BHANDAVGARH & KANHA

 

BHANDAVGARH & KANHA NOVEMBER 2013

 

This is the first time we took a flight for our forest trip.  Early planning was very much required.   The whole trip was arranged for us by Infinite Journeys Pvt Ltd.  There website is www.infinitejourneys.co.in for your reference or bookings. 

3 of us left from Bangalore on the 13th of November 2013 early morning to catch a flight to Nagpur.   From Nagpur airport we were picked up by a cab to be dropped in Jabalpur to stay overnight.  We stayed in Narmada Jacksons A Grand Heritage Hotel for one night to continue our road journey to Bhandavgarh.

14th November morning after breakfast we headed to our first destination Bhandavgarh, which is approximately 170kms from Jabalpur. Reached Bhandavgarh in approximately 4 hours. Arrived at our resort Monsoon Forest www.monsoonforest.in exactly at 12.00pm.  

 

Here we should mention about the resort, we were given a royal treatment.  We were the only guests that day and so was the care given by the staff and the manager.  Very good service, food & hospitality.


The front portion of the tent we stayed in Monsoon Forest

 We left for our evening safari, was first to be in the gate. 

Outisde the gate waiting to enter the forest

Sharp at 2.30pm the gate opened we first sighted a group of spotted deers then some sambar deers and variety of birds like Lesser Adjutant Stork, Racket Tailed Drongo, Vulture, Grey Hornbill. 
Our eyes was still looking for some big cats but nothing that evening.  On the way back to the gate we had a sighting of Jungle Owlet.
 Some Langurs and Mongoose. 

Came back to the resort and relaxed in front of a bonfire and enjoyed early dinner and went to sleep.

 

15th November morning had a wake up call at 5.00am served with lovely coffee and left for the morning drive at 5.30am.  We were the first to reach the gate and entered dot at 6.30am. 

 

After an hours drive we were lucky, lots of vehicles in one area one jeep had spotted a tiger deep inside the bush, so all were waiting and all eyes looking the same spot. 

Suddenly vehicles started moving, there was a tiger which got up and started walking towards the dirt track, yes we did see the tiger a big one walking majestically towards the waterhole then towards the track again. It came close to our vehicle could see the paw of the tiger when she walked down the track.  All were Excited and thrilled.  Some where shouting don't make noise, but one of the vehicles started moving close to the tiger, and it vanished into the bush again.

But spotting of that tiger for atleast 10 to 15 mts was really enjoyable.
 

The whole day went off with that memorable experience and sharing of those fotos and talking about the tiger.  We did spot other small animals and birds as usual.

 

Next day the 16th morning we went on a different gate called Magdhi expecting to see some more tiger.  We did go first and the weather was too cold infact.  We spotted a Barking Deer first then lots of birds, since the guide was eager to show us tiger, he was pushing the vehicle as there was alarm calls from Langurs and Spotted Deers.  But no luck for us, probably tiger was looking at us.

 

Lesser Adjutant Stork

 

Common Hoopoe

We did spot lots of birds and again some spotted Deers.,

Indian Robin, Indian Roller, Peacock, Jungle cock, Peahen, Serpent Eagle, Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher & Stork.  Sun started coming out and no sighting of either tiger nor leopard. 

Indian Roller

Serpent Eagle

So our trip ended in Bhandavgarh and we left for Kanha in a cab booked by our agent.  

The drive was for about 7 to 8 hours.  Reached Kanha late in the afternoon, we stayed in Krishna Jungle Resort.  That evening was free for leisure.

Early morning 5.30 outside the Forest Entry Gate

18th November morning with same excitement left for morning safari at 5.30am from the lodge, waited in the gate.  Gate opened at 6.30am, it was too cold, we were completely covered except for the eyes and the nose.  This place is a paradise for bird watchers. 

 

Some of birds we saw are Indian Pond Heron, Green Beeeater, Red wattled Lapwing, Yellow Wattled Lapwing, Spotted Pigeon, Crescent Serpent Eagle, Alexandrine Parakeet, Greater coucal, Greater Racket Tailed Drongo, Black Drongo, Indian Treepie etc.,

Alexandrine Parakeet

Black Headed Oriole

 

Small Blue Kingfisher

 

Green Beeeater

18th after morning drive came back to the resort relaxed had breakfast, lunch etc., rested and left again at 2.30pm.  This afternoon drive was also not that successful keeping in mind the big cats.  Only birds, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deers with more birds like Grey headed bull bull, Jungle Babbler, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Black Ibis and so on. 

Spotted Owlet

19th Morning drive as usual but in a different gate called Mukki gate, started early and it was too cold as well fully covered and shivering inside the blanket we entered the gate with full hope.  After again seeing the regular birds, deers, for more than a hour without any excitement closing the eyes to sleep thinking usual drive and nothing to see, suddenly our guide stopped the vehicle and asked the driver to come back, since he saw some stripes inside the bush, after giving few minutes we did see a tiger getting up from behind that bush, it was a few hundred meters away, the engine stopped and we waited, just to our surprise we did see 2 more tigers in the same spot all playing, so we altogether saw 4 of them 3 cubs and a mom. 

 

The cubs were playing what a sight! one cub ran and climbed a small tree gave us a good sighting went down started playing. slowly more vehicles started coming to that spot then we had to leave.  Since it was a bit far the pictures are not that clear. 

 

 

We did proceed on our drive leaving other vehicles there thinking will come back after all the vehicles move out, but to our bad luck they all moved to the other side of the track where the bush was too thick and we could hardly see anything, waited and no luck.



But the excitement we did carry through.  It was nice, we took a video of the cubs playing eventhough its not very clear we do still enjoy watching that.

19th evening again tried our luck no cats only Jackals, Bisons.

 

Some more birds like Black Capped Kingfisher, Common Hoopoe, Indian Grey Hornbill, Common Golden Back Woodpecker, Black Headed Munia, Red Munia, Rufous backed Shrike, and more more.....

Black Headed Munia

 

 

Before the last drive ended we did sight a few Bara Singhas.

 

 More birds for your view

Indian Treepie

Pond Heron

20th morning had early breakfast packed our lunch from the resort and got into the cab to reach the airport to catch return fligt to Bangalore. It was a very memorable trip.

 

Red Munia



Black Capped Kingfisher, a very rare sight!!!!