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Voykit pocket guide · India
Kevadia
Ekta Nagar
Give Kevadia one full day for the Statue of Unity and the dam, or one night if you want the evening projection show and the safari. Sleep in Vadodara for a day trip, or at Tent City for the night.
Kevadia, officially Ekta Nagar, is a small town on the Narmada in South Gujarat built around the Statue of Unity — the world's tallest statue at 182 m — and the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Almost everything sits inside one ticketed complex reached by free shuttle buses; private cars stop at the gates. It is a day trip from Vadodara for most visitors, or one night if you want the evening projection show and the safari.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- Ekta Nagar
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (40 °C+), Jul–Sep monsoonApr–Jun (104 °F+), Jul–Sep monsoon
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–3,000 excl. bed · Mid ₹3,000–6,000 excl. bed · High ₹6,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · Ambulance 108 · Tourist helpline (India) 1363
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Statue of Unity basic entry (adult / child 3–15) | ₹150 / ₹90 |
| Viewing Gallery ticket (adult / child) | ₹380 / ₹230 |
| Foreigner Express Entry ticket (adult / child) | ₹1,530 / ₹830 |
| Jungle Safari entry (adult / child) | ₹200 / ₹125 |
| Boat ride on the Narmada, 45 min | ₹413 |
| River rafting at Khalwani | ₹1,000 |
| Tea or snack at a stall | ₹20–80 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BDQ · Vadodara
- 91 km, about 1.5 h by road; the closest airport57 mi, about 1.5 h by road; the closest airport
- STV · Surat
- 156 km, about 3 h by road97 mi, about 3 h by road
- AMD · Ahmedabad
- 198 km, about 3.5 h by road123 mi, about 3.5 h by road
Typical fares
- Vadodara → Kevadia by road
- 91 km, about 1.5 h by taxi57 mi, about 1.5 h by taxi
- Ekta Nagar station → statue
- about 5 km, free shuttle with a ticketabout 3.1 mi, free shuttle with a ticket
- Pink electric auto, short hop
- fixed charge, ask before boarding
Get around
No private vehicles beyond Ekta Dwar: park at one of the three lots (opposite Ekta Mall, Shresth Bharat Bhavan, Valley of Flowers) and ride the free 45-seat shuttle, every 15 min, with any Statue of Unity ticket. Pink electric autos run by local women cover fixed routes from the Bus Bay, Valley of Flowers and Shresth Bharat Bhavan stops. Do not board the Eco-Tourism or Circular Route buses unless you have that tour ticket.
See and do
Known for
- Statue of Unity
- Sardar Sarovar Dam
- Valley of Flowers and Jungle Safari
- Narmada riverfront
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Vadodara | Train to Vadodara Junction, or road via NH48 | 1.5–2 h |
| Surat | Road via NH48, about 156 kmRoad via NH48, about 97 mi | About 3 h |
| Bharuch | Road via SH64 and SH5 through Garudeshwar | About 1.5 h |
| Saputara | Road through the Dang hills | 4 h+ |
Sleep
- Tent City and riverfront resorts
- Inside or beside the complex; walk or shuttle to the gates. Priciest, best for the evening show.
- Ekta Nagar town
- Guesthouses and small hotels near the railway station and bus stand; 5 km from the statue, shuttle or auto onward.Guesthouses and small hotels near the railway station and bus stand; 3.1 mi from the statue, shuttle or auto onward.
- Vadodara
- Full city of hotels 91 km away; the practical base if you are doing Kevadia as a day trip.Full city of hotels 57 mi away; the practical base if you are doing Kevadia as a day trip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | નમસ્તેnamaste |
| Thank you | આભારaabhar |
| How much is it? | કેટલા રૂપિયા?ketla rupiya |
| Where is the toilet? | શૌચાલય ક્યાં છે?shauchalay kya chhe |
| Please stop here | અહીં ઊભા રાખોahi ubha rakho |
| I don't want it | મને નથી જોઈતુંmane nathi joitu |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- The statue is closed on Mondays; the Children Nutrition Park also closes Mondays.
- Viewing Gallery tickets are capped at 7,000 a day and carry timed slots — book online ahead, especially at festivals.
- Offline tickets at Shresth Bharat Bhavan are card-only, no cash, and no advance sale.
- Restricted items must be left at the free baggage counters at the Bus Bay or Shresth Bharat Bhavan.
- The helicopter ride is stopped for now — check before you plan around it.
- Summer heat and long elevator queues: the Express ticket only skips the elevator line, not the crowds.
Kevadia is a managed, ticketed tourist zone and feels safe by day; the real risks are heat, long queues and the crocodile-populated dyke lakes — stay back from the water at Panchmuli.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kevadia yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Statue of Unity
- Sardar Sarovar Dam
- Valley of Flowers and Jungle Safari
- Narmada riverfront
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Statue of Unity official tickets: www.soutickets.in/#/dashboard
- Wikivoyage: Kevadia, revision 5130130 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5130130
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
KevadiaEkta Nagar
આ સરનામે લઈ જાઓ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Kevadia; consulates and embassies are in Ahmedabad, Mumbai or Delhi — check your country's list before you travel.
Tickets: book on the official Statue of Unity site; offline counter is card-only.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kevadia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.