Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

Maharashtra's oldest and largest national park, a teak and bamboo forest known for tiger sightings.

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Tadoba is one of the most visited tiger reserves in India, with dry deciduous forest, lakes and a large tiger population. It suits wildlife photographers, birders and families who are happy with early starts and open-jeep safaris. Booking safaris well ahead is the key to a good trip.

Trip planner

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Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.

Best time to go

When	What to expect
October to February	Pleasant days and cold mornings, very chilly in an open jeep. Good for birds, including winter migrants from November.
March to June	Hot and dry, with April and May reaching about 46 C. Animals gather at water holes, so this is the best time for tiger and sloth bear sightings.
July to September	Monsoon. Core zones close to visitors; some buffer zones stay open subject to weather.

Sights and activities

Moharli core zone safari

The best-known core zone, popular for tiger sightings and with good visitor facilities. Safaris run in registered forest department jeeps with a guide.

Distance: At Moharli Gate
Entry: About 1,000 per jeep (up to 6 people) for core entry plus 300 guide fee; online booking charges extra
Timings: Morning and afternoon slots, for example 6-10 am and 2:30-6:30 pm in October, 5:30-9:30 am and 3-7 pm in April-June. Core closed on Tuesdays and July to September
Time needed: 4 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Tadoba Lake and Taru shrine

A large lake inside the reserve with many bird species. A small shrine to the local deity Taru stands on its bank under a big tree.

Distance: Inside the core area, reached on a safari
Entry: Included in the core safari
Timings: During safari hours only
Time needed: Part of a safari

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Kolsa zone and Kolsa Lake

A quieter core zone with a lake and good views of the forest and its trees.

Distance: Inside the core area, reached on a safari from its gate
Entry: Included in the core safari
Timings: During safari hours; closed on Tuesdays
Time needed: 4 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Buffer zone safari (Agarzari, Devada, Junona)

Buffer zones around Moharli where tigers, leopards and sloth bears are also seen. Some stay open in the monsoon, and Junona has had night safaris.

Distance: Gates near Moharli
Entry: About 600 per jeep for buffer entry plus 300 guide fee
Timings: Morning and afternoon slots; buffer zones closed on Wednesdays
Time needed: 4 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Irai Lake

A reservoir beside the MTDC resort at Moharli, used for boat rides and birdwatching. The Erai Dam that forms it is near Chandrapur.

Distance: Next to Moharli village
Time needed: 1-2 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Butterfly garden

A butterfly park in the Tadoba area, an easy outing between safaris.

Distance: Tadoba area.
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Ramdegi Temple

A temple in Chimur taluk near the Ramdegi buffer gate, on the hilly northern side of the reserve.

Distance: Chimur side of the reserve.
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Bhadranag Mandir, Bhadravati

A temple in the town of Bhadravati, a short side trip on the way between Nagpur and Chandrapur.

Distance: Bhadravati.
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Getting there

By bus: Buses and cabs run from Nagpur and Chandrapur. State buses run from Chandrapur to Tadoba a few times a day. From Nagpur the road goes via Warora towards Moharli or Khutwanda gates.
By train: Chandrapur railway station is about 36 to 45 km from the park, about an hour by cab. It has trains from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
By air: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, is about 137 to 150 km away, 3 to 4 hours by road. It has daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.
Where to base yourself: Stay near the gate you have booked; Moharli, about 25 to 36 km from Chandrapur, has the most lodges including the MTDC resort by Irai Lake.

Getting around

Private vehicles are not allowed in the park; safaris use registered forest department jeeps (gypsies) for up to six people, booked with entry.
Cruiser safaris in 9-seat vehicles sell individual seats, subject to availability.
State buses link Chandrapur and Tadoba a few times a day for about 40 rupees.
Taxis from Nagpur cost about 4,000 to 6,000 rupees one way; a day cab costs about 3,000 rupees.

Often combined with

Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.

Kanha National Park: Road via Nagpur, about 8 to 9 hours, about 390 km by road. See the Tadoba, Kanha and Bandhavgarh trip

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Where to stay

Budget level	Type	Price per night
Budget	MTDC Tourist Lodge at Moharli by Irai Lake	₹1,450 to ₹3,200
Mid-range	Resorts near Moharli and Kolara gates	₹3,000 to ₹4,500
Luxury	Jungle lodges with meals near Moharli and Kolara gates	₹6,500 to ₹21,500

Food

Most visitors eat at their lodge or resort. There are no restaurants inside the reserve, and eating inside the park is not allowed.

Try these

Lodge meals (several resorts include all meals in the tariff)
Packed snacks and water for safaris (no restaurants inside the park)

Vegetarian food is easy to find. Ask your lodge when booking.

Daily costs

Budget level	Stay per room	Food per person	Local transport
Budget	₹1,450	₹400	₹80 per person
Mid-range	₹4,000	₹1,000	₹3,000 per vehicle
Luxury	₹10,000	₹2,000	₹3,000 per vehicle

Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.

Permits and documents

Safari permits must be booked, ideally on the official portal mytadoba.mahaforest.gov.in, which opens about 120 days ahead, with a Tatkal window 3 days before. Carry the original photo ID used for booking (Aadhaar, voter ID, PAN or driving licence; passport for foreigners). Bookings are non-refundable.

Safety

By day: Safaris follow strict forest department rules. Stay seated and quiet near animals; rangers can fine noisy vehicles.
At night: Do not walk outside lodges after dark; tigers move near villages and have been seen near the MTDC resort.
Solo women: Book safaris and transfers through the official portal or your lodge.
Roads: Gates can be far apart, so allow time. Roads from Nagpur and Chandrapur are paved; the Moharli to Khutwanda drive takes about 45 minutes.
Emergency numbers: 112 (all emergencies), 100 (police), 07172-251414 (Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve office, Chandrapur)

Practical

Mobile network: Jio usually has a signal; Airtel and Vodafone may not. Phones are not allowed on core safaris and are locked away at the gate.
ATMs and cash: The last ATM is in Chandrapur; carry enough cash.
Fuel: Fill up in Chandrapur or Nagpur.
Medical: District Hospital, Chandrapur, about 30 to 45 minutes from Moharli.

Coverage maps: Jio · Airtel · Vi · BSNL. Report a problem

Accessibility

Seniors: Safaris mean early starts and 4 hours in an open jeep on rough tracks, cold in winter and very hot in summer.
Children: Children can join jeep safaris with their group.
Wheelchair users: Safaris need climbing into an open jeep.

Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.

Culture and responsible travel

The reserve is a no-plastic zone and bags are checked at the gate.
Do not carry liquor or tobacco on safari, and do not smoke.
Wear muted colours and keep voices low in the forest.
The forest holds a shrine to the local deity Taru; treat it with respect.
Book only through the official portal; the forest department warns of fake booking sites.

What to pack

Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
Printed copies of your permit, with a few passport-size photos
Clothes in earthy colours, a cap and binoculars for safaris
Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts

Multi-stop trips that include Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

Tadoba, Kanha and Bandhavgarh, 6 nights

At a glance

State: Maharashtra
District: Chandrapur
Altitude: About 200 m
Gateway: Chandrapur
Best time: Oct-May
Ideal trip: 3 days
Difficulty: Easy. Reached by road, and the sights need little walking.

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Booking links

About this page

Checked against online sources in October 2026. Not field-verified. ATMs, fuel and hospitals from OpenStreetMap, October 2026.

Could not be confirmed online:

The altitude figure is not confirmed.
Local dishes and vegetarian food availability could not be confirmed online; the food list only describes lodge meals.
Jeep entry (1,000 core, 600 buffer) and guide (300) fees come from a booking agent's page; the official portal did not show fees, and online booking charges are not included.
Room rates and the 40-rupee Chandrapur to Tadoba bus fare are from a 2017 Outlook Traveller guide and are likely higher now.
Day food costs are estimates; no meal prices were found online.
Mumbai fares are indicative Cleartrip figures; the train class for the 1,100-rupee fare is not stated, and the bus route via Pune is a two-leg journey.
Distances from Chandrapur to the gates differ between sources (25 to 45 km).
Entry fees and timings for Irai Lake boating, the butterfly garden and the temples were not found.
Outlook's old guide said the park closed on Tuesdays and in June-July; newer sources say core zones close on Tuesdays and from about July 1 to September 30, buffer zones on Wednesdays.

Cover photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sources: Maharashtra Tourism: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, My Tadoba, Maharashtra Forest Department booking portal, The Week: Core areas of Tadoba reserve to shut from July 1 (2025), Outlook Traveller: Tadoba core areas off limits as monsoon begins, Outlook Traveller getaway guide: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Savaari: Tadoba Tiger Reserve travel guide, WildTrails: How to plan a Tadoba trip, WildTrails: Tadoba FAQs, WildTrails: Complete travel guide to Tadoba, Big Cats India: Tadoba safari timings, Real She Power: Guide to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (2026), Footloose in Me: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Cleartrip: Nagpur to Chandrapur routes, Cleartrip: Mumbai to Chandrapur routes