India Just Snakes! Naturetrek Tour Itinerary 2011 2012 Outline itinerary Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4/5 Day 6/8 Day 9/10 Day11/13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Depart London Kolkata; birding Fly Bagdogra; transfer to Gorumara National Park Gorumara National Park Buxa Tiger Reserve Chilapata Wildlife Sanctuary Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Kolkata Depart Kolkata Arrive London. Sunderbans extension Russell's Earth Boa by Sujan Chatterjee Day 15/17 Day 18 Day 19 Sunderbans National Park Kolkata Fly London Dates and costs 2011 Saturday 9th Sunday 24th April 2011 2,995 Sunderbans extension 650 2012 Saturday 7th Sunday 22nd April 2012 2,995 Sunderbans extension 650 Single room supplement 695 (extension: 175) Grade Grade A Focus Snakes, other reptiles and amphibians; plus mammals and birds. Ornamental Flying Snake by Sujan Chatterjee Naturetrek June 11 1
Tour Itinerary India - Just Snakes! Introduction This 16-day holiday focuses on the reptiles and amphibians of north-eastern India, offering a chance to see King Cobra and Indian Rock Python, plus other special wildlife of the Himalayan foothills. India boasts some of the most instantly recognisable and iconic warm-blooded wildlife in the world. It is also home to a great variety of reptiles and amphibians, and it is these cold-blooded inhabitants which will be the main focus of this tour based in the lowland terai and Himalayan foothills of north-east India. The terai region comprises a belt of seasonally inundated grassland, savannah and forest at the base of the mighty Himalaya, and offers a haven for numerous lizards, turtles and snakes. King Cobra, Indian Rock Python, Green Pit Viper, Russell s Earth Boa, Balloon Frog and the evocatively named Khasi Hills Bent-toed Gecko are just some of the herpetological inhabitants we ll be seeking, as well as such mammals as Indian One-horned Rhinoceros, Asian Elephant, Tiger, Leopard and Gaur, plus some of the region s rich birdlife. The whole of the reptile family is well represented in India, and for this tour we head straight to a region of the subcontinent that harbours an excellent range of species. Indian Cobra, Common Vine Snake, Ornate Flying Snake, Dog-faced Water Snake, Spectacled Cobra and Indian Krait are among the snakes we are hoping to encounter. Frogs, too, abound among moist tracts of forest, and species such as Ornate Narrow-mouthed, Terai Cricket, Indian Painted and Skittering Frog should feature among our many interesting finds! For tour members wishing to postpone their homeward flight, we recommend a post-tour visit to the Sunderbans, the world s largest delta and mangrove swamp, renowned for its waterbirds and man-eating Tigers! Itinerary Day 1 Saturday In Flight We depart London today around midday on a scheduled Emirates flight bound for Kolkata, via Dubai (dutyfree shopping at Dubai Airport is among the best and cheapest in the world). We will be in flight overnight. Day 2 Sunday Kolkata Arriving in Kolkata this morning, we will transfer to a city hotel where the rest of the day will be spent at leisure. You will be free to sample some of the many delights of Kolkata, or to just relax and recover after your flight. Your leader will help you to arrange any sightseeing you may choose to do perhaps a visit to one of the famous sights of Kolkata such as the Victoria Memorial or St Paul s Cathedral, or to one of the excellent museums. Alternatively, you might prefer to accompany your leader for a spot of birdwatching in the city s attractive Botanic gardens. Just 30 minutes from central Kolkata, the Botanic Gardens host thousands of migratory birds from September to April. Protected by local citizens, the birds are remarkably tame and allow close approach. Residents such as Lesser Whistling Ducks, Comb Duck and Cotton Pygmy Goose are joined each winter by large numbers of migrant Pintail, Gadwall, Shoveler, Garganey, arriving from the north. We will spend tonight in Kolkata before flying to Dibrugarh the following morning.
Indian Botanic Gardens The Indian Botanical Gardens exhibit a wide variety of rare plants and a total collection of over 12,000 specimens spread over 109 hectares. The best-known landmark of the garden is The Great Banyan, an enormous banyan tree (Ficus bengalhensis) that is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world, at more than 330 metres in circumference. The gardens are also famous for their enormous collections of orchids, bamboos, palms, and plants of the screw pine genus (Pandanus). The gardens were founded in 1787 by Colonel Robert Kyd, an army officer of the British East India Company, primarily for the purpose of identifying new plants of commercial value, such as teak, and growing spices for trade. Over the years attractive display gardens for the public have been developed and many kinds of plants have been cultivated for scientific observation. Day 3 Monday Fly Bagdogra & Gorumara National Park After a leisurely breakfast we will transfer to Kolkata airport for our flight to Bagdogra, where we are scheduled to arrive in the afternoon. On arrival at Bagdogra airport, we will meet our vehicle and driver and drive for around three hours to Gorumara National Park. We will stay at the Tea Bunglow or in a Jungle Lodge for three overnight s. Day 4 5 Tuesday Wednesday Gorumara National Park One of the most important wildlife reserves of West Bengal, Gorumara is home to 22 species of reptile, including the world s largest venomous snake and specialist snake-eater the King Cobra. We ll be looking for Indian Rock Python too, now a protected species, and one of the world s largest snakes. Distinctive arrowhead markings on the top of its head should help us identify it! Gorumara is also home to a variety of other reptiles such as Indian Garden Lizard, Keeled Grass Skink and Spotted Litter Skink, plus seven species of turtle, including the Indian Peacock Softshell Turtle. A rich variety of mammals and more than 200 species of birds such as Scarlet Minivet, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Spangled Drongo and Great Hornbill also inhabit the park. Riverine grassland and savannah woodland account for about 20% of the total plant cover of Gorumara, attracting many wild mega-herbivores, and we will look out for such impressive creatures as Great Indian Onehorned Rhinoceros, Gaur and Asian Elephant, to name a few, as we go in search of our main, cold-blooded, quarry! Day 6 8 Thursday Saturday Buxa Tiger Reserve Our next destination is Buxa Tiger Reserve, where we will stay for three nights in a simple but comfortable Tea Bunglow or the Jungle lodge. It will take us around three hours to reach Buxa Tiger Reserve, located on the Assam-Bhutan border, and covering an area of 745 square kilometres, Buxa is the largest forest in north Bengal. We will explore areas of likely habitat, sometimes on foot, inside and around the park, searching for some of the 76 species of snakes found here, including Common Indian Cat Snake, Common Bronzeback Tree Snake and Common Wolf Snake. A regional specialty here is the Tokay Gecko; named after its loud explosive call, To-kay, the males of this species are highly territorial and cannibalistic! Migratory and endemic birds abound here, as well as five species of amphibians, and butterflies provide additional colour among the orchid-rich vegetation.
Tour Itinerary India - Just Snakes! Day 9 10 Sunday Monday Chilapata Wildlife Sanctuary After breakfast we will travel by road for two hours to Chilapata Wildlife Sanctuary. On arrival we will check-in at our Chilapata Jungle Camp, where the accommodation is in four cottages perched on stilts. The camp is located in an isolated location and the lack of electricity gives us a pure jungle experience. We will spend two days in Chilapata Wildlife Sanctuary, hoping to add snakes such as Buff-striped Keelback and Indian Rat Snake to our list of discoveries before heading to the level floodplains of Jaldapara. Chilapata Wildlife Sanctuary is located between the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve. The sanctuary is a home to many important mammals such as Asian Elephant, Gaur, Hog Deer, Leopard and a variety of reptiles and amphibians. The Chilapata Pool Frog is a recently discovered amphibian species from this area. Day 11 13 Tuesday Thursday Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary In the morning we will travel by road for two hours to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary. On arrival we will stay at our simple lodge for three nights. With its landscape of tall riparian grasslands, riverine forests and bamboo clumps, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, Asian Elephant and Tiger, as well as a great diversity of smaller creatures, and we ll keep a close look-out for frogs such as Indian Bull, Nepal Cricket, Long-tongued and Indian Tree Frog as we explore Jaldapara on elephant back and in jeeps. Pythons, Bengal Monitor Lizard, cobras, Indian Rat Snake, Banded Krait and eight species of freshwater turtles are found here too. Day 14 Friday Transfer to Bagdogra and flight to Kolkata After breakfast, transfer by road for three hours to Bagdogra airport to board our short flight to the bustling city of Kolkata. We will arrive in the afternoon and will be transferred to a city hotel, where we spend the night. Day 15 Saturday Fly London After breakfast, we will visit the Snake Park and later we will be free to relax or enjoy sightseeing in this historical city. We will depart Kolkata in the evening at 8.30pm on a scheduled Emirates flight to London, via Dubai. Day 16 Sunday London Arrive London at 7.05pm. Please note that the itinerary outlined above is strictly subject to river conditions, which change continually. It offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse conditions or weather or other local considerations may necessitate some reordering of the programme during the course of the cruise. Any such changes will always be done to maximise the best use of time and weather conditions available.
Sunderbans Extension The Sunderbans is a unique area; extending for over 1,000,000 hectares, it is the world's largest delta, formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghana rivers, and spanning two countries India and Bangladesh (the latter having the lion s share). Here, in the region s extensive mangrove forests, remains the world s largest concentration of Tigers a population with an unenviable reputation for man-eating (though it will be our aim not to be on the menu during this tour!). Here the contours of the landscape remain in a constant state of flux, on account of annual monsoon flooding. Roughly one third of the delta is water, consisting of rivers, channels and tidal creeks that can be up to five kilometres wide. On the Indian side of the delta the Sunderbans National Park overlooks the Bay of Bengal and is the focus of this holiday extension. Day 15 Saturday Sunderbans National Park After our quick visit to Snakes Park, we will start our journey to Sunderbans. The Sunderbans is accessed from Kolkata by travelling south-east by road for 86 kilometres, through wetlands and agricultural land, to Sonakhali. From here we will take a two-and-a-half-hour boat ride from Sonakhali jetty to our lodge, which is well appointed but simple in style, albeit with en suite facilities. Day 16 17 Sunday Monday Sunderbans National Park The Sunderbans is steaming and untamed, a vast area covering 4,264 square kilometres in India alone, with a larger portion (60%) in Bangladesh. The 2,585 square kilometres of the Indian Sunderbans that are protected within the Sunderbans National Park and Tiger Reserve form the largest protected area in India. The region received UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1997, with it being the world s largest estuarine forest a stretch of impenetrable mangrove forest of great size and harbouring an incredible bio-diversity. Fishing, timber extraction and honey collection are the main human activities allowed within the Sunderbans. To the naturalist, the best known inhabitant of the Sunderbans is the Tiger, of which the delta harbours the largest single population in the world (estimated at 250 individuals). The Tigers inhabiting this mangrove wilderness have become adept at living a semi-aquatic lifestyle and have also gained a reputation for aggression, attacking the honey-collectors and fisherman entering their domain. Despite their relatively large numbers, the Sunderban Tigers are not easy to see and are generally strictly nocturnal, resting up during the heat of the day. Mammals that are more easy to see include Wild Boar, Spotted Deer and Rhesus Macaque, whilst such interesting smaller mammals as Fishing Cat and Small-clawed Otter are occasionally seen. The mangroves also provide a home for many large reptiles such as the Indian Rock Python, King Cobra, Water Monitor, Estuarine Crocodile and the Olive Ridley Turtle, the latter the subject of a conservation programme in the Indian national park. Regrettably Leopard, Javan Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer and Water Buffalo have all become extinct in the delta in recent decades emphasising the urgent need for the conservation of the area. Birds will be amongst the highlights in this watery national park, especially a wide range of wetland birds, colourful kingfishers, and many mangrove specialities such as Masked Finfoot, Mangrove Pitta and Mangrove Whistler. We also have a slim chance of encountering dolphins, three species of which regularly occur Gangetic River Dolphin, Irrawaddy Dolphin and Indo-Pacific Dolphin.
Tour Itinerary India - Just Snakes! We will need good fortune to observe a Tiger during our excursions but this extension will allow participants to view a unique and severely threatened aquatic habitat, mostly by means of boat excursions. Day 18 Tuesday Kolkata After a final excursion in the park, we will drive back to Kolkata and will be transferred to one of the comfortable city hotels. Day 19 Wednesday Fly London We depart our hotel early in the morning to catch our return flight to London (scheduled to depart at 0855 hours), via Dubai, with Emirates. We are scheduled to arrive in London at 1815 hours. Grading A. This is a wildlife holiday that includes no strenuous walking. Optional longer walks may be offered in Buxa and Jaldapara. Weather Hot, dry and sunny weather is expected throughout this holiday (though as the neighbouring state of Assam has the highest rainfall on Earth there is perhaps no season that can genuinely be considered a dry season!). It will be hotter, with daytime temperatures in the region of 25-35ºC or more, dropping to around 20ºC at night. It will be very hot in the afternoons sun hats, sun cream, cotton clothes and shorts all being needed. Food & accommodation All included in the price, except for main meals required in Kolkata. Comfortable tourist hotel in Kolkata and simple lodges elsewhere. All rooms have private facilities. Flights We use the scheduled service of Emirates for all our tours to India because they offer an excellent all-round service (including departures from Manchester or Birmingham, though such departures from regional airports may be subject to an additional charge) and competitive fares. The sole disadvantage is a 1½-hour transit time in Dubai on the outbound flight, and a 2-hour transit time on the return inbound flight.
If you would prefer a direct flight, you have a choice of Air India. We will gladly arrange a direct flight for you, but please give us plenty of warning, and expect to pay approximately between 150 and 200 extra for flights with Air India. If you decide to use Air India direct flight, please also note that we need to add an extra night in the beginning and two extra nights at the end to the length of your tour, due to the flight timings, at an extra cost of approximately 125 per night. These prices are only approximate and could vary according to availability and season. We will be pleased to approach the respective airline and offer you a quote on request. If you would prefer to travel Business or First Class, please call us for competitive quotes. If you would prefer to travel from Manchester or Birmingham, please let us know at the time of booking so that we can make the necessary arrangements and obtain a competitive fare. Entry requirements All UK passport holders and most other nationalities require a visa for India, which is obtainable in advance from your nearest High Commission or Embassy. No vaccinations are mandatory for entry, but as recommended in our brochure we think it is wise to be protected against TB, polio, typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis A and take malaria prophylactics. We recommend that you consult your GP or local Travel Health Clinic about your requirements as soon as possible before travelling. Clothing A full list of our suggested items to take is included in the Pre-departure Information which will be sent to you on receipt of your booking form. Take lightweight clothing for daytime wear; however, warm clothes will be needed for early mornings and evenings which can be very chilly. Khaki and other "bush" colours are recommended, as bright colours can often scare the animals. A wide-brimmed hat is essential protection from heat-stroke and sunburn. Please inspect the separate clothing list, sent to you on booking, thoroughly. Focus Snakes, mammals and birds; Indian culture. Tour leaders Kedar Bhide or Mintoo Chowdhury and local guides. Your safety & security You have chosen to travel to India. Risks to your safety and security are an unavoidable aspect of all travel and the best current advice on such risks is provided for you by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In order to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination, it is essential that you refer to the Foreign Office website www.fco.gov.uk/travel or telephone 0870 6060290 regularly prior to travel. How to book your place In order to book a place on this holiday, you will need to read our main Naturetrek brochure and complete and return the enclosed booking form, together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday cost. If you do not have a copy
Tour Itinerary India - Just Snakes! of this brochure, please give us a call on 01962 733051, and we will gladly post one to you. Alternatively, you are welcome to book online at www.naturetrek.co.uk or by calling on 01962 733051. Receive our e-newsletter Join the Naturetrek e-mailing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures, new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk to sign up.