up, is the one most families stay for. The temple notes that times can shift by half an hour to an hour with the season.
The Sahajanand exhibition, which tells the life of Shri Swaminarayan in dioramas, has its own ticket, as do the swimming pool and other attractions. The temple kitchen serves an unlimited Gujarati thali, and its riverside guest house has rooms if you want to stay by the temple.
AATAPI Wonderland
AATAPI Wonderland covers about 70 acres near Ajwa, roughly 25 km from Vadodara city, with more than 40 rides and attractions: a dinosaur valley, Jugnoo World — a glow garden — the Vrundavan garden with dancing fountains, and a water laser show.
It is open from 11 AM to 7 PM and closed every Wednesday, which is the one detail to plan the whole trip around. Ticket categories and prices change, so check them before you go; on weekends and holidays the faster-entry tickets save a lot of queuing.
There is a food court inside, and a resort within the park for families who want to stay on the spot.
Doing both in one trip
From Rajkot it is about 290 km to Vadodara — around five hours via Bagodara and the expressway. AATAPI is about 25 km beyond the city on the Ajwa side; Poicha is about 60 km the other way, towards Rajpipla.
The usual plan is to leave Rajkot early, reach Poicha for the afternoon and the evening aarti, stay near Vadodara, and spend the next day at AATAPI before the drive home. If the trip falls on a Wednesday, make that the Poicha day.
With a third day, the Statue of Unity is about 40 km beyond Poicha. For five or six people with luggage, an Ertiga or an Innova Crysta is the comfortable choice for this distance.
When to go
- October to FebruaryBest timeThe best months: cool enough for the temple gardens and the queues for rides.
- Janmashtami and DiwaliFestivalPoicha is decorated and very crowded, especially for the Kalyan Mahotsav from Bhai Beej to Labh Pancham.
- Weekends and school holidaysBusyThe longest queues at AATAPI. Arrive at opening time.
- April to JuneHotHot by late morning. See Poicha early and keep the outdoor rides for the late afternoon.
Getting there · Plan this trip
Poicha & AATAPI Wonderland by car, with a driver
One-way or round trip from Rajkot, in a clean air-conditioned car. Tell us your date and we will send the fare.
