94 F O R R E S E R V A T I O N S C A L L U S O N 0845 130 6982 Eravikulam National Park Eravikulam in the southern state of Kerala is located in the higher altitudes of the western Ghats near to the scenic hill station of Munnar. The park was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered wild goat - the only one to be found south of the Himalayas. The Windermere Hotel is a cosy guest house on the Windermere Cardamom and Tea Estate near Munnar. Accommodation is in 15 rooms spread throughout the main farmhouse and nearby cottages. Some rooms have private balconies and the valley view rooms offer spectacular views across the Chithirapuram Valley below. The farmhouse dining room offers tasty cuisine with a large balcony offering fabulous mountain views. Kerala Backwaters Kerala’s Backwaters are a vast network of lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of 44 rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The backwaters are a self-supporting ecosystem teeming with aquatic life, and the canals are still the main highways for the villages in the area with over 900 kilometres navigable. One of the highlights of a trip to southern India is a trip aboard a private houseboat (built in a traditional style) for one or two nights. A typical cruise will pass through Keralan villages, surrounded by lush bright green paddy fields and soaring coconut trees. One of its charms is the possibility of observing rural life and customs without feeling intrusive. The birdlife is amazing with a huge variety of species including kingfishers, cormorants, woodpeckers, ducks, bee-eaters and raptors. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Periyar, which is located around five hours drive from Cochin is set high in the Cardamom Hills area of the Western Ghats in southern India. It is one of the most beautiful wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The park has a diverse range of flora and fauna with 1800 flowering plants, 44 species of reptiles, 112 species of butterfly and a wide range of mammals, including a large number of Elephants, Gaur, Wild Boar, four species of primate (Bonnet Macaque, the endemic Lion-Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur and Slender Loris), Sloth Bear, Leopard, Dhole, Common and Clawless Otter and even Tiger. The reserve has a rich and varied birdlife with nearly 300 species recorded. Malabar Trogon, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Loten's Sunbird and occasionally Ceylon Frogmouth may be seen here. One of the most popular activities here is to take a boat ride on Lake Periyar to view herds of wild Elephants frolicking in the water. Spice Village is designed as a native tribal village inspired by the tribesmen of Periyar. The rooms are spacious and furnished with simple terracotta tiled floors, wooden beds and chairs, and whitewashed walls. At the centre of the village is a swimming pool, surrounded by tropical trees and lawns. Spice Village has an exclusive and well-equipped Ayurvedic clinic. The highlight, though, is the garden itself, bursting with a rich array of spice trees. Each plant is carefully marked, and there is a resident botanist. Nagarhole National Park Nagarhole lies 94 kilometres from the city of Mysore in southern India. It is a mixture of rich green tropical and deciduous forests with rolling hills criss-crossed by streams, swamps, rivers and waterfalls. Nagarhole, a former Maharajas hunting area, is dedicated to saving the wildlife and is considered one of the best places in India to observe Elephants in the wild. About a thousand Elephants are thought to populate the park, and in the hot summer months they congregate in large herds along the banks of the River Kabini. Other animals include Four-Horned Antelope, Spotted Deer, Mouse Deer, Gaur, Indian Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, and the elusive Leopard and Tiger. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded here, and as well as large numbers of game and water birds the park is noted for its Ospreys. Due to the large number of Elephants in the park, gameviewing and birdwatching are by jeep or early morning coracle rides. Kabini River Lodge is a typical Indian safari lodge. The lodge was formerly the hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore, and this is reflected in the colonial style architecture which offers 16 rooms spread throughout beautiful grounds which run alongside the Kabini River. Indira Gandhi National Park Indira Gandhi National Park is situated in the Annamalai Hills of the Western Ghats, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful nature preserves in Tamil Nadu. The park rises steeply through deciduous jungle and bamboo thickets and sightings of Gaur, Elephant and Leopard are not uncommon during the early or late hours of the day. Within the park is a hamlet known as Top Slip, named for the teak logs which were ‘slipped’ to the plains below down a narrow canal. The park is home to Elephant, Gaur, Water Buffalo, Sloth Bear, Tiger, Civets and an array of colourful birds. Banyan Tree Resort is a family run farm offering friendly, comfortable home-stay accommodation on a 2500 hectare property adjacent to the Indira Gandhi National Park. There are three comfortable rooms for guests in the well appointed plantation bungalow, and a large verandah gives views across the plantations of coconuts, ground nuts, sugar cane, fruit trees, cocoa, coffee and vanilla. Kettuvallam, Backwaters Itinerary suggestions Mysore & Nagarhole Day 1. Depart UK for Bangalore Day 2. Mysore, 2-nights [B] Day 4. Nagarhole, 4-nights [B, L, D] Day 8. Return to the UK [B] Day 9. Arrive home Highlights of Southern India Day 1. Depart UK for Bangalore via Dubai Day 2. Mysore [B] Day 3. Nagarhole, 4-nights [B, L, D] Day 7. Ooty, 2-nights [B, D] Day 9. Indira Ghandi National Park, 3-nights [B, L, D] Day 12. Eravikulam National Park, 2-nights [B, L, D] Day 14. Backwaters of Kerala [B, L, D] Day 15. Cochin Day 16. Depart for home arriving same day Cost per person: From £1,695 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, November to May Cost per person: From £1,795 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, November to May

S E E U S O N T H E W E B AT wildlifeworldwide.com Kaziranga National Park Kaziranga located in north-east India in Assam set on the banks of the mighty Brahamaputra River, is the finest place to view Indian Greater One-horned Rhinoceros in the whole of the subcontinent. With nearly 80% of the world’s population resident, the park has been recognised as a World Heritage site. In addition to wonderful rhino-viewing, the park is also home to large herds of Elephant (sometimes up to 200) and Wild Buffalo. Tigers can also be found, however they are rarely seen in the long grass. The park also shelters other species such as Sloth Bear, Leopard, Swamp, Hog, and Barking Deer, Sambar, Pygmy Hog, Jungle Cat, Hog Badger and Capped Langur. The open country makes wildlife viewing at Kaziranga fairly easy with most major species seen during a day or two’s safari. It may also be possible to arrange a visit to the nearby Panabari Forest Reserve to look for the elusive Hoolock Gibbon, India’s only ape. Kaziranga is also a birder’s paradise with large numbers of resident species boosted considerably by visiting winter migrants. Regularly seen species include Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-Shouldered Kite and Himalayan Griffon. Game-viewing here is conducted both by jeep and on Elephant-back safaris. Kaziranga is reached by road from Guwahati airport, 200 kilometres away, or roughly six hours drive. Wild Grass Resort is situated by a stream in the paddy fields and forest just outside the National Park. The lodge provides eighteen double rooms in two jungle lodges, each with en-suite facilities. Activities on offer here include jeep safaris and Elephant rides into the park, offering you the best chance to view rhinos up close. Sundarbans National Park The Sundarbans covers some 10,000 square kilometers of land and water (more than half of it in India, the rest in Bangladesh) in the Ganges Delta – it is the world’s largest area of mangrove forest. The national park in India which was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1989 covers an area of around 2,500 square kilometres. The region is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways and mudflats. There are numerous bird species which reside here, as well as crocodiles, turtles, snakes and deer. Its most famous resident however is the Tiger (of which there are thought to be some 400 or so) but in reality there is little chance of seeing them due to the nature of the terrain. Wildlife-viewing is mainly conducted by boat although there are some excellent hides that can be made use of too. Sunderbans Jungle Lodge is a simple, eco-friendly lodge which sits between the river and local paddy fields and offers six basic, but comfortable huts. The camp is run by the local villagers who offer friendly village-style hospitality and wonderful home-cooked Bengali cuisine, using the plentiful fresh local vegetables and seafood. The camp is the livelihood for many local people, directly or indirectly and its aim is to develop tourism that directly helps the local community. 95 Asia / India Greater One-horned Rhinoceros Wild Grass Lodge, Kaziranga Itinerary suggestions Kerala Backwaters & Wildlife Day 1. Depart the UK for Kumarakom via Dubai and Cochin Day 2. Kumarakom [B] Day 3. Backwaters of Kerala [B, L, D] Day 4. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, 2-nights [B, L, D] Day 6. Munnar, 2-nights [B, L, D] Day 8. Kochi [B] Day 9. Depart for home arriving same day Corbett & Agra Day 1. Depart UK for Delhi Day 2. Delhi [B] Day 3. Corbett National Park, 5-nights [B, L, D] Day 8. En-route to Agra Day 9. Agra [B] Day 10. Return to the UK via Delhi [B] Day 11. Arrive home The Golden Triangle Day 1. Depart UK for Delhi Day 2. Delhi [B] Day 3. Agra [B] Day 4. Chambal National Sanctuary [B, L, D] Day 5. Bharatpur, 2-nights [B, L, D] Day 7. Jaipur, 2-nights [B] Day 9. Samode [B] Day 10. Return to the UK via Delhi [B] Day 11. Arrive home Other ideas Sundarbans & Rhinos Day 1. Depart UK for Kolkata Day 2. Kolkata [B] Day 3. Kaziranga, 5-nights [B, L, D] Day 8. Kolkata [B] Day 9. Sundarbans, 4-nights [B, L, D] Day 13. Kolkata [B] Day 14. Depart for home arriving same day Kaziranga & Kanha Day 1. Depart UK for Kolkata Day 2. Kaziranga National Park, 4-nights [B, L, D] Day 6. Delhi [B] Day 7. Kanha Tiger Reserve, 4-nights [B, L, D] Day 11. Return to the UK via Delhi [B] Day 12. Arrive home Cost per person: From £2,295 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, November to May Cost per person: From £1,795 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, November to May Cost per person: From £1,595 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, November to May