Craving an escape from city life? IRCTC's 'Vandarshan' packages offer Mumbaikars an all-inclusive, five-day journey into the wild heart of Maharashtra, combining rail travel, stays, and confirmed safaris for a seamless adventure.
Your All-in-One Wildlife Adventure
In partnership with the
Maharashtra Forest Department, IRCTC has curated a series of wildlife tours designed to be as thrilling as they are convenient. These four-night, five-day packages, branded 'Vandarshan', bundle return train tickets, accommodation, local road transport, and most importantly, confirmed jungle safari permits into a single booking. Aimed at families, photographers, and nature lovers, the tours remove the usual stress of planning separate travel, stay, and safari logistics. Departures typically run every Thursday from Mumbai via the Vidarbha Express, with a return to the city on Monday morning, making it a perfect long weekend getaway.
Tadoba and Bor Tiger Reserves
A popular itinerary combines the famous Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve with the Bor Tiger Reserve. Tadoba is one of Maharashtra's largest and oldest national parks, renowned for its high density of Bengal tigers. The diverse landscape of forests and grasslands also hosts leopards, sloth bears, gaur, and a rich variety of birdlife. The tour typically includes an overnight stay and safari in the Tadoba region before moving towards Wardha for a safari in Bor Tiger Reserve, known for its scenic beauty and wildlife. This package provides an excellent opportunity to experience two distinct ecosystems.
Pench and Umred-Karhandla Sanctuary
Immortalised by Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book', Pench National Park is another star attraction offered by IRCTC. An itinerary pairs the sprawling teak forests of Pench with the nearby Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary. Pench is a prime habitat for tigers, leopards, and wild dogs (dholes). The Umred-Karhandla sanctuary, though smaller, has gained fame for its impressive tiger sightings and serves as a vital wildlife corridor. This combination allows travellers to explore the legendary home of Mowgli and a rising-star sanctuary in a single trip.
Other Wild Combinations
IRCTC offers several other fivenday combinations to showcase the biodiversity of the Vidarbha region. Travellers can opt for packages that pair Tadoba with other significant wildlife habitats like the Navegaon–Nagzira Tiger Reserve, a haven for birdwatchers and home to a variety of predators and prey. Other options include combining Tadoba with the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, often called the 'green oasis' of the region, or with Umred–Paoni–Karhandla. These itineraries ensure that even repeat travellers have new forests to explore.
Booking and What to Expect
These tour packages are available for booking through the IRCTC Tourism website. Prices for a fivenday tour generally start around ₹29,500, varying by the chosen itinerary and class of train travel (2AC or 3AC). The packages are comprehensive, including return train fare, road transfers from the station to hotels, specified meals (e.g., two breakfasts, lunches, and dinners), shared safari vehicle costs, and travel insurance. Exclusions typically are meals during the train journey and other personal expenses. With a limited number of berths allocated for each trip, these packages often sell out quickly.
