Hyderabad to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Resreve

[SK01]

A day to be remembered forever, 2016 is the year that I have joined in this beautiful group since then Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve was always on my bucket list. many attempts planned since then and nearly after two years, I got the chance to go.

 

I don't want to stress more on the routes and other details as there are enough threads regarding the same. rather I would like to share my favourite photos that I have shot in my three days stay and safari at Pangdi and Madnapur gate. never the less I will share with you people some necessary information like stay, safari details, gates, and some knowledge of wildlife that I have gained. 

 

Started at 6:00 in the morning from Kompally and reached by 3:00 in the afternoon. remember that no one can help you with the routes. it's always better to contact someone at the resort and ask them to guide you in person. except for Jio, no other sim card is going to work. I stayed at Mahua Tola Resorts, I can say that it is the best in the place. a  bit on the higher side, yet friendly staff, manager and good food. we were the only family the three days and never we felt insecure. Manager Shukla is a very nice person, he will come with us to the Safari and make it a very memorable and enjoyable one. 

 

Coming to the safari, it's always good to ask the resort people to book. because at the gate I have seen few facing some problems. if it's the resort people, its hassle free. this is personal opinion though. 

 

As people say, it's not so easy to spot a tiger. a tiger spotting depends on our luck. a tiger mainly sits just beside or few meters away from us inside the forest, yet not visible most of the time. it's just because of the bamboo trees. Tadoba is full of bamboo trees and that makes it very difficult to spot one even if it near us. you will be tempted by the pugmarks, but not always you'll see a tiger. I was really lucky to spot Tigress Junabai with her cubs on my last day safari with the resort manager Shukla at Madhapur gate. Ultimate sightings I can say. It is my father who spotted her while she was resting under a tree shade few meters away from us covered with bamboo trees. 

 

I'm not a pro, yet telling my experience with the camera focusing modes and how I got a perfect focus mode settings by experimenting and with the knowledge I have on focus modes which I have learnt studying few books, articles and discussing it in our WhatsApp group. 

 

The device, Sony Alpha A6000 with 55-210mm zoom lens. manual mode, shutter speed around 1/500 and above, ISO range 4000 (thanks to my cameras high ISO range ie, 25600), Aperture F:6.3

 

Focus Mode: Auto, Focus Area: Wide, Metering Mode: Multi

 

This was the mode that I have shot at first only to get the defocused face of a tiger. Thought "this is over, I'm not going to get any more beautiful photos". thought of the focusing modes and settings I have learnt before and adjusted it again to try my luck. 

 

Focus Mode: Auto, Focus Area: Centre, Metering Mode: Spot

 

And then I got some amazing pictures. 

 

Used Auto Focus Continues while the subject was moving and I can say that this is the camera for super fast autofocus. never missed a detail while shooting with this in AF-C mode. 

You can check out the langur monkey and male spotted deer jumping. shot in AF-C mode with shutter sped around 1/1000 or above. couldn't get a zoomed one because of the lens. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by Krish
Typo and grammer errors.

[shiva]

Nice pictures man.

Sadly we did spot any tigers during our visit.

 

We are planning to visit again.

Can you please share more details on resort price?

[SK01]

Resort name: V Resorts Mahua Tola

Price per day: 9000INR INC one extra bed for a standard cottage which looks like a mini-suite cottage. 1500 INR is the extra bed charges I guess. Advance payment required which is 50% of the total. 

The resort is located deep inside the forest where the network connection is also not available unless it's a Jio. but that should not be a problem as the resort manager lends his phone whenever you want. the rooms quality, service, neatness to the food everything is amazing. the main attraction is how they receive you everytime you come in from safari and when you first enter and then the food. perfect for families. the manager Shukla is a very nice person, special mention itself suggests his nature and behaviour towards families. he will be with you for the safaris maximum. No, google maps gonna help you there, however, the manager will send a boy who will guide you in. take a Jio sim when you go. the best advice as a person who almost drained down his phone battery got frustrated with Airtel network and stuck in the whole different world searching for another private car in a place where the locals don't even understand what we are speaking even if its Hindi. 

[varunc]

Fantastic pictures man.
Thank you for sharing the Hotel details. 
 

22 hours ago, Krish said:

Started at 6:00 in the morning from Kompally and reached by 3:00 in the afternoon.

How is the overall road condition. ?

 

Lucky to spot a tiger!
How many safaris did you go? 
Did you book in advance or resort guy helped? 

[Gowtham]

22 hours ago, Krish said:

A day to be remembered forever, 2016 is the year

Fantastic pictures ?
Featuring it on the home page.
Thank you for sharing.

[karthik]

Lucky you.

My Tadoba drive was disaster.

Not even a single animal spotted apart from a lone deer.

Pictures are looking good.

 

[SK01]

On 6/4/2018 at 10:30 AM, varunc said:

Fantastic pictures man.
Thank you for sharing the Hotel details. 
 

How is the overall road condition. ?

 

Lucky to spot a tiger!
How many safaris did you go? 
Did you book in advance or resort guy helped? 

 

The overall road condition is excellent-good-average-worst(in case of  a sedan) 

as we all know the road condition is excellent throughout Telangana, roads became bit tiring and boring immediately after crossing Yavatmal district. from Chemur the roads are a bit bad for a sedan, however, you may not face problems with your EcoSport.

 

yes, I am very lucky to spot a tiger. it took 2 years for me to convince my dad? the only thing made it easy to convince is the tiger spottings which became almost impossible because of the weather and other factors. luckily the last day my father spotted a tiger, for almost half an hour we stopped seeing her. it's really a very big one it seems. that to seeing a tiger for such a long time eth her three cubs during that weather. we did three safaris planned only two though. first one in the morning at Pangdi gate where I have spotted every beautiful animal except Tiger, the second one at Madhapur the same day evening which cost us 2k extra because of Tatkal booking yet failed to spot a tiger. the third and final at Madnapur in the morning only to spot a tigress. 

 

We booked two safaris as said in advance through the resort guy. the second evening one was also booked by the resort guy. they charge some service fee but I think that is fine because of hassle-free. 

It will be really irritating to come across someone saying that there is some problem in the booking when we freshly enter to the safari gate with full of energy. 

 

 

23 hours ago, Ranger said:

Fantastic pictures ?
Featuring it on the home page.
Thank you for sharing.

 

Thanks a lot for featuring it. a dream come true?

 

22 hours ago, karthik said:

Lucky you.

My Tadoba drive was disaster.

Not even a single animal spotted apart from a lone deer.

Pictures are looking good.

 

1

Thank you.

at what season and gate did you plan?

 

[sagar]

Beautiful pictures @Krish, nicely written. Have you taken any pictures of the accommodation or the resort you have stayed in.. If so, please do share them.

[SK01]

2 hours ago, sagar said:

Beautiful pictures @Krish, nicely written. Have you taken any pictures of the accommodation or the resort you have stayed in.. If so, please do share them.

Thank You. Couldn't take many pictures of the resort. I regret that.  however, I'll share few cottage pictures that I have clicked. I'll also attach a small video on my trip where I have covered few bits of the resort, the serene sounds of nature. 

[SK01]

the below-attached picture is that storeroom and besides that few meters away is the lake, though not visible in the picture. Not sure if its a man-made or natural, inside or outside the resort premises. the only thing sure is, the tiger comes there and is very close to the resort. Sunrise, a tiger in the waterbody and the golden water waves... a wildlife photographers dream.  I still regret missing the opportunity. 

 

[sagar]

@Krish The stay looks quite good but I feel it's way too expensive for what it is. :O Even a stay amidst the forest region in Madagascar costs less than this I suppose :O

[SK01]

1 hour ago, sagar said:

@Krish The stay looks quite good but I feel it's way too expensive for what it is. ? Even a stay amidst the forest region in Madagascar costs less than this I suppose ?

Hahaha...

Quite expensive yet worth it. 9k including one extra bed, one morning safaris, unlimited food and transportation till the gate. One safari we paid extra. Madnapur evening safari. 

[Gowtham]

37 minutes ago, Krish said:

Quite expensive yet worth it. 9k including one extra bed, one morning safaris, unlimited food and transportation till the gate. One safari we paid extra. Madnapur evening safari. 

So they handle safari bookings?
Is it possible to book a safari in the last minute? or advance bookings needed?

[SK01]

@Ranger last minute bookings depends upon the availablity and the gates. We could get a safari ticket for evening at Madnapur where as Pangdi was full as well as other gates. We got the tickets before 2hrs. You can contact the resort manager. I will forward his number through WhatsApp if you want. I guess you'll maximum get the tickets at any gate.