A One-Click Jungle Book
For years, planning a wildlife safari in Maharashtra involved a complicated juggle of booking train tickets, securing elusive safari permits, and finding accommodation separately. This often discouraged casual tourists. Now, IRCTC aims to solve this with
its new 'Vandarshan' packages. The initiative, born from a partnership with the Maharashtra Forest Department signed on International Tiger Day, bundles confirmed train travel, local road transfers, accommodation, and, most importantly, assured safari permits into a single, hassle-free booking. This move makes the state's celebrated tiger reserves more accessible than ever for families, photographers, and wildlife enthusiasts based in Mumbai.
The Vidarbha Wildlife Corridor
The new circuits focus on the rich biodiversity of the Vidarbha region. The packages cover six key wildlife destinations: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench National Park, Bor Tiger Reserve, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, and Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. This includes four of the state's six official tiger reserves. Pench is famously considered the setting for Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book,' while Tadoba-Andhari boasts one of the highest tiger densities in the country, offering incredible sighting opportunities. The exclusion of Melghat and Sahyadri tiger reserves is a practical one, as the current packages are built around the Vidarbha rail corridor.
Your Itinerary from Mumbai
The tours are anchored by departures from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Travellers will board the Vidarbha Express for an overnight journey to the Vidarbha region. The train's key halts are Nagpur and Gondia. From these stations, dedicated vehicles will handle road transfers to the respective wildlife destinations. For instance, Pench is about 90 km from Nagpur, while Nagzira is a shorter 45 km from Gondia. The longest road transfer is for Tadoba, which is approximately 140 km from Nagpur as the train does not stop at the closer Chandrapur station. IRCTC has planned five distinct itineraries, typically structured as four-night, five-day trips, to cater to different interests.
What the Package Includes
The primary appeal of the Vandarshan packages is their all-inclusive nature. A single payment covers your confirmed train tickets (eliminating waitlist anxiety), accommodation in or near the sanctuary, all local road transportation from the arrival station to the resort and for safaris, and guaranteed safari permits. The value of an assured permit cannot be overstated; they often sell out within minutes of being released online, 120 days in advance. While final package pricing has not been detailed, the convenience and certainty are the main selling points. Meals are typically included as per the chosen hotel's plan. What is not included are personal expenses, camera fees (which are charged separately by the forest department), and any a la carte food and beverage orders.
Booking Your Wildlife Adventure
Booking these packages is streamlined through IRCTC's official tourism portal. Prospective travellers can browse the available 'Vandarshan' itineraries, check departure dates, and complete the booking in a single transaction. This removes the need to coordinate with multiple vendors or navigate the often-crashing forest department portals. The core safari season in these reserves typically reopens on October 1st after the monsoon break, with the best sightings often reported between March and June. As this is a new and highly anticipated initiative, it is advisable to book well in advance once the schedules are fully released on the IRCTC website.
