Pench and Tadoba Tour
Duration: 11 Days
Places to visit: New Delhi – Nagpur – Tadoba – Pench – Nagpur – New Delhi
Itinerary
Day 1. Arrive in New Delhi
Upon arrival at the airport in New Delhi you will be met by the representative of Nature Safari India who will then take you to the Hotel. Overnight in New Delhi.
Day 2. New Delhi – Nagpur -Tadoba
Early morning transfer to domestic airport to board a flight to Nagpur. Meeting and assistance on arrival at Nagpur and drive to Tadoba, 100 km/2-3 hrs drive. Lunch at Resort and afternoon game drive to the National Park. Dinner and overnight at Resort.
Day 3. Tadoba
Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National Park. Full board and overnight at Resort.
Tadoba – created in 1955, Tadoba National Park is the largest and oldest in Maharastra — and, although it’s growing in popularity, still remains quite off the beaten track. Dominated by teak and bamboo, and with a magical landscape of rugged cliffs, marshes, and lakes, it’s full of diverse wildlife and was once favoured by shikaras (hunters). Together with the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary, which was formed in 1986, it makes up the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.
Day 4. Tadoba
Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National Park. Full board and overnight at Resort.
Often referred to as “The Jewel of Vidharba”, the Tadoba National Park lies in the district of Chandrapur in the north-eastern part of Maharashtra.
Located in the heart of a reserved forest, it is an infinite treasure trove of innumerable species of trees and plants and wildlife that includes tigers, leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, bison, barking deer, nilgai, sambar, and cheetal.
In fact, the Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Santuary together form the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The Park derives its name from “Taru” the local deity, whereas the Andhari River that meanders through the forest gives the sanctuary its name.
Flora: Teak, Ain, Bija, Dhaoda, Bamboo, Haldu, Arjun, Tendu, Salai, Jamun, Mahua.
Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Jackal, Sambar, Indian Bison, Barking Deer, Blue Bull, Spotted Deer, Chausingha, Ratel, Flying Squirrel, Wild Boar, Langur.
Day 5. Tadoba – Pench
After breakfast depart for Pench, 200km/4-5 hrs drive. On arrival check into Resort and take lunch. Afternoon game drive to the National Park. Dinner and overnight at Resort.
Day 6. Pench
Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National Park. Full board at Resort.
Pench is located in the AVSM (Aravali, Vindhyanchal, Satpura and Maikal Ranges) belt. This teak forest is different and a pleasant surprise to the normal and scenic parks of Kanha and Bandhavgarh. The tracks are smoother, the trees are thicker with dense undergrowth, perhaps one reason why the herbivore population here is larger in size compared to Kanha and Bandhavgarh. There is a distinct silence here. You feel you are the King, when suddenly your driver halts, seeing the pugmarks of the actual King of the area. A Tiger has just crossed; he shows them to you, and suddenly an alarm call from one of the denizens of the forest. You, your driver, your naturalist are all alert. Looking in the direction of the call, eye balls much bigger than usual, heart pounding at 120 beats a minute, ears as big as an elephant, you want to see the true King of Pench. The drama unfolds, and you are in Pench, the true and original Kipling Country.
Day 7. In Pench
Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National Park. Full board at Resort.
Pench National Park, nestling in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura hills is named after the Pench River which flows from north to south through the Pench National Park. It is located on the southern boundary of Madhya Pradesh.In 1992, Pench was included under the umbrella of “Project Tiger” as the 19th Project Tiger Reserve.
Totalling 758 sq. km, the mixture of vegetation ranges from moist sheltered valleys to dry deciduous forest. The area is crisscrossed by a number of streams and ‘nallahs’ most of which are seasonal. Though the Pench River dries up in April a number of water pools locally known as ‘dohs’ are found which serve as water holes for the wild animals. The Pench Reservoir at the centre of the Park is the only major water source during the pinch period.
As prey concentration is high along the Pench River, tigers usually inhabit this belt. Leopards generally operate in the peripheral areas but are occasionally seen in the deep forest. Jungle cats are often seen. Leopard cats, small Indian civets and palm civets are common but seen rarely.
Cheetal and sambar, are commonly seen grazing on the open sites on roadsides and the banks of the river and reservoir. Jackals can be seen in search of food anywhere in the Park. Packs of up to 15 wild dogs can be seen near the Chhedia, Jamtara, Bodanala and Pyorthadi areas of the Reserve. Herds of gaur can be spotted near streams and bamboo patches commonly in summer months. Sloth bears occupy hilly, rocky outcrops and favour mahua infested forest. Chinkara are present in very small numbers and are found in open areas around Turia, Telia and Dudhgaon villages.
Langurs are very common in Pench, whereas the Rhesus monkeys may be seen occasionally on the fringes. Pench boasts of more than 210 species of birds that include several migratory ones. Commonly seen are peafowl, red jungle fowl, crow pheasant, crimson breasted barbet, redvented bulbul, racket tailed drongo, magpie robin and lesser whistling teal.
Day 8. Pench
Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National Park. Full board at Resort.
Day 9. Pench
Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National Park. Full board at Resort.
Day 10. Pench – Nagpur – New Delhi
Morning game drive to the National Park. Lunch at Resort and later transfer to Nagpur, 90 km/2 hrs drive, to board a flight to New Delhi. Arrive New Delhi and transfer to hotel for overnight.
Day 11. Fly back home
Transfer to international airport to board a flight back home.