One of the best places to spot tigers in India is the Tadoba National Park. This tiger reserve in Tadoba lies in the Chadrapur district of Maharashtra.
A little Introduction to the place is that Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary together make the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. It covers an area of approximately 625 square kilometres.
As we speak, there are 115 tigers roaming the forest within it’s core, buffer and along the outskirts of the reserve.
An Impromptu Plan
For the longest time, I had been meaning to explore this tiger trail. Numerous plans to this tiger reserve in Tadoba failed to see daylight owing to one reason or the other until, one impromptu aspiration finally fell in place!
In an effort to battle boredom on a particular weekend in March ’24, things just happened in a flash! A note for last minute planners like me. This is not the ideal way to go if you wish to have a proper trip to Tadoba National Park. So, avoid the urge to find inspiration from this one!
To begin with, it is near impossible to book safaris less than a week ahead, let alone accommodation at decent places with affordable prices. You’ve got to be extremely lucky and have the right contacts.
Owing to my previous enquiries, I did have a lucky connection, who literally made it happen for us. Truth be told, he didn’t want to lose another opportunity from a customer who had made a reputation of enquiring and cancelling on him multiple times.
Yes, sometimes I do earn myself a rep for the wrong reasons! That said, three safaris and a room was reserved for an extended weekend in Tadoba.
Mumbai to Tadoba by road
The distance from Bombay to Chandrapur is approximately 829 kilometres. Depending upon your accommodation, a few extra kilometres may add on or knock off.
The route goes from Thane to Igatpuri via NH 48 where you continue on the Nashik Expressway and then onto the the new Palgha Shirdi Road for sometime. Keep driving until you hit the Hindu Hyudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackreray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg also known in short, as the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Let Google maps be your guide. Just for a fair idea though, this road is really as good as it gets. Absolute smooth sailing on an automatic where you are able to enjoy 567 kilometres of pure driving bliss!
Before you start daydreaming however, here are a few spoilers.
There are fuel stations on either side of the Samruddhi Mahamarg with washrooms and temporary shacks selling tea & snacks. Food stalls and roadside eateries are non existent on this route.
On our way back, only one particular fuel station had a shop selling Amul cool and ice cream. I recommend that each traveller do their own research beforehand. I carried some food and coffee which served well so, we didn’t have to go hungry and looking.
The total drive time from Bombay could vary between 12 to 14 hours depending upon the number of stops, duration of breaks, and road conditions including traffic. For us, it took a little less than 13 hours, with 2 breaks of approximately 40 minutes each.
Add to that, a detour of 45-50 mins just being extra adventurous in wanting to find some local breakfast, without much luck!
Reaching our forest lodge
Getting back to our quest of the tiger reserve in Tadoba, once you exit the Samruddhi Mahamarg near Nagpur – Chandrapur, you have to cross through Wardha town and go towards your chosen accommodation.
The state highway was in the process of repair, therefore, there were short detours here and there. Portions of the road were not in the best condition so, we had to drive carefully. Around 4.30-4.45 pm we reached our destination at the modest TAARU VAAN resort in Kolara.
This little forest lodge is located quite near the Kolara Gate of this national park, has modest rooms, is pet friendly and offers a homely and comfortable atmosphere for guests. Most importantly, they handle all safari bookings and arrangements without any hassle.
Upon arrival and check-in, we freshened up at our room. Around dusk, tea, coffee and accompaniments were served at the central lawn. The late March weather felt rather good in Kolara.
The evening sit out was enjoyable as other guests came back and shared their day’s safari experiences, photographs and stories. Plans for the next days were exchanged and a nice camaraderie developed between wildlife enthusiasts which later continued through dinner time.
Jungle safaris and cat sightings
The next morning we were up at 4 am and ready by 5. All guests who had safari bookings headed out in their respective cars which had been loaded with the required gear.
The first tiger trail that we followed was in the core jungle area of Navegaon, about 45 minutes drive from the lodge. As we drove up to the entry point, a guide met and accompanied us to the safari vehicle.
Just before dawn, the entry gates to the tiger reserve in Tadoba opened and one by one each vehicle entered the forest area. The early morning chill felt exhilarating as the air held a promise for a face to face encounter with the big cats.
The calm atmosphere amplified the sound of chirping birds, the rustling of leaves and the sound of the safari jeeps running through the dusty, winding trails. The first sightings included deer, birds and monkeys.
After an hour of running about and scouring for tigers, we witnessed the majestic beast’s sighting near a water body where she came to quench her thirst.
A young female cub not yet fully grown in cat years but, enough to be out and about independently. She seemed to be as fascinated by us humans as we were to see her. For the next one hour or so, we followed her closely, as she kept wandering about enjoying her morning stroll.
The safari vehicles followed her and everyone captured photos to the best of their abilities. And boy! did she know how to pose! Time flew by, and it seemed as if we couldn’t get enough of her.
A cherry on top!
The remaining part of the morning safari was sort of uneventful barring the sightings of a peacock, some other birds and deer in plenty. The tour was nearly over, it was a good sighting overall or so we thought.
Our vehicle started to move out of the core jungle and through the buffer area nearing the exit gate.
About 200 metres before the exit gate, to my right and almost at arms length was another male cub about the same age as the female one we saw earlier.
Sitting right next to us, yawning mightily and completely relaxed, soaking in the morning sun.
Oh! The beautiful shots that we captured made my visit to this tiger reserve in Tadoba completely worthwhile. We took our time admiring him while he just sat there in complete nonchalance.
It’s sheer luck we were told, to get this lucky as tigers rarely come out so near the exit of any buffer zone!
The afternoon buffer zone safari on the same day drew a dry run as far as cat sightings were concerned. The only mentionable was a huge Indian bison. Nevertheless, our elation remained as we looked forward to another ride through the jungle the next afternoon.
The last safari
Our final run at the tiger reserve in Tadoba was in the buffer zone of the Kolara area, just 10 minutes from TAARU VANN.
Although, afternoon forest trips expose us to harsh sunlight & dust, following some basic tips ensures protection and comfort. Never forget to slather SPF before heading out, wear shades, hats, scarves or face covers depending on personal choice. Make sure to wear clothes that fully cover your arms and legs.
A few minutes inside, the guide instinctively stopped our vehicle at a spot where she suspected a tiger resting inside some fairly dense foliage. Visibility was blurry at this point.
Even though our vehicle manoeuvred around the undulated landscape, a clear view remained illusive. Neither binoculars nor camera lenses were able to catch more than what seemed like black and yellow stripes.
A long wait ensued lasting nearly two hours, in anticipation of the tiger rising from it’s afternoon siesta.
Then, the unimaginable happened! A young sloth bear came along through the jungle. The sound of it’s sloppy feet woke the big cat and within minutes he scrambled about and ran away.
Words elude me as I think back at the memory clearly flashing through my head. Indescribable yet extraordinary, how a huge male tiger just jumped out of his slumber and scampered off at the sheer impulse of a bear threat.
Whether in the human world or the animal one, basic life lessons remain the same. No matter how powerful we think we are, life humbles us with something or someone who is bigger, mightier or scarier.
With the tiger out of it’s way, the bear went on to a water pool nearby, drank some water, took a nice little dip, danced and splashed around . All the while, we watched his antics in awe and wonder.
The final encounter
The final face to face with the tigers happened in the last 60 minutes. While we did get a glimpse of three tigers roaming at a distance, capturing them properly was not possible.
Finally, two of them emerged through the jungle sauntering near us. What beauty and feline grace! All the vehicles stopped making way for them to wander about, cameras flashed and enchantment knew no bounds.
It was as if we could keep looking at them forever. Until they walked away deep into the forest and away from our view, we did just that.
Like every good thing however, this safari too came to an end with dusk descending on the landscape. Our visit to the tiger reserve in Tadoba was successfully over.