Doyang- Great Migration Of Amur Falcons

If solitude is your cup of tea and you want to enjoy Nature at it's best without any disturbance then Doyang is the perfect place. This beautiful village in remote parts of Nagaland is a bird watchers paradise and is visited by lakhs of Amur Falcons during the winter months. These incredible migratory birds have chosen this fertile land for roosting, embarking on a marathon flight from East Asia to Siberia via North East India covering thousands of kilometers. Only a handful of homes are dotted across the hill and this is one of those rare places to enjoy wilderness. The star lit sky and massive reservoir built over Chubi river on which the Doyang hydro power project sits is a picturesque destination.

An early morning walk on deserted roads with a foggy view of the lake, mist on the leaves and the melodious chirping of birds soothing our ears, we could not have asked for a more blissful morning. It was an awesome experience to hear callings of various birds and the one that grabbed our attention was the call of a racket-tailed Drongo. For the next three hours, all that we could hear was out and out bird calls and we had fun identifying as many birds as possible. The best sight that unfolded that day was a massive flock of juvenile Falcons whistling past us. They were flying really low and at great speed that in a split second they vanished. This region is not only good for bird watching but there are also plenty of colorful butterflies.

We went about exploring the place on foot and it made us feel like we were marooned on an island and left to fend for ourselves. We sat by the longest bailey bridge in India, Chubi Bridge, hours went by and no words were spoken and in this state of peace we could very clearly hear the oars of a boat slapping Chubi river and then slowly fade away.

After a long walk, we headed to an ordinary tea shop with an extraordinary view. Silence is truly golden and it being such a rare occurrence in our busy city life, we were truly able to appreciate and realize how valuable, serene and enjoyable it could be. It was a perfect setup for relaxation of the mind, body and soul- enjoying views of placid river, mountain vistas and sipping hot cup of tea. In the entire stretch of 5 kilometers, we came across only 2 other homes and 1 tea shop, this speaks a lot about how remote this place is.

The roosting site of the falcons is very close to the next village after Doyang. On the way to the roosting site is the watch tower which is entirely built with natural resources and is a lovely little spot to spend hours early morning and evening to watch these magnificent birds fill the sky and prey on dragon fly and other insects. It is a pretty sight to see hundreds of them sit on high tension wires. It seems as though they have completely taken over the village.

After much struggle we made it up to the roosting site and it was an experience like none other. Doyang is India's own Masai Mara as we got to experience the Great Migration Of Falcons. We were amazed to see millions of Amur Falcons turn the deep blue sky grey. It appeared like we were witnessing a scene from fantasy movie 'The Mummy' live. Any direction that our heads turned to, we saw several millions of these birds hovering in circles. Like the sky is lit by stars in the night, during evening the sky was lit by amur falcons. It was such a majestic and overwhelming experience.

These amazing little raptors take one of the longest migration routes of all birds (The Marathon Migration) traveling a total of 22,000 km a year from East Asia to Southern Africa and back. These birds migrate over sea even during night. It is during this migration that they halt in North East India to replenish their energy levels. During this brief stay of 3 months they help the North East farmers by acrobatically feeding midair on swarming insects that destroy crops. These birds fly over the Indian Ocean en-route Africa and cover a whopping distance of 4000 km in 3 to 4 days. It is still unclear as to what route they take on their way back.

Doyang, home to the largest congregation of Amur Falcons, until recently was more known for hunting these birds for their meat and for selling them in the market. While these tiny little creatures do their best to help humans we show our gratitude by mercilessly hunting them in the thousands for their meat but now these same birds are considered as the pride of the state thanks to the conservation efforts.

We reached the roosting site where a group of self proclaimed conservationists act as the governing body and care takers welcome you. These unemployed bunch of youth run a big con here. A big warning to any wild life enthusiast who plans to visit this place to see this incredible feat is that there is absolutely no administrative body here or any set of rules or regulations. They reminded us of the local colony goons who come to your doorstep to collect chanda during festivals. In the name of conservation and volunteering for a noble cause, they gain your trust and claim there are no fees or charges but only a voluntary donation of any amount of your choice. After making the donation we explicitly asked if there was a guide fee? For which the answer was "No, We Only Collect Donations." They gain your respect but beware this is nothing but a big trap.

When we were done with our tour and on our way back to exit point, out of the blue we were informed about a "Mandatory Guide Charge" of Rs.400. We were taken aback and started questioning the difference in statement before and after the tour. No where did it mention that visitors are charged any fee and they themselves explicitly mentioned the same. On reaching the exit point 7 guys ganged up and demanded that we pay these charges and if this was not enough, they had the audacity to ask Rs.200 more for "Camera Charges." This lawlessness and fraud ruined an amazing experience! After too many questions, the "Camera Charges" disappeared all of a sudden but guide fee remained. Since it was very dark and we were a lone couple we had no other option but to pay the ransom. The point here is not about Rs.400 but the fact that we traveled over 3000 km to have this experience and if the hooligans get used to this who knows what they might do next?

We agree that any wildlife park or sanctuary are entitled to collect Park, guide and camera fee plus the usual other charges. However, the tourist is always made aware and provided receipts for the same. And later on there are no hidden charges. In this instance we were welcomed grandly and they projected a 'No fee' picture explicitly and later on we were asked to shell out for charges that suddenly appeared without any receipt. This is a sure shot example of swindling money from unsuspecting travelers and for this reason alone we had an issue. These lovely folks also provide food and lodging at the roosting site, do try out at your own risk! This instance is no exaggeration and this is exactly how it happened.

The best time to visit the roosting site is early morning 5 to 8 am or evening 3:30 to 5 pm. It is a solid 15 to 18 km distance between Doyang and the roosting point. It is impossible to walk this path as it would be pitch dark and very cold both early in the morning and post sunset. Also, note it is thick jungle area and populated by wild animals especially elephants. So one has no other option other than to hire a taxi. The availability of these taxis are scarce and way too expensive. We coughed out Rs.2000 for the 20 km journey.

In spite of being just 30 km from Wokha, reaching the beautiful village of Doyang in itself could be a big challenge due to bumpy roads and no tarmac just gravel and sand. Still it is well worth a visit as we were greeted by absolute pristine and pollution free environment. Maybe the challenges in reaching this remote place is a blessing a disguise as  the pristine beauty of the place remains intact. Commercialization would ruin the natural surroundings and it would not take much time for it to completely get polluted ripping away the natural habitat.

For a traveler who depends on public transport, shared taxis ply in this route but are packed to full capacity. It is highly unlikely that one might find empty seats. There is a lone bus that plies in this route which leaves from Pangti village to Wokha at 5 am and returns anywhere between 2 to 3 pm. Nonetheless, the experience of travelling like a local is much better than the comforts of a luxury car or hired taxi. The connect that you feel with the locals makes you instantly a part of the place and of course you meet more people, make some amazing friends and learn more about their lives, the challenges they face. The simple task of traveling like the locals teaches us a lot and the most significant being that it makes you a much more humble person.

There are literally only a handful of very basic stay options here as fortunately, commercial tourism has still not caught up here. We stayed in 'The Falcon Pass' homestay. They have two basic rooms with 3 beds each and a common bath. Each bed is let out at Rs.400 per night, lunch and dinner is also arranged from their kitchen and is priced at a very reasonable Rs.150 per person per meal. During our stay here we got to taste awesome fresh water fish and country chicken. When you stay at falcon pass do ask the host to prepare omelette which was yummy and more like their signature dish. The best part about the place is that it has a very charming sit out over looking the reservoir. It is an off beat destination in the middle of nowhere and ideal for unwinding. They can be reached at 9612888376.

Spot Our Homestay Right In Between The Two Hills

Into the Wild- Chitwan National Park.

With excitement levels sky high we left to the much hyped and anticipated Royal Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, one of the many in Nepal and the first in our bucket list. The morning welcomed us with thick fog, mist and dew settling on our numb fingers. The roads were amazing to ride on with thick jungle on either side, the climate was very pleasant making the ride even more charming.

For the entire stretch of 200 km we were in awe with Nature's beauty. There were green pastures, beautiful paddy fields, rivers cutting through mountains, snow clad mountain peaks & forests all along the way.

Chitwan is the place to be if you want to experience the life of Tarzan. The massive park is blessed with grasslands, a perfect habitat for the One horned Rhino & Royal Bengal Tiger, wetlands - that attracts plenty of local and migratory birds plus the lurking and silent killer - the crocodile. The park is also home for massive sal trees. This park guarantees a perfect jungle experience & the safaris are not just limited to jeep but also offer the popular elephant safari, canoe ride & the adventurous jungle trek. It was our very first experience to take an elephant safari in a national park and it was brilliant. The best part about an elephant safari is that it lets you venture deep into the forest and gives you a glimpse of the wildlife in their natural habitat.

Unlike the national parks in India, Chitwan UNESCO  World heritage site, lets you experience dense jungle. The scrubs are really thick & green virtually making it impossible to see any barren land. There are plenty of massive trees in the park towering several meters high making it difficult for sun rays to penetrate through. The pride of the park is the One Horned Rhino which is endangered.

Chitwan offers a very unique and thrilling experience - 'jungle trek.' We ventured into the jungle by foot in search of wildlife. As thrilling, exciting and adventurous as it may seem and sound, this is a very dangerous trek. The trek lasts for 2 to 3 hours and during this time we spotted wild boars, deer, birds and toward the fag end of the trek, our guide spotted a massive Rhino grazing. We tip toed and inched closer towards the rhino. What an experience that was, we had an adrenal rush and felt a chill in our spine as we were mere meters away from this massive creature. We stood there admiring this wonderful creature and our hearts felt heavy at the though that this animal species is being mercilessly hunted down for their horn which is falsely believed to cure terminal illness and boost fertility.

Be warned before signing up for this trek as it is very common for Rhinos and bears to charge at unsuspected tourists. You can neither outrun nor outfight these creatures. Also, Rhinos and bears killing humans inside the National park is not unheard of. If all of this is not scary enough, during our trek we saw fresh pug marks of a fully grown tigress. We were told by our guide that we were in her territory.

Canoeing in Narayani river - If you are an avid bird watcher this ride is something that you will absolutely love. The manual powered canoe floats effortlessly in the river and is ideal for bird watching. Commonly seen birds are kingfisher, egrets, ibis, stork, hornbill, pond heron, lapwing etc. No matter how tempted you might be, do not put your hand in water. Do so only if are willing to lose it to one of the many crocodiles in the river.

Elephant Breeding

Right after the canoe ride, we visited the Elephant Breeding center. This was initiated as the population of elephants in Nepal is decreasing rapidly. It is said to be one of the only 2 Breeding centers in the world. You get a chance to watch Elephant calves ranging from a few days to a couple of years.

We checked into Chitwan adventure resort, there are several nice thing to say about this place. Being foodies we enjoyed their food and they never compromised on the lavish spread and quality. The resort is beautifully done with great aesthetics. If you are hopelessly romantic, this resort is the one for you as it offers a chance to gaze at the stars from the sit out. The rooms are spacious and clean. There is plenty of greenery around the resort. They have expert guides and it was with their expertise that we were able to spot a rhino during jungle trek. The service is outstanding and they were kind enough to provide our friends free pick up from Sauraha chowk. They take extremely good care of their guests.

Next Stop Kathmandu. 

Koshi Tappu Lesser Known Reserve Of Nepal

Koshi Tappu is a bird watchers paradise and the reserve is named after the river Sun Koshi. The wetlands of the terai region of Nepal attracts hundreds of migratory birds from all over the globe. This silent & calm uncharted territory is hardly visited by tourists. This place would reap high rewards for an enthusiastic bird watcher. Do check out the wildlife orientation center in Koshi, it houses very exotic wildlife taxidermy such as Gangetic dolphins, wild buffalo, elephant fetus.  The mere fact that there are only 3 resorts around the reserve stands testimony for the low footfall this place sees.

Keep an eye out for the small signboards on Siddartha highway (10 km from Itahari.) that leads you on unpaved tracks in-between farmlands. Follow this stretch for 2.5 km and you reach the resort 'Koshi Tappu Bird Watching Camp.' We got to experience Nepali's love and hospitality. This is a very basic and budgeted property. Do not expect great amenities however, it is very clean and their service is excellent. They serve very good, fresh and organic food. The owner of the property is always around to take care of the guests.

There are two types of accommodation to choose from - Mud house and tents. We choose mud house it comes with a ceiling fan two very comfortable cots with mosquito nets and cozy quilts. The best part about the property is that there is a water body next to it that attracts birds.  An evening stroll around would be very fruitful.  Birds chirping around and water gushing down are like music to your ears and sets a perfect mood to enjoy a hot cup of tea. Please note as of now the resort does not provide attached bath.

Next stop Chitwan National Park. 

Shivpuri

Day 26 Orccha To Shivpuri

Distance: 120 km

Road Condition: Very good 4 way lane.

Chhatri In Memory Of Madhav Rao Scindia

Shivpuri, the then summer capital of Scindia rulers, is a small town with great places of interests such as Madhav National Park, George Castle, Chattris & Tatya Tope memorial.

Madhav National Park: It is a great park but sadly almost all wildlife was wiped out due to rampant hunting by the Royal family and their friends. The 20 km drive inside the park hardly yielded in any wildlife sighting. However, it is a bird watcher's paradise. The park is open from sunrise to sunset with no specific safari timings.

Within the park premises is the massive man-made Sakhya Sagar lake, home for marsh crocodiles. The lake has abundant water even during peak summer and is a good place to spot wildlife & birds quenching their thirst. MPTDC operates a boat club offering joyrides.

George Castle: Within the national park stands tall George Castle built by Maharaja Jiyaji Rao Scindia for the King Of England George V. It was built as a rest house for the King during his visit to hunt tigers, it so happened that he shot and killed one on the way and hence never stayed here.

These majestic beasts that were once found in abundance here are now completely wiped out. All to prove machismo of Nawabs, Kings and Britishers. The panoramic view of the national park from atop George Castle is fabulous. The castle is now converted into a museum.

Madhav Rao & Maharani Sakhya Raje Scindia Chhatri: In their memory the Scindia family have built 2 magnanimous Cenotaphs facing each other. These monuments are nothing less than architectural marvels. Especially the one dedicated to Madhav Rao Scindia built with sparkling white marbles is stellar.

The doors are made of silver and the exquisite mural wall paintings are a delight. This place is ideal to spend a quiet evening and watch the sunset.

Truly Royal - Silver Door

Tatya Tope memorial: Betrayed by his friend Man Singh this is where Legendary Tatya Tope's trial was conducted and he was publicly hanged to death by the British Raj for the Revolt of 1857.

Legend Lives On

We checked into Tourist village Shivpuri operated by MPTDC, this is one of the best properties. The property is brilliantly laid-out and the aesthetics are very good. It is at the edge of Madhav national park & shares boundary with Sakhya sagar lake. Resort houses swimming pool, gym, indoor games area & adventure activity zone. Mountain bikes are also available on rent. Food standards are pretty good. The boat club is within the resort premises.

Next destination Gwalior.

Panna National Park

Day 18 Amarkantak to Panna Via Rewa 

Distance: 392 km

Road Condition: Good roads with occasional potholes. A stretch of 20 km in between has no roads. However, work is in progress to lay roads. On this stretch oncoming heavy vehicle creates a cloud of dust completely blinding the driver.

Panna, a hidden treasure far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, way off the tourist radar due to it's slim tiger population. Compared to other national parks, this park is very calm minus the tiger centric crowd. This makes the jungle safari a pleasant and serene experience.

Panna National Park

Ken river, the lifeline of Panna National Park is a rich source of uncontaminated water flowing through the dense forest, an ideal living condition for the marsh crocodiles. Apart from jeep safari the park also offers boat safari to witness crocodiles basking in the sun. If you are lucky enough you could even spot an elusive leopard quenching it's thirst. Minimum charges for the boat ride is Rs. 200 for 4 people.

Massive Ken River

Due to rampant poaching, in 2009 the entire tiger population was wiped out. 2 female tigers and a male tiger were then relocated from Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Pench respectively. Rigorous conservation efforts by the forest department and locals has led to an increase in the tiger population. Currently, the number stands at 27. There are designated teams tracking the movement of tigers keeping them safe from poachers.

The forest department might block some safari routes if there has been a kill. While we were there, one route was off-limits as there was a fresh kill by a tigress with 3 cubs. On another occasion, we saw the carcass of a leopard being carried away by the forest officials, word is a duel broke-out between the tigress and the leopard.

Safari expenses: Jeep charges Rs. 1500, guide 300, camera charges 250, park entry fee 1000. Do checkout the museum at the ticket booking counter.

We took 3 safaris and spotted vultures. Panna is one of the last few natural habitats for these endangered species. A rocky terrain leads to great view of deep gorge, also known as Vulture point. It would be a spectacular sight to see water fall into the gorge during monsoon.

Crested Serpent Eagle

Thanks to the sheer brilliance of our guide, Suresh, we spotted a highly camouflaged nightjar. It took us a while to differentiate the bird from the twigs around.

Camouflaged Nightjar

Up Close

Other wildlife sighting included tigers cooling off by the river, crocodiles basking in the sun, grey hornbill, stork billed kingfisher, eagles, paradise flycatcher, rufous tree pie, oriental magpie, mongoose.

Stork Billed Kingfisher

Changeable Hawk Eagle

Other tourist attraction in Panna- Pandava falls. A few things to note - guide service is mandatory, charges at Rs 60 and the falls is 600 mt away from the gate. Legend is, Pandavas spent a couple of years during their exile at this place. A flight of 100 steps leads to the caves. The falls is alluring and would be quite a sight during monsoon. The caves are in pretty bad shape, the govt has closed the caves all you get to see is 2 mt of the caves. The guide says if one is extremely lucky they could spot bear, leopard or tiger here. We are not sure how lucky you would be if you have a face-off with any of these.

Pandava Caves

We checked into MPTDC Jungle Camp, Madla zone, the property shares it's boundary with the park. They provide AC tented accommodation which are very cozy, rooms are spacious and clean with TV, small fridge and comfortable sit out.  The best part is safari booking office is hardly a kilometer away.

However, the service standards of the hotel are horrendous. During our 2 days stay in the month of April, there were frequent and lengthy power cuts. Despite having backup generators the management refused to switch them on even after repeated requests. The bizarre reason given was 'The guy who switches on the gen set was not available.'

In addition, they overcharged us Rs 500 for every jeep safari we took. This being a Government owned and run hotel, these charges were unacceptable. The jeep drivers employed by the hotel try to save fuel and refuse to drive on rugged terrain. The point of taking a jungle safari is defeated.

Also, food is bad. Management is not reachable at any given time. We highly recommend you to stay away from this property.

Do check out Ken River Lodge for stay options.

With great expectations we head to Khajuraho.

Bandhavgarh National Park, Jewel Of India.

Day 11 Bhedaghat To Bandhavgarh

Distance: 200 km

Road Condition: First 35 km tends to be chaotic so it is better to cover this stretch early in the morning. Pretty bad roads clubbed with zero road sense makes the drive horrifying. However, the moment you hit the state highway curvaceous road with excellent tarmac welcomes you. There is hardly any traffic and no pot holes until you reach Bandhavgarh. It is blissful to drive through ghat sections with beautiful trees adoring colorful leaves on either side of the highway. Once you reach Bandhavgarh, the 15 km stretch towards Tala is terrible. The roads are non-existent but the good news is work is underway to lay cement roads.

En Route Bandhavgarh

After a brief stay in Jabalpur, we head back to our home away from home, the jungles of India- this time Bandhavgarh. This national park lives up to it's expectation and hype as a tiger territory, it is believed that one has to be extremely unlucky to not sight a tiger here. 

So Comforting

Bandhavgarh national park is compact and beaming with wildlife, making it famous among tourists. There are 3 entry zones and Tala zone is the most sought after. However, one has to cough up more money to enter this zone. The booking counter for spot booking operates at a snail's speed and there is no gypsy booking booth near the counter. One has to call on a number provided on their notice board to book a gypsy for safari. On weekdays, you may get to enter the park via Magadhi or Kitauli zone and it is pretty much impossible to get a spot booking on weekends.

Show off

Safari expenses: Jeep charges Rs. 2000, entry Rs.1000, Guide fee Rs 300. No charges for camera. Entry for Tala zone is Rs 1000 more expensive.

Tala zone is right behind the booking office so there is no time spent in reaching the gate. For the other 2 zones, one would have to travel a few km to reach the entry gate. We had permit for Magadhi zone for our first safari and were greeted with lush green Sal trees, huge bamboo shoots, meadows and natural water holes. The terrain is hilly and the park is not as cold as other parks in MP. The fort, dam and lord Vishnu murti are within the park's boundaries.

Lush Green Park

We were right in time to witness breakfast being prepared for the mighty elephant, hot rotis were being prepared and each weighed around 3 kg.

Breakfast For The Giant

During the safari we spotted sambar, jackal, eagle, barking deer, chinkara, painted stork, peacocks, and caught a glimpse of elusive tiger crossing the road behind thick shrubs. This scene unfolded a few meters away yet only a few were lucky enough to witness it. As the safari came to an end, our guide drew our attention towards a jungle fowl in a hollow tree trunk incubation her eggs.

Mom At Work

Chinkara

We got permit to enter Khitauli zone for the evening safari. We had a great start- spotted a crested serpent eagle mere meters away which was not camera shy. After clicking a few pics we moved along to see a peacock trying to impress a peahen by a watering hole, pretty sure it does not take more than this for the hen to fall head over heels in love.

Serpent Eagle

Jackal

While admiring the beauty of the peacock dance, we saw a very conscious and alert wild boar walk to a watering hole to quench his thirst and cool off. After spending considerable time we headed in search of more action. Mere meters away from our gypsy we spotted a vine snake take shelter in a bamboo shoot. It was quite a sight and our first time to see a snake in the wild. It was beautifully camouflaged making one aware of the lurking danger around.

Cooling Off

Green Vine Snake

Our 3rd and final safari was to the Tala zone, and with this we covered all three zones of the park. Binod Kumar, our guide with 19 years of experience knew the forest inside out. We followed warning calls of langurs, sambars and spotted deer in search of a predator and ended up in Kankatti's territory who got her name from a feud years ago in which her ear was cut, hence, the name. The calls led to thick shrubs and in the background we saw glowing orange with black stripes, she was engrossed feeding on her kill - a spotted deer.

Lunch Time

Spent time admiring her and proceeded towards the 10th century Vishnu murti, this 35 foot sculpture has been carved out of a single sandstone rock. Steep slopes take you to a hill where you see Vishnu resting on a serpent with Bramha and Shiv on either sides for company. We were in awe with the architecture, and amazed by the history and beauty of India. The park is home for a natural fort and many sandstone caves that are out of bound for tourists. Specialty of Tala zone is one gets to see all these monuments.  If the words of the guide are to be believed, these caves are now used as home for tiger cubs.

Resting Vishnu

We checked into Tiger Den Resort, a pretty posh property. We were promptly checked into our room, the staff is very friendly, courteous and helpful. The resort offers great aesthetics and spacious rooms, has a swimming pool, spa, souvenir shop and a well stocked library. The food served there is awesome. Personal food requests are entertained, desserts are out of the world, sinful and heavenly. Their Phirni and mud cake with chocolate sauce is to die for. Tala zone is only half a kilometer away from the premises, the other 2 zones are 3 and 6 km away.
Downside: The bathrooms are huge but the shower cubicle is too small for comfort.

Excited to say hi to our next destination Amarkantak.