Tadoba National Park Safari

The Tadoba National Park is the biggest home of the famed Royal Bengal Tigers in Maharashtra. Sprawled over 1726 square kilometres, the reserve has over 80 tigers, making it one of the best places in India to spot the famed beast. Your safaris here will take you through dense jungles and vast landscapes as you cross paths scores of animal species roaming about in the wilderness they call home!

What you’ll see

The Tadoba National Park is flanked by the Chimur Hills to the north and the Tadoba Lake to the south. The park is covered in dry tropical foliage, with the forests thinning out into grasslands and deep valleys. The varied landscape and flora create an ideal habitat for hundreds of animal, bird and insect species. 

Throughout the park, you’re likely to find the infamous striped beast, prowling through the jungles and lounging by the lakeside. Apart from Bengal Tigers, you will find leopards, sloth bears and hyenas on the lookout for prey. Prancing through the thickets, you’ll spot sambhar deer, chital, gaur and antelopes and hear the shrill calls of the barking deer.

Summers bring in flocks of migratory birds for the mating season, when you’re likely to see woodpeckers, serpent eagles, hawk-eagles, jacanas and more fluttering through the treetops and catching fish in the lakes.

Tadoba is also teeming with tiny critters, including the endangered eggflies, butterflies like pansies, monarchs and swordtails, jewel beetles and more.

Tadoba National Park Zones

Booking for Tadoba occurs for safaris in three zones, namely the Moharli, Tadoba and Kolsa Zones. 

The most popular is the Moharli Zone, accessible via the Moharli Gate. It’s the central zone of the park and has the maximum number of safaris conducted in it owing to the dense population of mammals, including the keystone species of the Bengal Tiger.

To the north of the park lies the Tadoba Zone, accessible via the Navegaon, Kolara and Khutwanda gates. This area is dotted with hills all across and holds the Tadoba Lake, making it an ideal habitat for various wildlife species. The thick forests are also home to numerous bird species and is teeming with migrant birds in the summer mating season.

For visitors that are looking for a peaceful, offbeat experience, the southern Kolsa Zone, accessible via the Pangdi and Zari gates, is the perfect option! It is least frequented by tourists and is rich in tropical flora that’s home to the infamous striped beasts. Fewer tourists mean the area remains undisturbed, giving you a fair chance to spot animals relaxing in the wilderness.

Recently, six buffer zones were added to reduce crowding at the core zones. They are the Alizanza, Agarzari, Junona, Devada Adegaon, Ramdegi and Kolara zones.

Tadoba Safari

Booking for Tadoba is done to explore the deepest parts of the jungles where wild beasts reside.

Jeeps can take up to 6 people at once to all the zones of the park. The compact vehicle takes you to crevices inaccessible by a bus/canter, making it an ideal choice for hardcore nature lovers!

Canters are open buses that take up to 16 people on a predetermined path through the park. This is the best option for larger groups that are looking for a short and sweet ride filled with sightings of the numerous fauna and avifauna of the park.

Where to stay

You can find a large number of resorts, hotels and lodges at the periphery of the park, which are in close proximity to its various gates.

Sketch itinerary

Day 1: Check in and safari!
Pick up from Nagpur railway station or airport
Enjoy your lunch
One jeep safari at 15:00 hrs
Return to resort for evening snacks and dinner
Overnight at resort

Day 2: Safari and check out
One morning jeep safari at 06:00 hrs
Return to the resort for breakfast
Check out and be dropped off at Nagpur railway station or airport

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Check in and safari!
Your first day at Tadoba begins with a pick up from Nagpur railway station or airport. You will enjoy a gorgeous ride to the resort where you’ll devour a scrumptious lunch and head out for your evening safari. Be prepared to get your wildlife viewing game on as you will spot multiple tigers and other animals on your safari. Evening snacks will be served as you return from your safari, followed by dinner. Overnight at resort.

Day 2: Safari and check out
As you wake up to the melodious harmony of Tadoba’s birds, you will ready yourself for your morning safari. This time, you’ll witness the park in a fresh, new light and watch the wilderness slowly awaken. Once you bid goodbye to the wild, you will return to the resort for breakfast and proceed to check out. Your trip ends with a drive back to the Nagpur railway station or airport.

Inclusions

2 jeep safaris
Accommodation in resort
Transport to and from Nagpur airport/railway station
All meals

Sketch itinerary

Day 1: Check in and safari
Pick up from Nagpur railway station or airport
Have a delicious lunch
Evening jeep safari
Return to resort for dinner
Overnight at resort

Day 2: Safaris galore!
Morning tea/coffee
Morning jeep safari
Return to resort for breakfast and lunch
Evening jeep safari
Dinner and overnight at resort

Day 3: Last day at Tadoba
Morning tea/coffee
Morning jeep safari
Breakfast at the resort
Check out and be driven back to Nagpur

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Check in and safari
As you arrive at Nagpur, a pick up vehicle will be waiting to drive you to your resort. Your 4-hour drive will be packed with the scenic beauty of Maharashtra. Once you check in, you will be served lunch and get ready for your first evening safari at Tadoba! You’ll meet the famous striped beasts in its wild home and return to the resort for dinner. Overnight at resort.

Day 2: Safaris galore!
Wake up in the midst of refreshing wilderness and enjoy a delightful cup of tea or coffee before you head out for your morning safari. You’ll see the park getting painted in the sun’s golden hues as you ride through the landscape. You’ll enjoy breakfast and lunch upon returning to the resort and relax until it’s time for your second safari of the day! Revisit some of your favourite spots and return to the resort for dinner. Overnight at resort.

Day 3: Last day at Tadoba
On your final morning here, you’ll jump back onto your jeeps after your morning tea/coffee and head out for your last safari at Tadoba. You’ll get to bid adieu to the stunning flora and fauna of the park and return to the resort for breakfast. After you check out, you will be driven back to Nagpur airport or railway station.

Inclusions

Four jeep safaris
All meals
Accommodation at resort
Transport to and from Nagpur airport/railway station

Best time to go/Weather

The Tadoba National Park has a varied array of flora and fauna that thrives in each season, so pick your dates based on what you’re looking for!

Summers (March-June) will welcome you with blue skies and open grasslands. Although the temperatures soar up to 35°C, this is the best time to visit the park! The thinned-out vegetation makes it easy to spot the Royal Bengal Tigers prowling through the forest. The ripe plum trees and cool lakeside invite hordes of animals and birds during the summers. On your safari, you will spot them traversing across the park to the lakes. Since this is the mating season for the avifauna, your ears will be flooded with the melodious cacophony of exotic birds throughout your trip.

Winters (October-February) are an extremely pleasant and delightful time to visit the park! The entire landscape is painted green from the monsoon showers and the cool breeze is thoroughly rejuvenating. This is the best season to find the herbivorous population munching on the thick vegetation and maybe even a tiger or two basking in the warm sunlight. You’ll find many native and migrant bird species soaring over the canopies and vibrant butterflies fluttering through blooming flowers.

Between the months of July-September, the park remains closed due to the heavy monsoons and mating season.

Tadoba safari booking is always popular and thousands of visitors come each year to spot the striped beast. Hence, the park is well connected to major cities of India.

By road
You can hire buses and cabs from nearby cities like Chandrapur (35kms), Chimur (35kms), Nagpur (120kms), Hyderabad (435kms), Mumbai (919 kms) and more.

By rail
Chandrapur is the closest station to the park. The station has frequent trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Jhansi.

By air
The closest domestic and international airport to the park is at Nagpur. You will find many cab services taking you to Tadoba from the airport.

During the safari at Tadoba National Park, wear clothes that cover your arms and legs to protect yourself from the sun, dust and pesky insects. Stick to earthy tones like olive, khaki, tan or brown that will not startle wild animals. Don’t forget to apply an SPF 50+ sunscreen and insect repellent. Also, wear comfortable sneakers that cover your feet.

If you visit during the summers, light cotton clothing is a good option. Carry a hat and sunglasses for further sun protection. It’s a great idea to carry a bandana; you can soak it in water and drape it over your neck when it gets too hot.

Winters are fairly pleasant and you will only need a jacket to shield yourself from the chilly weather. During the hottest part of the day, you can take it off if you wish.

The safari at Tadoba can last a few hours, so, keep a refillable water bottle on hand to stay hydrated. During the winters, carry a jacket to keep you warm. Summer essentials include a hat, sunglasses, an SPF 50+ sunscreen and insect repellent. Finally, bring a fully charged camera with good memory and a pair of binoculars to fully explore the park!

ou don’t need to undergo any physical training for your safari at Tadoba National Park. You will spend your time seated in a jeep with little to no physical activity. This also make safaris perfect for any age groups!

Tadoba National Park Safari - Frequently Asked Questions

Tadoba safari booking is always popular as you get to see the park in a different light in each season. During summers (March-June), it becomes easy to spot animals as they make their way to the various waterbodies. It’s also the mating season for birds, bringing in flocks of migratory birds! The park is teeming with butterflies fluttering through the bloomed flowers during winters (October-February). The landscape is lush and you will find tigers and other animals basking in the sunlight. The park remains shut from July-September due to the mating season and monsoons.

You can reach Tadoba National Park via road, rail and air. Buses and cabs are readily available from Chandrapur, Chimur, Nagpur, Hyderabad and more. You can also catch a train from major Indian cities to Chandrapur and continue your journey via road. The closest airport is at Nagpur, where you can hire a cab from to reach Tadoba.

The park is divided into three core zones, namely Moharli, Tadoba and Kolsa. Recently, six buffer zones were added to reduce crowding at the core zones. They are the Alizanza, Agarzari, Junona, Devada Adegaon, Ramdegi and Kolara zones.

A jeep can accommodate up to 6 people, whereas a canter can take up to 16 people at once.

Yes, but only under an adult’s supervision.

Winters at Tadoba are not too harsh, so, a jacket and a scarf should be enough to keep you warm. Wear clothes that fully cover your arms and legs and apply an SPF 50+ sunscreen and insect repellent.

When visiting Tadoba in the summers, wear light cotton or linen clothing that will keep you cool. Carry a hat and sunglasses and apply an SPF 50+ sunscreen and insect repellent.

No, cell phones/mobile phones are not allowed on your safari at the Tadoba National Park. Before entering the jeep or canter, all phones of the visitors, drivers and guides will be kept in a box in the custody of a park ranger.

There are numerous hotels, resorts and lodges near all the gates of the park. You can pick your accommodation based on the zone you wish to visit.