[amolpol]

Hi All,

Traveling to MP has always been on my mind but logistics and leaves were always a big constraint. Finally, I have made a compromise to be able to spend some time in the forests of central India. I'm planning a 10 day trip from Bangalore to the wildlife (read tiger) destinations of MH and MP, mainly Tadoba, Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh (if possible). If everything goes right, the trip is planned for the second half of April 2011.

Here's the rough itinerary:

Day 1: Leave BLR at 3am, reach HYD for lunch and continue to Tadoba to reach by evening (8pm?) - 1000 kms
Day 2: Morning and evening safari at Tadoba
Day 3: Leave for Pench after morning safari to reach in time for evening safari - 250kms
Day 4: Morning and Evening safari at Pench
Day 5: Leave for Kanha after morning safari to reach in time for evening safari - 200kms
Day 6: Morning and evening safari at Kanha
Day 7: Leave for Tadoba after morning safari
Day 8: Morning and evening safari at Tadoba
Day 9: Leave Tadoba at 4am to reach BLR by night (10pm?)
Day 10: Buffer - can be adjusted any day in between based on circumstances

Route being considered:

Bangalore to Tadoba:
Follow NH7 from Bangalore - Bori (after Adilabad)
Take right from Bori towards Chandrapur

Tadoba to Pench:
Reach NH7 through Warora and cross over Nagpur and head towards Seoni
Enter through Turia gate

Pench to Kanha:
Continue towards Seoni and then take right towards Kanha

Kanha to Bandhavgarh:
Take the NH12A to Jabalpur and then continue on NH7 till Sleemanabad
Turn off from Sleemanabad towards Bandhavgarh

Finer details to consider:

• Tne entire trip will be covered in my black monster (2010 Tata Safari).
• There is only one driver all through the trip
• The most important of all. We will be two guys and a 18 month old baby girl. Unfortunately my wife cant make it for this one due to her work schedule so me and the baby have to be together. A friend of mine is accompanying me so he'll be the handyman for most things.
• My daughter is generally well-behaved and has stayed with me for a day or two while her mother was away. She's been on road trips with 10-15 hrs of driving at a stretch and doesnt really mind it so I'm not very concerned on that part.
• She's been doing jungle safaris since she was 2 months, so she's used to the jeeps and the jungles and the animals. This isnt going to be a first for her in any way other than her mommy not being with her.
• I dont have any friends or family in and around nagpur so we'll be on our own through the trip.

And now for all my questions:

• How is the general road condition on the route that I have mentioned?
• How hot will it get in mid April in these places? Will there be any risk of a heat stroke etc to the baby?
• Since we're just two guys, we intend to stay in the dorms at Kanha and Pench and even Bandhavgarh if we do make it there. This is to keep the costs lower but I also need to think about my daughter and would want to explore if there are other cheaper room stay options.
• I know Tadoba is closed on Tuesday. Are there such closure days at Kanha and Pench?
• What medical facilities (especially for the baby) are available in and around these areas if there is a need. Right now, I'm relying on Nagpur to be the option for good medical facilities.
• What kind of jeeps are available for the safari in these parks, can i use my car if I hire a forest guard? I dont have a 4x4 but I presume the 4wd will not be needed at this time of the year given the dry season.
• Whats the going rate for a safari in these parks? We're both photographers but i think we could share the jeep with some more like minded people without making it too crowded.
• This may sound weird, but will the front seats of a gypsy have seat belts to strap her baby seat on it. I will have a lot of photography equipment while on field and it will be difficult to keep an eye on my rig and the baby at the same time. Moreover, she's pretty used to her car seat so it will keep her at ease too.
• I know Bandhavgarh is a tiger haven, but given the distance, I'm thinking of skipping it to cover 3 parks instead. However, I'd like to know if I should rearrange my plans to include B'garh.

I'm hoping that with all the required information i can plan for contingencies and keep the schedule realistice enough to make a successful trip.

[mallumowgli]

Hi Amolpol - thats quite a hectic schedule you have put there, that too with a baby in tow.
I've just landed at Chandrapur today evening, and it is burning hot even at 4pm. Day time max should have crossed 40 deg C. So the second half of April would be unbearable.
I can't talk about the rest of the plan, but from the point of view of the climate - better reschedule

[amolpol]

I'm also worried about the heat there. Are there good a/c stay options that i can get at tadoba?

The other option is to use tadoba as transit only and spend more time in bandhavgarh/kanha, but the climate may not be much different I guess. The timing is the best you can get for wildlife viewing and given that the parks will be closed for the rains, this is the only chance i'll get to do the trip.

[Diesel9999]

dear amolpol,

taking a baby on this trip is a bad bad idea IMO. the heat will be quite bad during the month of April and there is also the problem of dust to consider.

The jungle drives throw up a fine layer of dust that will definitely not be good for the baby at all. If your wife was there, its would have been a different story but I sincerely feel that you are taking a big risk with the baby.

And the road conditions in MP are pretty bad in the best of times.

Try to reschedule buddy if possible

[gd1418]

Amolpal,

North & Central India has already started getting hot during the day. The mornings & evenings though are currently pleasant. But in April it is surely going to get hotter. With an eighteen month old child it is going to be very very difficult.

Secondly, all National Parks in MP are closed on every wednesday evening from 1st April onwards. For safaris at Kanha, Bandhavgarh & Pench you have to book online in advance and the seats are getting scarce.

Contact Dr. Ghose (abheekg) for more info about these Parks.

You may also have a look at this thread - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...r-gurgaon.html

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by Diesel9999

dear amolpol,

taking a baby on this trip is a bad bad idea IMO. the heat will be quite bad during the month of April and there is also the problem of dust to consider.

I duly respect your opinion Diesel9999, but rescheduling would mean waiting until October which is a bad time of the year for me. Also, there is no guarantee that my wife will be able to make it that time since we usually go out in december also.

Originally Posted by Diesel9999

The jungle drives throw up a fine layer of dust that will definitely not be good for the baby at all. If your wife was there, its would have been a different story but I sincerely feel that you are taking a big risk with the baby.

I'm not really worried about the dust factor since she's been there and done that quite a few times already (she's done 25+ drives in the jungle in varied conditions and never felt uncomfortable).

Originally Posted by Diesel9999

And the road conditions in MP are pretty bad in the best of times.

Road conditions are not a concern since the safari eats up all the smaller potholes and i can try my best to avoid the bigger ones, I never forget we're in India when planning a trip like this

Originally Posted by gd1418

Amolpal,

North & Central India has already started getting hot during the day. The mornings & evenings though are currently pleasant. But in April it is surely going to get hotter. With an eighteen month old child it is going to be very very difficult.

Thanks gd1418, I'm fully aware of the fact that it will be uncomfortable for her because of the heat. I'm wanting to explore options to make it easier on her to the best possible while on the safari ride. While at the hotel, I can opt for the a/c rooms or at best, buy a small air cooler and move around with it.

Originally Posted by gd1418

Secondly, all National Parks in MP are closed on every wednesday evening from 1st April onwards. For safaris at Kanha, Bandhavgarh & Pench you have to book online in advance and the seats are getting scarce.

I didnt know about the closure on Wednesdays, thanks for that info. I can use it as a rest day or plan around it if needed. I know about the online bookings and thats the reason why I want to make sure I have all the info to decide before i take the plunge.

Originally Posted by gd1418

Contact Dr. Ghose (abheekg) for more info about these Parks.

I will try and PM abheekg to get some more info.

Originally Posted by gd1418

You may also have a look at this thread - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...r-gurgaon.html

I already saw the thread, been reading up all about these places over the weekend.

[ExtremeTorque]

My inputs in bold-->

Originally Posted by amolpol

planning a 10 day trip from Bangalore to the wildlife (read tiger) destinations of MH and MP, mainly Tadoba, Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh (if possible). Park Kanha for another time. Cover WLS's on enroute NH7 or closer - Pench is bang on NH7 (10KM deviation at Khwasa), B'garh is 150-200 KM off NH7 but since your primary objective is Tiger, its worth the deviation. Consider alternate route for Tadoba (see below)

Bangalore to Tadoba:
Follow NH7 from Bangalore - Bori (after Adilabad)
Take right from Bori towards Chandrapur

Blr-Hyd-Karimnagar-Mancherial-Ballarpur (Balharsha)-Chandrapur-Moharli (TATR). This works shorter.

• How is the general road condition on the route that I have mentioned? of the 1500KM one way not more than 100-150km odd are bad. 30KM between Hyd-Ngp, 40KM between Khwasa-Jabalpur, last 8KM of B'garh is horrible. Avoid reaching pench in the night.
• How hot will it get in mid April in these places? Will there be any risk of a heat stroke etc to the baby? Extremly HOT. Remember the sea is far off and this kind of heat is the extremly DRY one. Book A/C everywhere. Carry loads of water, protective gear.
• we intend to stay in the dorms at Kanha and Pench and even Bandhavgarh. For the sake of your daughter, avoid the dorms. Take the double occupancy rooms at MPTDC with A/c. No dorms in Bandhavgarh.
• I know Tadoba is closed on Tuesday. Are there such closure days at Kanha and Pench? Wednesday
• What medical facilities (especially for the baby) Tadoba -> Chandrapur, Pench -> Nagpur, B'garh -> Umariya, Jabalpur. Did you consider carrying the doctor (abheek) around
• can i use my car if I hire a forest guard? I dont have a 4x4 but I presume the 4wd will not be needed at this time of the year given the dry season. Only Tadoba allows personal vehicles. NO park in MP allows personal vehicles. I got around in Tadoba in my Accent. Safari will cake walk through the jungles.
• Whats the going rate for a safari in these parks? 2800-3000 all inclusive
• This may sound weird, but will the front seats of a gypsy have seat belts to strap her baby seat on it. IIRC, yes. Regulars can confirm
• I know Bandhavgarh is a tiger haven, but given the distance, I'm thinking of skipping it to cover 3 parks instead. Skip Kanha instead.

Further, I tired looking up if there is an MPTDC office in Blr but the nearest one available is in Hyderabad. Call them up, do all your bookings from there. The office in Hyderabad is one stop shop. Website link. You can talk to one Mr. Vijay 09866069000 and refer me. Pls check your PM, i have shared my mobile numer.

[fazalaliadil]

I will get back to you soon as I am in a rush now, with details of a Hyd-Chandrapur shortest route, numbers for accomdation at Tadoba.
Regards,

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by ExtremeTorque

My inputs in bold-->


Further, I tired looking up if there is an MPTDC office in Blr but the nearest one available is in Hyderabad. Call them up, do all your bookings from there. The office in Hyderabad is one stop shop. Website link. You can talk to one Mr. Vijay 09866069000 and refer me. Pls check your PM, i have shared my mobile numer.

Thanks Arun, this is good info. Have your number in my PM, will call you if i need more .

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

I will get back to you soon as I am in a rush now, with details of a Hyd-Chandrapur shortest route, numbers for accomdation at Tadoba.
Regards,

Fazal saab, will wait for your update.

[Fauji]

Amol,

Firstday is very tough. The road condition between Hyderabad and Nagpur is not good. check my input in this link.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...pur-route.html

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Amol,

Firstday is very tough. The road condition between Hyderabad and Nagpur is not good. check my input in this link.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...pur-route.html

Thanks Fauji saab, I'll keep it in mind and document it in my prep notes as well. I've had 18 hour non-stop runs in the past so i'm mentally prepared for the first 1000kms. It looks like the BLR-HYD NH7 is fixed totally, havent been on it for a while now so its going to be fun.

[abheekg]

My inputs in bold

Originally Posted by amolpol

Hi All,

Traveling to MP has always been on my mind but logistics and leaves were always a big constraint. Finally, I have made a compromise to be able to spend some time in the forests of central India. I'm planning a 10 day trip from Bangalore to the wildlife (read tiger) destinations of MH and MP, mainly Tadoba, Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh (if possible). If everything goes right, the trip is planned for the second half of April 2011.

Here's the rough itinerary:

Day 1: Leave BLR at 3am, reach HYD for lunch and continue to Tadoba to reach by evening (8pm?) - 1000 kms
Day 2: Morning and evening safari at Tadoba

skip tadoba now and you do the drives here on your return leg. Plan to stay overnight at one of the hotels in chandrapur. I will try to give you some numbers of some hotels.

Day 3: Leave for Pench after morning safari to reach in time for evening safari - 250kms
Day 4: Morning and Evening safari at Pench

Plan for atleast 5-6 safaris in Pench or 2 1/2 to 3 days minimum.
It always works out best if you stay put at one park and do a number of drives than run around to reach places and in the process don't get to know and cover any of the places well. At Pench I suggest that you spend 1-2 drives understanding the park routes and land topography and cover specific areas in the remaining 4-5 drives.

In all the 6 drives, your main motive should be to encounter the family of 6 tigers (collarwali and her 5 cubs) that I am documenting in my pench thread ; and as side courses we will plan 1+2 drives to cover the areas of Badi maa with 2 cubs and Baghin nala tigress with 2 cubs and if you get lucky encounter some other tiger / leopard.

We will also try to get you on elephant back if the department organises one during your visit to enable you seeing the 5 cubs from close quarters.

I will recommend you my best driver Bablu for your drives.
Cost of each drive at Pench/kanha/bandhavgad is Rs. 2730/- [1230 park entry fees+1500 gypsy charges per round]
MPTDC kipling's court has to be booked in advance. AC rooms should cost you in the range of 3000-4000 per room with all meals for 2 persons Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Limited - Accommodation .

Advised to book only stay+food from mptdc as they tend to overcharge for the safaris and you don't get one of my recommended good drivers.

Day 5: Leave for Kanha after morning safari to reach in time for evening safari - 200kms
Day 6: Morning and evening safari at Kanha

I will advise you to stick to Kanha (as it will be better managable from pench). Incase you want to cover Bandhavgad, then you will have to drop kanha for now. At either place - Kanha or Bandhavgad, I will recommend you to do atleast 4-5 drives to get a better feel of the place and maximise tiger viewing chances.

Having said that, I must add that it will be next to impossible for you to get entry at the Tala zone of Bandhavgad as the entries get booked 1 month in advance. Your next best bet in Bandhavgad is the Magdhi zone.

You can find out the status and get your entries booked (for pench/kanha/bandhavgad) from this site https://www.mponline.gov.in/Portal/S...st/Search.aspx

It makes sense to stick to kanha and drop bandhavgad as you will not be getting entry in tala zone in any case.

Day 7: Leave for Tadoba after morning safari
Day 8: Morning and evening safari at Tadoba
Day 9: Leave Tadoba at 4am to reach BLR by night (10pm?)
Day 10: Buffer - can be adjusted any day in between based on circumstances

The revised itienerary that you should consider is :

day 1 : drive from Bangalore to Chandrapur 1000km.
overnight halt at Chandrapur.

day 2 : start early and drive to Pench 280kms. reach before evening drive.

day 2 evening to day 5 morning : 6 drives in Pench

day 5 : Leave for Kanha after a curtailed morning drive and reach in time for the evening drive.

day 5 evening to day 7 morning : 4 drives in Kanha.

day 7 noon : start back for TATR - enroute to TATR, depending on reports from Pench (that I will supply) plan for 1 evening drive in Pench and stay overnight in Pench or proceed staright to Tadoba. ~~350kms

day 8 morning to day 9 noon : 3 drives in TATR : 2 in Moharli to try and encounter the new Telia female with 2 cubs and/or their father Yedaanna and if you get superlucky encounter the wagdoh male (the biggest I have ever seen) ; and 1 in tadoba range.......... [You know its kind of criminal for me to ask you to plan for only 3 drives in TATR, you should ideally be doing 4 - 2 in moharli and 2 in tadoba ! ]

day 9 noon / day 10 early morning : start back for Bangalore

Route being considered:

Bangalore to Tadoba:
Follow NH7 from Bangalore - Bori (after Adilabad)
Take right from Bori towards Chandrapur

contact fazal saab / arun for the best routes to chandrapur.

Tadoba to Pench:
Reach NH7 through Warora and cross over Nagpur and head towards Seoni
Enter through Turia gate

perfect.
an alternate route instead of Moharli-chandrapur-warora-jam, you can try moharli-mudholi-shegaon-warora-jam the one documented here http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2072440

Pench to Kanha:
Continue towards Seoni and then take right towards Kanha

perfect.

Kanha to Bandhavgarh:
Take the NH12A to Jabalpur and then continue on NH7 till Sleemanabad
Turn off from Sleemanabad towards Bandhavgarh

there seems no time for b'gad but this route is ok. This is a new road and there are hardly any facilities on this route.

Finer details to consider:

• Tne entire trip will be covered in my black monster (2010 Tata Safari).
• There is only one driver all through the trip
• The most important of all. We will be two guys and a 18 month old baby girl. Unfortunately my wife cant make it for this one due to her work schedule so me and the baby have to be together. A friend of mine is accompanying me so he'll be the handyman for most things.
• My daughter is generally well-behaved and has stayed with me for a day or two while her mother was away. She's been on road trips with 10-15 hrs of driving at a stretch and doesnt really mind it so I'm not very concerned on that part.
• She's been doing jungle safaris since she was 2 months, so she's used to the jeeps and the jungles and the animals. This isnt going to be a first for her in any way other than her mommy not being with her.

This is the most interesting part of your trip and I am sure that you will get full support from your daughter. Advisable to carry along lots of electral powder and the kind of fluids that your daughter likes and keep her feeding ORS from time to time and keping her rehydrated all the while. Use copious amounts of sunscreen for the both of you. Ask your paediatrician to recommend a good sunscreen for your daughter.

Carry a scarf / sunshade for everybody and get full sleeve dresses for your daughter.

we can modify the seating of the gypsy to make it more comfortable for your daughter - basically remove one of the 2 seats at the rear and put a mattress or anything that you suggest.

• I dont have any friends or family in and around nagpur so we'll be on our own through the trip.

Don't worry about this part. You have the support of the entire community including me and my friends at pench/tadoba/kanha/bandhavgad for your trip.


And now for all my questions:

• How is the general road condition on the route that I have mentioned?
• How hot will it get in mid April in these places? Will there be any risk of a heat stroke etc to the baby?

This is there and can be tackled with proper precautions.

• Since we're just two guys, we intend to stay in the dorms at Kanha and Pench and even Bandhavgarh if we do make it there. This is to keep the costs lower but I also need to think about my daughter and would want to explore if there are other cheaper room stay options.

Aircooled rooms in Pench in April will cost you in the range of 2.5-3.5k, AC rooms in the range of 3-4k.

I can recommend you aircooled rooms in Kanha and Bandhavgad for around 1-1.5k per day.

Dorm will not be a good option for your daughter.

Best to drop bandhavgad from the plan as you will have to book in advance anyway .

• I know Tadoba is closed on Tuesday. Are there such closure days at Kanha and Pench?

kanha, pench, bandhavgad will be closed on wednesday evenings.

• What medical facilities (especially for the baby) are available in and around these areas if there is a need. Right now, I'm relying on Nagpur to be the option for good medical facilities.

Decent medical facilities in Seoni, a well stocked pharmacy at Pench, kanha, bandhavgad (unsure about the quality of doctors). You can get 24X7 online medical support from my end.

• What kind of jeeps are available for the safari in these parks, can i use my car if I hire a forest guard? I dont have a 4x4 but I presume the 4wd will not be needed at this time of the year given the dry season.

You will be able to take your safari for the drives at all the parks if its a 5 year or lesser old diesel vehicle. If its older than 5 years , then you will be able to take it in tadoba but not in the MP parks.

• Whats the going rate for a safari in these parks? We're both photographers but i think we could share the jeep with some more like minded people without making it too crowded.

Pench/ Kanha/ Bandhavgad : per drive entry charges 1230 + gypsy charges 1500 /-
If you take your Tata Safari (if it is less than 5 years old) inside pench / kanha / bandhavgad : per drive entry charges 1230 + 1000/- charges to take your own vehicle inside.

Tadoba : per drive entry charges 400 + gypsy charges 1500 /-

Always recommended to book Gypsies if you can.

• This may sound weird, but will the front seats of a gypsy have seat belts to strap her baby seat on it. I will have a lot of photography equipment while on field and it will be difficult to keep an eye on my rig and the baby at the same time. Moreover, she's pretty used to her car seat so it will keep her at ease too.

Doesn't sound weird at all and I am used to this situation as a lot of my friends visiting Pench come with their kids and carry huge photography equipments along. The best solution that I give my friends with long lenses - remove both the rear seats of the gypsy , put a mattress and let you and your baby play

Another option is just remove 1 of the rear seats, and utilise the space for the baby. We can brainstorm on this point and get the Gypsies prepared as per your and your baby's requirement.

• I know Bandhavgarh is a tiger haven, but given the distance, I'm thinking of skipping it to cover 3 parks instead. However, I'd like to know if I should rearrange my plans to include B'garh.

If you can add 2-3 more days in your trip then you should cover b'gad as well. But as I have already written, arranging for entry permits in tala zone is a problem at such a short notice. But still I will look into this.

I'm hoping that with all the required information i can plan for contingencies and keep the schedule realistice enough to make a successful trip.

Best plan according to me instead of doing such and extensive travelling, is to concentrate on only 2 reserves - either Tadoba + Pench or Pench + Kanha given the rather different variables in your trip.

Originally Posted by ExtremeTorque

My inputs in bold-->


Further, I tired looking up if there is an MPTDC office in Blr but the nearest one available is in Hyderabad. Call them up, do all your bookings from there. The office in Hyderabad is one stop shop. Website link. You can talk to one Mr. Vijay 09866069000 and refer me. Pls check your PM, i have shared my mobile numer.

What medical facilities (especially for the baby) Tadoba -> Chandrapur, Pench -> Nagpur, B'garh -> Umariya, Jabalpur. Did you consider carrying the doctor (abheek) around

If you book mptdc, make sure that you don't take their entire package and book only your stay+food with them.

The doctor is available 24X7

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

P.S: Feel free to call me on 09960332228 after 10pm on weekdays.
BTW what camera gear will you be carrying ?

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by abheekg

My inputs in bold

Best plan according to me instead of doing such and extensive travelling, is to concentrate on only 2 reserves - either Tadoba + Pench or Pench + Kanha given the rather different variables in your trip.

If you book mptdc, make sure that you don't take their entire package and book only your stay+food with them.

The doctor is available 24X7

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

P.S: Feel free to call me on 09960332228 after 10pm on weekdays.
BTW what camera gear will you be carrying ?

Thanks doc, I will call you later today to discuss.

I liked the idea of customizing the seating in the gypsy, would still tend towards fitting the car seat (even if it is jugaad types). At her age she's mastered the disappearing act with the slightest freedom of movement! I dont think there are elephants there so driving in with my car may not be a concern but given the 500 bucks difference between taking own car vs the gypsy, its worth taking the gypsy with a driver while in MP atleast. I'd never risk driving my car in the jungles down south though, too many elephants wanting to charge at you all the time.

Regarding the camera equipment, I'd have a 7D+600mm primary rig, a back up body with the 70-200 on it and a HD video cam with a few other things.

[abheekg]

With the kind of equipment that you will carry it will be further important to customise the seating for better photo opportunities. Keep me posted and lets brainstrorm on the perfect solution for you.

Regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

p.s: updating this from turia gate. I am here for 6 drives. If you are after mammals, you will be better served by your 70-200 or better still a 100-400 if you can rent one from toehold.

Originally Posted by amolpol

Thanks doc, I will call you later today to discuss.

I liked the idea of customizing the seating in the gypsy, would still tend towards fitting the car seat (even if it is jugaad types). At her age she's mastered the disappearing act with the slightest freedom of movement! I dont think there are elephants there so driving in with my car may not be a concern but given the 500 bucks difference between taking own car vs the gypsy, its worth taking the gypsy with a driver while in MP atleast. I'd never risk driving my car in the jungles down south though, too many elephants wanting to charge at you all the time.

Regarding the camera equipment, I'd have a 7D+600mm primary rig, a back up body with the 70-200 on it and a HD video cam with a few other things.

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by abheekg

With the kind of equipment that you will carry it will be further important to customise the seating for better photo opportunities. Keep me posted and lets brainstrorm on the perfect solution for you.

Thanks, will catch up with you once we're final on the plan and I'm ready to book. Had second thoughts on the plan and now have another angle added in to it. There is a Good Friday holiday coming up on April 22, I'm hoping that my wife can take a couple of days off and join me at Nagpur on Wednesday and drive back with me on Sunday.

The plan looks like this for now:

Day 1 - Reach Tadoba and stay overnight
Day 2 - Leave early morning and reach Pench for evening safari
Day 3 - Stay in Pench
Day 4 - Morning Safari at Pench and reach Kanha for evening safari
Day 5 - Stay at Kanha
Day 6 - Stay at Kanha
Day 7 - (happens to be wednesday) Leave Kanha and reach Tadoba in the evening (pickup wifey at Nagpur)
Day 8 - Stay at Tadoba
Day 9 - Stay at Tadoba
Day 10 - Stay at Tadoba
Day 11 - Leave Tadoba early morning and reach BLR by night

So I will get 4 drives in Pench, 5 in Kanha and 6 in Tadoba. I think that should be good enough, what say?

Originally Posted by abheekg

p.s: updating this from turia gate. I am here for 6 drives. If you are after mammals, you will be better served by your 70-200 or better still a 100-400 if you can rent one from toehold.

ah! keep us posted on your sightings .

On the lens choice, I somehow am not convinced of the 100-400 on sharpness and hence am still holding on to the 70-200. May be the new Canon 200-400 will fill that gap once its released AND I have collected enough moolah for it (i cant borrow from the home ministry for my kit anymore!) .