archaeological site in Kutch, Gujarat in western India
Dholavira is a small town and archaeological site in Kutch, containing ruins of an ancient Indus Valley Civilisation (Harappan) city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dholavira the second largest Harappan site in India and the fifth largest in South Asia. It was unearthed by Indian archaeologists in 1967 but excavations into the site only began since 1990. In 2021 the site was added to the world heritage list.
Dholavira has one of the oldest water conservation systems in the world. Like Lothal, it went through all of the major phases of Indus Valley Civilisation, from early to late.
On the whole, Dholavira is not as accessible as the other major Harappan sites in India. The closest airport is 250 km southwest of the site in Bhuj. A bus leaves daily from Bhuj at 14:00 and reaches Dholavira at 20:30. You can also hire a car or private driver.
Bring your own water as the place is remote.
There are very few places to stay in Dholavira. There are some homestay services operated by locals.