[psurelia]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Fantastic travelogue and superb pictures. The Sunderbans are a real wonder which I'd love to visit someday.

Aditya, thanks for the encouraging words. Please let me know when you plan your trip. I think we should have a small meet of Kolkata BHPians to flag you off.

Originally Posted by Aditya

I'm willing to take my chances.

Spotting one is itself a matter of rare chance, facing him is something that will require change of profession - you will have to become either an employee of the forest department or a honey collector. If by any chance you are face to face with him in your lifetime, please make sure that you are in diapers that day . People do pee in their pants when they face him.

[globemaster]

Great travelogue. I have a question though.. What if I want to stay longer and get up close and personal with the wildlife? Is there any option to do this? My ideal Sunderbans visit would be to be there at night (on boats/launch) and also visit the interiors through the numerous small channels, to get a better view. I know I sound foolish, but is there any way to actually do this within legal and safety limits? Maybe the forest department arranges something. Any Information would help.

[psurelia]

Originally Posted by globemaster

Great travelogue. I have a question though.. What if I want to stay longer and get up close and personal with the wildlife? Is there any option to do this? My ideal Sunderbans visit would be to be there at night (on boats/launch) and also visit the interiors through the numerous small channels, to get a better view. I know I sound foolish, but is there any way to actually do this within legal and safety limits? Maybe the forest department arranges something. Any Information would help.

You can definitely stay longer and stay in the boat day and night if you charter a boat. It will be economical to do so if you are in a group of 8-10. I think the circuit we had been to is pretty much all a visitor can roam around but definitely you can opt to spend more time there. You can get in touch with www.travelchhutichhuti.com to get more accurate info.

Also, one of my uncle, who is a medical professor, has been going to the Sundarbans for the last 35 years as the member/leader of the tiger census team of Sundarban National Park. I shall check with him if he has any idea about the same.

[BlackPearl]

Great travelogue and pictures Partha and I can't stop saying that your little one is so cute. She is so possessive about the Storme, what did she do when you parked the vehicle and left it there?

[psurelia]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Great travelogue and pictures Partha and I can't stop saying that your little one is so cute. She is so possessive about the Storme, what did she do when you parked the vehicle and left it there?

Thanks BP. That's a very good question. She somehow understands that we have to leave the car at some parking when we go somewhere. But, I am sure if she had seen you or Rajshri there, she would not have left the car behind.

[petrolhead_neel]

Partha Sir, superb travelogue! Enjoyed every word of it. This would definitely work as a guide for us when we plan to visit Sundarbans. Beautiful pictures too.

Would love some more pics of your beast, the Storme.

Cheers,
petrolhead_neel

[AJ-got-BHP]

Hey Partha !!

Super Travelogue yet once again from you with some mesmerizing snaps indeed !!

I have been longing to explore Sunderbans for a long time now; i guess the time has never been right and things have just not fallen in place.

Your travelogue shall give good guidance to us for sure whenever we plan our trip in the future especially the Set Food Menu seems sumptuous !!

However, though the pics of the mangroves is beautiful; not much snaps of the wildlife there ? Any particular reason or was there really not much wildlife sighting on your trip to the Sunderbans ? Inquisitive to know ......

Keep writing such fabulous travelogues as always !!

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

However, though the pics of the mangroves is beautiful; not much snaps of the wildlife there ? Any particular reason or was there really not much wildlife sighting on your trip to the Sunderbans ? Inquisitive to know ......

If I may butt in - Sunderbans are mangrove forests and you will be on the boat. You cannot enter into the forest proper and hence the chance of seeing a wild animal is rare. But psurelia had his fare share of sightings - deers, monitor lizard etc. What he has missed out are wild boars, otters and gangetic dolphins (during our visit a few years back, we were lucky to spot a king cobra swimming away from near our boat!!)

But the feel of going through a maze of waterways is a thrilling experience, knowing that the area has a very high density of Tigers and that too maneaters!! You will be pretty close to the trees when going through the... bylanes, for a better word, and you feel that you are being watched

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

If I may butt in - Sunderbans are mangrove forests and you will be on the boat. You cannot enter into the forest proper and hence the chance of seeing a wild animal is rare. But psurelia had his fare share of sightings - deers, monitor lizard etc. What he has missed out are wild boars, otters and gangetic dolphins (during our visit a few years back, we were lucky to spot a king cobra swimming away from near our boat!!)

But the feel of going through a maze of waterways is a thrilling experience, knowing that the area has a very high density of Tigers and that too maneaters!! You will be pretty close to the trees when going through the... bylanes, for a better word, and you feel that you are being watched

to what you just mentioned !!

I am eager to experience the 'bye-lane' waterways from the boat and be an admirer to the beauty of the mangrove forest at the Sunderbans for sure.

My inquisitiveness to see some more snaps of the wildlife was due to the fact that the animals do come ashore for drinking water; where they can be sighted by travelers and tourist. Though, the fact remains that by the time we sight them and get our hands on the camera to capture them for our fond memories, they go out of sight !

I was never much into wildlife until my recent visit to Kanha & Pench National Parks in Madhya Pradesh during November 2014 where we had some phenomenal wildlife sighting.

May be sometime soon shall post a photologue of my travel !!

[tacho9000]

Partha da a brilliant descriptive travelogue you've written. Even though there was this high heat you all still beat that and enjoyed the small trip. I do have wish of going to sunderbans but inspite of being brought up in Kolkata still haven't visited sunderbans. May you enjoy all your trips and have loads of fun.

Regards
Subhra

[psurelia]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

Partha Sir, superb travelogue! Enjoyed every word of it. This would definitely work as a guide for us when we plan to visit Sundarbans. Beautiful pictures too.

Would love some more pics of your beast, the Storme.

Cheers,
petrolhead_neel

Thanks Neel, hopefully you plan your visit to the Sundarbans soon. I shall definitely post some more pictures of the Storme with some new stories with it.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

If I may butt in - Sunderbans are mangrove forests and you will be on the boat. You cannot enter into the forest proper and hence the chance of seeing a wild animal is rare. But psurelia had his fare share of sightings - deers, monitor lizard etc. What he has missed out are wild boars, otters and gangetic dolphins (during our visit a few years back, we were lucky to spot a king cobra swimming away from near our boat!!)

But the feel of going through a maze of waterways is a thrilling experience, knowing that the area has a very high density of Tigers and that too maneaters!! You will be pretty close to the trees when going through the... bylanes, for a better word, and you feel that you are being watched

Thanks mallumowgli. Your observations and reasonings are spot on.

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

to what you just mentioned !!

I am eager to experience the 'bye-lane' waterways from the boat and be an admirer to the beauty of the mangrove forest at the Sunderbans for sure.

My inquisitiveness to see some more snaps of the wildlife was due to the fact that the animals do come ashore for drinking water; where they can be sighted by travelers and tourist. Though, the fact remains that by the time we sight them and get our hands on the camera to capture them for our fond memories, they go out of sight !

I was never much into wildlife until my recent visit to Kanha & Pench National Parks in Madhya Pradesh during November 2014 where we had some phenomenal wildlife sighting.

May be sometime soon shall post a photologue of my travel !!

Thanks Arav, I really got to see as much as you see in the photographs. One reason for that is the animals don't come to the fringes / river banks during the extremely hot summer days. If you travel during the winter, you will stand better chances of sightings. Sometimes the boat goes so close to the jungles, it's a bit scary to think that the man-eaters are just one leap away from you

Originally Posted by tacho9000

Partha da a brilliant descriptive travelogue you've written. Even though there was this high heat you all still beat that and enjoyed the small trip. I do have wish of going to sunderbans but inspite of being brought up in Kolkata still haven't visited sunderbans. May you enjoy all your trips and have loads of fun.

Regards
Subhra

Thanks tacho9000. Sundarbans is such a beautiful place and it is so close to Kolkata, that it can be considered to be a crime if you live in Kolkata and haven't visited the Sundarbans.

[Samfromindia]

Well this article definitely helped me in my recent Sundarban trip, so thanks for putting this up all together

Originally Posted by psurelia

We reached Sonakhali Ferry Ghat at 10:40 AM and parked the car in a paid parking for Rs 300 for the entire duration of the trip. The parking has a deadly approach road through the edge of the river and a very narrow entrance gate which was just enough for my Safari Storme to squeeze through after folding the ORVMs. The parking is in fact the huge garden of a well to do household.

I was a bit concerned about parking after reading this, however i went to Jharkhali & Godkhali both of which had lots of parking areas with a nominal charge of 50rs/day. The resort where i stayed also had ample parking space:

http://www.royalsundarban.com/index.html#home


Parking @Jharkhali


Parking @Godkhali




And finally few teaser snaps

[psurelia]

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

I was a bit concerned about parking after reading this, however i went to Jharkhali & Godkhali both of which had lots of parking areas with a nominal charge of 50rs/day. The resort where i stayed also had ample parking space

@Sam, Thanks for sharing the info. I am sure this will encourage more people to take a road trip to the amazing Sundarbans.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

I was a bit concerned about parking after reading this, however i went to Jharkhali & Godkhali both of which had lots of parking areas with a nominal charge of 50rs/day.

I feel that the rates are now enhanced. No idea about Jharkhali but I was at Gaudkhali just last week. Though I did not have a car with me, I asked one person manning and seating by those car parkings (locally known as garages) about their rates. I was told that the rates are Rs 100/- per car per day. But you are free to lock your car appropriately and take the keys along with you.

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

The resort where i stayed also had ample parking space:

I went to Jharkhali some four years ago and stayed at the wooden bungalow belonging to the fisheries department, located possibly some hundred and fifty yards before the jetty. That time the road was fine. Any idea how is the road condition nowadays?

[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

I feel that the rates are now enhanced. No idea about Jharkhali but I was at Gaudkhali just last week. Though I did not have a car with me, I asked one person manning and seating by those car parkings (locally known as garages) about their rates. I was told that the rates are Rs 100/- per car per day. But you are free to lock your car appropriately and take the keys along with you.

I went to Jharkhali some four years ago and stayed at the wooden bungalow belonging to the fisheries department, located possibly some hundred and fifty yards before the jetty. That time the road was fine. Any idea how is the road condition nowadays?

Well i bargained. Similarly i got the 1000 rs room for 900 in the resort i booked. I found the Godkhali parking and ferry rates to be unorganized compared with Jharkhali. While at Jharkhali they give you proper parking receipts & boat charges are written in board as 500rs/hr for small and 600rs for large, in Godkhali they didnt give me any parking receipts and the boat agents were demanding as high as 1000-1500rs/hr and were pestering me to come with them. Of course after bargaining they also agreed to charge 600, but this is something to keep in mind.

Coming to road conditions, on the way to Jharkhali i took Basanti Highway which was broken and under construction in many a places and had long Q of trucks. I reached Jharkhali in 3hrs 30 mins. On the way back i took the Canning Sonarpur Garia Ruby route and i reached Ruby in 2hrs 30 mins. Road condition was excellent however encountered some traffic in towns like Baruipur Sonarpur nd all. Overall Basanti Highway should be avoided for now.

There is a point where the road diverges to Godkhali (left) and Jharkhali (right). Godkhali is less than 10 mins from that point while Jharkhali is around 30mins. The road to Jharkhali is very nice in most places. Though its narrow and has sharp turns, the tarmac is super smooth and it was a joy to drive there.