FACT SHEET
2006 – 2007 Season

Babi’s Fabulou Tiger photo

(Babi’s fabulous photo of the Tiger in Sal jungle)
“SHANTI BAGH” means Garden of Peace.

“SHANTI BAGH” is a place where we care about you; the all encompassing quality of your wildlife experience; the impressions of our nation you depart with, but most importantly, where we actively and willingly extend our assistance to Tribal communities, Baiga & Gond, in reversing the current trends of Tiger habitat destruction, the abetting of wildlife crimes, and ensuring all will always have the privilege of standing before Nature’s most perfect form……The Royal Bengal Tiger.

We have established “SHANTI BAGH” to provide existing friends & supporters of Kanha with a more intimate refuge from the many over-crowded resorts, camps and lodges doing so well today. The ambience of a destination in the jungle, we feel, should be one of serenity & calm. A place where like minded individuals can relax from the stresses & strains of their hectic life styles in surroundings that calm and rejuvenate, while still offering excitement and occasions to enjoy the company of old & new friends in an exclusive, well facilitated environment.

OUR LOCATION: We are located in a beautiful, peaceful site a mere 15 minutes from the Mukki gate of Kanha National park’s core zones. Our nearest villages for simple shopping, postal services & buses are Garhi & Baihar. Roads leading to this area come in from all the major towns with either railheads or airports, such as Raipur, Gondia, Jabalpur, Bandhavgarh & Nagpur. (Distances & travel timings from these centers are given later on in the text).

OUR ACCOMMODATION: During this inaugural season we are offering accommodation comprising of 5 cottages to our special clientele. Two, plus two separate unit cottages are linked together by a veranda to accommodate families and close friends, while the other cottages is a single structure buildings, offering privacy for other guests. Our future aim is to maintain a maximum of 7 cottages, ensuring personalized care and attention is always evident for those who entrust their wildlife vacations into our care.

The cottages have been designed to reflect the beauty of the original architectural style of this region, while the interiors offer facilities that even the most discerning of traveler would desire for their comfort and satisfaction. The bedrooms are spacious & well ventilated, with comfortable beds and more. The adjoining western style bathrooms have added essential appliances that will hopefully make the newly arrived traveler smile with relief & happiness. Wide verandas and cozy seating provides ideal locations for privacy and relaxation.

Page 2 - “SHANTI BAGH” - FACT SHEET

The Dining Hall again reflects the practical nature of Tribal ingenuity – airy & cool in summers and warm & cozy in those cooler months. However, this area also displays a sense of style and refinement that is most definitely required while enjoying a variety of Indian & western cuisine, freshly & carefully prepared by our dedicated & well trained chefs. The Lounge is linked by an archway, which offers spacious & elegant surroundings for communal relaxation; discussing the day’s events with fellow wildlife enthusiasts, and is the area where our wildlife slide & film presentations are shown.

SERVICES & FACILITIES: Our friendly staff comprises of an experienced Major Domo, chefs, service & room staff, drivers and guides – all of whom are dedicated to ensuring our special guests not only leave content with their wildlife vacation & experiences, but are also well informed. Our well stocked library is located in the lounge, and we have special tables for bridge, chess & backgammon for those who enjoy a challenge. Our sixteen year relationship with the people of Kanha has rewarded us with the friendship of the local community’s most knowledgeable & fascinating of souls. Escorted walks around the local jungles can be arranged for your enjoyment, as can visits to the weekly Tribal markets. Both ladies & Gents Massage therapy is also available on request for relaxation, especially those finding our jungle rides a new experience. It is also intended to offer interested individuals gentle introductions to the ancient well-being practices of Yoga.

PARK SAFARI EXCURSIONS: Kanha’s core areas can be enjoyed both during the mornings and evenings. A picnic breakfast accompanies each jeep for the early morning safari, ensuring maximum opportunities are available for wildlife encounters, of all types, that both exhilarate and satisfy the visitor’s requirement desires of their visit to Kanha National Park. We are not, however, in a position to guarantee that Tigers will be sighted on, or from the labyrinth of Kanha’s roads - the pressure on this most majestic animal is already too great for all to bear. We do though assure visitor’s that the naturalists/drivers & guides who escort our special clientele on park safaris are the most experienced it has been our privilege of working with, and for so long.

TIGER SHOWS: give visitors the opportunity to get, sometimes, very close to the Tigers, offering great opportunities for close-up photography. However, the Mahouts and their elephant’s main duties are to scour the jungle floor for evidence of wildlife crimes, in all their many vile guises. When these men of the jungle do locate the regal Tigers, and are permitted to share their meetings with this most endangered of animals, we suggest that you mount these gentle pachyderms at least once during your stay, but hope you are lucky enough to meet the main reason we are all here on the jungle tracks of this beautiful park. However, even in the excitement of the moment, please do not encourage the Mahouts, (Mahavats), to invade the fine line between observation & intrusion of the Tiger’s and other fauna’s personal space with the promise of larger than necessary tips. This new habit may well be the cause of territory desertion, and is counter-productive to all the conservation efforts of the park authorities and their dedicated men of the jungle.

SEASONS: The winter months,(November end to mid March), in Kanha can be surprisingly cool, (-2ºC is the coldest recorded), therefore suitably warm clothing should be packed, including jackets, woolly hats, scarves, gloves & warm socks for the early morning park safaris & evenings around our camp fires. Day time temperatures are more comfortable at 25ºC, so do include appropriate lighter apparel. During October, early November, late March through to June the weather conditions warm up considerably, necessitating comfortable light weight clothing. However, do include a sweater and a light rain proof jacket as the early mornings can still be bracing, and cloud bursts have been known to arrive unexpectedly!

WHAT TO BRING: Many visitors arrive in this remote jungle environment poorly equipped to suit the requirements of wildlife observation - sometimes close at hand & often distant sightings – most are not too happy they were not advised as to what they would require. Therefore, to minimize any inconvenience, we suggest the following items are added to visitors check list: camera & adequate film, spare batteries, re-charger lead & adapter; binoculars; a small first aid kit; sun-glasses; long cotton scarves to keep out the dust in summers or during dry spells; effective sun screen lotion and a hat that covers the neck area, (our central Indian sun is incredibly strong & often under estimated). For observing wildlife it is advised that muted colours be chosen for clothing. Bright colours can startle animals, birds and other creatures leaving the observer with nothing to view but wonderful trees & grasses……
Page 3 – “SHANTI BAGH” - FACT SHEET

HOW TO CONTACT & REACH US: All Bookings must be lodged at least once month in advance of any arrival, and forwarded to Kawardha, “SHANTI BAGH”, Kanha Tiger Reserve, P.O. Village Komo Sijora via Garhi/Baihar, Distt. Balaghat, MP – 481 111, India or via the email address of shantibagh111@rediffmail.com Please address all correspondence to Margie Watts-Carter or Mr. Aditya Dev, who will respond with query explanations & confirmations of booking dates.

By Air: Daily flights to Nagpur come in from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta & Hydrabad. Raipur attracts flights from Delhi & Bombay. Jabalpur now has several flights a week from Delhi, and
private jets can also be chartered to land at Gondia, a mere 3½ hours from Kanha.

By Train: Daily trains can be boarded from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta & Hydrabad terminating at Raipur, Nagpur, Jabalpur or Gondia.

By Road: The major towns/cities nearest to Kanha are Kawardha (85kms/2½hrs) Raipur (215kms & 4½ hrs), Nagpur (250kms & 5½ hrs), Jabalpur (180kms & 4 hrs) and Gondia (110kms & 3hrs).

TRANSPORTATION: Should our guests require to be collected and dropped from/to any of the above major centers, please be advised that we are able to arrange AC/Non AC vehicle hire at sensible rates. A few of our roads in MP are yet be fully upgraded, so for comfort we only hire high wheel base vehicles, such as Qualis and Tavera. The chosen drivers have been hand picked to avoid the raising of blood pressure levels. Please ensure any request for transportation is submitted at least 3 weeks in advance of the dates of arrival and departure, preferably at the time of bookings for accommodation.

PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS: All remittances must be received a minimum 30 days prior to the arrival of any individual or group. A 10%

The main reason for “SHANTI BAGH” being established is to provide sustainability to “SHANTI BAGH” – Kanha’s Tree, Tribe & Tiger Foundation, while offering visitors to Kanha with a special ambience from which to explore Kanha Tiger Reserve and its bounty. PLEASE NOTE: Ten (10)% of each visitor’s remittance for any jungle plan package is immediately transferred to the foundation’s bank account. We thank you for your support

Photos to be inserted into text

“SHANTI BAGH”
Kanha Tiger Reserve, P.O. Komo Sijora via Garhi/Baihar
Balaghat Distt., Madhya Pradesh - 481 111, INDIA

TARIFF
FOR THE 2006 – 2007 Season

The following rates are levied on a per person, per night basis and includes accommodation of an exclusive nature; all meals, coffees & teas of a very high standard; daily escorted park safaris, inclusive of one still camera charge & one Tiger Show per person, per day; film & slide shows and wildlife lecture; certain refreshments and occasional folk & Tribal dance evenings:-

No. of Pax 2 Nights 3-5 Nights 6 Nights plus

F.I.T 1 - 4 Pax Rs.8,500/- Rs.7,500/- Rs.7,000/-

Groups 5 - 8 Pax Rs.7,500/- Rs.7,000/- Rs.6,500/-

(Groups 9 plus Rs.6,800/- Rs.6,300/- Rs.5,800/-

SORRY, NO ONE NIGHT STAYS: Please note that enquiries for one night only bookings can not be accommodated. Also the maximum number of guests we can accommodate at any given time will be 8 adult Pax until May 2007. From October 2007 we will be able to accommodate a maximum of 14 Adult Pax.

SPECIFIC DAYS FOR ARRIVALS: Arrivals must coincide with dates falling on either Mondays or Thursdays to avoid disturbances for all our guests.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: 05%
The above rates are commissionable to Travel Consultants at 11%. For 5 to 8 Pax the Tour leader’s staying charges are reduced by 50%, whereas for 9 Pax and above the Tour Leader’s accommodation & meals will be complimentary. All Children under the age of 12 years are awarded a 50% reduction on the above rates in relation to the number of Adult Pax in any group.

PAYMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS: Indian rupee equivalent Bank Drafts should be drawn in favour of “SHANTI BAGH”, payable at State Bank of India, Baihar Branch No. …..and forwarded by either courier or registered A.D. mail to Margie Watts-Carter, “SHANTI BAGH”, Kanha Tiger Reserve, P.O. Kursipar Village via gaddi/Baihar, Balaghat Distt., Madhya Pradesh Pin: 481 111, India.

FULL PAYMENT is required not less than 30 days prior to the arrival of any individual or group booking. Please comply with this request as this helps us to ensure everything needed to our guest’s wildlife vacation at Kanha is perfect – we are remotely located and have to travel long distances for special items. Thank you for your co-operation.

NB: 10% of the charge for each guest’s accommodation is transferred to the “SHANTI BAGH” – Kanha’s Tree, Tribe & Tiger Foundation bank account to facilitate projects related to conservation as explained in out foundation’s documentation.