Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park Ahmedabad Entry Fee
- 20 per person for Adults
- 10 per person for Children (5-12 years)
- 500 per person for Museum
Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park Ahmedabad Phone
098253 15382
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| 4/5 stars
Based on total 35 reviews
Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park Ahmedabad Address: Nature Park Walk, Indroda, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382421, India
Everyone loves dinosaurs even though they were the most menacing creatures of this planet; at least some of them. Thanks to Hollywood bringing them to life on the big screen, even a two-year-old now plays with cute dinosaur toys, children learn about them with interest and grownups dress up like them on Halloween. But the maximum thrill one gets is when we can get to see something related to them with our own eyes. Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park in Gujarat is one place that lets you do that. When you visit this park the fact that these magnificent creatures once ruled the Earth, sinks in. Sometimes seeing is believing and when you see the fossils of dinosaurs here, you are nothing but awestruck.
History of Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
Earlier known as Valasinor, Balasinor is located in the Mahisagar District of Gujarat and this park is the second-largest dinosaur fossil park in the world. This little town used to be the princely state belonging to the Babi dynasty (Pashtun Tribe), which manages the park today.
In the early 1980s, paleontologists discovered dinosaur bones and fossils while a regular geological survey of this area was being done. Balasinor is a mineral-rich area and this was an unexpected find since geologists had come here searching for lime reserves for a cement plant. Dinosaur egg hatcheries and fossils of at least 13 species were unearthed at this dig site.
One of the most significant discoveries that were made here was that of a carnivorous abelisaurid named Rajasaurus Narmadenis which was believed to have existed in the late cretaceous era. This particular dinosaur species looks similar to a T-Rex but has a horn and a crown on its head like that of a king and hence the name Rajasaurus. Several other fossils of this dinosaur were found on the banks of River Narmada which gave it the suffix Naramdenis.
The discovery of these fossils was revered by the neighboring villagers who did not understand the scientific significance of the fossils and brought them home to worship them. Further excavation at this site gave to the world something which was not less than a treasure: dinosaur remains which included eggs and bones.
One of the dinosaur’s skeleton discovered here is now kept in Calcutta (Kolkata) museum. Such a magnificent discovery puts Balasinor on the world map and it became the center of attention of scientists and tourists alike. This excavation made Gujarat the hub for what was called Dinosaur tourism.
About Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
It is believed that one of the largest clusters of dinosaur hatcheries in the world is there in Gujarat. It is considered home to at least 13 species of dinosaurs for more than 100 million years until they became extinct 66 million years ago. The 72-hectare park has as many as ten thousand dinosaur fossils.
One of the reasons why this area proved favorable for the survival of the dinosaurs is the soft soil found here which made the hatching of eggs easier along with the protection of the newly hatched young ones. That is why the fossilized eggs found here are in an almost pristine condition according to scientists. They are one of the best-preserved dinosaur remains of the world after Aix-en-Provence in France.
It is a good idea to take a guided tour of the park since the location of the egg fossils are all over the park and they are difficult to spot without a guide. Princess Aliyah Babi who is the guardian and custodian of this park has done a remarkable job of maintaining this park and she gives guided tours to visitors sometimes.
The park is an open fossil park and you can see the giant statues of T- Rex and Brontosaurus which bear a striking resemblance to the real creature. The fossils found here include those of femur, eye hole, tibia fibula, vertebra, egg scale, claws, skin, and wood fossils but one of the most interesting fossils that you can see here is the brain fossil of a dinosaur.
A trip to the park transports visitors back to the age of the dinosaurs as one sees the indents made by the eggs in the soil, life-size statues of dinosaurs in various positions, some in menacing attacking pose and others in a calm posture. Visitors are allowed to take pictures at this park and this place is so fascinating that you start taking pictures right from where a giant rock states the name of the park.
There is a museum near the fossil park and visitors can find extensive information about the history of dinosaurs' fossils that have been found in India and Gujarat. Multimedia devices are used at this museum to explain the evolution of different species. It is a multilevel fully air-conditioned museum and extremely child and disabled friendly with ramps for wheelchairs and prams. Visitors can take a picture with all the dinosaur statues in the park as well as those in the museum.
Image Gallery of Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park Ahmedabad
How to reach Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
The Park is at a distance of 16 km from Balasinor city, in Raiyoli and the road from this village takes you there in 30 minutes. If you are coming from Ahmedabad which is at a distance of 100 km, you can cover the distance in 1 hour and thirty minutes. You can also choose a cab from top car rental companies in Ahmedabad and visit all the popular sightseeing places of Ahmedabad quite comfortably.
Entry fee of Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
The entry fee to visit Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park is Rs. 20 for Adults and Rs. 10 for Children aged between 5 to 12 years of age. The ticket price to visit the Museum is Rs. 500 per person.
Entry timings of Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park is open from 8 AM to 6 PM from Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Monday.
You require at least half a day to explore the park in its totality.
Places of interest near Balasinor
When you are in Balasinor, you can take time out to visit some other places in the vicinity. There is Sudarshan Lake which is a good spot for bird watching. There are a few temples here like Kedareshwar Temple, Shiv Shambhu Mahadev Temple, Khodiyar Mata Temple, Hanumanji Temple, and Mota Mandir. You can also visit Taran Shahid Dargah of Balasinor.
Best time to visit Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
November to February is the time when you must plan your trip to Balasinor, for the town has pleasant weather at that time. A place like Balasinor Fossil park which is an open park can be best enjoyed at this time. March to May are summer months here and hence not a good time for outdoor activities especially if you have children with you. June to October is the rainy season here and is again a good time to visit the place.
To visit Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park and other such tourist attractions of Ahmedabad, we have designed all inclusive Ahmedabad tour packages that help you explore the city in the most fun filled manner. We at Ahmedabad Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA have taken utmost care in designing these packages keeping in mind the budget and travel preferences of its customers. To know more, please fill the Contact Us form and we will get back to you at the earliest.
