On our 2 weeks Gujarat Road trip, Statue of Unity was one of the first places that we visited. And why not. We were super excited to visit the Statue of Unity. And not just because it is the highest statue in the world – that makes it an architectural marvel for sure. But also because the whole area around Statue of Unity has been very well planned. So, along with visiting Statue of Unity, we also planned our overnight stay in Parveg Tent City near Statue of Unity, in the Narmada Valley amidst lush greenery.
However, before visiting Statue of Unity, we had several questions in our mind. How to reach Statue of Unity. And how much in advance should I book the Statue of Unity ticket. Also, are there other attractions that I can visit along with Statue of Unity? Or, what is the best time to visit Statue of Unity? And how much time is required to visit here etc etc. I did all this research before visiting here. And now I am going to compile it all here for you in this post. So that you can use it as your one stop for everything you will need to plan a trip to Statue of Unity.
An introduction to Statue of Unity Gujarat
The Statue of Unity is a monumental statue located in the state of Gujarat, India. It is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an Indian statesman and independence activist who played a pivotal role in the unification of India after its independence in 1947. Patel was India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and first Minister of Home Affairs. He is widely regarded as the “Iron Man of India” due to his efforts in bringing together the many princely states to form the unified Republic of India.
The Statue of Unity serves as a symbol of India’s unity, strength, and patriotism, honoring Sardar Patel’s legacy in forging national integration. As such it also highlights the country’s commitment to progress, as Patel was also instrumental in economic reforms and the development of modern India. And overall it aims to boost tourism in the region. Also providing a platform for spreading awareness about Patel’s contributions to the nation.
- At 182 meters (597 feet), the Statue of Unity is the tallest statue in the world. It stands nearly twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the United States !!
- The statue was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar, and its construction took over 4 years, from 2013 to 2018.
- Overall design represents Sardar Patel in a standing posture, dressed in traditional attire. The figure’s arms are slightly raised in a gesture of unity and strength, symbolizing Patel’s role in unifying the country.
- The project was launched in 2010 and completed in 2018, with construction costing around ₹2,989 crore (approximately 420 million USD).
- Statue is made of bronze-coated stainless steel, reinforced with iron and steel, and the framework is made of a combination of steel and concrete.
- It is supported by a reinforced concrete base and a podium that includes an exhibition hall, a research center, and a viewing gallery at 153 meters (502 feet) for visitors to enjoy panoramic views.
- The unveiling of the statue in October 2018 coincided with Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary and was part of efforts to promote “National Unity Day” in India.
How to reach Statue of Unity Gujarat
The statue is located on Sardar Patel’s Ekta Island in the Narmada River, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Narmada district of Gujarat. Its location was carefully chosen for its scenic beauty and proximity to the dam, which is also a symbol of national progress.
When is the best time to visit Statue of Unity Gujarat
The best season to visit Statue of Unity in Gujarat is the winter months from November to February. As the days are warm and nights cool. Summer is very harsh in this region and thus best avoided. Public holidays like year end can be crowded.
The Statue of Unity is open to visitors every day of the week, except on specific occasions when it may be closed for maintenance or public holidays.
Timings of Statue of Unity : 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (India Standard Time, IST).
If you are planning to visit the surroundings and not go inside the gallery which is located on the heart of the Statue of Unity, you can just walk in till before 6:00pm. But if you plan to visit the gallery then better to book your slot in advance and reach on time. More on it in the section below where I have explained on the ticket booking for Statue of Unity. Here’s the timings of the key visitors zones –
- Statue Viewing Gallery: The viewing gallery inside the statue is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. However, the last entry for the viewing gallery is usually around 5:30 PM.
- Sardar Patel’s Memorial & Exhibition Hall: The memorial and exhibition areas are generally open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM as well.
- Light and Sound Show: The light and sound show usually takes place in the evening, typically from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM (subject to schedule changes based on weather or special events).
- Boating: The boat rides on the Narmada River, which give visitors a beautiful view of the statue from the water, are generally available from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
How much time is required to visit Statue of Unity
One day is good enough time to explore Statue of Unity and all that the area has got to offer. As, the Statue of Unity and it’s surroundings offer a plethora of options to visit. These include –
- A viewing gallery in the heart of the Statue of Unity
- A Museum
- An audio-visual gallery
- 3D light and sound show that narrates Sardar Patel’s life and contributions.
- Butterfly Park
- Safari in the nearby jungle area
- Narmada Dam and Valley visit along with designated viewpoints with stunning views of the surrounding landscapes
- Boating on the Narmada Dam Reservoir
- Landscaped gardens
How can I buy Statue of Unity tickets
There are different kind of tickets available for Statue of Unity. These include –
(1) Basic entry ticket using which you can go till the feet of the Statue of Unity and enjoy the surrounding landscapes, restaurant and cafe visit or sit out in the open near the statue.
(2) Entry ticket along with visit to the gallery which is located at the heart of the Statue. Using this ticket, you can access everything in (1) above plus the Gallery and the exhibition that is at the foot of the statue of unity.
(3) A combo ticket that includes entry, gallery, light and sound show, visit to the Narmada Dam and the safari as well.
We went with option (2) above as we later planned to do a jungle safari in Gir National Park. And we were anyways going to visit the Narmada Dam and reservoir area on our own. As we were staying overnight in Parveg Tent City near Statue of Unity which is located on the banks of the river. And, instead of boating, we decided to rather spend time in the landscaped surroundings of the valley. As we had recently done boating in the Tehri Lake in Uttarakhand.
You can either book the tickets from the ticket counter on the premises of Statue of Unity. Or officially from the SoU website here. If you plan to visit the gallery then it’s advisable to book your tickets in advance online. As there are slots to visit Gallery. And limited number of tickets in each slot. So as to avoid over-crowding. And the morning slot is the best – which goes from 8:00am to 10:00am. This is the slot we had booked online. And we really enjoyed the least crowded peaceful hours at the Statue of Unity in this slot. So, highly recommend booking this slot if possible.
Where to stay when visiting Statue of Unity
There are a lot of hotels and resorts (any many more coming up!) in the Ektanagar area. So, you can book an overnight stay in any of these here. And then there are two tent cities on the banks of river Narmada. Also, you can stay in one of these for a different kind of experience. Like we stayed in Parveg Tent City. And it was a beautiful overnight stay experience.
Our Experience visiting Statue of Unity
Booking tickets to Statue of Unity
We had not booked a ticket to the Statue of Unity in advance. As such, by the time we arrived here after visiting the Champaner-Pavagadh Archeological Park en-route from Indore, it was around 5:00pm. And the tickets to the gallery were already closed. So we decided to try our luck the next day and headed to our tent city. And at night we tried booking the tickets online. So, we got morning 8:00am – 10:00am slot combo ticket. That included the entry, exhibition, gallery, safari and butterfly park. All the other slots were full. However, little did we know then that it was a blessing in disguise. As the morning time was least crowded of all.
Arrival at the parking lot at Statue of Unity
After breakfast and a swift check-out from our tent city, we arrived at the Statue of Unity Parking Lot by 8:00am. The parking lot of Statue of Unity is huge. There are in fact 3 to 4 different parking lots. We reached one nearest to Statue of Unity and which is also marked in google maps. After parking our car here and paying the parking fee of INR 50/- we proceeded to the ticket counter side.
Transfer to the Statue of Unity Premises
There are two ways to reach Statue of Unity premises from here. Either take a bus which leaves from behind the Statue of Unity ticket counter area. Or, take an e-rickshaw which you can separately book for your group at INR 2000/-. While We chose the bus option because we wanted to just visit the Statue and come back. But, in case you want to explore the other attractions and you are traveling in a group, then the e-rickshaw will be a great personalized experience at nominal cost.
We took the bus from near the ticket counter. The experience of hopping on and off the buses here is very similar to what we had in the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad or the Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad. A 10 minutes bus ride will take you to the main Statue of Unity premises.
Entry into the Statue of Unity Building
From the bus drop off point, we walked through the main entry towards the security gates. Here, men and women stand in different lines and go through a security check. There is a list of items that you can’t carry inside the premises including food items. If you are carrying anything that is not allowed, you should rent a locker from near the ticket counter and leave such belongings there.
Right after the security check and ticket check, we were through to the other side of the entrance building. Wherein we caught the first glimpse to the statue of unity. There is a 5 minutes walkway here towards the Statue of Unity main building. On either side of which you get stunning views of the Narmada River and the dense green Valleys beyond.
Crossing this, we finally arrived at the foot of the building. And entered inside wherein you have the photo exhibition depicting different stages through the life of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and India’s freedom struggle. From here, we headed straight towards the lifts to the heart of the Statue for gallery viewing. Since it was the morning slot, none of the queues were very crowded. And it was hardly a 5 minutes wait for the lift. There are 4 or 6 huge lifts here. The experience of boarding these lifts to the heart of the statue was very similar to what we had riding up the Burj Khalifa on our trip to Dubai.
Gallery viewing inside the Statue of Unity in Gujarat
Within a minute we were in the heart of the Statue !! From here, we could see stunning views of the whole Narmada gorge and the mountains beyond. And we could also admire the genius with which the Statue of Unity is built. As the statue skeleton can be seen from here in the forms of solid iron pillars.
After spending some time up here, we rode back to the bottom. Wherein we spent time going through the galleries and displays about the life and time of Vallabh Bhai Patel before heading out of the building.
At the feet of Statue of Unity in Gujarat
After existing the building, we took the escalators and stairs to the first and the second floor of the same building. Which are built in the form of open terrace. And lead all the way upto the feet of the Statue of Unity. At each level, you get different expanse of bird’s eye view of the surrounding. We took many pictures here, soaked into the natural surrondings and then finally started for our way back.
Restaurant at Statue of Unity
Back on the same walkway, we started towards the exit. On the left side here, there are many benches to sit and enjoy the views.
And opposite the outdoor seating is an amul cafe. Wherein you can get coffee and tea, several amul products, Indian snacks and meals , pizza and burger as well. And there is an adjoining Starbucks cafe as well. Our kids had some food here before we headed out.
Overall it took us around 2.5 hours to visit the Statue of Unity. After coming out, we boarded another bus for riding back to the ticket counter and parking lot area. And on the way, we could capture some stunning views of the morning sun across the river, shining besides the Statue of Unity.