[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by mobike008

1. What was the tarrif in Svsara?
2. What is the cost of safaris?
3. How about the food? All meals at the hotel where you stayed?
4. Is a Friday-Sunday afternoon trip enough to justify Tadoba?

Btw, congrats on the Figo. I never knew you changed your car? Is there a ownership thread on the forum?. What happened to your red maruti?

Thanks Avi.

Yes we zeroed in on Svasara after so much of research and we were one of their earliest guests.When we went we paid iirc 6500 a night (3 meals included-snacks,tea everything on the house,its a very informal setup,whatever you want to eat or drink you tell them and they give you,i dont think they have alcohol(teetotaller so i missed checking on that).

Safaris are 3k a trip inclusive of all the refreshments onboard,and tickets and permits and guide fees.ofcourse the driver and guide expect a tip at the end of the drive,but they dont lurk around for it.

You have to go in for the all meals options(though the resort has a breakfast only option as well)The bf only option is foolishness for two reasons.Firstly there is nothing in a 10kms radius for you to go out and eat and secondly the alacarte prices are going to work out much more expensive than the all inclusive tariff

Ideally if you are able to leave Hyd by 5am,you would be at Svasara by 12pm.Rest and after lunch,you could go for the afternoon safari which is at 3pm and return by 530pm.

You could also do the next day morning and afternoon safari(ofcourse budget permitting) and stay the night at Svasara.

Third day morning,you could do yet another morning safari and leave for Hyd after a late brunch around 11-12 and you should be home by 8pm.

Let me know if you intend to go to Svasara and I could put in a word and you should be able to get a better rate.

We gave away the M800 in Dec 2010 and bought the Figo petrol exi(yes yes petrol).The M800 did 80k in 2.5years was still looking new as ever:(.The Figo has now done around 40k in 17months.No ownership thread-too lazy to do it I guess,have been busy writing travelogues and blogs

[mobike008]

Thanks for the info. Will plan a weekend trip sometime after monsoons

Is it 3K for a couple or per head for the safari? And, each time you go for a safari you pay the same price again?

Also, whats the usual duration of each safari trip and what are the refreshments served onboard?

[sach.sri]

@Nilanjan - wow 12 tigers and a sloth bear in one drive - that is amazing! Also given that Kate zari was closed. Pls do put up your TL quickly

@Ranjit - I think i did not post on your TL earlier. Late but still, thank you for this TL.
Thanks to your TL - I got the opportunity to stay in Svasara and should say that it was a very good experience.

BTW - i was charged 3.5K per safari all inclusive and not 3K?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks for the info. Will plan a weekend trip sometime after monsoons

Is it 3K for a couple or per head for the safari? And, each time you go for a safari you pay the same price again?

Also, whats the usual duration of each safari trip and what are the refreshments served onboard?

I guess the reserve would close on June 30th for monsoons as per latest updates.Again this is dependent on the authorities and the onset of monsoon.

Its 3k per gypsy.So if you have two groups then that would come down by 1500.We took the entire jeep for us so it cost us 3k.Again Svasara has only 2 modified gypsies,not sure if that has increased now(maybe the latest goers can confirm on this),so make sure you ask them to be put on their gypsies.When there is a huge demand or when occupancy is high,they send their guests on outsourced gypsies which are all in bad shape.

Yes the safari rate is per jeep per safari.So if you go twice in a jeep exclusively hired for you,then you pay 6k.

For the morning safari,the park gates open at 630 and close at 1030.So make sure you are the first jeep to get in as the pugmarks would be fresh and tracking would be easy for the guide(as the marks would fade away when the tyre marks go over them).Also if you go in later,the dust from the gypsies ahead of you is humongous.We made it a point to get in at precisely 630(we were the 1st ones to get in) and we got out last at 1030.The drivers ensure that you get out by 1030 as otherwise they are fined and repeat offenders are punished with a license cancellation.

The afternoon safari is between 3pm & 6pm.Ofcourse Sep-Mar,it would get dark early in the evenings so by 530 most of them are headed out.

As for refreshments,you could do your pick.We carried sandwiches,cold drinks,chips,water,some chocolate bars,oreos etc.Two ice boxes.Reason because we tend to get hungry quite early in the day and plus a 3 year old ,so the sandwiches!.Be sure not to throw plastic wrappers,bags etc in the park and no getting down from the jeep whatsoever.When we went in Feb,the morning temperature during the safari was 5-6 degrees.

[sach.sri]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks for the info. Will plan a weekend trip sometime after monsoons

Is it 3K for a couple or per head for the safari? And, each time you go for a safari you pay the same price again?

Also, whats the usual duration of each safari trip and what are the refreshments served onboard?

Well - i was charged 3.5K for the Safari and we were 2adults and a child of 6 yrs.

This is for the whole gypsy to yourself and the resort loads a couple of ice boxes - with water, juices and chips. The duration of the safari is around 4hrs.

Morning - 5.45 till 9.45.
Afternoon - 2.45 till 6.45.

If you are going in this season - be prepared for the heat, carry some electrol with your for hydrating yourself and wet towels also help you could put them on your head under the hats and it will cool you.
Also - there are small insects like mosquitos which might bother you, so some odomas might also be helpful.
Dont forget to carry hats or caps to cover your head.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

I was speaking to Ranjit at Svasara and he was telling me your sightings are record breaking stuff 12 tigers & sloth bears in one drive is amazing!

Yes, that afternoon was interesting. I liked the first safari more though, because we could see the cubs playing for sometime. The number of tigers seen is not that important to me, the quality of viewings and the photo opps are.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Is a Friday-Sunday afternoon trip enough to justify Tadoba?

Friday afternoon trip: yes, worth it IMO. Start early morning from Hyd, do 4 safaris: Fri afternoon, 2XSaturday, Sunday morning and then leave for Hyd.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by sach.sri

@Ranjit - I think i did not post on your TL earlier. Late but still, thank you for this TL.
Thanks to your TL - I got the opportunity to stay in Svasara and should say that it was a very good experience.
BTW - i was charged 3.5K per safari all inclusive and not 3K?

Glad the information came in handy.Probably the rates have gone up?Not sure.We went in Feb-Mar this year.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Yes, that afternoon was interesting. I liked the first safari more though, because we could see the cubs playing for sometime. The number of tigers seen is not that important to me, the quality of viewings and the photo opps are.

Yes very true on the photo opp.We saw a cub playing around for close to 20minutes at Pandharpaouni waterhole,but just were not lucky enough to get a proper shot of it.

[ranjitp1]

For the sake of people travelling towards Tadoba,the park is expected to close for monsoons on June 30

[gd1418]

Except for a few bottles of water & our caps we didn't take any inside R'bhore. For that matter don;t take any except water in any of the sanctuaries...

p.s: carrying electrol is a very very good idea.

Originally Posted by sach.sri

If you are going in this season - be prepared for the heat, carry some electrol with your for hydrating yourself and wet towels also help you could put them on your head under the hats and it will cool you.
Also - there are small insects like mosquitos which might bother you, so some odomas might also be helpful.

Dont forget to carry hats or caps to cover your head.

[maverick145]

Can somebody comment what is the best time to go to Tadoba? Also, I heard that they have closed most routes for tourists due to the Supreme Court order banning tourist activities in Tiger reserves. Is that true?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by maverick145

Can somebody comment what is the best time to go to Tadoba? Also, I heard that they have closed most routes for tourists due to the Supreme Court order banning tourist activities in Tiger reserves. Is that true?

Tadoba is open.The routes havent been closed afaik.The change is that you are not allowed to take your personal/private vehicles inside TATR any more.You will need to engage the approved gypsies and guides to go in.Now is a good time to go till summer begins.Summers are good for animal sightings as the animals come out in search of water,but the heat can be a handful as Central India temperaturea go upto 47-49degrees during April to June and travelling in the open top gypsies can be killing

[saaicon]

Excellent write up Ranjit ! Not often do we read this kind of a travelogue which make you feel that you are actually in that place .
The only thing you now need to aquire now is a 18-200mm lens ( minimum requirement for any sort of long distance photography).

I stay in Hyderabad and had been planning to drive to Tadoba during the Sankranti holidays. We did book in the MTDC hotel , spoke to a guy called Shalik who organises safaris ( I think this is near the other gate near Chandrapur) . But we cancelled it at the last minute as I thought my new Vento TDI could not take the horror stories of the huge Lunar craters that litter the way to Chandrapur after Asifabad. I understand that you would have gone through NH7 but you also mention craters.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

.Once you reach the AP-Maharashtra border one would actually stop and wonder if this is the part of the same road that one comes flying on all the way from Hyderabad.Roads are dotted with huge craeter like potholes and what makes it worse is that the craters were filled with sharp edged stones which can easily take down the side walls of all those Michelins and Yokos & MRFs.

Unfortunately , I could not find any reliable info in T BHP about the Hyderabad -Chandrapur road and probably panicked out in absence of concrete info.

Anyway, after reading your TL , I am gathering courage again to plan the trip in summer . The resort looks good albeit quite a bit overpriced if we see the rates on their websites now. They are charging 6250 and 9250 PER PERSON Per Night depending on if u want the safari( 2 nos) included or not. After reading your TL. it seems you have paid them total 17K for 2 nights and 2 people. That is actualy half of what they are charging now

Could you please confirm if the above is correct. Also, if u know any new news about the Chandrapur route ( which is not already here in the earlier posts) , it will be a great help.

Cheers !

Saayon

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by saaicon

Excellent write up Ranjit ! Not often do we read this kind of a travelogue which make you feel that you are actually in that place .
The only thing you now need to aquire now is a 18-200mm lens ( minimum requirement for any sort of long distance photography).

I stay in Hyderabad and had been planning to drive to Tadoba during the Sankranti holidays. We did book in the MTDC hotel , spoke to a guy called Shalik who organises safaris ( I think this is near the other gate near Chandrapur) . But we cancelled it at the last minute as I thought my new Vento TDI could not take the horror stories of the huge Lunar craters that litter the way to Chandrapur after Asifabad. I understand that you would have gone through NH7 but you also mention craters.

Thanks Saayon.Yes we went through NH7 till Karanji and then turned off towards Wani-Warora-Chimur-Kolara.The route is excellent except for the pothole stretch at the AP-MH border,which has been smoothened out now(work in progress now)

Hyderabad-Karimnagar-Ramagundam-Asifabad-Chandrapur is lesser in distance but roads between Asifabad and C'pur are always bad and I last heard a couple of months back that the roads are as bad as ever.A friend of mine drove from Chandrapur to Hyderabad in Novemeber and this was his update.That part stays neglected for most time.

You can easily do the drive via NH7 or even via Karimnagar-you just need to take it slow and plus start early so that you cover the section during daylight-its not something that should scare you off from doing the drive.

Originally Posted by saaicon

The resort looks good albeit quite a bit overpriced if we see the rates on their websites now. They are charging 6250 and 9250 PER PERSON Per Night depending on if u want the safari( 2 nos) included or not. After reading your TL. it seems you have paid them total 17K for 2 nights and 2 people. That is actualy half of what they are charging now

Could you please confirm if the above is correct. Also, if u know any new news about the Chandrapur route ( which is not already here in the earlier posts) , it will be a great help.

Yes Svasara is cashing in on being the only resort at Kolara gate which is a peaceful gate to enter the park from and no rush as well.But the hotel has hiked up their prices like there is no tomorrow.At the moment its plain overpricing and nothing more.We were just plain lucky to go there during its initial few months.25K for two nights without the safari for a couple is a killer!

If you are interested in budget accomodation at Kolara,I have news that FDCM(Forest Development Corpn of MH) has opened 20 eco─huts at the Kolara gate of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).You might want to check them out. http://www.fdcm.nic.in/

[saaicon]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

If you are interested in budget accomodation at Kolara,I have news that FDCM(Forest Development Corpn of MH) has opened 20 eco─huts at the Kolara gate of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).You might want to check them out. http://www.fdcm.nic.in/

Thanks Ranjit.An alternate cheaper acco in this part of the forest is much welcome for travellers like us who dont want to spend a fortune

Howerver, I went through the Forest department website link but it appears that it is still in Beta stage and does not offer any online booking facilities under "Eco Tourism" page. However, some phone numbers are available for their general manager of Chandrapur range. I am not sure if thiese are the numbers to book though . Do u know of anyone who has stayed there ?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by saaicon

Thanks Ranjit.An alternate cheaper acco in this part of the forest is much welcome for travellers like us who dont want to spend a fortune

Howerver, I went through the Forest department website link but it appears that it is still in Beta stage and does not offer any online booking facilities under "Eco Tourism" page. However, some phone numbers are available for their general manager of Chandrapur range. I am not sure if thiese are the numbers to book though . Do u know of anyone who has stayed there ?

Call the Chandrapur numbers and they would help you or else call the HO at Nagpur.The lodges have just open in January,so if you go now you should be able to stay in them in relatively "new" conditions.I do not know of anybody who has stayed there.