Planning a wildlife safari can be complex, involving separate bookings for travel, stays, and elusive safari permits. For Mumbai's nature lovers, IRCTC's organised tours offer a seamless, all-in-one solution to explore the wild heart of Maharashtra.
A Hassle-Free Gateway to the Wild
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Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has partnered with the Maharashtra Forest Department to launch a series of wildlife tour packages from Mumbai. Branded 'VANDARSHAN', this initiative aims to simplify forest holidays by bundling all the essentials into a single booking. Travellers no longer need to juggle train tickets, hotel reservations, local transport, and safari permits. These curated packages are designed for families, wildlife photographers, and anyone seeking a well-organised trip to some of the state's most celebrated national parks and tiger reserves. By handling the logistics, IRCTC allows you to focus purely on the thrill of the jungle.
Explore Maharashtra's Premier Tiger Country
The tours departing from Mumbai cover several of Maharashtra’s premier wildlife destinations, renowned for their biodiversity and tiger populations. The itineraries feature combinations of key reserves, including the famous Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench National Park, Bor Tiger Reserve, and Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Other sanctuaries like Umred-Paoni-Karhandla and Tipeshwar are also part of the curated trips. These packages, typically structured as four-night, five-day tours, offer a comprehensive experience of the region's rich flora and fauna. The collaboration ensures that travellers get confirmed safari access, which can often be a major hurdle when planning independently, especially during peak seasons.
What Do the Packages Include?
A typical IRCTC wildlife package is designed to be all-inclusive, ensuring a stress-free experience from start to finish. Key inclusions generally cover confirmed return train tickets from Mumbai in AC 2nd tier or AC 3rd tier coaches on the Vidarbha Express. Upon arrival, the package includes accommodation in hotels, meals as specified in the itinerary, and all local road transport for transfers and sightseeing in airconditioned or non AC vehicles. Most importantly, the packages feature prebooked wildlife safari permits, taking the uncertainty out of the planning process. Many tours also come with travel insurance for added peace of mind. Always be sure to check the specific inclusions for your chosen tour, as some personal expenses or optional activities may not be covered.
A Sample Journey from Mumbai
To understand how these tours work, consider a sample itinerary. A typical tour departs from Mumbai on a Thursday evening via the Vidarbha Express (12105). After an overnight journey, you arrive at the designated railway station, like Nagpur or Gondia, from where you are transferred to your wildlife resort. The following days are filled with scheduled morning and evening jungle safaris in the designated reserve, such as Tadoba or Pench. After the final safari, you are transferred back to the station for the return journey, typically on a Sunday, arriving back in Mumbai the next morning. With limited berths allocated for each trip—often just six in ACnd Tier and six in ACrd Tier—these tours offer a small group experience. Prices for these packages start from around ₹29,500, varying based on the itinerary and accommodation class.
How to Book Your Wildlife Adventure
Booking one of these wildlife packages is straightforward. All tours are available exclusively through the official IRCTC Tourism website, irctctourism.com. The platform provides detailed itineraries, costs, inclusions, and exclusions for each of the five available 'VANDARSHAN' packages. Due to the limited number of seats available on each tour, it is highly recommended to book well in advance, particularly for travel during holidays and peak winter months. This initiative not only makes wildlife tourism more accessible for people in Mumbai but also aims to promote responsible and sustainable tourism that supports local communities and conservation efforts.
