An exciting place is Katarniaghat, where rare is common. It was a fascinating ride into the core area of the forest. I could drive 42 Km into the forest with my car before I reached the point of Jeep Safari (Rs. 5500) for six people and Boat Safari (5000) for 45 minutes. Yes! You read that right: a boat safari into the crystal clear Crocodile and Ghariyal-infested waters. But the question arises: How do I reach this place? What are the charges for the safaris, and whom do I connect with for this experience? All these questions will be answered in time, but now let's talk about how my day went and which animals and birds I saw.
Because I live in Lucknow (The City of Nawabs), the way from Lucknow to Katarniaghat is only 199 Km (4 Hours) due to some lousy road patches after Barabanki. So, as an early riser, I woke up by 3 am, all packed in the night to leave by 3:30 am. I recommend carrying Jackets during Winter because it is a 'Terai' region, making it colder than the land away from water/ water bodies. The more recommended option to reach Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is through Sitapur.
Upon reaching the first checkpost of the Sanctuary during the early winter morning at around 6 am, we wondered if it was even allowed to go inside the jungle straightaway like this, as it is unusual to drive into the core zone of a wildlife sanctuary. But don't worry, that is what you are supposed to do. After reaching the safari area, I met with my guide 'Mr. Imtiaz' If you want to contact him, I'll leave his contact details at the end of the blog entry. I know enough with the information. Now, let's talk about the flora and fauna.
As you might know, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of 'Project Tiger,' a conservation movement set in motion in 1973 to protect the Royal Bengal Tiger. It is a protected area in the Upper Gangetic Plain near Baharaich City, connected with the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Dudhwa National Park, forming Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. During my visit, however, I could not track the big cat; instead, I ran into a parade of elephants migrating from Nepal during the winter. These gentle giants can be seen mating and bull elephants fighting each other over females.
During my trip, I encountered such a herd, and here's how the situation turned out: In front of my Gypsy were three others. As they were families and tourists, they were observing the herd from afar, but as a wildlife photographer, I was waiting to get up close to the big tusker bull. No one was willing to get close to him as he was also inside the elephant grass, and we could not know how many of them were there. I captured this record shot when Tusker walked out on the road.
But that was the highlight of the Jeep Safari. Another exciting tree you would like to know about in the Sanctuary is the 'Tickle Tree' natively called 'Gudgudi Ped'. Be sure to check it out on your visit to Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. After ending the safari, my guide told me about the tremendous birding opportunity in the vicinity, which allowed me to capture the beautiful and curious 'Jungle Owlet'; you can check their Canvas Prints now available in our shop. After birding and capturing these curious creatures, I strapped on my lifejacket and hopped on the boat in search of elegant reptiles that rule the backwaters of Katarniaghat.
The Ghariyals can be seen in great numbers due to the breeding season, with Crocodiles basking in the morning sun, allowing me to capture this frame. Check out my fantastic capture from Katarniaghat and even more Bandhavgarh National Park. I hope you all like it!!
Here are the Contact details for Mr Imtiaz (Guide): +91 94539 05117 Note: There is a major problem with network connectivity, so be sure to carry a SIM functioning locally. Be sure to ask Imtiaz Ji.
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