I wanted a short break from Mumbai and wanted to spend some time close to nature. So, I planned a 3-day trip to Pench National Park, travelling via Nagpur. My plan was simple: fly from Mumbai to Nagpur, take a private cab to Pench, stay at a resort, go on a Gypsy safari, eat local food, and return to Nagpur on the third day.

The trip gave me a good mix of travel, wildlife, food, and rest. The main highlight was my morning wildlife safari experience from Sillari Gate. I heard a Sambar deer giving an alarm call and saw many birds and animals. Here is my complete Pench trip, including my travel, stay, food, safari, and return journey.

My Pench trip began in the morning in Mumbai. I had already packed my bags the previous night; hence, there was no rush on the day of my departure. I reached the airport and boarded my plane to Nagpur. I arrived at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport at approximately 9:30 AM. I had already reserved a private taxi from my resort. This meant that I didn’t have to arrange for any conveyance after reaching the airport.

My taxi driver was already waiting at the airport gate. He helped me with my luggage and put all of it inside a comfortable sedan. The distance between Nagpur and Pench National Park is around 100 kilometers, and it takes about 2.5 hours by road. Most of the journey takes place on NH 44; hence, the drive was quite smooth. There was heavy traffic on the roads near Nagpur.

As we moved away from Nagpur, the area became less crowded. More open land and greenery started appearing. Near Pench, I could see teak forests, small hills, green areas, and rural villages. The road was comfortable, so I could sit and enjoy the views outside. I noticed a clear change from the busy city area to the quieter forest area.

The journey was not tiring because I had arranged the cab in advance. I did not need to change vehicles or worry about finding transport. By around noon, we reached the resort area.

I had booked Olive Resort & Villas for my stay. It was located near the Pench forest area and was convenient for my visit to Sillari Gate. After travelling all morning, I was ready to check in and rest.

The check-in was quick. The resort staff welcomed me. The check-in formalities took about ten minutes. Before I went to my cottage, the staff also explained some basic safety rules about wildlife movement near the resort.

My cottage was comfortable and had a view of the green tree cover. I left my luggage inside, freshened up, and spent some time looking around the property.

By then, I was hungry, so I went to the open-air dining area for lunch. I wanted to try local food instead of choosing a familiar meal. I ordered a Maharashtrian-style thali.

The thali had hot phulkas, bhindi masala, dal, steamed rice, and thecha. The thecha was very spicy, so I used only a small amount with the other food. The meal was simple and filling, which was good after a long morning of travel.

After lunch, I knew I had to wake up very early the next day. My safari was planned for early morning, so I had to wake up at 4:30 AM. So, I spent the rest of the day resting and getting ready for the safari.

My alarm rang at 4:30 AM on the second day. It was still dark outside, and the temperature was around 14°C. There was also a thin layer of mist, so the morning felt cold.

I wore an earthy-coloured jacket, made a cup of black coffee, and went outside the resort. An open-top 4×4 Maruti Gypsy was already waiting for me.

We then travelled towards Sillari Gate, which is on the Maharashtra side of Pench. Two people were important during the safari: our forest guide and our Gypsy driver.

Our guide had good experience in reading signs in the forest. He watched the area carefully and listened to bird and animal calls. The driver drove slowly and followed the guide’s instructions whenever we needed to stop, move slowly, or change our position.

When the park gates opened, we entered the forest at dawn.

For the first twenty minutes, the forest was quiet. The light slowly became stronger, and the morning sun came through the teak and bamboo trees. The Gypsy moved along the dirt track, and we could hear dry leaves under the tyres.

I heard Oriental Magpie-Robins calling. We were not rushing to find an animal. Our guide continued to watch the forest, and we moved slowly along the track.

Then, suddenly, our guide raised his hand. Our driver stopped the Gypsy and turned off the engine. Everyone became quiet.

A Sambar deer was giving an alarm call somewhere nearby. The guide listened carefully and looked towards the thick plants. He said that a tiger or leopard could be somewhere nearby.

The driver reversed the Gypsy a few metres so that we could get a better position. We then waited.

For almost five minutes, there was very little movement from us. The Sambar continued to give alarm calls. Soon, langurs in the trees also started giving alarm calls.

At that time, I thought there was a chance that we might see a large predator. However, there was no guarantee. We continued watching the plants and waited for any movement.

The tiger or leopard did not come across our path. I did not get a direct tiger sighting during the safari.

Still, I saw several other animals and birds. We saw a Crested Serpent Eagle sitting on a high branch. We also saw a group of wild boars moving across the trail.

Later, an Indian Roller appeared. Its bright blue colour was easy to notice as it moved through the area. We also saw several spotted deer. One interesting moment was watching two spotted deer locking antlers with each other in an open area.

For me, the most memorable part was waiting after the Sambar alarm call. The guide listened to different sounds, checked the area, and tried to understand what the animals were reacting to.

There was no tiger sighting that morning, but the safari was still a good wildlife experience. I heard animal calls, watched the guide track signs, and saw birds and mammals. I felt the safari was worth doing even without seeing a tiger.

We returned to the resort at around 10:30 AM. After spending several hours in the open Gypsy, my hair was messy, and there was fine dust on my face.

The first thing I wanted was breakfast. I had hot poha and eggs, which was exactly what I needed after waking up early and spending hours on safari.

After breakfast, I did not plan any major activity for the afternoon. I spent a few hours relaxing at the resort. I sat on the lawn, read a book, and listened to birds around the property. I also checked the photographs from the morning safari and looked at the wildlife pictures I had taken.

The slow afternoon was useful because I had woken up at 4:30 AM. I did not need to keep travelling or doing activities throughout the day.

In the evening, the temperature started to fall. Dinner was arranged around a bonfire, which made the evening comfortable in the cooler weather.

The meal started with charcoal-grilled snacks. Later, I had slow-cooked rural chicken curry with bajra rotis. The food was filling and suited the setting.

During dinner, the resort naturalist shared information and stories about wildlife tracking. We discussed how guides watch animal movements and use signs and calls to understand what may be happening in the forest.

It was a quiet end to the second day. The morning was mainly about the safari, while the afternoon and evening were for food, rest, and time at the resort.

On my last day, I was not disturbed by any early morning call. I rose from bed at about 7:00 AM and had a lazy start to the day. I had a cup of tea and sat down on the private deck outside my cabin. I was able to see the sunbirds flying among the flower bushes.

After my breakfast, I finished packing my luggage. I cleared my resort bills and checked out by about 10:00 AM. The same cab came back for me to take me to Nagpur. We started towards the city through NH 44.

The drive back went without any problems and was a very quiet one. After all the adventure of the last two days, it was refreshing to be able to spend some time in silence in the car. I watched the rural surroundings through the window as we gradually left the forests behind us and drove towards Nagpur.

I arrived at Nagpur airport in the early afternoon, bringing my three-day trip to an end. In summary, it was a great mix of travel, staying at the resort, food, and a full Gypsy safari experience. I did not manage to spot any tigers, but I spotted quite a few birds and animals and even experienced a wildlife alarm situation on the Gypsy safari.

Author Bio : Abhishek Sinha is a wildlife travel enthusiast with a keen interest in jungle safaris and nature-based travel across India. He enjoys exploring national parks, sharing practical travel experiences, and helping readers better understand wildlife destinations and safari experiences.