THE SUNDARBANS
THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE SUNDARBANS AND THE ROYAL BENGAL TIGER
by Clinical Crossroads
The one other place that fills the bucket list for almost all travel-loving Bengalis, is the Sundarbans. Covering more than 10000 sq kilometres, along the delta of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, the Sundarbans are no doubt the lungs of both West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Home to thousands of species, both known and unknown, this National Park occupies a significant place for its contributions towards sustaining biodiversity.
Named after the ‘Sundari’ trees that find predominance here, the Sundarbans are famous for being the abode of the Royal Bengal Tiger.
The National Park is open for tourists all the year round. While the ride may be more comfortable in the winter, the monsoon presents amazing cloudscape across the horizon.
There is no specific season that offers advantage to the chance of spotting the tiger. Chances are more that you’ll be able to see the royal animal during low tide, when they come out of the jungle to drink water. In winters, they come up to the shore to bask in the sun. If lucky, you may also be able to spot a swimming tiger.
However, you may prefer to visit the delta in winters, if you are a bird watcher. Birds that have been sighted here, include the White bellied sea eagle, Mangrove whistlers, Sandpipers and babblers.
How to reach and whether you should book through a Tour operator or not
In my personal opinion, it is better and easier to book through a tour operator, who arranges for your conveyance from Kolkata to the Sundarbans entry points and your boat ride as well. Tour operators are mostly Kolkata based. They pick you up from a convenient point in Kolkata and drop you back there, after the tour is done.
In case you plan to spend a night or two in the Sundarbans, you’ll have to look for a suitable place to stay. Here you’ll have two options:
- Stay onboard (i.e. inside your boat)
- Stay at hotels on the banks.
While the 2nd option is easier to adopt, the 1st one is able to give an amazing experience.
Not all boats have provisions of staying at night. Cruises arranged by the West Bengal Tourism, as well as by some private operators like Sundarban Houseboats, have such provisions.
If you wish to stay on-shores, you can visit websites like MakeMyTrip and Agoda.
Adequate lodging and fooding arrangements are made with either of the options available.
Travel Permit for the Sundarbans
Travel permits are needed to enter the Sundarbans. The tour operators can help to get your permits made.
You can do it on your own as well. Permits are done at Sajnekhali. The charge varies based on the type of boat you choose, number of tourists and the number of days in your travel plan.
Weather
Weather is tropical. It is hot and humid in the summers. A comfortable breeze is often encountered. It rains heavily in the monsoons. Winters are cold, due to the cold breeze.
Health
It is quite an easy going trip here. Not much physical exertion is needed. However, osteoarthritis of the knees can make boarding and de-boarding the boats difficult. Climbing stairs at viewpoints could also get difficult.
Budget