For many Mumbaikars, the call of the wild is strong, but the logistics of planning a safari—from securing permits to booking transport and stays—can be daunting. Now, a new initiative is changing the game for wildlife enthusiasts in the city.
A Streamlined Jungle Adventure
The Indian
Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has partnered with the Maharashtra Forest Department to launch a series of organised wildlife tour packages directly from Mumbai. Branded 'Vandarshan', this initiative provides a seamless, all-in-one solution for planning a trip to some of the state's most renowned tiger reserves and sanctuaries. The primary goal is to simplify the entire process, removing the traditional hassles of coordinating train tickets, local travel, accommodation, and the often hard-to-get safari permits, combining them into a single booking. This makes wildlife tourism more accessible for families, photographers, and anyone looking for a hassle-free escape into nature.
Where Can You Go?
These packages focus on Maharashtra's rich biodiversity, particularly its well-known tiger habitats in the Vidarbha region. The tours departing from Mumbai cover several key wildlife destinations. The itineraries include five different combinations, often pairing a major reserve with a smaller sanctuary, to offer a comprehensive experience. Destinations featured in these packages include the world-famous Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench National Park, Bor Tiger Reserve, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, and Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The journeys from Mumbai are scheduled on the Vidarbha Express, making it a convenient starting point for city dwellers.
What 'Organised' Really Means
The key appeal of these IRCTC tours is the all-inclusive nature, which handles nearly every aspect of the trip. A typical five-day, fourndight package includes confirmed return train tickets from Mumbai in AC 2nd tier or AC 3rd tier, hotel accommodation, all meals as per the itinerary, and local road transport for transfers between the station, hotel, and safari gates. Most importantly, the packages come with confirmed jungle safari permits, which are often the biggest challenge for individual travellers to secure, especially during peak season. This bundling of services into one package at one price provides not only convenience but also a degree of cost effectiveness derived from bulk arrangements.
