Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Kolkata
You will be met at Kolkata airport and transferred to your guesthouse to recover and relax after your flight.
Day 2: Kolkata
Experience a day in the life of Kolkata that will include a heritage walk around the city, learning about its history in the city`s museum, and taking in the beautiful array of fragrances in the flower market. You will also visit the Kumartuli effigy makers` studios and top this off with a visit to the Victoria Memorial Hall. You will need your evening to relax at your guesthouse!
Day 3: Kolkata to the Sunderbans
After breakfast you will leave for Sonakhali jetty, about a 2 hour drive and transfer to a boat. You will then have a briefing session by a specialist naturalist to prepare you for the experience ahead. On arrival at Bali island you will then transfer to your Jungle Camp. After lunch there will be a short cruise to Sajnekhali Mangrove Interpretation Centre - a natural history museum in the Sunderbans. In the evening you will meet with the local Conservation Society. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.
Day 4: Sunderbans
Today you will have a full day boat expedition to Sudhanyakhali, Neti Dhobani and Do Banki wildlife observation towers. You will come across a number of uninhabited islands, mangroves, the intricate network of innumerable tidal creeks and channels, a variety of birds and mammals during the cruise. The tower of Neti Dhobani still has the remnants of a very ancient temple and beholds many legends and myths associated with the snake god Manasa, the merchant Chand Sadagar and his son and daughter-in-law: Lakhindar and Behula. Lunch will be on board the boat. After returning to camp you will have an evening film show on the 'Man-Tiger conflict' giving a great insight into the challenges that both communities and conservationists face. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.
Days 5-9: Sunderbans
Over the next 5 days you will be getting involved with the community on various visits to schools and the local market, a bio rice farm and you will also get to meet local self help groups. You will be visiting the non-formal school and health camp and will be able to meet the young members of the nature clubs, tiger victims and their families, the rangers of the park, and the members of the local eco development committees. You will enjoy a taste of their lifestyle, local crafts, cuisine and even be entertained in their local rural theatre. The people of Bali village are your hosts who are transformed conservationists and are very involved in the camp. There will be a local cultural show 'Bonobibi Yatra' , performed by the local villagers in the evening. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.
Days 10-22: Conservation
You will be getting your hands dirty over the next few days and getting involved in mangrove plantation, helping in the mangrove nursery management and mangrove seed collection.You will also be involved in species monitoring, habitat survey, and patrolling in buffer areas. You may be involved in teaching, showing films in nature clubs and schools, and getting involved in mangrove trails to study the diversity of mangrove species and their ecological importance. A post-dinner 'Night Trail' will take place around the island to monitor the lesser cats and reptiles. You will stay at the Jungle Camp.
Days 23-26: Sunderbans
You will be visiting Shamshernagar with stopovers at Burirdabri and Jhingakhali observation towers, but don`t worry, these towers are housed within wire cages so there is no strolling in tiger land! Shamshernagar is a cluster of tiny villages on the border of the Indian and Bangladesh Sunderbans and are separated by a narrow tidal creek from the park. Man intrudes into the tiger's territory; the tiger often strays into the villages - the result is a high degree of man-tiger conflict. The conservation and tourism efforts try to mitigate the problem through awareness programmes, education and alternative livelihood support. You will also visit the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project, a crocodile conservation and breeding ground, and will work with the staff there. You will stay overnight in a homestay or on board a boat.
Day 27: Sunderbans
Return to the island of Bali. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.
Day 28: Kolkata
After an early lunch you will return to Kolkata. You will stay overnight in a guesthouse.
Day 29: Return Home
Today you will have a transfer back to the airport for your return flight home or your onward travel.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Accommodation: Jungle camp sites based on shared jungle style huts, homestay accommodation and guesthouse based on twin share rooms.
- Food: All meals
- Airport Pickup: Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
- Training: In-country orientation
- Support: Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support
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