Tadoba National Park
The Tadoba National Park was created in 1955. It covers an area of 116.55 square kilometers. Tadoba National Park, Andheri Wildlife Sanctuary and the Tadoba Andheri Reserve together make it the largest national park in Maharashtra. Tadoba National Park is so important to the state, that it is often called the “Jewel of Vidharbha”. If you are a wildlife enthusiast you should certainly visit this national park. You should come here if you are a photographer as well – you will find plenty of “Kodak Moments”. It is a great weekend destination even for those who are seeking peace and solitude. Sure enough, there are plenty of reasons for visiting the Tadoba National Park.
The park holds an amazing variety of flora and fauna, seldom to be found anywhere else in Maharashtra. It came under the provisions of Project Tiger in 1993 and at present boasts 50 full grown tigers. You can also see wild boars, wild dogs, sloth bears, gaur, bisons, hyenas, leopards, panthers, sambar, jackal, nilgai, barking deers, flying squirrals, and many bird species.
The biggest tourist attraction at Tadoba is of course its jungle safari trips. 6-seater, all-wheel drive open top gypsy vehicles with expert guides can take you to the tiger habitats within the park. It offers a splendid opportunity to view wildlife in their natural habitat. If you are lucky, you will be able to spot the big cat. Seeing the Royal Bengal Tiger crossing the forest road is not rare on such trips. But don’t worry if you can’t. There is plenty more to see here. The Reserve gates are open from 5.30 am to 10.30 am (for entry) and 2.45 pm to 6 pm (for exit) on all week days, except Tuesdays.
How to reach: You can take government or private buses from the Chandrapur railway station to reach the park if you are coming by train. Those who want to fly must book a private taxi from Nagpur, which is about 2.5 hours away. You can drive your own automobile as well.
There are some hotels in Tadoba National Park and resorts in Tadoba National Park. But remember, all these hotels are outside the borders of the park. Government regulation does not allow construction within the core area of the forest.
