Mumbai: Indian Railways has joined the tiger safari bandwagon in Maharashtra, with the Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) tying up with the Maharashtra Forest Department to offer wildlife tour packages at Tadoba and Pench tiger reserves.
The package will include confirmed safari permits. “We have named this tour package, Vandarshan. It will commence on November 19. It will be our first such initiative, combining rail travel, accommodation, local transport and wildlife safari in a single package,” said an IRCTC official.
IRCTC has planned five itineraries covering mainly Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve, with visits to Bor Tiger Reserve, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary and Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Each itinerary is designed as a 4-night, 5-day tour, with onward travel from Mumbai on the Vidarbha Express (12105), departing every Thursday, and return travel on train 12106 from Gondia every Sunday. Boarding and return stations will depend on the selected package.
The packages have limited availability; IRCTC is allocating six berths in 3AC and six in 2AC for each departure.
“Wildlife safaris are subject to forest department regulations, making advance confirmation an important consideration for visitors planning trips during peak holiday periods,” said the official.