Saputara Lake

Saputara Lake sits at the heart of Gujarat's only hill station, a man-made waterbody ringed by gardens, snack stalls and the low wooded hills of the Sahyadris. Almost every Saputara itinerary begins or ends here: mornings are quiet enough for a lakeside walk, while evenings bring boat queues, candy-floss vendors and families out for the cool air that made this town a summer refuge in the first place.

The boat club on the eastern bank runs pedal boats and rowing boats in fair weather, and the flat promenade makes for an easy loop on foot. The Lake Garden and Nageshwar Mahadev temple sit right on the shore, so the lake works well as an anchor, park once and cover three or four sights on foot. Water levels are highest and the surrounding green most vivid from July through November; in peak summer the lake shrinks but the town's climate stays kinder than the plains below.

Expect real crowds on May weekends, Diwali week and around Christmas–New Year, when boating queues can stretch past half an hour. If you want the lake to yourself, come before 09:00.