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Journey
on an Elephant Safari on elephant back through Corbett Tiger Reserve Sample tour
plan for 7 nights and eight days Mid-November
to mid-March Day 1: Arrive at
Camp Forktail Creek
Arrive at Camp Forktail Creek by lunch. After
wash and change and a sumptuous lunch, we would take you on an escorted nature
and bird walk into the Sal forests surrounding camp. It is an excellent opportunity
to walk in the cool of the forest, to be so close to nature and to appreciate
the varied plants, insects, birds, mammals and reptiles that inhabit this part
of the country. THE QUIETER YOU ARE, THE MORE YOU WILL SEE.
Back
to camp by sundown for campfire followed by dinner, which is leisurely and personal.
Along with the excellent cuisine, your guide and hosts will amuse and amaze you
with their stories of exciting experiences. Then it is time to relax once again
and enjoy carefree chatter by the fireside whilst feasting on the unique sounds
and smells that your exclusive location offers, before retiring to bed with only
canvas separating you from the Indian jungles.
Day 2: Camp Forktail
Creek to Lohachaur
Early morning depart for the Durgadevi gate by
jeeps. Meet the "Lord of the jungle" with the mahouts and enter the Tiger Reserve
through the Durgadevi Gate. The journey on elephant back takes us through a stretch
of about 16 kms through the Ramganga valley to Lohachaur - an old forest rest
house built in the early 1900's. We will pass some excellent patches of fern laden,
moist sub tropical jungles and would encounter a variety of wildlife and birds.
Lunch is served at Domunda - the confluence of the Ramganga and Mandal rivers.
Post lunch we trudge up the Mandal valley where we visit the 'Chunars' - a hill
tribe who carve pots out of wood.
Arrive at Lohachaur by evening.
Overnight in the forest rest house / safari tents.
Day 3: At Lohachaur
Early morning elephant safari along the Mandal River and then back to
the FRH for breakfast. Drive to Domunda post breakfast for angling on the Ramganga
River. The Ramganga River is famous for the "mighty Mahasheer" - a great sport
fish. Other fish found in these waters include the Goonch and Malee.
Picnic lunch, specially prepared by our chef, by the river. Post lunch join
the elephants for a dip in the river - as we get deeper in the forest and find
a river pool deep enough, it is time to bathe the elephants a must participate
activity of the safari and of course an enthralling experience. Clambering about
on elephant terrain we scrub away every square inch. One purpose of such care
is hygiene, to keep the animals free of parasites and to cleanse any scrapes or
wounds to ward of infections, but more than anything else to reinforce the bond
between the titans and us humans.
Back to Lohachaur FRH for a refreshing
cup of tea. The remainder of the day can be spent bantering and sharing stores
with the mahouts and naturalists.
Overnight in the forest rest house
/ safari tents.
Day 4: Lohachaur to Kanda
Depart early
morning, upstream along the Mandal River towards Maidavan chowki. The Mandal River
forms a part of the northern boundary of the Tiger Reserve. We would have packed
breakfast on the way and then travel on through small hamlets and patches of thick
Sal forest to arrive at Maidavan chowki. Lunch is served at Maidavan, post, which
we drive in jeeps to Kanda the highest forest rest house in the Tiger Reserve.
Kanda is located atop a ridge on the Shivalik ranges and is at an altitude of
about 1100m. It commands a breathtaking view of the Dhikala "chaur" - grasslands
and the Ramganga reservoir.
Overnight in the forest rest house/safari
tents.
Day 5: Kanda to Dhikala and back
Early morning
game drive into the national park with a packed breakfast. Explore the grassland
and some excellent Sal forests on the drive to Dhikala. Lunch at Dhikala and evening
game drive back to Kanda.
Overnight in the forest rest house/ safari
tents.
Day 6: Kanda to Halduparao (Palain Valley)
Early
morning breakfast and depart by jeeps to the Vatanvasa Gate, where we meet the
elephants with their mahouts. Once on the elephants we carry on downstream along
the Palain River. This is elephant country - in addition to the typical wildlife
in the region be ready to spot herds of wild elephants!
Arrive
at the Haldupardao forest rest house by noon. Post lunch a game drive into the
Sonanadi wildlife sanctuary - a buffer sanctuary to the Corbett National Park.
Overnight in the forest rest house and safari tents.
Day 7: At
Haldupardao
Early morning, elephant safari along the Palain River
and then back to Halduparao FRH for breakfast. Post breakfast travel by elephants/
jeeps to a Gujjar dera (a Gujjar settlement). The Gujjars are a semi nomadic tribe
that coexist in these forest. They are cattle herdsmen and provide milk to small
towns nearby. They depend on these forests for cattle fodder - one of the main
reasons they face criticism from those around. They are warm people and are great
hosts - we could spend the rest of the afternoon with them, sharing experiences
of their lifestyles and listening to their jungle lore.
Back to Halduparao
FRH by evening.
* One could optionally choose to live a night with
the Gujjars in their "dera".
Day 8: Depart for Delhi
Bid goodbye to the elephants, mahouts, naturalists and the rest of the team and
depart for your onward destination after breakfast. Packed lunch would be provided
for your journey. Note:
- Each elephant would only carry two persons. Our
resident naturalist, cooks and camp staff would escort the whole trip. Game drives
would be in by 4X4 jeeps.
- Cost
estimate on request. The costs include all boarding, lodging and all activities
as mentioned in the tour plan. Mineral water and aerated drinks are included in
the cost, however alcoholic beverages and other such expenses of personal nature
are not included in the cost.
- For those
with not so much time in hand, please refer to a shorter version of the same trip
for 3 nights and 4 days.
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- Section Contains Photographs taken by Nivalink Team.