Jungle, Tiger and Community Adventure in India

  India

West Bengal

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: Based in the state of West Bengal - stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the South, and bordering Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal - you will be getting deep in the jungle patrolling and tracking the Royal Bengal Tiger. Experience game cruises and birding tours along the way in this amazing part of India and also cruise through the home of man eating tigers, estuarine crocodiles, sharks and snakes! On dry land you will be living like a local in this remote area of the Sunderbans getting involved with a whole range of activities ideal for anyone with a passion for India, wildlife and local communities!

Why the project needs visitors:
Your visit contributes to a great extent in supporting the sustainable development of the local community and the conservation of the forest and the great cats.

* Day 1: Arrive Kolkata
You will be met at Kolkata airport and transferred to your guesthouse to recover and relax after your flight.

* Day 2: Kolkata
Experience a day in the life of Kolkata that will include a heritage walk around the city, learning about its history in the city's museum, and taking in the beautiful array of fragrances in the flower market. You will also visit the Kumartuli effigy makers' studios and top this off with a visit to the Victoria Memorial Hall. You will need your evening to relax at your guesthouse!

* Day 3: Kolkata to the Sunderbans
After breakfast you will leave for Sonakhali jetty, about a 2 hour drive and transfer to a boat. You will then have a briefing session by a specialist naturalist to prepare you for the experience ahead. On arrival at Bali island you will then transfer to your Jungle Camp. After lunch there will be a short cruise to Sajnekhali Mangrove Interpretation Centre - a natural history museum in the Sunderbans. In the evening you will meet with the local Conservation Society. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.

* Day 4: Sunderbans
Today you will have a full day boat expedition to Sudhanyakhali, Neti Dhobani and Do Banki wildlife observation towers. You will come across a number of uninhabited islands, mangroves, the intricate network of innumerable tidal creeks and channels, a variety of birds and mammals during the cruise. The tower of Neti Dhobani still has the remnants of a very ancient temple and beholds many legends and myths associated with the snake god Manasa, the merchant Chand Sadagar and his son and daughter-in-law: Lakhindar and Behula. Lunch will be on board the boat. After returning to camp you will have an evening film show on the 'Man-Tiger conflict' giving a great insight into the challenges that both communities and conservationists face. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.

* Days 5 to 9: Sunderbans
Over the next 5 days you will be getting involved with the community on various visits to schools and the local market, a bio rice farm and you will also get to meet local self help groups. You will be visiting the non-formal school and health camp and will be able to meet the young members of the nature clubs, tiger victims and their families, the rangers of the park, and the members of the local eco development committees. You will enjoy a taste of their lifestyle, local crafts, cuisine and even be entertained in their local rural theatre. The people of Bali village are your hosts who are transformed conservationists and are very involved in the camp. There will be a local cultural show 'Bonobibi Yatra' , performed by the local villagers in the evening. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.

* Days 10 to 22: Conservation
You will be getting your hands dirty over the next few days and getting involved in mangrove plantation, helping in the mangrove nursery management and mangrove seed collection.You will also be involved in species monitoring, habitat survey, and patrolling in buffer areas. You may be involved in teaching, showing films in nature clubs and schools, and getting involved in mangrove trails to study the diversity of mangrove species and their ecological importance. A post-dinner 'Night Trail' will take place around the island to monitor the lesser cats and reptiles. You will stay at the Jungle Camp.

* Days 23 to 26: Sunderbans
You will be visiting Shamshernagar with stopovers at Burirdabri and Jhingakhali observation towers, but don't worry, these towers are housed within wire cages so there is no strolling in tiger land! Shamshernagar is a cluster of tiny villages on the border of the Indian and Bangladesh Sunderbans and are separated by a narrow tidal creek from the park. Man intrudes into the tiger's territory; the tiger often strays into the villages - the result is a high degree of man-tiger conflict. The conservation and tourism efforts try to mitigate the problem through awareness programmes, education and alternative livelihood support. You will also visit the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project, a crocodile conservation and breeding ground, and will work with the staff there. You will stay overnight in a homestay or on board a boat.

* Day 27: Sunderbans
Return to the island of Bali. You will stay overnight at the Jungle Camp.

* Day 28: Kolkata
After an early lunch you will return to Kolkata. You will stay overnight in a guesthouse.

* Day 29: Return Home
Today you will have a transfer back to the airport for your return flight home or your onward travel.

Highlights:
* The chance of seeing one of India's rarest animals - the Bengal Tiger
* Staying in an incredible Jungle Camp
* Getting an insiders view of the Sunderbans - a UNESCO World Heritage site

Qualifications: Who this trip is for:
Volunteers should love animals and have a desire to experience the 'real' India. Some of the work may be physical and in high temperatures so volunteers should have a decent level of fitness. Please note that the terrain is hilly in places and you will be expected to be able to jungle trek in hot and humid environments.

Where the project is based:
Sunderbans is mysterious, unpredictable, vast, untamable and perhaps, the last true wild frontier in the Indian sub-continent and is a part of the world's largest delta formed by the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The Sunderbans is the world's largest estuarine forest, a landscape dominated by great tidal creeks and waterways and home to some of the most sought after birds and animals, including the famous 'swimming tigers', and home of the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The jungle camp is located on Bali Island.

You will also stay 2 nights in Shamshernagar, a rural village located on the border of India and Bangladesh.

Cost in US$: USD 2855.00 for 4 weeks

* Accommodation: Jungle camp sites based on shared jungle style huts, homestay accommodation and guesthouse based on twin share rooms.
* Food: All meals
* Airport Pickup: Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
* Training: In-country orientation
* Support: Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-80

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to India Independently

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 50,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 400 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994