Good Wildlife Travel Guide to India & Nepal 2015
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Tiger Friendly Travel Ever harboured the idea of seeing an elusive tiger in the wild? Now’s your chance to get it right
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Background image: C Kay Tiwari Images in Guide: With thanks to Aditya Singh and Kim Sullivan
ive into the Good Wildlife Travel Guide now – and help ensure your next wildlife holiday is tiger friendly. Published by the travel action campaign, TOFTigers, this colourful free guide includes a map and descriptions of nineteen national parks and concise details and contacts of over 80 of the world’s best known tour operators to the Indian subcontinent and 43 of India’s best ground agents ready to help plan your holiday.
Furthermore it includes pictures and write-ups of 60 of the finest lodge providers in India and Nepal’s most famous Tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries. Every company has committed to not only ensuring you a first class wildlife experience, but also ensuring your stay enhances support for tiger conservation, works with local communities around the parks, and by using our PUG Eco rating scheme, ensures
your accommodation is making every stride to ensure operational sustainability in these fragile forest areas. We’ve done the hard work – so you don’t have to. Now make your next holiday choice a chance to help save tigers and their jungles. Visit www.toftigers.org for full details.
YOUR SAFARI...MAKING TIGERS WORTH
MORE ALIVE THAN DEAD By Julian Matthews, Chairman TOFTigers
“Houston - we have a problem,” was a
famous radio message from the commander of the doomed Apollo 13 spacecraft flying around the moon in April 1970. The ironic reality is that our little blue planet, seen from their capsule’s window actually has the real problem. We now need another planet earth, in fact another half of one planet to be exact, according to WWF’s State of the Planet 2014 report published last month, to satisfy our ever consuming society. The 175 page report makes very sobering reading. In fact it’s enough to make me cry. I am now heading for my midlife crisis and it’s terrifying to read that since 1970 when those words were spoken, in less than my own age, a mere 45 years, we have managed to decrease all the world’s wildlife populations by a staggering 52%. Yes, that is over half – just in my lifetime. These creatures who have inhabited our world for millions of years eons more that homo sapiens – had as much right to live on this planet as any other species – including humankind.
The illegal trade driving a lot of this destruction is itself an enterprise economy. It’s said to be worth between US$50 and US$150 billion per year, an extraordinarily profit centric and illicit trade that is devastating our common heritage and causing death and suffering to both traded wildlife and its human victims.
SO WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? There is a potential solution. If we can’t change the capitalist system then let’s work with it. It’s simply about supply and demand – and how we can make wildlife worth far more alive than dead. There is a rapidly expanding demand for nature based tourism in India, travellers like you and I, willing to pay for living breathing wild tigers, herds of elephant and unspoilt beaches where Olive Ridley turtles can nest. It’s already growing at up to 25% per annum in India, with up to three millions people a year partaking. TOFTigers’ research in 2010 concluded that a single tiger in a well visited reserve is now worth an estimated US$750,000 per year in tourism revenues. When it
only costs a few thousand dollars a year to preserve this tiger in the wild, this huge rate of return - the ROI in economist’s jargon - is a figure no Government can possibly ignore. Moreover the global nature tourism industry is now thought to be worth close to US$100 billion a year. So we know nature tourism can create the economic value that today’s forests need to survive the politicians’ red pen. It can also halt poor agricultural practices, rapidly decrease poaching and the depletion of forest from overgrazing livestock and provide powerful economic arguments to stop exploitative industries like forestry or mining from gaining access to wild lands. Nature tourism can raise the voices of a few lonely forest guardians to a great crescendo of concerned stakeholders, turn the media spotlight and visitors’ eyeballs onto once unloved forests, get park guards out of bed every morning, and make civil servants and politicians accountable like no other force can. Importantly it is a massive behavioural change mechanism. It can turn many rural communities from wildlife
Image: c. Hemraj Meena
THERE IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION. IF WE CAN’T CHANGE THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM THEN LET’S WORK WITH IT. IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT SUPPLY AND DEMAND – AND HOW WE CAN MAKE WILDLIFE WORTH FAR MORE ALIVE THAN DEAD. antagonists to conservation advocates, create jobs and local enterprises where few existed for these marginalised farming communities, buffeted by wildlife conflict, to join the brave new modern India.
NOW WHAT’S THE CATCH? THE SUPPLY Infact there is no supply problem either. There are infact over 617 national parks and sanctuaries in India, (most travel agents could only name about eight) according to the 2013 figures of the Environment and Forest Ministry, but can you believe it, the vast majority were allocated
only US$1,600 a month to their protection. Peanuts? Yes, and you tell me if preserving a whole park full of our irreplaceable natural heritage is really only worth the monthly wage packet of a middle ranking Bangalore based IT professional? Nature tourism in India is not perfect but in many well-known parks like Ranthambhore in Rajasthan, and Bandhavgarh and Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, visitors’ park fees are already doubling or tripling the budgets that park managers have to protect the park and support their neighbouring communities. It’s still far too few parks and it’s still too unevenly spread – but it shows us the power of tourism to transform landscape tiger. Many lodge providers still need major improvements to their environmental sustainability, far better land use and tourism planning is required by Government and planners, more constructive partnerships with Forest officers is essential, and a fairer distribution of the opportunities and job benefits to bordering park communities, but it still works.
Nature tourism is, nevertheless, already providing the much needed bonding - the very glue that makes long term forest conservation possible and economically viable. This against a deafening crescendo of calls for nature’s destruction, to be replaced by concrete development, fences, farms and dams. Research today shows that over 75% of all visitors want more responsible holidays and 93% of nature travellers say travel companies should be committed to preserving natural heritage, so we now do have both better supply and ongoing demand. Yes, tigers cannot survive without their protection staff, good management and large enough natural landscapes, but they will not thrive and expand without nature tourism’s invaluable economics, its visitors’ ‘hearts on their sleeve’ consciences, and communities willing to fight for living wildlife, because it’s worth more to them alive than dead. For more information on travelling to India and Nepal on your next wildlife safari, visit www.toftigers.org or contact the four companies listed here.
Tiger Resorts “The Health of the tiger is the hope of our environment and the complete nation should unite to ensure that the spirit of the Indian jungle is preserved. The tiger, at the apex of the biological pyramid of the eco system, helps maintain a balance in nature. It is also pertinent to remember that mankind has no right to create a slot - far less of as important a species as the tiger, in the natural system.� Kailash Sankhala The Jungle Lodges were the creation and vision of the late Mr. Pradeep Sankhala, who planned and built the Jungle Lodges and personally handled them for over 15 years. Being a professional tour operator, he saw to each and every need of the traveller. An active member of Professional associations, he lectured on Wildlife conservation and tourism at Universities, colleges, schools and associations and clubs around the world. Pradeep was a well respected conservationist and was the chairman of Tiger Trust in India. As our commitment to Nature conservation and subscribing to the principals of Eco-tourism we at all the above three companies fully support and contribute towards the activities of Tiger Trust from the receipts and contributions of our esteemed travelers. We participate fully in Nature conservation activities and house the two field stations called Kailash Sankhala Conservation Centers at our Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge and Kanha Jungle Lodge. This is our effort to save the Tiger and his Natural Habitat.
CONTACT DETAILS W tiger-resorts.com T +(91)-(11)-2685 3760/8656 E tigerresorts@tigersindia.com
Steppes Travel have been creating exciting and innovative journeys to view wildlife for over 25 years. Trek for Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, come eye to eye with an Aye Aye in Madagascar or a Polar bear in the Arctic, get up close to endemic species in the Galapagos or swim with Whale Sharks in the Philippines.Viewing wildlife in its natural habitat is a privilege. We are passionate about giving you the most incredible experiences that are not only memorable but also benefit wildlife conservation. We have been contributing to TOFTigers through our India tiger tours since its inception and have expanded our Indian wildlife journeys to include Snow Leopards in Ladakh, Rhino in Kaziranga and wild Elephants in Nagarhole. New for 2015 is our exclusive Flying Safari in Central India.
India: Flying Safari in the Land of Tigers with Kartikeya Chauhan Steppes Travel have chartered a Cessna Grand Caravan so that you can now fly between Bandhavgarh and Kanha, giving maximum time on safari and minimal time in transit. Escorted by expert naturalist Kartikeya Chauhan, the emphasis will be on unrushed game drives in search of tiger and other wildlife. We can also arrange a full day’s permit allowing for unrestricted access to tiger hot spots when the park’s other vehicles have all returned to their lodges. 5–8 April & 8–17 April 2015 10 days from £3,995 pp including flights *flights available on request
CONTACT DETAILS W steppestravel.com T 0843 781 6050 E enquiry@steppestravel.com
On The Go Tours
India is home to some of the finest national parks on the planet and with On The Go Tours, specialists in India, travellers can visit a number of tiger parks including Ranthambhore, Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh for unique tiger tracking opportunities. Travelling as part of an organised group or on a private tailor-made holiday you can combine wildlife viewing with other key attractions in India including the popular Golden Triangle. On The Go Tours are privately owned and are proud members of TOFTigers,
pledging a contribution for each traveller that books a wildlife tour in India with us. The Travel Operators for Tigers campaign is aimed at those within the nature travel industry and all visitors to India’s wildlife parks, advocating and supporting a more responsible use of national parks and tiger reserves in order to save the forests of India and its tigers. For a truly unique wildlife spotting opportunity why not consider Kaziranga which is home to the rare onehorned Indian rhino, or Leh and Ladakh where you could
catch sight of the extremely rare snow leopard! Backing onto the forest-covered slopes of the Himalayan foothills is Corbett National Park, one of India’s finest and best known for its rich and varied wildlife including tiger, Asian elephant, species of deer, leopard, langur, wild boar and birdlife. We also offer wildlife tours in Sri Lanka, China, East and Southern Africa. CONTACT DETAILS W onthegotours.com T 0207 371 1113 E info@onthegotours.com
Indus Experiences was established in 1995 as a specialist tailor-made Tour Operator to India. Over the years, our portfolio of destinations grew to now cover India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives,Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand & Burma. Our success comes from our passion for all our destinations and our consultant’s personal in-depth knowledge of the destinations that we operate. This empowers us to compile more varied itineraries, including sights both on and off the beaten track, offering a more diverse and complete holiday experience. We have been voted as the ‘Best Small Holiday Company to Southern
Asia’ at the British Travel Awards in 2013 and the ‘Best Specialist destination operator for 2 years running by the Elite Travel Group. As active members of TOFTigers for a number of years, we donate £5 per person per park to TOFTigers for each of our clients visiting the National Parks in India for Tiger viewing. Through Tiger Nation, we have sponsored and named a tiger - Kanvar, in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Our Tiger Trail tour offers the opportunity to visit several nature reserves in India, including tiger reserves which are the perfect places to see these majestic
creatures in their natural habitat. India is rich in animal and bird life, and this 14 day tour gives you the chance to encounter a huge variety of species on one trip, through game drives and safaris which are accompanied by an English speaking wildlife expert. Tiger Trails tour costs from £2,300.00 per person. ATOL Protected.
CONTACT DETAILS W indusexperiences.co.uk T 020 8901 7320 E holidays@indusexperiences.co.uk
Background image: C. Aditya Dhanwatey
www.toftigers.org