By Sharell Cook
India Travel Expert, about.com
The Tiger Express tourist train is a joint initiative of Indian Railways and the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The train aims to create awareness about wildlife in India, particularly tigers, as well as enable tourists to spend time in nature. It visits two popular national parks in Madhya Pradesh (Bandhavgarh and Kanha), as well as Dhuadhar Waterfall in Bedhaghat near Jabalpur.
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The
train was launched on June 5, 2016, and will run monthly from October
2016 (except during the monsoon season from July to September when the
parks are closed).
Features
The Tiger Express is a "semi
luxury" tourist train, with pictures of wildlife covering its exterior.
There are two classes of travel -- Air-Conditioned First Class and
Air-Conditioned Two Tier Sleeper Class. AC First Class has cabins with
lockable sliding doors and either two or four beds in each. AC Two Tier
has open compartments, each with four beds (two upper and two lower).
For more information read this Guide to Classes of Travel on Indian Railways Trains (with Photos).
The train also has a special dining carriage for passengers to eat together and interact.
Route and Itinerary
The
train departs at 3 p.m. from Safdarjung Railway Station in Delhi and
arrives in Katni Railway Station at 5.40 a.m. the next morning. Tourists
will have breakfast aboard the train before proceeding to Bandhavgarh
to check into the hotel. There will be an afternoon safari at
Bandhavgarh (Khitauli Zone) followed by dinner and stay overnight at the
hotel.
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The next morning, tourists will proceed to the hotel at
Kanha by vehicle. There will be one afternoon safari through the
national park (Mukki Zone), followed by a second safari early in the
morning in the same zone. The afternoon is free for tourists to spend
how they wish. The next morning, tourists will check-out from the hotel
and proceed to Jabalpur by vehicle to see Dhuadhar Waterfall. There will
be high tea in the afternoon before heading to the railway station to
board the train back to Delhi. The train will arrive in Delhi at 3.50
p.m. the next day. Dinner, breakfast and lunch with be served aboard the
train.
Journey Duration
Five nights/six days.
Cost
In AC First Class:
49,500 rupees per person, single occupancy. 45,500 rupees per person,
double occupancy. 44,900 rupees per person, triple occupancy. 39,500
rupees for a child aged 5-11 years.
In AC Two Tier:
43,500 rupees per person, single occupancy. 39,000 rupees per person,
double occupancy. 38,500 rupees per person, triple occupancy. 33,500
rupees for a child aged 5-11 years.
The above rates include journey by air-conditioned train, three nights hotel accommodations at Mogli Resorts,
all meals in train and hotels (either buffet or fixed menu), mineral
water, transfers, sightseeing and transportation by air-conditioned
vehicles, and three tiger safaris by jeep (one at Bandhavgarh and two at
Kanha national parks).
Do note that the rates are only valid for
Indian citizens. Foreign tourists must pay an additional 4,000 rupees
surcharge per person for safaris at Bandhavgarh and Kanha (this is
because the safari charges are higher for foreigners). In addition, the
rates do not include camera fees at monuments and national parks.
Reservations
Bookings can be made on the IRCTC Tourism website
or by emailing tourism@irctc.com. For further information, call
toll-free on 1800110139, or +91 9717645648 and +91 971764718 (cell).
Overview of the National Parks
[post_ads]Bandhavgarh
National Park is one of the best national parks in India for spotting a
tiger. It's a relatively small park with a high density of tigers,
which is why they're quite easily seen. In addition to tigers, the park
has an array of wildlife including sloth bears, deers, leopards,
jackals, and birds. The park is divided into three core zones: Tala
Zone, the park's premium zone, has the most tigers. Magdhi Zone is
located on the fringe of the park and is regarded as the second best
zone to see tigers. Jeep safaris on this tour go through the Khitauli
Zone, which is scenic and less visited. Tiger sightings do occur there
though.
Kanha
National Park is one of the largest national parks in India. It's
renowned for providing the setting for Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel, The Jungle Book.
Rather than offering sightings of one particular kind of animal, it
provides an all-round nature experience. The picturesque landscape is
rich in lush saal and bamboo forests, lakes, streams and open
grasslands. As well as tigers, the park abounds with barasingha
(swamp deer) and an extensive variety of other animals and birds. The
park's premium zone is the Kanha Zone (entered through Kisli Gate).
However, tigers can also be seen in the Mukki Zone (which jeep safaris
on this tour go through). Munna, the dominant male in Mukki Zone, makes
appearances!
Information About Dhuadhar Waterfall
Roaring Dhuandhar Waterfall is situated on the holy Narmada River. It derives its name from two Hindi words -- dhuan (smoke) and dhar
(flow). The furious misty cascading water creates a smokey look as it
drops about 30 meters (98 feet). There's an aerial tramway/ropeway that
carries tourists across the river and provides a panoramic view of the
waterfall.
