Tiger Wildlife Tour
DAY 01 NAGPUR TO KANHA
Arrive Nagpur airport from Delhi/Mumbai by early morning. On arrival,
assistance and drive to Kanha (about 260kms/07hrs), check into the hotel and
relax. O/n Hotel.
Romanticised
by Kipling in his book, Kanha National Park is among the most spectacular,
protected wildlife reserves of the world. The 1,945 sq. km National Park has
been compared to N'Gorongoro National Park of Tanzania. However like its
African cousin, Kanha is not a volcanic crater though the surrounding hills
are a result of geographically ancient volcanic activity. Above all Kanha is
far greener and more densely wooded than N'Gorongoro. It is one of the
largest and best monitored Parks in the subcontinent and definitely one of
the best places in the world to see the critically endangered tiger in the
wild.
The great sal forests of Kanha National Park, stretching
across Maikal hills of Satpura range, have given birth to many jungle
adventures especially the much-loved English classic by Rudyard Kipling -
The Jungle Book. Kipling based his tale on the wildlife of Kanha in the late
19th century and thus Kanha is also known as 'Kipling Country'. The grassy
plateaux, wooded hills and valleys of Kanha are home to the legendary Sher
Khan the Tiger, loveable Baloo the Bear, wise Bagheera the Panther and the
dreaded Rock Python Kaa. Besides them several great and small mammals,
reptiles and birds inhabit the Park including the largest ox in the world -
the Gaur.
The National Park is particularly notable, besides the
tiger, for a 300lb, brown, large-antlered, hard-hoofed deer because of which
the foundation of conservation and protection was laid in the Maikal hills.
Even more zealously protected in Kanha is the southern or Central Indian
race of the Swamp Deer - the Hard-ground or the Branderi Barasingha.
Birdlife
of the region is equally astounding and more than 350 avian species have
been recorded here with the possibility of sighting yet new races, thus
giving the avid birdwatcher great scope for new discoveries. Mynas, Bush
Chats, Kingfishers, Treepies, Orioles, Lapwings, Falcons, Kites, Owls,
Vultures and various other species of our flying friends will provide
unlimited hours of pleasure to those who choose to seek them.
Afternoon
explore the Kanha National Park by jeep safari with naturalist guide.
DAY
02 KANHA Morning and afternoon explore the National Park with
naturalist guide. Rest of the day visit to local villages at Kanha National
Park, after lunch to visit Tribal Villages, peoples generally are quite
welcoming. It is amazing to see how the people depend on these jungles and
live completely harmony with the wildlife of this Kipling Country. O/n
Jungle Resort.
DAY 03 KANHA Morning and
afternoon gameviewing in the park with naturalist. O/n Jungle Resort.
DAY
04 KANHA TO BANDHAVGARH Morning explore the park with naturalist.
Proceed to Bandhavgarh (about 245kms/07hrs), through the lovely countryside
to Bandhavgarh National Park. Upon arrival, check into the hotel. Rest of
the day free to relax. O/n Jungle Resort.
DAY 05
BANDHAVGARH Bandhavgarh is truly one of India's magnificent
wildernesses with a relative abundance of tigers and an imposing Fort a top
a plateau which dates back to 300 AD. However its true claim to
international fame is the discovery of white tigers by the Maharaja of the
princely state of Rewa, in 1951. Unfortunately white tigers are not found in
the wild state anymore and survive only in the various zoos around the
world. The progeny of the white tigers captured by the Maharaja can be seen
at the National Zoological Garden in New Delhi.
The
Park covers an area of around 448km2 and although the National Park was
constituted in 1968, this area has been a centre of human activity and
settlement for over 2000 years. Legend has it that the fort at Bandhavgarh
which lends its name to the National Park and literally translated means "Brother's
Fort" (Bandhav = brother; Garh = fort), was given to Lakshman by his
brother Lord Rama, hero of epic Ramayana, to keep watch over Lanka, ruled by
the demon king Ravana. At one time around 10th-14th century AD, this region
was ruled by the Chandela dynasty, which built the famous temples of
Khajuraho.
Presence of adequate water-bodies, grasslands and dense
forests make Bandhavgarh an ideal habitat for the animal life of the region.
25 varieties of mammals inhabit the jungles of Bandhavgarh and Nilgai,
Chowsingha, Chinkara, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Dog, Fox, Porcupine, Ratel and
three species of deer - Chital, Sambar and Barasingha - may be seen in the
Park, along with the Leopard and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Nearly
250 species of birds have been spotted inside the Park which include
Hornbills, Leafbirds, Woodshrikes, Drongos, Fantails, Bee-eaters, Parakeets
and Flycatchers, to name a few. As the Park is relatively new this checklist
is not exhaustive and keen birdwatchers have ample scope of discovering more
birds and adding to the current list.
Morning and afternoon
explore the National Park by jeep with naturalist. O/n Jungle Resort.
DAY
06 BANDHAVGARH Morning and afternoon explore the National Park by
jeep with naturalist. Lateron drive to Satna (about 170kms/04hrs) to board
your express train.
DAY 07 BANDHAVGARH TO NAGPUR
Board your train at 00.10hrs. Arrive Nagpur at 13.25hrs, transfer to
suggested place in the city (under your own arrangements)
DAY
08 NAGPUR Early morning pick up and transfer to Nagpur to board
flight to Mumbai / Delhi.
India