A
long road trip in India (out from the borders of South India) has been a long
time idea that took birth when our love for travel was identified. But every
time we thought of the trip, so many questions like how, when, where, personal
& road safety etc. popped up in our mind. And after a discussion of an hour,
we would arrive at a common conclusion “maybe next time”. But the love for the
road trip never died. After all these few years of travel, this time a solid plan
was finally made. But, it was clubbed with our new love – love for nature &
wildlife.
Day
1 | Kochi -> Bangalore | 516 Km, 10hr 41min
We
started off early from our place to avoid traffic of the city & major towns
on our way.
Day
2 | Bangalore -> Hyderabad | 601 Km, 9hr 59
min
Unlike
our usual travels, this time we stayed at a cousins’ place. Again we set off
early so that we could reach Hyderabad for our evening coffee. Had our dinner
from Bonalu Kitchen.
Day
3 | Hyderabad -> Pench NP | 615 Km, 10hr 9min
After
a perfect South-Indian breakfast, we started our onward journey. We stopped at
Nagpur for a late lunch and reached our place around 4.00 PM. We were tired
after back to back 3 long days driving which we had not done so far in any of
our trips.
Normally
we drive for 8-10 hours (drivers keep changing every 1-2-hour gap) and then
explore that place staying for at least 2 nights. But this 3-day drive was
quite a new experience.
Day
4
|
Safari at Pench
NP
We
had booked the safari tickets online a month before the travel dates and then
tailored an itinerary according to booked dates for safari. The tickets were
booked through the website maintained by Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. The
safari timings change according to the seasons sunrise & sunset. Hence, pay
attention while making your booking. Pench Tiger Reserve shares its region with
two states – MP & Maharashtra. The gates available for booking through the
above-mentioned website are core zones - Jhamtara, Karmajhiri, Touria &
buffer zones - Khawasa, Khumbhpani, Masurnala, Rukhad, Teliya.
The
bookings for gates in Maharashtra have to be booked through a site managed by
Maharashtra.
While
booking your safari/stay try to choose a gate closer to your place of stay or
vice versa. Most of the resorts would be situated near the park or in the
buffer area where there would be animal crossing on the roads. So the traffic
would be closed to the public during specific times of the day.
Day
5 | Pench -> Kanha
| 175 Km, 3hr
27min
Safari
Experience: We had chosen Touria zone for both
the days of morning safari. This is the location of Jungle Book. Pench Tiger
Reserve is the place of inspiration for Rudyard Kipling from where Mowgli,
Shere Khan, Baloo, Kaa, Akela, Bagheera were born. Please be mindful to follow
the guidelines laid by the forest officials and do not disturb the animals.
This is a dense deciduous forest with artificial water holes, a perfect place
to be in if you want to watch Tigers in their wilderness. Out of 2 safaris
booked, luck was in our favor for a day. But apart from tigers, we got to see
so many other species in 2 days which included animals like Dhole, Golden
Jackal, Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, Monkey, Nilgai, Sambar Deer & birds like
Serpent Eagle, Hornbill, Indian Roller, Little Cormorant. The guides are well
trained and jeep numbers are limited.
Of
two safaris, we got to see a tiger during one. We were lucky enough to watch it
for over 20 minutes. The tiger seemed to be busy checking for its kill which it
had probably caught the previous night or early hours this morning. It was busy
smelling the area again & again and we were lucky enough to see a huge
tiger jumping on & off from a tree which we thought had hidden the kill.
The enormous fully grown female tiger was busy searching for its kill and we
were in total awe seeing a tiger in its own habitat. She was never bothered
about our presence. There were around 10 jeeps watching & waiting.
An
Indian Roller which was sitting on a tree & then flew to a nearby rock
initially when shown by the guide seemed to be a normal bird. But during its
flight, the vibrant blue markings were prominent. The contrasting light and dark blue
on the wings and tail seemed to be an artwork from any renowned painter.
Another
information which we got from this safari is about the "Ghost Tree",
a popular name for the Sterculia urens tree. It's known for its pale-colored
bark, which glows in the moonlight giving it a ghostly appearance. The tree
sheds its leaves for a significant part of the year, contributing to its unique
and sometimes eerie appearance. The tree's gum, known as gum karaya, is used in
various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. The terrain
remains varied throughout. You see a part which is heavily forested by teak
trees, with patches of mixed forest comprising bamboo, crocodile bark, etc.
Then the terrain is hilly and rocky, interspersed with many river gullies,
which are all the favorite hideouts for leopards, who love to perch themselves
on rocky outcrops, tree branches, or inside the gully keeping themselves safe
from the main predator. Then there are very few open plains with occasional
water bodies making it a challenge to spot the beast. The varied natures of the
forest offer the flora and the fauna with ample food and water reserves,
throughout a year.
There are mess rooms/canteen & toilets in the reserve which are cleaned on an hourly basis. But the waste was not segregated at the source. So I'm not sure about waste management services. Food or rather snacks, noodles, tea/coffee etc. are provided with nominal charges if you have not brought food along with you. Most of the resorts pack a meal for safari. There were souvenir shops, which sold things wrapped in plastic. This open area is a dry ground without any barricades/fencing where all the jeeps stop for a break while safari. The premises are well maintained by the forest department though there are some areas like mentioned earlier that need improvisation. Some safari jeep drivers drive madly when they see a Tiger. During our last safari, when we spotted a tiger, within minutes many jeeps gathered around. The whole situation got chaotic with these rushing jeeps & communicating loudly with other drivers. The forest officials should take responsibility and ensure that Gypsy drivers do not race through the Jungle.
Most
of the guides accompanying on safaris are people who lived in the forest once
or those who chose this profession out of love for nature & life within it.
They very well know about these forests & its life and are very
enthusiastic to show & share stories of experience. They are not just
watching; they are making use of their sense of organs which is really
commendable.
Apart
from morning & evening safari, there are night safari which are conducted
in the buffer zones. There are safaris in these buffer zones during monsoon as
well. The national parks in India remain closed during monsoon owing to 2
reasons – difficulty in navigating through the muddy, slippery paths &
breeding season for wild animals. Another activity can be a visit to a pottery
village nearby. If you would like to try your hand at making pots with guidance
from expert potters, which we did not try though as we were tired of the
driving back to back & then safaris. Some of the resorts also provide other
activities like nature walk, cycling etc. which are again through buffer zones
which can be adventurous too.
After
the safari, we returned to our resort to get fresh & then lunch. After
lunch, it was time for our onward journey to Kanha.
Day 6 | Morning Safari | Gate/Zone: Khatiya/Kanha
Kanha Tiger Reserve has three main entry gates: Khatia, Mukki, and Sarhi, which provide access to the reserve's four core zones: Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi, as well as buffer zones like Khatia, Khapa, Phen, and Sijora. The Khatia gate gives you access to all the four core zones, which gives you a valid reason to choose your stay close to gate Khatia.
Day
7 | Evening Safari | Gate/Zone:
Khatiya/Kanha
After
back to back driving & waking up early, we wanted a break which is the
reason we chose evening safari for this day. After breakfast, since we were at
leisure, we chose to cycle through the buffer zone. This became a refreshing
& unique way to experience the forest & the wildlife. It was an
informational cum adventurous experience, riding through the sal trees among
sambar deer, spotted deer, monkeys and a multitude of birds with Mr.Sanjay
Bhawre. He gave us a safety briefing before we started and kept checking on us
constantly to make sure we were safe & comfortable with our respective
bikes and were enjoying ourselves. The 2-hour ride ended with a ride through
the village & resting along on the banks of Banjar river for a while.
The
landscapes of Kanha tiger reserve also vary with each zone. Kanha zone has open
meadows with grasslands and bamboo vegetation. There is a museum inside the
Kanha zone which preserves the local culture. It also showcases the history of
the park. Sarahi Zone has dry deciduous forests and with larger meadows. The
landscape of Mukki zone & Kisli are quite similar with sal trees, bamboo
vegetation and scenic grasslands.
Day
8 | Morning Safari | Gate/Zone:
Khatiya/Kisli
We
had safari in the early morning & after which we went to the resort to
freshen up & lunch. After checkout we proceeded to Nagpur thus putting an
end to 5-days safari.
Kanha NP ->
Nagpur
|
264 Km, 5hr 5min
Safari
Experience: Even though I liked both, my
personal choice would be Kanha NP. It was very cold during both the morning
safaris. My legs froze even after covering up with the woolen blankets provided
by the resort. Out of three safaris’ we got a chance of a beast encounter on
the first day and missed it by a few seconds on the third. Similar to Pench NP,
the park is maintained well and the same remarks apply to canteen & toilets
as that in Pench NP. We got to see even the barasinghas even though it was
quite a distance.
After roaming for 1-1.5 hours in the park, we arrived near a grassland where we saw a few jeeps waiting. Upon reaching close to those jeeps, came to know a tiger had entered into the grassland from the barren land on the opposite side which was spotted by jeeps which came ahead. So we were waiting to see the golden black stripes. It is really hard to believe that these tall dry grasslands can hide an animal like a tiger. After a few moments of silence, we could hear the soft trampling sound of grass which was coming nearer & nearer. We held our breaths, and there it emerged from the grass and crossed us and moved to the other side walking past bushes. It gave us some time so that we could click pictures before disappearing in the bushes.
Nagpur was only a stopover. The food from where we had for dinner was an awesome place, Dali - The Art Cafe.
Day
9
| Nagpur -> Hyderabad | 500 Km, 8hr 39min
We were very tired from exploring the city. Also, we were content with the experience we just got in the last 5 days. But we did not want to go to sleep with empty stomach and that's how this little surprise for me which was planned by Dillu felt like a well-executed plan. Chocolates, especially dark has been my all-time favorites. Manam Chocolates - A place to experience the magic of chocolate making. They do have a range of beverages, made with their own signature Indian craft chocolate that are served with a selection of sweet and savory pairings. This place filled my heart & tummy.
Day
10
| Ramoji Film City
| 67.2 Km, 1hr 8min
We
had booked our tickets online to avoid the queue if any & to avoid any last
minute rush/cancellations. A well spent day at film city with visiting Bahubali
set & understanding some tricks, magic & technicalities in film making.
Food at film city is not that great, but you will be forced to have as one
cannot carry outside food. Private vehicles are not allowed unless you have
opted for a stay inside the film city. Even though infrastructure is maintained
well, it is very crowded and it was scorching hot even in January. Click here to book your tickets for Ramoji film city.
We wanted to linger over Andhra cuisine again & go to sleep peacefully. Though I don’t remember exactly what we ordered, it was quite good, not exceptional though. We had our dinner from Pakka Local.
Day
11
| Hyderabad to Yelahanka | 554 Km, 8hr 36min
Yelahanka
was just a stopover since we knew we won’t be able to make it home before dark in
a single day. But Yelahanka has been an integral part of our life since it is
the place from where ‘I’ & ‘he’ became ‘We’. We had our dinner from Orah Brew Garden which was quite good.
Day
12
| Yelahanka -> Kochi
| 537 Km, 11hr 14min
Finally,
with lots of memories, pictures & refreshing ourselves through a nature
themed trip, we returned back home with content.