Category: National Parks

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Adventure Himalayas Inspiration National Parks North India Treks

Hemkund Sahib, The Highest Sikh Pilgrimage in Uttarakhand

Located amidst the pristine valleys of the beautiful Indian state of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, the Hemkund Sahib area, also known as Gurudwara Shri Hemkunt Sahib, is one of the prime locations for the tourists to visit. The gurudwara is dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who happens to known as one of the ten Sikh Gurus. It is the highest and the greatest Gurudwara of the Sikh community, located right on the shores of the prestigious lake.

The weather changes quite rapidly at the place and almost every season is great to have a trip to the place. The highlights of the place are its waterfalls, deep forests, the crystal clear and an amazing view of the Himalayas. Any time a year is perfect to have a visit to the place but the season from June to October is generally considered the perfect one to do so.

How to reach?

The nearest railway station is the Rishikesh railway station which is situated 273 km before Govindghat on NH8. Taxis and buses can be availed from Rishikesh to Govindghat. Jolly Grand Airport happens to be the nearest airport to Hemkund Sahib but the roads are only connected up to Govindghat from where you will have to begin the trek.

Govindghat is the starting point of the trek to Hemkund Sahib and it well connected by motorable roads. The trek from Govindghat to Ghangharia is a steep one and covers 13 km. The remaining 6 km route is the steepest and can be the toughest one to travel.

After having a visit to the beautiful lake and the Gurudwara, you may feel the need to explore some places nearby.

Places to see

Ghangaria- On the long trek to Shri Hemkund Sahib, Ghangaria is the last stop where the traces of civilization exist. Located at an altitude of about 3000 meters above the sea level, Ghangaria is a beautiful place for sightseeing and for taking a few hours rest before you continue the journey to Hemkund Sahib. The trek up to this point is the toughest one. The region remains open from May to October and closed afterward due to the heavy snowfall that keeps occurring in here.

Valley of Flowers- Valley of flowers is a beautiful paradise situated at a 4 kms trek from Ghangaria. Also a reputed world heritage site, the valley of flowers is a must visit place on your way and purely a botanist’s delight. The entire valley is a valley of rare flowers and generally a rug of colors – green, yellow, red, blue etc. The entry ticket to the valley is 150 INR per person (for Indians) and 600 INR per person (for foreigners) and valid for 3 days entry. Whereas still cameras and movie/video cameras are free to carry, charges apply for professional video camera charges, that is 500 INR for Indians and 1500 INR for foreign nationals. The opening time of the valley is 6 am.

Please note that one should not litter anywhere in the valley and it is advisable to

carry some food from Ghangaria as you won’t get anything to eat up there.

Food served

A simple meal, comprising of Khichdi(rice dish) and tea is served here to all the pilgrimage, as a part of the langar. In case if you do not want to opt for this it is highly advisable to carry your own food and eatables as you will not find any restaurants there.

No visitor is allowed to stay overnight at gurudwara except the caretakers of the place, hence one needs to come back to Ghangaria for a night stay.

Places to stay at Ghangaria

A few options for a good and comfortable stay are Hotel Deepak Lodge, Valley of Flowers Holiday Home, Hotel Kuber Annex, Sarovar Portico Badrinath and Hotel Narayan Palace.

Hemkund other than a beautiful valley full of amazing landscapes and breathtaking visuals also happens to be a sacred place for the Sikhs, especially from northern India. The virgin beauty of the place is indeed reminiscent of the beautiful country we are living in.

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Central India National Parks Rejuvenate

Tryst with Satpura Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Situated right in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, Satpura National Park was set up in the year 1981. It is considered to be one of the most bio-diverse heritages of the country with a variety of animals living in an area spread across 1,427 km2. The name of the national park ‘Satpura’ has been derived from Sanskrit, which means seven-hills. It is an integral part of Pachmarhi   Biosphere. This is an ideal place for all wildlife lovers who wish to spend the moments of their life in the lap of the peaceful nature.

Flora

The Park is the highly dense forest in the heart of Madhya Pradesh. Sai and Teak species are commonly found. The forest can be divided into three important categories: Moist deciduous, dry decidous, and central Indian Hub Tropical hill

Fauna

Satpura National Park is the most populated wildlife forest in the country with more than 50 species of mammals, 254 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles, and 50 species of butterflies among others. Some of the animals that can be spotted in the national park are Spotted Dear, Indian Bison, Tigers, Leopards, Wild dog locally called Dholes, Wild boar, Sloth bear, Black buck, Porcupine, Sambhar, Smooth otter, Pangolin, Marsh crocodile, languars, four horned antelopes, etc.

The Indian Giant squirrel spotted here is a special feature of Satpura National Park as sights of this squirrel are rare in India now. A glimpse of leopards, gaurs, wild dog, sloth Bear is good in comparison to other national parks of Central India. Also, the park is an important sight for one of the best bird watching experiences.

Places to Visit

Satpura Tiger Reserve

Satpura Tiger Reserve is recognized as one of the most precious gems of the state Madhya Pradesh,  which encompasses Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Satpura National Park and Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary. This tiger reserve is unique for a variety of experiences it offers to its beholders. Boat Safari, Elephant Safari, and Jeep Safari are some of the most popular fun adventures of the place.

Asirgarh Fort

Regarded as the key to Deccan, one of the best attractions in Satpura National Park is Asirgarh Fort that holds a significant history of Mughal Empire. The architecture of the fort is inspired Persian and Mughal Empires.

Nandigarh Pahar

Nandigarh Pahar is situated in Pachmarhi, which is one of the main entrances to Satpura National Park. With a variety of adventure activities, this is the best destination for you and your family member to spend some quality time together.

Things to Do

Elephant Safari

One of the best ways to explore the beauty of Satpura National Park is by taking an Elephant Safari. If you are here in Satpura National Park then you should not miss it at any cost.

Jeep Safari

Jeep Safari is another good option for those who want to explore the landscapes of Satpura National Park. Information given by your tourist guides will make your journey even more exciting.

Best Places to Eat

Satpura National Park is in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, which is often described as the hub of some of the most exotic cuisine in the world. Some of the best places to eat near Satpura National Park are:

Dine Inn, Pachmarhi

This is one of the finest places to eat near Satpura National Park. It is situated in Pachmarhi, which is one of the key entrances to Satpura National Park. Dine Inn serves Chinese and Indian cuisine at an affordable price.

Hotel Maharaja, Pachmarhi

Another best place to eat near Satpura National Park is Hotel Maharaja in Pachmarhi. It serves authentic Indian cuisine.

Shri Vrindavan Palace, Hoshangabad

This restaurant is situated in Hoshangabad. It serves authentic Indian vegetarian food at a very reasonable price. The ambiance is very relaxing.

Places to Stay

Woodland Hotel, Pachmarhi, Welcome Heritage Golf View and Satpura Retreat are some of the options to stay, while you are here. If you are looking for luxury then, Forsyth Lodge is a good property to experience.

How to Reach

The nearest airport to reach Satpura National Park is Bhopal airport, which is just 200 km away from here.

The nearest Railway station to reach Satpura National Park is Pipariya, Itarsi, Sohagpur, and Hoshangabad. Satpura National Park has three entrances. First one is from Pachmarhi, second from Madhai, and the third one from Tawa Resort  located in Tawa Dam.

Satpura National Park can also be reached by road from Bhopal (170kms) and Jabalpur (250kms) cities.

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Adventure Ghoomophiro Blog Himalayas National Parks Relax Travel Trends Treks wildlife

Tranquility in the lap of Nature- Great Himalayan National Park

If you are looking for a surreal getaway from Delhi at a distance of overnight travel, then Himalayan National Park is a must for you. Bus from Kullu to Aute can take you inside, from where locals can guide you to the way toGoshani or Nagini, small villages in Kullu. It is from these villages, one can get into the park with the help of porters either by hiking or car can leave you at the entrance gate. Inside the park there are various hiking trails. Neuli- Sarangarh loop, Neuli- Sainj valley, Sainj- Tirthan valley, Gushaini-Tinder village, Gushaini- Shilt Hut, Neuli-Manu temple, Siund- Pashi villages, Jiwa Nala- Parvati River valley, Gushaini- Tirthan valley and Shamshi- Kaza are some of the popular ones. We took Gushaini to Tirthan. The place is bounded by lush green forests, waterfalls, and indeed make it one of the scenic places. Thankfully, modernization has not yet reached this part of the Kullu and hence place continues to brim its beauty. Park is part of world UNESCO Site. It is the home for several endangered flora & fauna and is bird watcher’s paradise.Let this photo essay drive inspire you for your next trip to Great Himalayan National Park.

Beautiful Tirthan valley & river, which is famous for trout fishing

Several locals, shepherds can be seen inside the park with their cattle.

Entry Gate to the park. There is a small entry fee, which is been taken by the forest department. Do carry your photo ID, while you enter the park.

This is what you can expect inside this beautiful jungle. The lovely camaraderie of waterfalls, trees, and birds perching. Perfect place to find your solitude and unwind yourself.

Camping in the midst of Jungle, in itself gives you goosebumps, as you set your camp beside the flowing river, and want to get lost in the wilderness.

The place is totally unchartered and your solidarity can surely resonate with the mesmerizing and unprecedented beauty of the jungles and you would not mind coming here, whenever you are looking an escape from maddening cities.

Best time to go here is summers, though the park is opened throughout the year, but summers attract a lot of trekkers to the park.

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Central India Ghoomophiro Blog Hotel Reviews National Parks Relax Staycation

Getting Lost in wilderness of Pashangarh Taj Safaris.

Pashangarh wilderness lodge is located in Pashan Garh, adjacent to the Panna National Park and is a beautiful rugged property of Taj Safaris. . It is mere 50 km from Khajuraho, a famous World Heritage Site along the river Ken. It comprises of 12 cottages of stone cottage( as Pashan means stone)

The lobby celebrates Haveli design, with a spacious central courtyard. The interiors are contemporary mix of chocolate linens, block-printed black silks, celadon cottons and cotton lace chandeliers.

All suites have private veranda machaans, luxurious bathrooms with huge central showers, seperate wc, twin hand basins.  The overall design is stony and rough, with white marble, leather, ebony and chocolate highlights. Highlight is, there are no TVs in the property. When asked, I was told, we want people enjoy the beauty rather than getting indulged in TV. The interiors make for a bold statement in luxury and stone walls reduce to buttresses at the corner where two squares intersect, leaving behind glass, jaali latisse, mosquitoes screens and sliding doors. Every small item is room is well crafted and thought through. Staff is very courteous and available for the guests.

Dining

Dining in Pashan Garh is an experience in itself, not only with the vividity of menu but also in the presentation. Dining experience is also the highlight of the place. Lunch was served to us in the nearby rural settings in bitten silver cutlery. However, poolside lunch is also available. Care is taken for each and every guest separately to make sure, they have Wow experience.

What I enjoyed most was the lakeside bullock cart dinner, which not only gave us privacy but also complete freedom to gaze the stars as we had our dinner. Other option available is dinners on the deck. The presentation of breakfast next morning added to our experience.

Highly recommended property if you are traveling to Khajuraho,  if you plan to get lost in the wilderness for few days.

 

 

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Adventure Central India Ghoomophiro Blog Hotel Reviews National Parks Relax Staycation Travel Trends wildlife

Forsyth Lodge- Experiential Lodge to get lost in Satpura Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

Forsyth Lodge, is a 2 hrs drive from Bhopal airport. It is just 10 min away from Madhai gate of Satpura tiger reserve, Madhya Pradesh.

Accommodation: There are 12 luxury cottages overlooking 44acres of land. Each cottage is well spacious, well maintained with best of fixtures. Rooms are comforting; with few of them have machan terraces. As you enter the room, you are welcomed by a beautiful message that talks about wilderness. Interiors are very artistic and remind you “welcome to jungle”. Their walls are made from packed straw, mud and cow dung (as is the local building style) and painted with wild animals and flowers, giving them a whimsical touch. Cottages have private balconies, wherein you can sip your morning coffee, read your favorite book overlooking the great jungle. Air conditioning, Fan, Mosquito net, Extra beds Terrace Bathrobes, Toiletries , Hairdryer etc are available. The highlight of the cottages are their Eco-friendliness. Every small thing kept there is well thought. Everything here is recycled, even the fixtures in washroom are such that, water can be recycled. Basic amenities like swimming pool, spa is available.


Meals: Meals (included in the room rate) are served in various locations around the lodge. Under trees, by the pool, on sofa’d torchlit terraces or in dining rooms. There are Western and Indian offerings at each meal with detailed menu laid out.
Breakfast was equally delicious and plentiful: fruit and fresh-pressed pomegranate juice, followed by eggs cooked to order, grilled tomato, bacon, mushroom ragout and multigrain toast. Out on an early safari? Then it’s a packed breakfast in the middle of the tiger reserve for you.
Afternoon tea, with its fresh-baked cookies and cakes, is nice, but it’s dinner when Forsyth pulls out all the stops: cocktails and nibbles around a roaring bonfire, followed by dinner under the stars, either on a terrace in the main lodge or out in the bush with oil lamps hung from the trees (the bar was set up on a bullock cart!). You start with a soup and then move on to succulent meat curries and fragrant vegetarian dishes served with Indian bread.
#theForsythExperience – Yes, this is what one would call #theForsythExperience, when you are greeted by wonderful hosts Rishi and his team, who work reluctantly to ensure the best experience for each guest, by their constant efforts. It seems these guys are on a mission to bring you close to wildlife. There are multiple activities, which team involves you in. The itinerary planned is power packed, and the day starts with the wake-up call at 6 AM, to go for a walk inside the Satpura Tiger Reserve. These jungle walks are accompanied by great naturalists David Raju and Surya, who let you discover the vast array of species inside the jungle. The highlight of this walk is spotted dears and breakfast in the midst of the jungle. Other excursions being organized by lodge includes Canoeing, wherein you can watch birds involved in soaking in sunlight, as you paddle the canoe nearest to them and watch the sunrise in beautiful Deneva river. One can also enjoy Jeep safari and enjoy the drive with sloth bears, spotted deer, gaurs, bisons and other wild animals in their natural surroundings. I was lucky to get hold of the mother bear with her two cubs in action. The place is a paradise for the bird watcher. Evenings are made beautiful with bonfires and bullock cart dinner experience, where you can enjoy your dinner under the sky in amazingly romantic ambiance. This dinner is usually followed by star gazing, where you are taken to the stories of greeks and Romans. 2 days are little short to complete the experience as there is a lot more to explore with eminent naturalists. Btw, not to miss is the handsome dog there, who is just adorable. It is indeed a recommended place, if you are looking for a getaway away from the city with limited access to the network, and want to get lost in the wilderness. It is the place, from where you would surely not like to come back. It is indeed bewitching and at times gives you the feeling that whole property belongs to you.


P.S-> During Monsoons, Lodge is closed for renovations.
Thank you Forsyth Lodge for the amazing experience. You can reach out to them at Facebook,Instagram,twitter.

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Adventure National Parks Rejoice wildlife

Relax in Aravali hills while sighting Indian tigers- Ranthambhore

About the Place: Ranthambhore is one of the largest national parks in northern India, covering an area of 392 km². It is situated in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan.

Must See places:

Forests: The Park terrain alternates between dry deciduous forests and open grassy meadow. The flora of the park includes 539 species of flowering plants.
Safari Rides: Rides are carried out at 6:30 and 14:30. Each ride lasts for about three hours. There are two options of vehicles for the safari: 20 seater open top cantor or 6 seaters open top gypsy. Each ride costs around Rs700-800 per person. The core park area has been divided into several zones and the safari vehicles go to one of those zones. There are many resorts to stay in on the way from Sawai Madhopur to the national park.

Ranthambore Fort: The majestic fort, built in the 10th century, towers over the entire park area. It stands 700 feet above the surrounding plain. Inside the fort, there are three red Karauli stone temples devoted to Ganesh, Shiva and Ramlalaji. There is a Digamber Jain temple of Lord Sumatinath (5th Jain Tirthankar) and Lord Sambhavanath. The temples were constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Padam Talao: This is the largest of the many lakes located in the park. A red sandstone Jogi Mahal can be found at the edge of the lake. A gigantic banyan tree, considered to be India’s second largest, is also near the lake Good

 Time to Travel Ranthambore wildlife sanctuary is known for its tigers and is one of the best places in India to see these animals in their natural jungle habitat. Tigers can be easily spotted even in the daytime. The best times for tiger sightings at Ranthambore National Park are in November and May.

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