A short winter weekend break at the Pench Tiger
Reserve’s Kohka
Wilderness Camp amid some spectacular
wildlife proves to be a great orientation to Central India for Raul Dias
Pics
courtesy: Kohka Wilderness Camp and Wikicommons
I couldn’t
but help chuckle at the irony of the situation, but while Delhi was making
headlines the world over for its bad smog condition at the onset of winter, I
was driving though some pure, rich, thick fog in the very heart of India. Yes,
most early mornings at the Pench Tiger Reserve that straddles
both states of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Maharashtra are just that like—fog
saturated and utterly beautiful. The National Park itself is an ecosystem unto
itself with a plethora of stunning flora and fauna that make a short winter
wildlife trip in its environs so very rewarding.
Great
Expectations!
My very first trip to MP—and central India for that matter—was something I was looking forward too ever since I decided to do a short weekend trip to take in the wild charms of Pench. Albeit a little less famous and popular than the other star attractions of the MP tiger circuit that includes Kanha and Bandhavgarh, Pench always held some great sway in the mind of an adventure lover like myself. For it was here, that the great Rudyard Kipling set his epic The Jungle Book in. Yes, Mowgli, Baghera, Balloo and the dreaded Sher Khan were all denizens of this enchanted forest. Well, at least in Kipling’s ever-fertile imagination! But here’s a bit of information that might surprise you: Kipling never actually ever visited Pench in his lifetime…
The Pench Sanctuary itself was created in September 1977, with an initial area of 449.39 sq km. Renamed as the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench National Park was created in 1983, carved out of the Sanctuary. And while the number one attraction at the park has got to be the tiger, other fauna like the jackal, wild dog, sambhar deer, spotted deer and nilgais are aplenty. And of course, how can I leave out those pesky-yet-cute rhesus and langur monkeys that will keep you entertained with their comical antics!
The park opens twice daily to visitors: In summer (April-June) from 6.30am - 10.30 am and 3.30pm - 6.30pm and in winter (October-March) from 7am - 11am and 3pm - 6pm. Local guides accompany game drives and are provided upon at the park entrance. Having said that, Jeeps are free to follow their own route along tracks, using pugmarks and alarm calls as indicators of a nearby predator.
My very first trip to MP—and central India for that matter—was something I was looking forward too ever since I decided to do a short weekend trip to take in the wild charms of Pench. Albeit a little less famous and popular than the other star attractions of the MP tiger circuit that includes Kanha and Bandhavgarh, Pench always held some great sway in the mind of an adventure lover like myself. For it was here, that the great Rudyard Kipling set his epic The Jungle Book in. Yes, Mowgli, Baghera, Balloo and the dreaded Sher Khan were all denizens of this enchanted forest. Well, at least in Kipling’s ever-fertile imagination! But here’s a bit of information that might surprise you: Kipling never actually ever visited Pench in his lifetime…
The Pench Sanctuary itself was created in September 1977, with an initial area of 449.39 sq km. Renamed as the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench National Park was created in 1983, carved out of the Sanctuary. And while the number one attraction at the park has got to be the tiger, other fauna like the jackal, wild dog, sambhar deer, spotted deer and nilgais are aplenty. And of course, how can I leave out those pesky-yet-cute rhesus and langur monkeys that will keep you entertained with their comical antics!
The park opens twice daily to visitors: In summer (April-June) from 6.30am - 10.30 am and 3.30pm - 6.30pm and in winter (October-March) from 7am - 11am and 3pm - 6pm. Local guides accompany game drives and are provided upon at the park entrance. Having said that, Jeeps are free to follow their own route along tracks, using pugmarks and alarm calls as indicators of a nearby predator.
Humble
Luxury
Nestled in the heart of the fecund tiger reserve in the MP part of the national park is the modest, but perfectly appointed Kohka Wilderness Camp that I chose to stay at for my two nights. Located in the heart of the village Kohka a mere five minutes’ walk away from the Kohka Lake on the periphery of the forest boundary, the resort lets you experience nature at its very best. Here, you can safari in the wee hours of sunrise or in the late afternoon, go for nature walk or simply picnic by the lake. They also offer a guided tour of the typical Indian pottery village, fishing, bird watching and other indoor activities that will ensure that you’ll fall in love with the jungle, the surroundings and the small, but beautiful Camp Kohka.
The camp itself is a collection of local dwelling styled cottages (with all the mod cons including aircon and private bathrooms), surrounded by a main reception, dining room and leisure activity building. The outdoor pool, gazebo area and lawns are perfect for lounging about in post safari.
Nestled in the heart of the fecund tiger reserve in the MP part of the national park is the modest, but perfectly appointed Kohka Wilderness Camp that I chose to stay at for my two nights. Located in the heart of the village Kohka a mere five minutes’ walk away from the Kohka Lake on the periphery of the forest boundary, the resort lets you experience nature at its very best. Here, you can safari in the wee hours of sunrise or in the late afternoon, go for nature walk or simply picnic by the lake. They also offer a guided tour of the typical Indian pottery village, fishing, bird watching and other indoor activities that will ensure that you’ll fall in love with the jungle, the surroundings and the small, but beautiful Camp Kohka.
The camp itself is a collection of local dwelling styled cottages (with all the mod cons including aircon and private bathrooms), surrounded by a main reception, dining room and leisure activity building. The outdoor pool, gazebo area and lawns are perfect for lounging about in post safari.
Tiger,
Tiger Burning Bright…
Speaking of safari, my very first one began at the ghastly hour of 5.30am when my driver, Amit turned up bang on time at the camp gates ready to whisk me off towards the Turia Gate. It was there a half hour later, when after completing our entry permit paper work that we picked up our mandatory guide Suresh. As one of the first vehicles to enter the park at the Turia Gate that morning, we set off into the dark that was slowly beginning to get dusky with flecks of orange sunlight beginning to appear every now and then as the sun made its debut.
One of the first sights that greeted my sleepy eyes was that of a family of spotted deer gracefully crossing our path with the leader of the pack looking majestic with his antlers glistening in the rays of the early morning sun. A group of raucous long tailed langurs with their incessant chattering brought me out of my reverie as they darted from a flame of the forest tree to a black myrobalan tree with the dexterity and grace of a gymnast. While the French couple in the next Jeep were most impressed with seeing their national bird, the rather plain and boring rooster, it was my time to whoop with joy on seeing our very own national bird the majestic peacock a little while later as we coursed our way thought the thick foliage over the rough terracotta-hued mud path of the jungle.
‘Wagh!’ I suddenly heard the word I was waiting to hear come though over Suresh’s radio transmitter. His colleague had apparently spotted a tiger on the banks of the watering hole that was close to where we were. So off we went in hot pursuit of the King of the Jungle. Once at the spot, we parked a good 200 meters away and took in the spectacle that was unfolding before us. Only our ‘King’ turned out to be a ‘Queen’. Yes, Collarwaali as the 10-year-old Tigress is known as—thanks to her lost radio collar—was preening in all her glory, least affected by our tiresome intrusion into her domain. Not wanting to cramp her space any further, once we were done with our enthusiastic shooting (relax… with movie and still cameras only!) we drove off with a cloud of swirling mud surrounding us.
Our next sighting was something I was waiting to see ever since I had heard of them. Being an avid dog lover, even the wild kind like the dholes or the Indian wild dog fascinates me no end. These dogs that have a reddish-brown coat and bushy tails are said to be related to jackals and their bark is a low whistling sound sans any howls or growling. Although I wanted to get out of the vehicle and get up close with them, better sense (along with Amit’s horrified shrieks) prevailed and I decided to end my safari with all my digits and appendages intact, as we made our way back to the gates and to the camp beyond utterly satiated and enormously thankful to the bounty nature had bestowed on us that day.
Speaking of safari, my very first one began at the ghastly hour of 5.30am when my driver, Amit turned up bang on time at the camp gates ready to whisk me off towards the Turia Gate. It was there a half hour later, when after completing our entry permit paper work that we picked up our mandatory guide Suresh. As one of the first vehicles to enter the park at the Turia Gate that morning, we set off into the dark that was slowly beginning to get dusky with flecks of orange sunlight beginning to appear every now and then as the sun made its debut.
One of the first sights that greeted my sleepy eyes was that of a family of spotted deer gracefully crossing our path with the leader of the pack looking majestic with his antlers glistening in the rays of the early morning sun. A group of raucous long tailed langurs with their incessant chattering brought me out of my reverie as they darted from a flame of the forest tree to a black myrobalan tree with the dexterity and grace of a gymnast. While the French couple in the next Jeep were most impressed with seeing their national bird, the rather plain and boring rooster, it was my time to whoop with joy on seeing our very own national bird the majestic peacock a little while later as we coursed our way thought the thick foliage over the rough terracotta-hued mud path of the jungle.
‘Wagh!’ I suddenly heard the word I was waiting to hear come though over Suresh’s radio transmitter. His colleague had apparently spotted a tiger on the banks of the watering hole that was close to where we were. So off we went in hot pursuit of the King of the Jungle. Once at the spot, we parked a good 200 meters away and took in the spectacle that was unfolding before us. Only our ‘King’ turned out to be a ‘Queen’. Yes, Collarwaali as the 10-year-old Tigress is known as—thanks to her lost radio collar—was preening in all her glory, least affected by our tiresome intrusion into her domain. Not wanting to cramp her space any further, once we were done with our enthusiastic shooting (relax… with movie and still cameras only!) we drove off with a cloud of swirling mud surrounding us.
Our next sighting was something I was waiting to see ever since I had heard of them. Being an avid dog lover, even the wild kind like the dholes or the Indian wild dog fascinates me no end. These dogs that have a reddish-brown coat and bushy tails are said to be related to jackals and their bark is a low whistling sound sans any howls or growling. Although I wanted to get out of the vehicle and get up close with them, better sense (along with Amit’s horrified shrieks) prevailed and I decided to end my safari with all my digits and appendages intact, as we made our way back to the gates and to the camp beyond utterly satiated and enormously thankful to the bounty nature had bestowed on us that day.
FACT FILE
Getting There
From Mumbai, Nagpur is the closest airport and railhead to reach the main Turia Gate of the Pench Tiger Reserve. The Kohka Wilderness Camp will make arrangements for an airport/train station pick up and drop and as well as for daily safari excursions at an extra cost.
From Mumbai, Nagpur is the closest airport and railhead to reach the main Turia Gate of the Pench Tiger Reserve. The Kohka Wilderness Camp will make arrangements for an airport/train station pick up and drop and as well as for daily safari excursions at an extra cost.
When To Visit
Right from November to June, when the wildlife sighting is at its best and when the fauna is thick and verdant is the time when you should plan your visit to this paradisiacal part of Central India. But if seeing a tiger is your ultimate goal, then the best period for sightings is between Feb and April.
Right from November to June, when the wildlife sighting is at its best and when the fauna is thick and verdant is the time when you should plan your visit to this paradisiacal part of Central India. But if seeing a tiger is your ultimate goal, then the best period for sightings is between Feb and April.
Contact:
Kohka Wilderness Camp
Pench Tiger Reserve
Post Turia, Kohka,
Madhya Pradesh 480881
Tel: +91-9827271101, 9820282307
Email: info@kohkawilderness.com
Kohka Wilderness Camp
Pench Tiger Reserve
Post Turia, Kohka,
Madhya Pradesh 480881
Tel: +91-9827271101, 9820282307
Email: info@kohkawilderness.com
(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 16th January 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on page 20 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/call-of-the-wild/article_216229)
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