Yes you do. Please contact the Indian embassy in your country for further details on the same.
For most parts, English is widely spoken and understood. Your travel and safari curators are well versed with the language and so are the lodge managers and the in-house naturalists. However we are a big believer in community hiring and most people in our lodges are from the nearby communities. English not being a primary language may not be that fluent, however they do understand your requests and incase of any gaps, there are always members of the team that do.
The official currency of India is the Indian Rupee. This is subdivided into 100 paise though as of 2019, coins of 1 rupee are the lowest value that is in use. You can get currency by withdrawing at the ATM or at any certified money changers. In case of any emergency, we do accept US $ and Pounds as per the current exchange rate.
You can usually find ATMs in most cities at frequent intervals, however the number of ATMs do decrease as you move towards the rural areas. For your trip to the Jungle Lodges, we strongly advise that you make any withdrawals either in the metros or in the connecting cities like Nagpur/ Jabalpur/ Raipur that you need before leaving for the jungles as most of our lodges are situated in remote areas.
At Jungle Camps we do accept payments by Visa, Master Cards or online banking. However regarding the rest of the country, the credit card payments will completely depend upon the area you are in. In many rural or remote areas they still prefer cash while most of the urban spaces are good with accepting credit cards.In case of any emergency, we do accept US $ and Pounds as per the current exchange rate.
No, unlike many other countries, tap water is not safe for drinking in India. In Jungle Camp Lodges, we do provide the filtered water which is safe to drink.
India uses 230 Volts, 50 Hz alternating current as the power source. Plugs and sockets have either grounded / earthed 3 Pin connections (Type D) or ungrounded 2 pin connections (Type C). Incase you require an adaptor, it is available at request at the lodge.
While we do specialise in wildlife and historical places around the area, our experts can surely plan your entire trip including flight bookings, hotel and experiences bookings.
Yes it is safe to travel in Central India however we do ask you to exercise basic caution like you would do travelling anywhere else in the world.
This perhaps is the single-most question that every safari goer has. With our experience, we say that more often than not you are likely to see a tiger by ensuring the following is a part of your itinerary:
Indian Tiger Reserves are not open throughout the year. The ones in Central India are closed during the monsoon season starting from July until end of September. When the parks open in October, they are lush green with dense growth and because the climate is cooler, therefore it is more comfortable during game drives. From October to the end of January the parks are lush green and the blooming flora making the parks look spectacular.
Most advisories do suggest the best time of travelling after January as they are centred around the tiger sightings alone. While the sightings may be comparatively harder than the recommended months but good safari zones, combined with excellent trackers and multiple game drives increase the probability drastically. Therefore do not ignore the idea of travelling to the wildlife parks during these months.
From the onset of February, the temperatures start increasing drastically every month leading to a massive change in the scenery – less water, dustier lands and lesser foliage. Due to the decrease in water supply, most wildlife tends to start congregate around water resources making the sightings much easier.
However temperatures are still pleasant until the month of March, therefore we suggest the best time to travel as from the end of January until April.
After April, the summer sun becomes quite unbearable though these are the months we get the maximum number of wildlife photographers and photography enthusiasts because high heat leads to less foliage and better sightings near the water sources.
While we do associate India primarily with tigers, it is also home to a vast variety of endangered fauna. Many of which are only found in the subcontinent.
Tigers are the keystone species of Indian wildlife and India has the highest number of tigers in the world. The parks of Central India mainly Kanha, Tadoba and Bandhavgarh are considered exceptional for tiger sightings.
With diverse range of climates and landscapes each park is known for higher sightings of some wildlife over the other. To know such nuances in detail, do get in touch with our safari experts.
In Central Indian parks, some of the commonly sighted wildlife includes – Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Leopard, Gaur, Dhole, Jackals, Wolves, Sloth Bears, Wild Boars, Species of deer like – Chital, Barasingha, Sambhar, Barking Deer and many more. Apart from this there are a vast variety of birds, reptiles and other micro fauna that one can sight.
Each National Park is known for sighting some fauna easily as compared to the other. Get in touch with our safari details with all the queries.
We suggest a minimum of three nights in each park for you to be able to explore the park to the fullest. Many of our guests who are wildlife enthusiasts ideally prefer four nights and multiple game drives for increasing the probability of a sighting.
To ensure the comfort during your travel, do tailor your clothing choices depending upon the season.
Suggested packing list:
Please avoid bright clothing and strong fragrances. Cotton clothing in neutral colours are preferred. It is also strongly advised to wear trousers and proper sports/hiking shoes for the nature walks.
Electronics
For our international guests, we suggest to bring relevant adaptors, chargers and convertors. In India, the electric power is at 220 volts so you may need to get convertors and plugs accordingly.
Our safari experts follow the sighting trends in individual parks and their safari zones. We suggest you reach out to them with your individual queries and requirements and let them curate a tailor made itinerary based on your interests. They will also give you proactive suggestions on the safari zones too and other suggestions to make the most out of your trip.
Yes open jeep is perfectly safe for a tiger safari in India. Many people are unconvinced on hearing about the open jeeps however they have been used for years and there have been no incidents to indicate otherwise. The park guide and the jeep drives ensures that they follow all the rules like keeping appropriate distance, never getting out of the jeep, no loud noises or flash to startle the animal and more. During the safari we request you to adhere to these park rules which are designed for your safety.
There are two types of vehicles that are used for safaris in the parks of Central India – jeep (Gypsy) and safari buses (commonly called canters).
The gypsy can accommodate upto 6 people while the canter can accommodate from 18- 22 people depending upon their size. The size is both an advantage and a deterrent. If you are travelling in a large group and do not wish to be separated then the canter does make sense, however if you are travelling alone or even in a smaller group we strongly advise gypsy as they can be hired for private safaris too, meaning you do not have to share the jeep with anyone else.
There are some distinct advantages to booking a jeep safari some of which are:
Since the safari tickets open 120 days in advance in most parks, they are usually sold out rather quickly. Due to limited number of safari tickets and to avoid any disappointment at a later date, we strongly urge you to book your safari in advance.
Hand help cameras are allowed inside all the parks while mobile phones are not allowed in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. They are however allowed in other parks like Pench and Kanha but only for photography. Do speak to our safari experts for the updated rules and regulations.
Yes, children of all ages are allowed inside the park but they need to be accompanied by responsible guardians. Children above 5 years of age too need tickets for entry inside the park and for children under 5 years of age, please carry a proof of their age.
All our lodges have basic internet connection. Our offices in the lodges have an extra computer which can be used free of cost for emailing. Internet may not be reliable at all times as breakdowns take time to fix as we are remotely located. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available at the common areas of the lodge.
A delectable spread of vegetarian and non vegetarian food is served at all the lodges. Breakfast is the combination of variety and choices from the varied cuisine and is usually served in the park, during the safari itself. Lunch and dinner is Indian & continental cuisine. Pure vegetarian, vegan, Jain food and other special food requests are taken care of on prior information.
Allergies: If you are allergic to any food items, kindly inform at the time of the booking.
You can visit the individual lodges sections in our website to know about the experiences offered in each lodge. Alternatively you can also reach out to our travel experts with your areas of interest so they can suggest the experiences you could book.
We request guests to refrain from tipping any individual staff at the lodge. Incase you wish to show appreciation in the form of tipping, tip boxes have been placed in the offices in the lodges. There are also envelopes This tip is shared on a monthly basis amongst all the staff, many of which work behind the scenes to make your stay a comfortable one but perhaps you do not come across them.
Please note that naturalists, nature guides and drivers are not a part of this tipping and may be tipped directly. We do not charge a service fees. Tipping itself and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
We would be happy to answer further queries also, please email us at info@junglecampsindia.con
