Panchamarhi visit

Panchamarhi Facts:It is 45 kilometres by road from Piparia station on the Indian Railways. Piparia is on the Itarsi Jabalpur train line, 2 hrs train run from Jabalpur. All the trains on this line pass through Piparia, but only a few halt here .

Pachmarhi is an archaeological treasure-house. The caves in the Mahadeo Hills has some rock paintings, some of which date as far back as 10,000 years.

Itinerary:
Day-1	Arrive at Pipariya by Mumbai–Howrah Mail (1054 hrs.) and depart for Pachmarhi. Check in at the hotel at Panchmarhi
Day-2	Sight see in Pachmarhi.
Day-3	Sight see in Pachmarhi.
Day-4	After breakfast leave for Jabalpur. Enroute visit Marble Rocks.
Day-5	After breakfast Proceed to Kanha (165 kms) - 4-5 hours. Evening Jeep Safari
Day-6	Morning and Evening Jeep Safari.
Day-6	After Breakfast Leave for Jabalpur for onward Journey.

The places of tourist interest at Panchamarhi:-
Satpura National Park:Set up in 1981, Satpura National Park is 524 sq km in area and is the core area of the Panchmarhi Biosphere reserve with the Bori and Panchmarhi Santuaries providing the buffer zone. It spreads through dense forest of evergreen sal, teak and bamboo. And is home to the bison, tiger, Leopard, bear, four-horned deer, blue-bull etc.
Rajat Prapat (Big Fall) : It is situated nearly half a k.m from Apsara Vihar, the water stream of Apsara Vihar makes a big waterfall of about 350 ft.Duchess Fall:
Bees Fall :The height of the fall is around 150 feet and is to the town, this waterfall drops into a stream which is the source of Panchmari ’s drinking water. Just above the fall there is a bathing pool, which is very popular and there after starts a 400 mts pathway down to the fall.
Pandav Caves: Five ancient caves excavated in sandstone rock in hill. Pachmarhi derives its name from these caves, which as per a legend once provided sanctuary to the five Pandav brothers. These caves are now protected monuments.
Gupt Mahadev:
Chauragarh (Shiv Devotees come here in huge numbers during Mahashivratri)
Dhupgarh (The highest peak of the Satpuras and Madhya Pradesh)
Handi Khoh (Deep Valley)
Priyadarshini :
Apsara Falls :
Jatashanker:A holy cave. This is a rocky which resembles the locks of Lord Shiva and hence the name. These are basically stalactites/stalagmites.
Saunderkund :

Other Useful sites:

Train Status/Reservation

Railway Reservations , http://www.irctc.co.in/

Visit Kaziranga

Major Wildlife Attractions of Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary:

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Kaziranga is Assam's most famous national park and is estimated to have 66% of the world's one-horned rhinos.The 450 square km (280 square miles) park has nearly 1,900 one horned rhinos - and celebrated its centenary two years ago. There were hardly 20 rhinos left in Kaziranga at the turn of the 20th century when the British declared it a game sanctuary in 1916.

Tthe other major wild attractions include a large population of Indian Elephants, Indian Bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bears, Tigers, Leopard Cats, Jungle Cats, Otters, Hog Badgers, Capped Langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalo, Pythons, Monitor Lizards, etc.Kaziranga National Park grasslands can be seen on safari making it a memorable experience.

The bird watchers can spot the Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pallas's Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, etc. Huge numbers of migratory birds visit the parks lakes and marshy areas during winters, including Greylag Geese, Bar-Headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall, Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Pochard and Northern Shoveller.

Attractions In Kaziranga Elephant Safari :

The Kaziranga park is realtively flat , the vast open country makes Kaziranga National Park very accessible and hence wildlife viewing becomes very pleasurable. Wildlife viewing is either done in the early hours of the dawn for an elephant-back-ride or in the dusk by jeeps along the jungle trail. Authorized and trained Mahouts guide visitors around the park , the Elephants are trained to located wild life. One can see wild Elephant herds or Indian Rhinos move past visitors unconcernedly. The accessibility of Kaziiranga wildlife Sanctuary provides a chance to see animals in the wild from such close quarters, thus a trip to this National Park becomes a very rewarding one.

Sightseeing in Kaziranga : Tourists visit the coffee and rubber plantations of the nearby Karbi Anglong and visit the Karbi villages to meet the people and observe their way of life. A visit to the tea gardens can also be arranged to know the tea making process. Film shows on wildlife can be arranged at the various tourist lodges in Kaziranga, on request.

Best Time to Visit Kaziranga National Park:

Kaziranga's visiting season is from mid-November to May . During the monsoons, the Brahmaputra River bursts its banks, flooding the low-lying grasslands and causing animals to migrate from one area to another within the Kaziranga National Park.

A trip To Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is named after its founder Rawal Jaisal who moved from his former capital at Lodhruva (which is situated about 15 km to the south-east of Jaisalmer) and built the new capital at Jaisalmer . "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". The golden hued fort stands about 80 meters over the city and houses an entire township within its huge ramparts. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray immortalised the fort in his detective novel and which he later turned into a film – Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress).

The entrances are called Pols, namely the Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Bhoota Pol and the Hava Pol, they guard the Megh Durbar and the Jawahar Mahal, which were occupied by the royal family. Outside the fort is the main market place called Manek Chowk.

Gadi Sagar Lake: A scenic rain water lake with beautiful shrines is an ideal spot for picnics and boating.
Tazia Tower :The Pagoda like Tazia Tower rises from the Badal Mahal or Palace of Clouds. During Moharram, beautiful 'Tazias'-ornately decorated bamboo, paper and tinsel replicas of a bier, are carried out in procession by Muslims. Each storey of this five-tiered tower has a carved balcony.
The Havelis of Jaisalmer:

Jaisalmer has some of the most exotic mansions or havelis in India with conspicuous facades, these are quite unique.

Nathmalji-Ki-Haveli : One very interesting fact about this late 19th century haveli is that two brothers carved its two sides. Although the motif used by one is not similar to the other, they are in harmony. One has to look very closely to spot dissimilarities. The interior walls are ornate with splendid miniature paintings.
Patwon-Ki-Haveli :This is one of the largest and most elaborate havelis in Jaisalmer. It is five storeys high and extensively carved.

Lodurva (16 km):
This is the ancient capital of Jaisalmer and an important pilgrim spot of the Jain community with some magnificent Jain temples. "Toran" or the ornate arches at the main entrance and splendid carvings are noteworthy. A 'Kalptaru' or a divine tree within is the main attraction of the temple.

Wood Fossil Park, Aakal (17 kms):
Lying on the Barmer Road, this park takes you back to the Jurassic period, when the entire Thar region lay beneath the sea. There are 180 million year old fossils - the geological landmarks for the study of the Thar Desert.
Sam Sand Dunes (42 km):
No trip to Jaisalmer is complete without visiting the picturesque dunes of Sam. The ripples on the wind-caressed dunes, that create an enchanting mirage, are a delight for a trigger -happy photographer. Various cultural programmes are organised against the backdrop of these fascinating sand dunes. It is a great place to see patterns carved out by winds on the sand, which change colours in the sunrise. Camel rides on the sand dunes are an unforgettable experience, as is the sunset. One can spend an enchanting evening on the sands watching the sensuous snake dance of the Kalbeliya gypsies and listening to the full-throated folk songs of the Manganiyars. Exciting camel safaris allow you to get the real feel of the desert on camel back.

A little about the Camel Safari : The camel safaris in the deserts of India are the fastest selling adventure holidays. The hardships in the course of the safari go hand-in-hand with the novel manner of seeing the dry desert areas. In India the camel safari offers a lot more of fun and adventure. The area is a lot more accessible than its counterparts owing to the airports and railway stations close by. The architectural heritage of Rajasthan is best discovered in the camel safari. It is owing to the trade caravans across the desert of India that the trade prospered and made Jaisalmer rich in olden days before sea trade tookover. A typical safari will visit the architectural ruins of Lodurva that are close to Jaisalmer, the oasis at Anasagar, the sand dunes of the Samm and the water source of Moolsagar , which are exquisite examples of the lives of the villagers. After the safari through the day the nights are meant for entertainment and rest. The halts at the night en-route, amidst the desert scrubs the tour/ safari operator can arrange a campfire and local dancers and musicians. This gives one the taste of the rich culture of rajasthan , though the entertainers get a pittance for their exertions.