Tadoba Travel Guide: Safari Gates, Seasons and Planning Your Visit

Almost everything here is seen from a safari vehicle, so the places to know are the reserve's zones, lakes and gates, with a few sights just outside the forest. Choose your gate before your room, because the gate decides where you should stay.

The safari zones and gates

The reserve's booking site groups its gates into four zones. The Moharli zone has the Moharli and Khutwanda core gates; the Kolara zone the Kolara core gate; the Navegaon zone the Navegaon core gate; and the Pangdi and Zari zone the Pangdi and Zari core gates. Around them are the buffer gates, from Agarzari and Junona in the Moharli zone to Madnapur and Alizanza in the Kolara zone. Maharashtra Tourism names Moharli, Kolara and Navegaon as the main entry gates.

Tadoba Lake and the shrine of Taru

The reserve takes its name from Taru, a Gond village headman of local legend who fought a tiger by the lake: some say he won, others that he died. A shrine to him stands beside Tadoba Lake, and pilgrims still come, above all for the annual fair in the Hindu month of Pausha, in December or January. In the dry season the lake is one of the forest's lifelines, and marsh crocodiles are often seen basking on its banks.

The Andhari river and Kolsa Lake

The Andhari river, which gives the reserve the second half of its name, flows through the forest, and Kolsa Lake is another of its main bodies of water. Between March and June, as other sources dry up, animals gather at the remaining water, which is why summer drives tend to work around lakes and waterholes. The rocky cliffs, meadows and valleys between them make the reserve look different from one zone to the next.

The forest and its wildlife

Tadoba is southern tropical dry deciduous forest, dominated by teak and broken by bamboo thickets and grassland. Besides tigers, look for leopards, gaur, sloth bears, dholes (Indian wild dogs), nilgai, sambar, chital, barking deer and the four-horned antelope. More than 195 bird species have been recorded, from the grey-headed fish eagle and crested serpent eagle to the Indian pitta and paradise flycatcher, and pythons, monitor lizards and the Indian star tortoise live here too.

Erai Dam and its backwaters

Erai Dam, near the reserve, is an earth-fill and gravity dam with picnic spots and wide views over the water, according to Maharashtra Tourism. The reserve's own site offers boating on the Erai backwaters, where waterfowl gather and wild animals sometimes come down to the banks, and kayaking on still water at dawn or dusk. It makes a gentle half-day between safaris.

Agarzari Adventure Park and Butterfly World

Away from the drives, the reserve lists an adventure park at Agarzari, with rappelling, zip-lines and zorbing, and a Butterfly World, a garden planted with nectar trails that draw butterflies. Both suit families with children who have had enough of dawn starts, and they fill the hot middle of the day, when safaris are not running.

Chandrapur Fort

Chandrapur, the district town and the nearest railhead, has a fort built by the Gond kings, who ruled this region for centuries before the Marathas and then the British, as the reserve's own history recounts. Maharashtra Tourism suggests the fort, with Erai Dam, for spare time around a safari trip, and it is the obvious stop if you arrive or leave by train.

• November to February: Maharashtra Tourism calls winter the most comfortable season, about 10 to 25°C, good for safaris and birdwatching; dress warmly for an open vehicle at dawn.
• March to June: the best months for tiger sightings, as animals gather at water, but the heat can reach 45°C. Maharashtra Tourism suggests February to May for the most animal activity.
• July to September: the monsoon. The reserve's timetable lists core-gate safaris only from 1 October to 30 June, while buffer gates keep running, and Maharashtra Tourism warns that heavy rain may restrict safaris.

The reserve marks its seasons by the forest too: palash and mahua in flower from February to April, newborn deer and butterflies in the rains, and rutting deer and migratory birds from November to January.

• Book on the official site only: mytadoba.mahaforest.gov.in is the website the National Tiger Conservation Authority lists for Tadoba, and it says it is the only government-authorised site for gypsy safari bookings. You can book up to 120 days ahead.
• Closed days: the core zone closes on Tuesdays and the buffer zone on Wednesdays.
• Timings move with the season: core safaris start at 6.30 am from November to February and as early as 5.30 am in May and June. Check the timetable for your dates.
• Cruiser safaris: nine-seat vehicles from the Moharli and Kolara core gates, booked offline and only for residents of Chandrapur district.
• In the forest: keep your distance from animals, keep noise down, follow your guide and the forest staff, and take all litter out with you.
• Where to stay: lodgings around the gates range from budget guesthouses to luxury resorts; book early in the peak season.