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It was the 15th day of January. While almost everyone was happy, celebrating the festival Sankranti, I was disappointed hearing the news on the ban of tourists to the Gudisa hills. It was one of the most awaited trips of the year. The very first one I’d be doing with my friends on my Ford. Alas… destiny has its plans… good or bad, we need to accept and move on… But how did the plans my destiny had for me turned out? Good or bad? For the busy bees, here is a quick digest. BRIEF Vehicle: Ford Freestyle Titanium 1.5 TDCi. Fuel Type: Diesel. Fuel Consumed: 90lts. Kilometers Travelled: 1160kms. ROUTE DETAILS Route Taken: HYD-TATR (HVK RouteO) HYD – Adilabad – Khelapur – Karanji (left towards Wani from under a flyover) – Wani – Warora – Chimur. Distance: 465 Road Condition: Excellent roads till Karanji. From Karenji to Wani the roads are average. From Wani to Warora the condition is beyond worst and a nightmare for low slung sedans, hatchbacks. Route Taken: TATR-HYD (HVK RouteO) Chimur – Warora – Jam (left from Jam Jn towards Karenji) – Adilabad – HYD. Distance: 580 Road Condition: Again, the worst Chimur to Warora stretch. We have taken a long route (115kms extra) to avoid the time consuming and tiring Warora - Wani route and took Warora – Jam - Adilabad which turned out to be the best decision. Butter smooth Nagpur highway and super stable Ford ensured I always maintain 120kmph+ speed. IN SHORT Route 1 – HYD – Adilabad – Khelapur – Karenji (left towards Wani from under a flyover) – Wani – Warora – Chimur. The shortest route but the roads slowly turn worst. Route 2 – HYD – Adilabad – Khelapur – Karenji (straight towards Jam) – Jam (right towards Warora from Jam Jn) – Warora – Chimur. 100kms longer but not as bad as route 1, Worth taking. Karenji to Wani is average. Wani to Warora is filthy dirty and worst. Warora – Chimur is bad. Route 2 - Can skip the Wani – Warora stretch. STAY DETAILS Resort: Beyond Stay Mahua Tola. (Beyond Stay Mahua Tola, Tadoba 086469 07777 https://maps.app.goo.gl/kLuk6dpaMN5R43iG8) Price: 7500 / day Inc 3 beds + unlimited food for a suite room. Review: This is my second time staying at Mahua Tola Resort and it again turned out to be an excellent stay option. 5-star rating for the food, quality, and service. Mr Shukla, the manager, again turned out to be an awesome guy as usual. Recommended many and will continue to recommend. Must prefer option if staying with family. SAFARI DETAILS Safari 1 (Day 2): Kolara Core Afternoon Safari. Price: 6500 for a Gypsy (6 per Gypsy allowed) + 250 for 600mm Telephoto lens. Safari 2 (Day 3): Madhnapur Buffer Morning Safari. Price: 4500 for a Gypsy (6 per Gypsy allowed) + 250 for 600mm Telephoto lens. Safari 3 (Day 3): Phalasgaon Buffer Night Safari. Price: 5500 for a Gypsy (6 per Gypsy allowed) + 250 for 600mm Telephoto lens. Special mention to the safari guide Amit and driver Anil for their superb spotting skills, knowledge of the forest and route. 6 Gypsys went in for the night safari and ours was the lucky 1 to spot a Leopard too close after a month almost. Special thanks to Amit and Anil. Strongly recommend having them as a guide and driver if you plan for a night safari. Contact details will be shared on request. PLACES EXPLORED 1. Photo walk with Mr Shukla to the lake beside the resort where pugmarks are often seen. 2. Gondmaholi kayaking with Mr Shukla to spot some beautiful birds. DETAILED TRAVELOGUE The previous day, the 22nd of Feb, I Topped up my fuel tank with 40 lts Diesel and Nitrogen topped up. Had my dinner, packed bags and it was my time to sleep. It was the morning of 23rd, 5:15 AM. The excitement was real! The D Day has arrived and we were all set to start in just an hour!! This very thought has made the really short 1 hour very long. I took bath, freshened up, for the final time checked all my camera gear, cleaned my sunglasses and I was all set for the amazing drive. Dumped all the luggage in the boot, cleaned the car, it was time for some quick snaps to boast in my Instagram, WA and Snapchat. Obviously, who wouldn’t!? 23 Feb, 2021 Hyderabad - Karenji Just a gentle press on the push start button depressing the clutch, the diesel beauty vibrated all over the place and started with the typical melodious diesel clatter. “Melodious!? Really!?” May ask the petrol heads. Only a true diesel guy knows the feeling I’d say. It took few minutes for the cold started engine to settle down and within just 15 mins I was below the ORR Medchal entry. Yeah, ORR is close to my home. It was 6:35 AM by the time I was on the proper highway on a good pace cruising the way. The traffic was not much and the roads were excellent. It was opposite to what my experience was during the 2017 Tadoba trip. It was a bad day, certainly a really bad day. Just 2 days before the trip I caught a cold followed by fever. Never worried if it was COVID, but was certainly worried if I would be able to make it for the trip and drive to Tadoba. The day has arrived and my worst fears came true. I started driving with really bad health. The time was 8:45 AM just a few kilometres ahead of Adilabad, I was having fever, bad night sleep, medicines that induce sleep the previous day mixed with some crazy thoughts of having a Tesla Autopilot in these situations. A tinge of dizziness took over me and I near-missed crashing a truck while overtaking it from the rightmost lane at high triple-digit speeds. My ORVM almost brushed past the truck. That was one scary moment in my driving experience. Finally, it was time for me to take a halt, have breakfast, home-cooked curd rice to avoid any further pain in my already soar throat, I halted just after crossing Adilabad toll plaza and the time was 9:30 AM. The day was sunny and sultry, I switched off my AC to sweat a bit and come to my senses, washed my face, had my breakfast and took a tablet that provided much-required relief to me. Clicking pictures are mandatory and is induced in our “Roadtrippers Culture”, after a good bit of photo session, I resumed my journey towards Khelapur (MH) at 10:00 AM. I always believe in taking short breaks every 300KMS-400KMS of continuous driving unless it’s an emergency. This although increases the drive time to a good 1hr, it’ll certainly help us maintain the balance of our mood and help us concentrate on the road without having sleepy eyes. It also gives much-needed rest to the car’s tires. I don’t believe in following the often-said norm “Non-Stop 800KMS drive”. I’m not an ambulance driver on emergency duty neither I’m planning to grab a place in the records book. Call me a newbie or an oldie, I don’t care as far as I’m following good practice. The time was 11:30 PM, I filled my diesel tank with 13lts fuel at Khelapur HP Fuel Station (MH). Did I say I suffer from “range phobia”? From Khelapur to Karenji is around 30mins drive. We reached Karenji at noon and now we have started the main stretch and tedious journey to the most awaited destination bidding goodbye to the butter smooth highways. Karenji – Wani Karenji to Wani takes 45mins and the drive is through some of the bad roads often traversed by the worst drivers. One such driver was the MHRTC bus driver who came close to me and we would’ve ended up head-on if I had not taken the rocky path on the shoulder of the road. These are the advantages of having a crossover, SUV or a CUV! No other car except these high raised cars can take such abusive roads with such ease avoiding some nasty crashes. This road takes us through coal factories, deviations, and some narrow bridges. This might sound interesting for some, but trust me, this is one horrible and energy-draining path. What lies further ahead is just the worst. After a bad drive, we arrived at a Wani junction which confused us during our 2017 trip. Having learnt a lesson from the horrible past, we took the left from the circle. Wani – Warora And this is the stretch. The worst part of the journey, energy-draining, body paining stretch. And in cars like the Ford Freestyle where the suspension is as stiff as a rock, more beatings were inevitable. The drive is for 1 hour takes us through the worst of the worst roads which are always under construction. The pathetic state of this road since 2017 describes the sad state of life of the native villagers. It's better not to speak much about these roads and carry to the further parts of the journey. Warora – Chimur The time was 1:45 PM. After a tiring 1hr 45mins drive we arrived at what is officially called “Vana Kshetr”. The roads were beautiful and it was obvious for a quick photo shoot. The roads covered with forests on either side give a beautiful look to the road. But the happiness was short-lived! There was mass deforestation on either side of the roads. This described the pathetic state we were in where we are “clinging for development & modernization”. What added to the misery was a bad Warora to Chimur stretch. Not as bad as the previous one though. Finally, the time was 2:30 PM and we have successfully crossed Chimur. Chimur – Tadoba / Beyond Stay Mahua Tola A 30mins drive to the resort through a mix of bad and good yet typical forest terrain and we have reached the resort. Those doing this trip be aware not to travel on low slung sedans and hatchbacks. The time was 3:01 PM. Ahh!! What a feeling! We finally, after traversing through the worst of roads, arrived at the place after a long wait of 3 years! Can’t describe the feeling and there are no words that do justice to it. We got down from our car, and Mr Shukla was standing with his fellows offering chilled juice and wet wipes. Sadly, I could never drink the chilled juice considering my sour throat. The time was 3:15 PM and we were extremely hungry having travelled from Hyderabad through some extremely bad roads. We straight away washed our hands and went to the outdoor dining area… What a sight it was!! The beautiful open garden without any boundaries that merge with the forest… we were immediately relaxed with the sight. “Nature is the best cure” and the saying never goes wrong. The server requested just 5 mins to serve the delicious lunch prepared exclusively to match our spicy taste buds and we finished it quickly gulping piping hot rotis and curry only to escape to our rooms jump on the cosy beds for a deep evening sleep… It was 5:00 PM. We were in deep sleep; the phone rang and it was Mr Shukla to inform us the evening tea and snacks were ready. He was quick enough to sense the laziness in my sleepy voice and quickly asked if we want it to be served inside our room. I said no, and we left to the open dining space. We quickly had our snacks and set to the evening photo walk with Mr Shukla hoping to see some owls and birds. We walked far inside the forest and reached the lake. We searched for some birds and owls but couldn’t find any. I peeped into my 600mm Sony G Master lens to see the treetops but was left in despair. “The wildlife is unpredictable. You don’t know what the very next second would transpire into.” The coming 2 days and 3 safaris are proof. We spent a good 1 hour inside the forest and were back to the resort and escaped into our cosy rooms. I spent another 1 hour in setting up my camera battery, SD card and cleaning my lens for the next day safari. It was 7:30 PM, we had some delicious dinner, had some talking with Mr Shukla and after a very hectic tiring day behind the wheel of my Ford, we called it a day. 24 Feb, 2021 The Kingfisher and its Cath! The previous day was a hectic one and we were fast asleep in the cool and calm mornings inside the woods. The AC was off, windows opened wide to welcome the cool forest air to fill the room. It was 5:30 AM, after a night of very deep sleep, we woke up to the fresh cool breeze, the chirpy birds and their melodious songs! We called up Mr Shukla and requested our breakfast to the room. The tea was served hot and the biscuits crispy. And the breakfast? That’s one tasty, mouthwatering parathas! It was 8:18 AM we went to the terrace attached to our room and enjoyed the warm morning views. The birds chirping, leaves rumbling and the trees and bushes till my sight has reached made me feel like a home away from home! The forests are somewhere I feel belonged to, I feel happy and I feel like a home away from home. After finishing breakfast, we went to the dining area to enjoy the view of the lotus lake inside the resort patiently waiting for a beautiful photo. “Wildlife is unpredictable. It rewards the patient eyes, sturdy hands and stoical postures.” After a good 30 mins struggle with the heavy 600mm G Master lens in hard postures, the wildlife rewarded with one of the best and the first photo of the trip. The Kingfisher with its catch. One of the best feelings for a wildlife photographer is when they find the most rewarding picture after a lot of struggles. Kolara Core Safari The time passed quickly. It was noon and time for lunch. We quickly had our lunch and hopped into our Ford with Mr Shukla. The drive was to Kolara core zone afternoon safari. It was a 20 mins drive from our resort and we were at the gate by 1:30 PM waiting for Mr Shukla to finish off the entry formalities. By 1:50 PM we were in our Gyspsys waiting for the gates to open and enter the sprawling forests. The Sandgrouse was the first bird to welcome us into the Kolara forest and patiently posed for a click. Followed by many beautiful animals and birds. How many beauties we may find in the forest, the eyes of a wildlife photographer will always desperately search for the big cat. I was no exception. We drove all around the forest. Multiple rounds around Maya Tala - Tigress Maya, The Queen of Tadoba’s habitat yet, we couldn’t even get a glimpse of her. The one golden rule in the wildlife is, “Avoid target safaris. Enter the forest not to see the Tiger but to witness the wild in its natural habitat. Be patient and enjoy nature and wildlife. It’ll reward the purest souls who find solace in the forest” And I never failed to follow this golden rule. However desperate I was spotting the big cat, I never avoided nor failed to appreciate the sheer beauty of the forest and wildlife. As said, it has rewarded me than all the other entrants in my entire trip. After multiple rounds inside the core zone and some beautiful moments at the Tadoba lake clicking some beautiful pictures, mother nature had her plans to reward me. The time was somewhere around 3:00 PM. We again reached the Tigress Maya abode. Langur calls and the deer were running, The Gypsys lined up and people standing alert while the photographers busy with those heavy lenses in their hands. There were shutter sounds all around and the guide signalling to calm down. The environment changes drastically all in a glimpse when the big cat arrives! It was real and there she was, sitting under cosy bamboo bushes with sheer magnificence. What a sight it was!! Finally, wildlife has rewarded me with the best pics of Maya. We spent good 30 mins at the place and left with not so heavy but happy hearts. There are few new rules in the core zone by the MH Forest Dept. 1. No Gypsy is allowed to stand at a place for more than 5 mins and 15 mins in case of tiger spotting. 2. No Gypsy is allowed to take a U-Turn. It must follow the designated path, turn all-around and arrive at the desired location. No matter what. 3. Every Gypsy is tracked by a GPS device. Though the tracking made sense to me considering the poaching risk, the other 2 rules did not. That just spoils the entire experience and excitement. Anyway, I have no power of reverting them. After a few more hours inside the forest, the time was 5:45 PM and it was the time for us to exit the forest. By 6:00 PM, we were outside the core zone gate talking with fellow photographers about our experience and checking out each other’s captures. It feels so good to be in a like-minded group of people sharing the same level of interest as we do. We were in the resort by the dawn, freshened up, had some tasty dinner and called it a day. 25 Feb 2021 Madnapur Buffer Safari The wind was cool and the windows wide open welcoming the cool breeze. I was fast asleep wrapping myself in the cosy blankets. The time was 3:30 in the morning and I woke up to the wake-up calls of the housekeeping. “sir, aapka aaj morning safari hain sir” said the voice behind the room. The man patiently waited there for my response and left quietly. The time was 4:30 AM, I was quick enough to have the last 10 mins of sleep and get ready to catch up for the morning safari and to see what the forest has to show this day. It was 4:45 AM, after a quick chatting with the ever-energetic Shukla, we hopped into our beloved Ford Freestyle, started the engine and we were all set to enter the Madhnapur Buffer Forest. I often come across people who say they were “disappointed with their trip because they did not see a Tiger!” Few say their money got wasted on a “useless trip”! and few say the other way. But I say mother nature has everything in its lap to show us. Mother knows their children. She only rewards the “purest souls” and not the “commercial souls”. For those who go to a wildlife sanctuary only to spot a tiger, better watch the Discovery channel! When I say mother nature has everything in its lap to show us, I mean it. This day I was lucky unlike the others en route. I have seen not 1 or 2 but 3 rare sighting animals on my way to the buffer safari gate. Fox and Wild Dogs they were. Quick enough to pass through the way and escape into the forest. The time was 5:30 AM. I was at the buffer gate. Mr Shukla, as usual, had completed all the formalities and we were inside the forest by 6:00 AM. There was no GPS tracking this time and the joy in the driver’s face was evident. We took an offroad path. The path not taken by the other Gypsys. The path that was not a path. We made multiple rounds to multiple locations and water bodies in the forest. We couldn’t spot even a single animal. Not even a bird! The co Gypsy occupants already started calling it a dry day, a wasteful safari and with other demeaning names. I was least bothered and had my tasty breakfast amid forest overlooking a beautiful water body just beside a forest check post having some quality discussions with the police staff. The time flew fast and it was already 9:00 AM. The cool and breezy wind has turned into the harsh sunlight. I removed my jacket, cap. I made myself light and comfortable. We were just aimlessly roaming inside the forest maintaining a slow pace wondering at the god’s creation. The time was 9:25 AM and a Gypsy was reversing fast. Then guide of that Gypsy has signalled to the driver of my Gypsy and I understood what it was! I quickly stood, switched on my Sony camera, removed the lens cap and held the heavy 600mm G Master lens in my hand and there she was! 10 months old female subadult of Tigress Junabhai, the first Tiger I have ever seen during my 2017 Tadoba trip in the same location. This is the early separated one. The youngest of the second litter of Junabhai. She was frightened, possibly seeing a bigger animal. She was running fast crossing the path and hit a tree trunk! She gave a frightened look, a growl, sniffed the trunk for any possible danger and disappeared into the woods… The brief encounter of just 8 mins was memorable. It was close, really close. It has given me some beautiful shots, my parents some memorable moments and Mr Shukla some memorable videos. As I always say, “Forest will reward the purest souls who find solace in the forest” Out of all the 6 Gypsys that has entered the forest, It was only ours and the other Gypsy to have found the tiger. It was 10:00 in the morning and we were out of the forest as the previous day, with happy hearts. After a quick shopping buying some hats, shirts and some souvenirs at the nearby store, we were at the resort, checking the photos and updating WhatsApp status! Gondmaholi Lake Kayaking We had a delicious lunch at the dining hall and it was already 2:30 PM. I slept for a few hours and by 4:00 PM after having some delicious pakodis and hot tea, I was all set to “explore the unexplored” on my Ford Freestyle. Mr Shukla, well aware of liking had planned a Kayaking and birding trip to the Gondmaholi lake. It was 4:30 in the evening. After a good soft roading session on my Ford, we were at the lake bed. We entered the Kayak quickly wearing the life jackets and carefully holding the camera. The Gondmaholi lake, a beautiful lake situated amid the Phalsgaon buffer zone, home to a variety of beautiful birds which is not known to many. The Govt. of Maharashtra and the Forest Department had started Kayaking at the lake to boost local tourism and to provide a livelihood to the otherwise uneducated and unemployed youth. We did a full round inside the lake on our Kayak followed by the local youth on a lifeboat. 4 per Kayak are allowed and each Kayak must have a guide which takes the count to 5. It was a nice 1-hour trip with the sun setting, our Kayak slowly rowing and some beautiful birds in the water with the golden hours as a backdrop! Some of the best moments they were… I had spotted Pond Heron, Gray Heron, Egret, Northern Pintails, Spot-Billed Ducks, Red Crested Pochards and The Oriental Darter – Snake Bird with the beautiful sun setting backdrop. Such beautiful scenes never I’ve seen in my life. Phalasgaon Buffer Night Safari The time was 5:30 PM and we quickly hopped into our Ford and left for the final safari of our trip, the Phalasgaon Night Safari! It’s a 10 mins drive from the lake and at 5:45 PM we were at the Phalasgaon safari gate. Destiny had its plans for the last safari. Mr Shukla who was there with us for all the safaris had to leave to the resort on some urgent work skipping the much-awaited night safari. Now it was me, my camera and my parents in the Gypsy. The sundown, dark pitching in and the gates open taking us to the deep forest. The night was cold and I had no protective gear. It was just a thin half hands wildlife T-shirt and camouflaged shorts covering my body. The trees were tall and thick and it was a dark gloomy forest which all of sudden wore a very deep and frightening look. The total opposite of what it was just a few hours back! The driver, Mr Anil and guide Mr Amit need a special mention. You ask me the reason? I ask you to read till the end. The driver upon our guide’s request quickly took us to a water body where Tiger is often seen. On our way, we’ve seen a Nilghai drinking water. I asked my driver to stop. And I begin clicking photos. The driver said let’s move but I ordered him to stop! We spent a good 10 mins shooting a Nilghai! The driver was looking at me like a madman staring at a Nilghai. But only a photographer can understand the real reason that I was accustoming myself with the condition and understanding well to strike the perfect balance between aperture, ISO and shutter speed to get a perfect shot for the night is dark, wildlife is unpredictable and I have to be ever ready. After spending a good 1 hour at the lake, I asked my driver to move. I had a very bad headache because of the strobe lights used by the guide. I turned off my camera and dozed off in the super bouncy Gypsy. It was 9:15 PM already. Just 45 mins for us to get out. We were roaming in the forest like a madman and I was sleeping with a bad headache. The guide woke me up. “utho sir, udhar kuch dikhayi diya” said the guide Amit. I was hopeless of any spotting yet, optimistic at the same time. I woke up, switched on the camera and checked all the controls. The driver Anil took the Gypsy a bit inside the forest deviating from the path. The night was dark and scary. The wind blowing sharp and cool and the leaves rumbling making noises… the strobe light on and the headlights off! I peeped into my camera and the 600mm G Master zoomed to just half its limit and there it was sleeping! The beauty that I’ve never seen. The beautiful beast that many of us have only read and heard of but have never seen. The rarest of the animals, the Leopard!!! What a sight! What a sight! A close 13mins encounter left us with lifelong memories and tales to tell to people and friends… the sighting blew my mind and my headache vanished too! The animal woke up and jumped only to disappear into the pathless woods… It was 9:50 PM, we were outside the forest before 10 mins excitedly talking to the forest guards. I hope now you got the reason why I said the driver, Mr Anil and guide Mr Amit need a special mention. At 10:00 PM sharp, we have left to the resort in our Ford in the empty forest roads… Beyond Stay Mahua Tola We had our dinner, spoke to Mr Shukla telling him how much he missed the sighting, we showed him some pics, sent a few to Mr Amit and Anil, updated the same as my WhatsApp status and called it a day. 26 July 2021 Beyond Stay Mahua Tola The last day of our trip… This very thought has given me a sudden saddening vibe. The much-awaited trip came to an end! As the saying goes, all good things have an end, this good vacation too had to end. The only thing that mattered was the way it has ended. In a good way or not so good way. And this very thing, I leave it to the readers to judge… This day, we planned we will wake up late, enjoy the noon and start late. The time was 9:15 AM. We woke up to the worker's voices. Freshened up, we went to the dining area and had our breakfast. We left for Kolara gate at 10:30 AM and spent 30 mins buying some more souvenirs for our family and friends. It was 11:40 AM we returned to the resort to pack our bags. We finished our lunch early, went to our rooms and took a quick nap. The time was 3:30 PM and we started our drive back to Hyderabad bidding goodbye to Mr Shukla the team and the Forest. Coming back to the first question, How did the plans my destiny had for me turn out? Good or bad? Leaving this answer to my readers to guess, I’m putting an end to this beautiful journey. Goodbye until the next wildlife road trip on my XUV500 AWD. Few More Photos From The Trip A group of Spotted Deers at Kolara Core Zone Red-Wattled Lapwing at Kolara Core Zone A Female Sambar Deer and Doe at Kolara Core Zone Red-Vented Bulbul at Kolara Core Zone - Breakfast Views. Red-Vented Bulbul at Kolara Core Zone - Breakfast Views. Side Lit Picture of a Spotted Deer and Doe at Kolara Core Zone Side Lit Picture of Spotted Deer at Kolara Core Zone - Tadoba Lake A Male Sambar Deer at Kolara Core Zone Spotted Deer at Kolara Core Zone Side View of a Male Sambar Deer at Kolara Core Zone - Tadoba Lake Honey Buzzard at Kolara Core Zone A Male Sambar Deer at Kolara Core Zone - Maya Tala (Tigress Maya's Zone)

Ofcourse, Now that the time is up I should plan it during the next summer for some assured sightings

Wow, beautiful pictures. A perfect Tadoba guide. Thank you for sharing

Hi guys, For a two day trip you can go through my blog below: https://travelwithmanju.blogspot.com/2020/09/niagara-of-telangana-bogata-waterfalls.html It is one day paln. But you can plan it for two days leisurely. For your stay I recommend to stay in the resorts near Laknavaram lake (should be booked before in peak times). These are good places in visit in Monsoon. We will plan a two day tour for the same on your request.

Thanks Shiva! Off-road shots for sure! Thanks buddy 😀 Thanks @sagar😀! and you never disappoint me with your comment😇. Shukla ji is awesome 👌🏻 no wonder he always maintains 5star reviews. Looking forward for some beautiful pics from you this time and wish you the very best for sightings!

Tadoba needs lot of planning. You will be disappointed if you did not spot a tiger after so much planning. @SK01 Is into wildlife photography. He has as more insights on gates/booking/resorts/best time to visit etc.

Hi All, We(four boys) are planning to go on a two days road trips from Hyderabad (Saturday and Sunday). We are willing to drive not more than 200~300 kilometers per day. Any place/stay recommendations are welcome. We are looking for accommodations that has nice views.

Ofcourse we’re all in to help you do the same.. April - May months would be the best time for spotting the tigers.. Note: All the entries gates of the forest for Safari will run sold out during this season. Please be sure to book ur a lot at the earliest when they open up around February or March next year.

Thank you for the suggestion, will add it to my list. I think Bogatha falls is going to be hectic for two days. Laknavaram is always booked and too overcrowded for my liking.

Nice trip with good planning. Can you plan the same for us if we want to visit the tiger reserve? Can anybody tell me whats the best season to visit the tiger reserve, mainly best time for tiger safari (I am eager to watch tigers in Jungle Safari)?

Check out the recent post by SK https://www.trifod.com/index.php?/topic/1837-exploring-the-unexplored-tadoba-andhari-tiger-reserve-hyderabad-to-tadoba-road-trip/

Have a look inside the gear room of Nikon at Tokyo2020 Summer Olympic Games ! Dozens of D6 cameras and lenses from 800mm to 14mm. Nikon NPS Photo Professional Services operates cameras and lens depot for accredited photographers in the Main Press Centre located at the West Halls of the Tokyo Big Sight complex during all the Tokyo2020 Summer Olympic Games - Photo by Vincent Kalut

Hi, I have a small query. What is the ideal destination around Hyderabad for a first time road trip? I have been driving around the city for last 4 years, currently have an Alto 800.

3699 pr sqft 5lk amenites I think there is discount for ppl who pay full amount

HMDA and RERA approval are available and construction is going on.

Here's the Great Opportunity to Own a Farm Plot (With option for wooden house) Just 30 Km away from Kokapet SEZ /TSPA Junction. at almost half the market price. Highlights: 1) 50+ Acres layout with best in class architecture. 2) Entire Site is designed with Miyawaki forest boundaries and separators. (30 feet high trees in 5 years) 3) Entire layout is planned with rustic farm house approach. 4) Sustainable roads with combination of laterite and concrete to keep the premium farmhouse look. 5) Entire layout is designed with grids to ensure peaceful living and provides high security. 6) Every 4 quarter units is designed as a separate grid, which will enable to create small private cluster. 7) Ideal if 4 friends to take one grid. 8) High security due the the patterned layout. 9) Private grids enable you to have a private amenities shared between the small groups. Like Private Swimming pool, Private kitchen, Private maid quarters. Market Prices in Surrounded area: 1) NorthStar model colony - 14000 per yard. 2) Aparna is planned to come up with a project in Chevella for around 15000-18000 for early bird and take it until 25000. Price: Rs 3499 Per Yard Infra Charges 1L for 605 Sq Yards 1.5L for 1210 Sq Yards 2L for 2420 Sq Yards 3L for 4840 Sq Yards Premiums: Rs 100/Yard for East / North / Corner Payment Timelines: Booking Amount: 5L With in Two Weeks: 50% of the Unit value. One Week Before registration: Balance Value. Registration will as per Dharani Slot availability: Current wait time is approximately, 30-45 days. Registration Charges to be paid at the time of slot booking. Location Video: https://youtu.be/_D3PU-xJTyo Location Pin: https://goo.gl/maps/wtxnucj2tvCUiMQs5

** Pre covid Note: I already posted same content in my personal blog at that time, Now posting in Trifod, might be useful for someone. Summary: Hyderabad -> Mysore -> Coorg -> Srirangapatna -> Lepakshi -> Hyderabad As usual, I am not mentioning much about roads & routes, Since it is straightforward, Just I followed the maps. KMS: 1900 Car: Polo Diesel Members: 2 Adults Budget: Fuel + Toll : 10,000 Stay : 15,000 Food: 4000 Extra: 3000 Total: 32,000 Stay Details: Full Plan: Let's start with the planning I won't go anywhere in summer, not a fan of summer vacation, Because I strongly believe it is waste of time and money [in South], So we decided to for a road trip in June end. Searched for a lot of places, Finally decided to go for Coorg. June 23rd Hyderabad -> Bangalore We packed our bags and went to the office, Since we both are working it is not easy to get long leaves, So after finishing some work in the office we finished our lunch and hit the road around 1 PM We don't want our journey to be hectic, So we took a good amount of breaks. On day 1 we traveled 580 KM to reach Bangalore outskirt. Around 11.30 PM we reached the hotel, We are done with day 1. June 24th Bangalore -> Mysore We woke up a little early and started to Mysore. We did not take any breaks since it is just a 180 KM journey, By 11 AM we reached Mysore and check into the hotel. 1 PM We went to the Chamundi Hills and took some pics. 4 PM Went to visit Mysore palace [Day light visit] 7.30 PM Again went to the palace to witness the light show. Beautiful.. Don't miss it. June 25th Mysore -> Coorg We had breakfast in Mysore and started towards Palm Valley Resort, Coorg. This route is very scenic and beautiful. We took many breaks in the 90KM journey to take the pics, and it is worth it. 3 PM We reached the resort, there we opted for buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner, So no need to think about food. We went out to visit the surrounding areas. In-resort itself we took some photos. After spending some beautiful time in nature, we went to the resort after sunset. Had the dinner and done with Day 3. June 26th Coorg -> Coorg 11 AM Visited Madikeri Fort. 1 PM Visited Raja's seat and surrounding areas. Toy Train. 4 PM Went to Abbey waterfalls, Since it is monsoon, Waterfall is full force and beautiful. Yeah tired, enough for the day. Went to the resort to check in. Heritage Resort, Coorg. The best I can say. No need to visit any place in Coorg, after staying in this resort. It has that much beauty. We are done with Day 4, Just all my energy restored after seeing the beauty of the resort. Went to bed after having dinner in the resort. June 27th Coorg -> Srirangapatna-> Lepakshi 7AM I know staying in this resort is a best moment, So we don't want to waste any time, We tried to explore the resort as much as possible. We are done with the resort, we check out it with a lot of memories. 11 AM Visited few places in Madikeri and moved for River rafting. 12 PM We reached river rafting and there we met a family from Hyderabad, So we combinedly hired a boat for rafting. 2 PM Visited Golden temple We are done with the Coorg job, Now decided to go for Srirangapatna. 5.30 PM Reached srirangapatna, Visited all Tippu's places, We hired a guide to show all place Since we are near to closing time. He showed the important places before they closed. We paid 300 for him. 7 PM After sunset we started towards Lepakshi, It is a really hectic journey, W reached the Harita hotel at midnight at 2 AM, We are done with Day 5. June 27th Lepakshi -> Hyderabad 11 AM Harita is just an average hotel, But we don't have any other options to stay there. So Morning we woke up a little late, After fresh up and having breakfast in Harita we went to visit Temple. It is totally empty, Hardly 5-6 tourists. 2 PM We are done with Lepakshi, we had lunch in the same town and started to Hyderabad. 11.30 PM Reached home safely, and we are done with the trip and Day 6. We visited very limited places in Coorg, which are near to my interest and taste. Of course, remaining places I will visit another time. That is all.

Amazing stuff @SK01 You never disappoint with your stuff. And I must admit that your logs are surely levelling up. Great details and lovely pictures as always. Looks like Shukla ji has taken personal care of you guys this time in taking you around. Im looking forward to go back to this place sometime soon.

At Sarpanpally lake

Hi, Do you have the contact information of any owners. I like to check the possibility of buying. Please message me.Thanks.

Great skills behind the camera. Pictures look pretty sharp. All the best for XUV and future trips. Hope I will get some off-road shots.

I visited this place. They shown the place. Sharing the pics

Thank you 😊 Thanks bro 😀 Haha 😄😆!! I'm tired of hearing to such people. I see them everywhere. There was a body builder who wore glittery dress and red sunglasses to the forest. Seriously!? That's not a play area or a theater right!? Tired of such commercial people who doesn't respect nature.

Controversial eh? 😝😎

Haha good one! Wonderful write up and very informative!! 👌

Hyd-Dwaraka Thirumala-Vijayawada-Amaravathi-Suryalanka Beach-Hyd Total Distance Covered: 1012 KMS Vehicle: Nissan Micra Fuel: Petrol Mileage: 21+ kmpl with A/C all the time(2 Adults and 1 kid). No. of Days: 3 From Jan 25th to 27th 2021. Total Tolls: 823/- [Through Fastag 705/- + cash 118/- ] Route expedition Via Google Maps Carried Snacks, water can and other essentials to shorten our halts during the journey due to covid.... ** SINGLE HAND DRIVING Day 1: Route: Hyderabad- Vijayawada- Dwaraka Thirumala. Total distance covered on day 1 : 412 KMS Total Time: 7 hours 8 min with 2 breaks. Almost after an year planned for a short trip post Lockdown and all went well and a very much needed break. Started by 4:25 AM from Hyderabad and reached Dwaraka thirumala by 11:15 AM with 2 breaks. As usual roads are pleasant to drive until Vijayawada.. But the strech between Vijayawada(Gannavaram) and Eluru is still under construction with lots of diversions. After crossing Eluru via bypass, the roads are in very bad condition from Bhimadole to Dwaraka. Done with darshanam and spent an hour or so at the temple premises. Started from Dwaraka and halted at friends place in Eluru. Day 2: Started from Eluru at 5:10AM to Vijayawada kanaka durgamma temple and reached by 6:45AM.... 1 hr 36 min journey time. Covid rules are strict and darshanam done in 30 min. Free darshanam is not available via Hill... only through 100/- or 300/- tickets. For free darshanam, park the vehicle below the hill and through stairs you need to reach for darshanam which is free. Started towards Amaravathi(Amaralingeswara swamy temple) and opted to go through Guntur road rather than the Karakatta road was not in a good shape. Journey was 1 Hr 25 min and Roads are in good to drive After completing darshanam started towards Suryalanka beach via Guntur. It took 2 Hrs 45 min to reach the destination, roads after crossing Guntur are just average and full of patches...road traffic is not much but due the road condition it took long. Reached Suryalanka Haritha Resort and checked in by 1:28 PM ** If you are planning to stay in Suryalanka Haritha resort, make sure to book it in a week advance. During weekends the cost of the rooms are high and less on weekdays. Rooms are Good, I have took the AC standard room which costed me 2400+taxes. All the rooms including deluxe and started AC rooms are having the Beach view Cottages are constructed in 2 rows , front row are the Deluxe cottages and backside row are the Standard AC rooms. In standard AC rooms there are 2 rooms, one in Ground floor and other on the first floor. I opted for the 1st floor room for the beach view. Note: Rooms are allotted on First come first serve basis, so its better to arrive on time to get the best room(With all functionalities ). When it comes to Food options, only Haritha resort restaurant at suryalanka beach and for snacks we can go for the fried fishes along the roadside exactly opposite to the Haritha resort. @haritha restaurant, we can order the food to the room or you can have it in restaurant. Food is above average. Obviously, the price card different from the restaurant menu... so a bit high prices for the room service. Breakfast is complementary and available from 8 AM to 9:30 AM which is of good taste and 3 verities of items( Idli, Bonda, Pongal) FYI... Below are the price details for reference: Beach Pics: Maintenance of beach is not bad Beach closes by 4PM, and police person starts asking everyone to leave the beach after 4PM.. but what we saw is most of them are in the beach until 6PM.. Nobody is listing to them. People staying in resort can visit the beach during the night as well, there are 2 entries from the beach and its an advantage. Sunset: Resort Pics: Day-3 Sunrise : Started around 9AM from Suryalanka to HYD via Guntur-Sattenapalli road connecting 167A highway and it took us 8+ hours, with 3 breaks. As we are not in a rush to reach HYD so we were travelling at a speed of 60KMPH and the road condition is excellent until hyd from Piduguralla. Total Journey was a pleasant one and that too after a year and that too Post covid lockdown and a much needed one. Thank you to all the Forum members as well for their roadtrip's, from which I have took some tips and did this trip

Here's the Unique and Ultra-Luxurious Residential investment at the Heart of Financial District from the Architect WATG ( https://www.watg.com/ ), Minutes away from Apple, Amazon and Google. Note: Separate maid room for all 3500 square feet flats. Payment plan: 35%, 35%, 30%. Project Highlights Project Extent: approximately 6 acers. Towers: 3 Towers Number of units per floor: only 4 units and 5 Units per floor Number of floors: 42 Floors Approximate Flat Sizes: 2600, 3500 and 4500 Sft Floor to floor height: 3.3 meters (other projects generally has 3 meters) Current Status: Approved by HMDA and RERA Excavation Completed. Basements works commencing shortly. Price details 5200 per Sft including amenities and Parking. (We have a discounted price, which we can discuss in personal window) East / North : Rs 50 ORR facing: Rs 100 Floor rise Rs 10 per sft, per floor from 11th floor. Available floors : 15 to 22 About Project: Structure: Mivan Shear-wall Technology Amenities: 60,000 Sft Clubhouse and Two acres of Central landscape open space. On the Ground: Full of Amenities with No Vehicle movement on the ground level. Specifications: Unique and high-end specifications. Location Advantages 1) Bang on 120 feet road connecting ORR to ISB road. 3 sides road this road is further planned to be connected directly to jubilee hills via an over pass on the ORR. 2) Right in the middle of upcoming IT parks. 2 minutes walking distance to 22 acers western IT Park, Navanami, Kalyani tech park, Phoenix 26 acer SEZ. 3) Couple of minutes drive from Amazon, Apple, upcoming Google campus and waverock. 4) Walkable to as many as 10 IT parks. 5) Highest rental yield is expected. 6) Walking distance to cities must schools like Future Kids, SriRam Universal, Keystone International, couple of minutes driving distance to Gaudium and Oakridge. 7) Easy Access to ORR, Metro, ISB Junction and Nankaramguda Junction. For more details contact : 91-6304660016 For Pricing and more details Please click below. https://wa.me/+916304660016?text=I'm interested inLuxurious Apartments Location: https://goo.gl/maps/84YD7VU43KfgWvENA For site Video :

Yes the builder prices are too high.. currently multiple landlord share villas are available in the market.. at much better price. try reaching out i happened to talk to a landlord share villa at 10k but worried about the delivery dates by vertex... so invested with Ankura Landlord share.

Hi, Could you please share some pictures of the tiger spotting in Tadoba ?

I would recommend you to do a Chirala drive if you are planning to stay by the beach. It is the closest beach to Hyderabad. If you could extend a little more, I would recommend Gandikota for you. The camping in that area would give you best views.

Night Safari is available for general public or only for the people staying in resorts?

Don't miss the night safari, Kolara core and Madnapur buffer. Madnapur buffer > Kolara core > Phalasgaon night is the order. Madnapur buffer never disappointed me. Junabhai with its first litter of 4 cubs during my visit and now its second litter, a female.

This venture from My home falls pretty close to the railway track.. On the opposite side of their gated community apartments is My Home Ankura which is a gated community Villas. The current quoting price of MyHome Tridasa is between 5,600 to 5,800 per sft. (Registration and Amenities are extra)

Project name : Sukruthi Heights Builder company/name : KPR Infra Developers pvr ltd Project Status: Under construction Project price(per sq.yd) : 7,500 Project location: Alair

Thank you akka ❤

There are multiple routes to reach Chennai from Hyderabad, considering the most opted, fastest and shortest route to be Hyderabad - Nalgonda - Piduguralla - Addanki (NAM Expressway) - Medarametla - Ongole - Nellore - Gudur - Chennai Below are few options Narketpalli - Addanki - Medarametla, NAM Expressway TG stretch Organic Village near Choutuppal N Grill resto near Chityala Hotel Vivera near Narketpally NAM Expressway AP stretch Prashanthi Dhaba, Piduguralla Sitara Hotel, Piduguralla NH5 stretch Rush cafe coffee shop (as soon as NAM merges in to NH5) for a quick coffee break Tanguturu Toll food plaza Blue Moon Dhaba, Beside Toll Gate, Musunuru, Kavali Nellore town if you can deviate from the highway a bit (~15-20kms) Palle Ruchulu after crossing Nellore for breakfast Amaravathi Highway Restaurant, Gudur

Did the car roll down from all the way , in the 8th picture? That's too high and steep.

Hi sse, i am unable to DM you. Just had a question as part of pre-launch there are offering only 1 car parking for 3 bedroom apartment? is that true? Can you confirm? Where can i check for plans?

Sahiti we cannot trust anymore.. unless they come up with strong collaterals.. this land is yet to be registered and based on the last track record of Sahiti all the projects are not moving forward.. and they dropped multiple projects in middle recently ex: ameenpur, rolling hills etc. I feel EIPC, Subishi, PVR, Eden, Courtyard and upcoming EVK (with collaterals) are good options to invest..

I’m not sure about the GST additional charges but, there is surely a margin for negotiation.. I have know people who bought plots around Kothur for a price around 12k to 13k as well.. It purely depends on the site location. Ventures laid on the highway charge more by 2k per sqyd compared to the layouts in the interiors.. Are the roads and plantations inside the layout finished?

@LoneRangerThe cottages which are in the front line are very good compared to that of the AC standard rooms. But the prices are at the higher end. Is it worth 2400+taxes ? means, for beach view and just the few steps away to beach I think we can go for it and its the only staying option at beach Rooms are good(with a little bit wear and tear from outside)and Washrooms are average. A/C Standard Room pics:

I would probably say it is a miss, coz we also didn't find the hotel for sometime🤣🤣. Atlast we caught it.

First post, nailed it 🔥 Beautiful pictures and excellent journey mood.

I was searching for places which provide unlimited food and drinks for small gatherings (under 10). For large gatherings we can get customised deals, but I am looking for places which has such facilities by default.

Amazing travel blog and beautiful pictures.

Sharing some information received from a friend. Nirvana Vilas at gandimaisamma 36 Acrs 500 VILLAS pre launch offer 25th September (i.e, *95 lakh* ) General booking from 26th September(i.e, *1.30 crore*) Location: Gandi maisamma x Roads 200yds-2300 sft 250yds-2875 sft 300 yds-3450 sft

Beautiful travel log. Planning this drive soon. Information provided surely helps a lot 👍.

Shares the details of Villas for sale in Hyderabad

Is the price same (14k) irrespective of number of people? or does that change based on how many people we are in a group? Best Coke eh? I see something else, an Old Monk waiting