welcome to safaris

INTRODUCTION

Toby Sinclair, a comrade from our earliest years, remembers some of the figures who were present at the beginning:

“Bandhavgarh was first noticed by wildlife photographers, naturalists, and travellers in the early 1980’s. When we started the initial camp, one of the earliest visitors was Edward James, the great patron of the Surrealist movement, whom I accompanied along with supporters of Gerald Durrell’s Jersey Zoo.

From a very different aspect of the 20th century I arranged a visit for Sir Wilfred Thesinger who saw a tiger but was most fascinated by the wild dog, a photograph of which he included in his Visions of a Nomad (1978).

In Visions, he writes: ‘While I was in India I went to the tiger reserve of Bandhavgarh, where I had the fascination of riding silently through the jungle on an elephant and of seeing a number of tigers. It gave me satisfaction which I have never experienced watching lion and other animals from the confinement of a car in an African game park.’”

SHER DARSHAN

Every morning in Bandhavgarh begins with tiger tracking. Once a tiger’s been sighted, visitors set out on elephant back for the sher darshan. Park officials keep the experience quiet and pleasant by using tokens to regulate the number of visitors. Some mornings the queues can be long, but it’s worth waiting for one of the most breathtaking sights in the world: a tiger in the wild. And there’s always the choice of exploring the wilderness around, to share in the full natural experience that Bandhavgarh offers.

BOTANICAL GARDEN

Anant Van will include an interactive botanical garden for visitors to Bandhavgarh. People here to see the national park will be invited to take a closer look into the forest world that sustains not just many bird and animal species but also a thriving community of human beings. The botanical garden will raise awareness about wildlife and nature, teaching visitors about the delicate ecosystems they are encountering.

FOREST DEPARTMENT RATES 2006 – 2007

Dear Friends,

During the forest department and travel trade meeting which I attended at Bhopal on 11/07/06 the forest department proposed new park entry rates.

These rates will be applicable from 1.10.2006 for the following national parks:

• Bandhavgarh
• Kanha
• Panna
• Pench
• Satpura

There are many new introductions to what guests can do in the park like the opening of hides and watch towers. I feel there is a definite effort on the part of the forest department to make visits to the national parks more enjoyable and at the same time a strict code of discipline for visitors, drivers and guides entering the park.

The pressure on the small and delicate wildlife reserves is immense and we must help the forest department by following the rules and lead by example. I have put together the list of the new park entry fees proposed by the forest department. These are some of the important rates and new rules, for further information you can contact us at info@anantvan.com or get in touch with the forest department directly.

Dhruv
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Download FOREST DEPARTMENT RATES 2006 – 2007 pdf

Park entry rates:

Park Entry	Single Drive Per Person	Two Drives Per Person	Three Drives Per Person
Indian Guest Foreign Guest	Rs. 25 Rs. 500	Rs. 40 Rs. 750	Rs. 60 Rs. 1000

Park Entry for Jeep safari & use of Hide, Watch tower, Patrolling camp and other stated areas.

Full Day
Per Person

Indian Guest

Rs. 200

Foreign Guest

Rs. 2000

• Combined rates will be valid for 3 days

• Combined rates will not be valid on Sundays

• Rate per drive will be charged on Sundays

• For Kanha / Bandhavgarh : From 21st Dec to 5th Jan (16 days), Diwali (6 days)

and Holi (6 days) all fees will be charged at double their regular rates. Entry by

mini bus will be exempt from this rate increase during this period

• Maximum time for safaris will be approximately 4 hrs.

Hide and Watch tower rates:

Wildlife viewing from Watch tower / Hide

Full Day
Per Person

Indian Guest

Rs. 150

Foreign Guest

Rs. 1500

• Only one group / booking will be permitted per hide / watch tower at a time

• Maximum of two persons and two children will be permitted to sit at given

hide / watch tower

Elephant Ride rates:

Elephant Safari Sher Darshan	Per Person Per Ride
Indian Guest	Rs. 100
Foreign Guest	Rs. 600
Children - Indian (5-12 Yrs)	Rs. 60
Children - Foreign (5-12 Yrs)	Rs. 400
Indian - Filming & Photography	Rs. 5000 per day
Foreign - Filming & Photography	Rs. 10000 per day

• An elephant will seat a maximum of 4 persons at one time

• Children below 5 yrs will not be counted within the 4 person limit

• Maximum time for elephant safari will approximately 1 hr.

• Same rates apply for Sher Darshan

Vehicle entry rates:

Vehicle Type	Single Drive Per Vehicle	Two Drives Per Vehicle	Three Drives / Full Day Per Vehicle
Jeep / Car / LMV’S	Rs. 150	Rs. 250	Rs. 350
Mini Bus (16-32 Seater)	Rs. 200	Rs. 350	Rs. 500

• Combined rates will be valid for 3 days

• Combined rates will not be valid on Sundays

• Rate per drive will be charged on Sundays

• For Kanha / Bandhavgarh : From 21st Dec to 5th Jan (16 days), Diwali (6 days)

and Holi (6 days) all fees will be charged at double their regular rates. Entry by

mini bus will be exempt from this rate increase during this period

• Maximum time for safaris will be approximately 4 hrs.

Guide rates:

Guide type	Single Drive Per Guide	Two Drives Per Guide	Three Drives / Full Day Per Guide
Naturalist - I	Rs. 400	Rs. 700	Rs. 1000
Naturalist - II	Rs. 200	Rs. 350	Rs. 500
Guide - I	Rs. 150	Rs. 250	Rs. 350
Guide - II	Rs. 100	Rs. 175	Rs. 250

• Combined rates will be valid for 3 days

• Combined rates will not be valid on Sundays

• Rate per drive will be charged on Sundays

• For Kanha / Bandhavgarh : From 21st Dec to 5th Jan (16 days), Diwali (6 days)

and Holi (6 days) all fees will be charged at double their regular rates. Entry by

mini bus will be exempt from this rate increase during this period

Video camera and Still camera rates:

Camera type	Single Drive Per Camera	Two Drives Per Camera	Three Drives / Full Day Per Camera
Video Camera	Rs. 200	Rs. 350	Rs. 500
Still Camera	Free	Free	Free

• Combined rates will be valid for 3 days

• Combined rates will not be valid on Sundays

• Rate per drive will be charged on Sundays

• For Kanha / Bandhavgarh : From 21st Dec to 5th Jan (16 days), Diwali (6 days)

and Holi (6 days) all fees will be charged at double their regular rates. Entry by

mini bus will be exempt from this rate increase during this period

Professional Filming and Photography rates:

Crew type	Indian Crew Per Day	Foreign Crew Per Day
Filming (including still photography	Rs. 15000	Rs. 25000
Still Photography	Rs. 5000	Rs. 10000

1. Entry into national parks will be permitted from half an hour before sunrise upto half

an hour after sunset. The exact timings will be under the discretion of the forest

department of the particular park

2. Entry to the national parks and elephant rides will be free for children upto 5 yrs.