TADOBA NATIONAL PARK – A QUICK WILDLIFE SAFARI GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

If you had just one shot at a tiger sighting, Tadoba National Park would be your best bet! Tiger numbers have grown here, thanks to abundant prey, ample water and sustained conservation efforts. Furthermore, the frequent sightings have enabled wildlife enthusiasts to follow and document multiple tiger dynasties!

Apart from these charismatic felines, Tadoba’s dense woodlands, comprising of beautiful teak trees, thick bamboo vegetations and serene lakes are home to a wide array of wildlife species. Because of its proximity to Nagpur, it is also one of the most easily accessible forests. Altogether, Tadoba – Maharashtra’s oldest and largest National Park is an alluring and popular wildlife destination.

1. WHERE EXACTLY IS TADOBA NATIONAL PARK AND HOW DO WE GET THERE?

Tadoba lies in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. The forest gets its name after a revered local village chieftain called Taru. Legend says, Taru fiercely batted a wild tiger but died. But, other accounts claim that it was Taru that slayed the tiger.

Tadoba National Park is very well connected by air, rail and road. The closest airport is at Nagpur. Direct flights to and from all major Indian cities operate daily. From Nagpur, one can easily book a cab and drive to Tadoba. Depending on the zone you want to explore, you can reach your resort in 2 to 3 hours.

By rail, you can alight at any of the following stations – Nagpur, Chandrapur or Ballarpur. And book a cab to Tadoba.

Refer to the chart in our blog: THE BEST TADOBA SAFARI GATES to gain a better understanding of the various zones. If you love road travel, refer to the table below.

City / National Park	Distance To Moharli Gate	Drive Time
Amravati	250 kms	4 hrs 45 mins
Ballarpur (Balharshah)	45 kms	1 hr 15 mins
Chandrapur	30 kms	55 mins
From Kanha National Park	400 kms	8 hrs
From Pench National Park	245 kms	4 hrs 45 mins
From Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary	130 kms	3 hrs 30 mins
Gondia	240 kms	5 hrs
Nagpur	145 kms	2 hrs 45 mins
Wardha	135 kms	2 hrs 30 mins
Yavatmal	160 kms	3 hrs 30 mins

All mentioned distances are from the respective cities or National Park to the Moharli Gate.

2. WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT TADOBA NATIONAL PARK?

The answer to this question depends on what you aim to get out of the trip. If you specifically want to sight tigers, the best time would be the summer months i.e. March to June, as they come to waterholes to escape from the extreme heat.

Mid-November to early February would be a great time to visit Tadoba if you are an avid birder. The lakes would have swelled after the monsoons and would be the best sites to witness bird behaviour.

If you enjoy wildlife photography, October, when the forest opens right after the monsoon, is always a bountiful time. The lush forest would help in making more evocative frames.

If you want to stay away from the crowd, plan a visit to Tadoba during the monsoons. July to September are off-season months, so naturally fewer vehicles enter the park.

Overall, in our opinion, October to April would be the best time to visit the Tadoba National Park.

3. WHAT ARE THE BEST ZONES IN TADOBA NATIONAL PARK?

The Tadoba National Park is divided into 3 core zones, namely Moharli Range, Tadoba North Range and Kolsa South Range. There are 6 entry gates to these core zones. They are Moharli, Khutwanda, Kolara, Navegaon, Pangdi and Zari.

Additionally, there are more than a dozen entry points to access the adjacent buffer zones. The most popular ones are Agarzari, Devada-Adegaon, Junona, Ramdegi, Madnapur, Alizanza, Sirkada and Zari-Peth.

Tadoba is one of the few Parks in India where sightings in the buffer zones at times outperform those of the core. Thanks to a healthy tiger population, several bold and charming tigers and tigresses have made buffer zones their home.

All these zones bear breeding females. They report regular tiger sightings and other animal activity. In our opinion, the best zones in Tadoba are ones most easily accessible to you.

4. FAMOUS TIGERS OF TADOBA

Tadoba became a popular tiger centric destination in the early 2010s. It owes its rise to fame thanks to a few tigers and tigresses. Some of them are Yeda Anna (Broken tail), Wagdoh (Scarface), Madhuri and Katrina.

These tigers have passed away, but their gene pool lives on through their dynasties. Several of these big cats give visitors many unforgettable spectacles. Unfortunately, we can only name some of them in this blog for the sake of brevity.

Tadoba’s story revolves around its lakes. Some of the most celebrated tigresses – Maya, Sonam and Chhoti Tara have made their homes around these reservoirs because they provide ample water, plenty of prey and suitable locations to hide their cubs.

This premier tiger reserve has also witnessed territorial combats between younger males and older alphas. When a younger male prevailed, he chased away the rival male and took over his territory and females. Eventually, the new male sired cubs of his own.

We list some of the frequently sighted tigers and tigresses at the time of the publishing of this blog. Some of the popular males are: Chhota Matka, Balram, Rudra, Yuvraj, Taru, Shambhu and Xylo. Bijlee, Roma, Jharni, Chhoti Madhu, Bhanuskindi and Babli are some of the graceful females. Watch this this travel vlog to learn more about the bloodline of these tigers!

5. WHAT ANIMALS CAN WE SIGHT ON A WILDLIFE SAFARI IN TADOBA NATIONAL PARK?

While the tiger is on top of most people’s priority list, sighting other animals such as the Leopard, Dhole, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Golden Jackal, and the Barking deer should be considered extremely precious. Tadoba is also home to two elusive black panthers that are sighted every now and then!

Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, Langurs and Wild Boars are some of the more ubiquitous animals. Birds commonly sighted are Rufous Treepies, Green Bee-Eaters, Peafowls, Junglefowls, Plum-Headed Parakeets, Spotted Owlets and several others.

Apart from the 40 plus mammal species and 200 bird species, several fascinating species of insects and arachnids are also found in Tadoba. These include 100 plus species of butterflies that often go unnoticed in our search for the big cats. But, we would surely be amazed by their diversity if we stopped to look around!

Furthermore, Tadoba also provides refuge to about 25 species of reptiles. When we search the water bodies, we could bump into the Marsh crocodiles. And if we are lucky, or you happen to speak Parseltongue, we could encounter some of our Slytherin friends!

CONCLUSION

Compared to other Central Indian Tiger Reserves, the Tadoba National Park is relatively much smaller. But its accessibility and the ideally located entry gates make it one of the best places to witness and photograph tigers.

These woodlands offer varied habitats that provide refuge to myriad wonderful species of flora and fauna. If a tiger sighting has evaded you and you want a quick getaway from the hustle-bustle of city life, look no further! A safari tour to the Tadoba National Park will surely rejuvenate you!