chambal wildlife sanctuary

Last year, my wife and I decided to visit the Chambal River Sanctuary for birdwatching. We’re both somewhat avid birdwatchers (not as amateur as some, but at the same time not the hardcore birders who travel for months on end). Living in Delhi, we had both done Bharatpur multiple times, but had somehow never added Chambal to our itinerary (much to the chagrin of our birding friends).

 After much planning, and a little delaying, we finally visited Chambal last February. We decided to save some time by skipping Bharatpur, since it was not a new place to us, and going directly to Chambal, more specifically Dholpur.

So after breakfast on the first day of our trip, we left Delhi for the National Chambal Sanctuary. This wildlife sanctuary lies along the Chambal River, and is home to some amazing wetland wildlife. We reached our lodge in Chambal just in time for lunch. Since we didn’t have any boat safaris or other activities planned for the day, we decided to go for a short afternoon nature trail near our lodge, where we saw Indian Scops Owl, Spotted Owlet, Brown-headed Barbet, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Indian Thick-knee, and Indian Silverbill. We returned to our lodge by evening.

After an amazing dinner, we were still a little restless (and full from the food) so we decided to take a little night time walk to clear our heads and stomachs, and, at the same time, see if we could spot any nocturnal wildlife. While we didn’t get to see any owls or nightjards, I would still count our luck as fantastic as we managed to spot an Indian Palm Civet, which is normally very shy and reclusive.

The following morning, we had our boat safari in Chambal. On our way to the river, we did some light birdwatching, spotting birds like White-eyed Buzzard, Indian Silverbill, Long-tailed Shrike, and Greater Coucal. We then got to our designated boat and proceeded along the river. The boat safaris can be booked online, but we decided to save ourselves the trouble and got the lodge to do it for us.

Boating along the amazing River Chambal, one of the cleanest rivers I’ve ever seen, we got some amazing bird sightings, including Indian Skimmer, Black-bellied Tern, Bar-headed Goose, Pallas’s Gull, Long-legged Buzzard, Kentish and Little Ringed Plovers, Sand Lark, and Wire-tailed Swallow. We also saw plenty of Marsh Crocodiles (Mugger), as well as Gharials (also known as Fish-eating Crocodile), which Chambal is famous for, as well as an Indian Tent Turtle and Softshell Turtle. But the most amazing sighting was a Gangetic Dolphin that leaped out of the water very close to our boat. Despite everyone getting clear views of it, its movement was so fast that neither managed to get a photo.

After returning to our lodge and having lunch, we chatted with the staff as to what other activities could be done. After a few suggestions, we decided to to visit the nearby Bateshwar Temple. We’re not very religious but the temple, and the surrounding patch is very beautiful, and also peaceful and calming. After visiting the temple, we visited a nearby village known as Holipura. This small, neat and tidy village has many old houses, all of which belong to the same family. In fact, the entire village is occupied by the same extended multi-generation family. We then returned to our lodge.

Finally, it was our last morning in Chambal. After a hearty breakfast, and a small nature trail around our lodge, we started our drive back to Delhi.

For all those visiting Bharatpur, I strongly suggest adding a day to do a full-day excursion to Chambal. Not only will this save you a lot of time in planning a separate trip, but you will also be marvelled at how amazing a region once infamous for its bandits, is now a prime 

wildlife and birdwatching hotspot.

E: info@asianadventures.in

M: +91 8010450000  
https://linktr.ee/aatoursandlodges

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Sukau Rainforest Lodge – A Spectacular Tour to mesmerizing Rainforest

When I visited Borneo, I must tell you that I entered this unique and huge island with a blank mind, without any expectations. Somewhere on my mind, I had a dream to spot an orangutan in the wild. I just decided to get there when I read an article about the adverse effect of the palm oil industry on the existence of these beautiful creatures, before it’s too late.

I decided to visit Sukau Rainforest Lodge and I just had a trip of a lifetime. Along with orangutans, I also spotted the rare Pygmy Elephants and other animals.

Wildlife Safari Experience

Trust me, I am not a morning person. But I still woke up early in the morning because gliding down the misty river was truly a magical experience. Our tour included boat safaris on electric boats to avoid noise pollution in the wilderness. We enjoyed two safaris at dawn and in the afternoon to improve the chances to find orangutans and other fauna species.

Our guide was very knowledgeable who told us about the wildlife we found. We spotted a herd of giant Pygmy elephants en-route the lodge.  We also spotted a huge crocodile, hornbills, proboscis monkey and finally, the orangutans (kings of the jungle). There were two orangutans and one was eating fruits from the tree and it was truly a dream come true.

We also spotted long-tailed macaques and birds. Witnessing this magical show was truly an emotional moment. Anyone can indulge in this activity as you just have to sit on the boat and witness the live show of wilderness.

If it’s not enough, you can also hit the jungles on a night cruise. I skipped it because I was overwhelmed seeing all the animals in daylight. But you can also see owls and other wildlife species at night you cannot find in daytime.

Resting at Sukau Rainforest Lodge

Sukau Rainforest Lodge is truly a special place you can visit from Sandakan to Sukau. It has good connectivity with raised walkways and is built of local hardwood. It is located on the banks of Kinabatangan River. The lodge is blended with the forest so well that you look at the trees all around when you look outside the window. It is just in the heart of the jungle.

Best Time to Visit Sabah

Overall, the best time to explore the wilderness of Sabah is from May to September. Most people all over the internet will suggest you skip monsoons. I visited Borneo in January 2020. Since it’s the rainy season over there, many people told me to skip this month. Luckily, I didn’t stop. It just rained for a few hours but it didn’t hinder my travel plan. In fact, we enjoyed the pleasant weather with gorgeous and vivid sunsets.

Phone: +918010450000
Email: info@asianadventures.in
https://linktr.ee/aatoursandlodges

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