Call of The Wild: Tadoba Tiger Reserve!
As a recently converted wildlife enthusiast, I landed up at Tadoba Tiger Reserve (Tadoba National Park) to be awed by its beauty, wildlife and eco lodges!
Between my recent trips to sunny Seychelles and festive Germany, I was drawn by the call of the wild to Svasara Jungle Lodge at the Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra.
My jungle adventures in Madhya Pradesh earlier this year made me a wildlife tourism enthusiast, but Tadoba National Park left me intoxicated. I can’t stop dreaming of forests brimming with unravelled mysteries. Or the sheer beauty and intricacy of their ecosystems.
This is a visual journey through Tadoba Tiger Reserve, a world beyond ours:
SVASARA, THE HOME OF A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER
converted into a jungle lodge that is both luxurious and environmentally responsible. His family and their team of wildlife enthusiasts and naturalists have transformed the once barren farm land surrounding Svasara into a natural wilderness. The soil has been revived with organic farming techniques and a waterhole attracts wildlife right to its backyard!
Also read: Wildlife Tourism: Are We Saving The Tiger?
SETTING OFF INTO THE WILD, AT TADOBA TIGER RESERVE
a national park turned with terrain varying from old teak trees to open Savannah-like grasslands.
THE ROYAL BENGAL TIGER AT TADOBA TIGER RESERVE
on our very first jungle safari! She, P2, the Pandharpauni female, is the crowning glory of the park. The forest guides and naturalists have seen her since birth, when her mother trained the cubs to be afraid of nothing. She boldly keeps up the legacy!
Also read: Why Satpura National Park is the Most Unique in India
SMALLER LIFE, THE KIND WE DON’T ALWAYS ADMIRE
at home. Exploring the jungle with passionate naturalists is always a reminder that there’s so much more to India’s tiger reserves than big cats!
HER “NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD” ATTITUDE
meant she would ignore our jeep and walk through the bushes. Growling in a low pitch. Sending shivers down our spines!
Also read: Kanha National Park: Stories from the Wild
THE INDIAN ROLLER
If you think she is pretty, wait till you see her fly and flaunt her brilliant blue colors.
AN INDIAN MUGGER CROCODILE
sleeping afloat in the Tadoba lake in Tadoba Tiger Reserve.
Also read: Panna Tiger Reserve near Khajuraho: The Most Beautiful Forest in Madhya Pradesh?
REFLECTIONS AT TADOBA LAKE
at sunset. Oh glorious sunset.
THE RARE CHAUSINGHA (FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE)
rarer in these parts than even the big cats. Tadoba Tiger Reserve is one of the few places in India it’s found.
Also read: Hidden Treasures on a Road Trip in Maharashtra
A TIGER UP CLOSE IN TADOBA TIGER RESERVE!
People have had crazier encounters. Two male tigers fighting for territory, the tigress playing with her cub next to a jeep, a sloth bear fighting a tiger, a leopard kill…
But we were in awe of ours. And not just the tiger but all the wildlife we saw and adrenaline pumping stories we heard!
AN “AWW” MOMENT
witnessed from a hillock overlooking a lake in Tadoba National Park.
Also read: Dehna: Slow life, Starry Skies and The Sahyadris… A Real Village Experience Near Mumbai!
THE GHOST TREE AT TADOBA TIGER RESERVE
that changes color every season. White in winter, pink in spring, brown in summer!
SOAKING IN THE SERENITY OF THE JUNGLE
at Svasara Jungle Lodge.
WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS AT THE TEAK HOUSE
at Svasara Jungle Lodge, because you really can’t get enough of the wild!
Tadoba Tiger Reserve: Travel Tips
How to reach Tadoba Tiger Reserve
Nagpur in Maharashtra is the nearest airport, about 2.5 hours away. The nearest railway station is Chandrapur Railway station, 45 km away.
Where to stay in Tadoba National Park
Options are aplenty, but to keep your negative impact on the forest at a minimum, pick an eco-friendly accommodation.
Svasara Jungle Lodge
I can vouch for Svasara Jungle Lodge – not just a low impact but an unforgettable forest experience. The lodge was set up by a passionate wildlife photographer on barren farm land, and has gradually brought the greenery back. It remains one of my favorite wildlife experiences in India.
When to visit
Spring and autumn are the best times weather wise, but the blistering hot summer (if you bear it) is best for sightings. The park remains closed during the monsoon months.
How to make a Tadoba Safari booking
Bookings can be made online on the Maharashtra ecotourism website, or through your accommodation.
Tadoba safari cost
Vehicle cost: INR 2000
Vehicle entry cost: INR 600
Guide fee: INR 350 (please tip your guide to encourage good guiding!)
What were (are) your impressions of Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra?
Note: I was hosted by Svasara Jungle Lodge on this trip. Thanks to all of you for suggesting that I should go to Tadoba!
Welcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.
Very cool. Great pictures.
Thanks Michael! Been there yet?
Lovely! …leave it up to you to find these rare “jewels” right here in India!
Thanks Roberto! It was all the people who commented on my blog post about Panna and told me to go to Tadoba 🙂
wao!! I liked the ‘ghost tree’ part. Keep travelling lady….
Interesting, right? Looks like I’m going to make some tough decisions next year and find a different approach to traveling.
Tadoba is beautiful even in rains! Jungles are gorgeous throughout the year I guess. And spotting a tiger is.. so.. surreal i guess!! Plan now Nagzira 😉
STOP! Haha. I’ve become such an addict now, but the next time I go to a national park, I want to get involved in an ongoing conservation project.
I had a close encounter with a tiger in Bardia National Park in Nepal – but none of my pictures are as wonderful as these. Might have to go to Tadoba now!
Oh wow. How close was that? I was lucky enough to see the tiger for a good 5 minutes, enough time to catch my breath, grab the camera, and take some pictures. You better plan that Tadoba trip soon 😉
Wonderful photos and post.
Thank you!
Love the snow flakes on your page ….
As usual lovely pics
Thanks Samanvay; love the snow flakes too, it’s a wordpress feature that stops at the end of December. Enjoy it while it lasts 😉
Another awesome location Shivya – would be the highlight of any trip to see tigers that close in the wild. Like the snow too!
Tiger encounters and other big cat encounters sound so common here, since tourism is still less compared to other national parks and the tiger density is high! Plan a trip 🙂
Nice Post !!!
You written a nice information wildlife resort.
I have another option for wildlife trip.
Bandipur is India’s most protected area for animals and it has its own tiger reserve. Bandipur is much more than just wildlife and offers you from a range of animals to birds, Plants to forests and neighbouring hill stations. This winter planing to spend my weekends at bandipur resorts hope I’ll have a good weekend.
Thanks for sharing such a nice information.
Wow! what a nice post. I liked your sun set photo. From you post I seems that you have enjoyed it very much. After reading your blog I am thinking to cancel my Goa trip and want to visit this beautiful wildlife park. Thanks for informative message.
Tadoba is beautiful place for birds watching. cool picture.
Recently visited Tadoba. Liked the safari to the core. We stayed at a hotel near by Tadoba. Its truly amazing experience.
Awesome tiger photos..
You had a grt experience in wild and u have beautifuly expalined it …
Wow.. … that’s just heart filling… Me too gonna be a traveller by the end of this year.. .. I can feel that joy and adventure within myself which is taking over the other parts of my life and I just got fed up from my life and everything…. I used to read ur blog and feels better.. And decided to just explore the nature
It’s always good to make sure your travel operator is an advocate of responsible tourism. Tigers are precious creatures.