Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Covid-19 update?
To keep our guests, team, and community safe, we have taken all necessary precautions. The SOP guidelines that we have adopted can be accessed here.
As we understand Covid-19 times are uncertain for everyone, we have amended our cancellation policy to offer flexibility to guests. The below policy is applicable for only Covid-19 cancellations*:
Covid-19 related Amendments/Postponement due to govt. policies possible till day of check-in. Incidental incurred charges if any e.g. taxi costs, doctor charges, etc. payable on actuals.
Covid-19 related Cancellation due to govt. policies, credit note for AP package valid for a period of 12-months from date of issuance. Safaris currently are not cancellable and will be subject to forest department decision. In case of favourable refund decision by the forest department, admin/banking charges will be applicable.
*Subject to furnishing of supporting/medical documents
Please note for all other cancellations i.e. not Covid-19 related, our regular reservation policy will be applicable.
Which city is the point of arrival/departure for Svasara?
Guests planning a trip to Svasara-Tadoba need to arrive into the city of Nagpur in the state Maharashtra, Central India. Nagpur is the third largest city in Maharashtra and hence, has great air as well as rail connectivity from all the major cities of India. The British had constructed a Zero Mile Stone monument here demarcating the geographical centre-point of colonial India, and they used this monument to measure all the distances. The monument consists of four horses and a pillar made up of sandstone.
What is the distance of Svasara from all the entry gates of Tadoba?
Kolara – 300 m – 2 mins
Madnapur Kolara Zone – 6 kms – 15 mins
Alizanza Zone – 11 kms – 25 mins
Navegaon – 35 kms – 45 mins
Pangdi – 45 kms – 1 hr 15 mins
Khutvanda – 75 kms – 1 hour 45 mins
Mohurli – 85 kms – 2 hrs
Zhari – 110 kms – 3 hrs
Which entry gate of Tadoba Tiger Reserve is closest to Nagpur?
The Kolara Gate is the closest gate from Nagpur at a distance of 100 kms; driving time is about two hours. Svasara is conveniently located right next to the Kolara Gate (about 300m).
What is the distance between Pench (Turia Gate) and Svasara-Tadoba?
200 kms and the driving time is 3.5 hours.
What is the distance between Kanha and Svasara-Tadoba?
400 kms, and the driving time is 6 hours from Mukki and Kisli gates.
How much is the camera fee at Tadoba?
A fee of INR 250 per safari is currently levied on all cameras. Fees are payable by credit card or debit card to the forest officials at the entry gate. This fee is subject to changes by the forest department. Please bear in mind that from December 2018, Tadoba forest department has banned the carrying of mobile phones and ipads/tablets, inside the tiger reserve (core and buffer zones ). The rule is imposed on everyone entering the reserve, i.e. tourists, forest guides, safari drivers etc.
Do we need to carry photo-identity cards?
Photo Identity cards are required at the time of check-in and for all the safaris. Do ensure you carry the same photo ID you shared with us at the time of booking.
What is the check-in and check-out time?
Check-in time is 2 pm and Check-out time is 1130 am.
What are the safari timings?
Safari timings are determined by the sunrise and sunset timing, and are informed by the forest department. Once at lodge, our naturalists inform guests of current timings, offering them a wake-up call for the very early morning safaris! The safari timings are subject to revisions by forest department.
MORNING (4 hours)
| Period | Entry | Exit |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Oct to 31st Oct | 6 am | 10 am |
| 1st Nov to 28th/29th Feb | 630 am | 1030 am |
| 1st Mar to 30th April | 6 am | 10 am |
| 1st May to 30th June | 530 am | 930 am |
EVENING (4 hours)
| Period | Entry | Exit |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Oct to 31st Oct | 230 pm | 630 pm |
| 1st Nov to 28th/29th Feb | 2 pm | 6 pm |
| 1st Mar to 30th April | 230 pm | 630 pm |
| 1st May to 30th June | 3 pm | 7 pm |
NIGHT (3 hours)
| Period | Entry | Exit |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Oct to 30th June | 7 pm | 10 pm |
MONSOONS (3.5 hours)
| Period | Entry | Exit |
|---|---|---|
| 1st July to 30th Sep | 630 am | 10 am |
| 1st July to 30th Sep | 230 pm | 6 pm |
What is the weather like in Tadoba?
October to March offers the best weather with sunny days and pleasant evenings. April to June is very hot but it is an excellent time for tiger sightings. July to September are Monsoon months and good for activities at the lodge such as nature walks, birding, cultural day tours, lakeside picnics, village tours etc. Permission for jungle safaris during these months is subject to forest department decisions, which is typically announced in June.
An indicative monthly temperatures is shown below:
| Month | Max (°C) | Min (°C) | Precipitation (mm) |
| January | 29 | 13 | 9 |
| February | 32 | 15 | 10 |
| March | 37 | 19 | 22 |
| April | 40 | 24 | 16 |
| May | 43 | 27 | 11 |
| June | 37 | 26 | 195 |
| July | 31 | 26 | 418 |
| August | 32 | 23 | 384 |
| September | 31 | 23 | 259 |
| October | 32 | 20 | 51 |
| November | 30 | 15 | 5 |
| December | 28 | 12 | 8 |
What should we pack for the trip?
Tadoba is located in central India and mostly remains very warm during the days. Evenings are pleasant and in winters, morning and late evenings can be quite cold (please see above question on weather to see monthly data of expected temperatures). The wind factor in open jeeps in the morning and evening also affect the chill factor. Below are some of our packing suggestions keeping in mind the weather and safari particularities:
- Sun Screen
- Sunglasses
- Insect Repellant
- Neutral colored clothing and preferably light cottons
- Safari hat or cap for summer
- Stole or scarf for protection from heat and dust
- Boots or closed shoes
- For winter: windbreaker, warm jacket, sweater, fleece, gloves, warm cap
- Camera or Binoculars
Please also keep in mind as we are a jungle lodge, for outdoors, we recommend our guests to wear closed shoes, ideally boots and full length shirts & pants.
Which day of the week is the reserve closed?
W.e.f. 1st February 2021, Core zones will remain closed on Tuesdays and Buffer zones will remain closed on Wednesdays.
Does the lodge provide naturalists?
In order to have an immersive jungle experience, the lodge encourages guests to book a naturalist for the safaris. There is an additional cost for this which can be included in the final booked package. All our naturalists are extremely passionate about wildlife. They all have varied interests, guests can see their profiles in the team section of our website. Although there is no guarantee that we will be able to accommodate requests for a particular naturalist due to availability conflicts, the lodge team always makes best efforts to allot the suitable naturalist.
What is the meal set-up at Svasara?
Breakfasts are packed in picnic hampers for the safari. During the safari, guests can decide when they want to have their breakfast and inform the accompanying naturalist or forest guide accordingly. As there are designated spots in the forest to have the breakfast, the jeep driver will have to drive to that spot. Lunch and dinner is a delectable buffet spread of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food served in the indoor and outdoor venues respectively. The kitchen team is happy to accommodate any special dietary requirement or preferences, which should be informed to the managers ideally pre-arrival so that if certain ingredients need to be made available, we can source them in time.
What are the meal timings?
Breakfast is packed for the safaris, for early check-ins or days guest is not going for the morning safari, the lodge will serve breakfast as per guest request and pre-information
Lunch: 1230 PM — 230 PM
Dinner: 730 PM — 900 PM
- As our day starts very early we request all our guests to co-operate with the Meal timings.
- Kindly inform at the time of booking if you are allergic to any food
- Our kitchen team will be happy to meet any of your dietary requirements, we simply request for pre-information to be able to prepare the special meals
What are the languages spoken here?
Marathi is the local language. Team at Svasara can speak English, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese and Gujarati.
Which mobile networks work here?
Jio mobile network works best in the region. Please bear in mind that from December 2018, Tadoba forest department has banned the carrying of mobile phones and ipads/tablets, inside the tiger reserve (core and buffer zones ). The rule is imposed on everyone entering the reserve, i.e. tourists, forest guides, safari drivers etc.
Is there an internet connection available for the guests?
Complimentary WiFi is available in the main lounge area and the WiFi range has recently been extended to all rooms as well (May 2023).
Which credit cards are acceptable?
MasterCard and Visa credit cards can be used for payments.
What is the tipping etiquette?
We request guests to refrain from tipping any individual staff at the lodge. In case you wish to show your appreciation in the form of tipping, a tip box has been placed in the main arrival lounge. The tip collected is shared between the non-managerial team members. Please note however that the naturalists, forest guides and jeep drivers are not part of the common tipping and may be tipped directly. Our property does not levy a service charge.
What is the jungle etiquette?
Off road driving, getting down from vehicles, use of flash photography is strictly prohibited. DO NOT gather any forest property; take only photographs for your memories – hunting, and poaching is illegal and will be reported to Forest Authorities
Does Svasara offer end-to-end packages?
Yes, we believe in the convenience of end-to-end packages, and most of our guests opt for packages that include airport pick-up & drop-off, accommodation, all meals and jungle safaris.
Who can participate in the jungle safaris?
Although there is no age regulation by the forest authorities, we recommend children above age 5 to participate in the jungle safaris. Babies, younger kids and pregnant women should avoid the jeep safaris owing to possibility of jerky terrain and hot weather/dust conditions.
How long in advance should I book my stay?
If opting for safaris in the core zone of Tadoba, the permit bookings need to be processed 120 days in advance, hence, we recommend the guests to book at least 180 days / 6 months before arrival date, this helps us obtain the permits as well as ensure availability of rooms on a confirmed basis.
Which months of the year is the Tadoba reserve open?
Tadoba is open throughout the year. However, in the monsoon months July 1st to October 15th, the reserve has fewer forest permits than the other months. Some routes may also close during this period in the case of heavy rains.
What type of accommodation does Svasara offer?
Svasara is an eco-friendly jungle lodge with twelve charming rooms (king and twin beds available) featuring all modern conveniences and luxury amenities. The lodge has full power back up, air-conditioning, pool, spa, nature shop, library, two dining venues etc. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms with 24-hour supply of hot and cold water.
What are your ongoing promotions?
To learn about our best available rates and/or packages for duration of your stay please see our page Tariff & Promotions or Get in Touch with us.
What is the payment policy?
Safari Permit Payments – 100% payment at the time of booking; no refunds or changes in safari bookings.
Room Payments – 50% payment at the time of booking and balance 50% payment due 45 days before check-in date.
What is the cancellation policy?
SAFARI CANCELLATIONS
Safari Permits once booked cannot be cancelled, changed, or refunded.
ROOM CANCELLATIONS
Within 30 days or No Show – 100% cancellation
30 days to 45 days – 50% cancellation
45 days and above – 10% cancellation as banking and admin fee. Balance amount will be adjusted towards next booking
Cancellation amount is calculated as per total booking amount and not as per advance deposited.
Long weekend and holiday bookings like New Year, Christmas, Holi and Diwali are non-refundable.
