CCAfrica in India
Sep 9th, 2006, 06:46 AM
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Sep 9th, 2006, 09:57 AM
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Cool...
Having emailed various folks at CCAfrica about the Indian lodges I did receive an email some months ago offering me the introductory rate for the Bandhavgarh lodge when it opened but a) it opens 3 days after my 5 night visit is scheduled and b) I'll be damned if I'm paying $1200 per night for a lodge that WILL still be ironing out a million and one wrinkles ... I know India and there will be issues on opening even with these two renowned companies working together. Lord alone knows how they intend to price it once the introductory period has passed!
Having emailed various folks at CCAfrica about the Indian lodges I did receive an email some months ago offering me the introductory rate for the Bandhavgarh lodge when it opened but a) it opens 3 days after my 5 night visit is scheduled and b) I'll be damned if I'm paying $1200 per night for a lodge that WILL still be ironing out a million and one wrinkles ... I know India and there will be issues on opening even with these two renowned companies working together. Lord alone knows how they intend to price it once the introductory period has passed!
Sep 10th, 2006, 03:08 AM
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Great, will you be staying at the CCAfrica place? Look forward to your report!
I'm not saying I don't think it will be lovely - I'm sure it will. But I think it's inevitable there will be some issue whether they relate to staff not yet being fully trained or some of the accommodation/ public areas not being fully finished... there will be something!
I did absolutely love Vanyavilas though!
I'm not saying I don't think it will be lovely - I'm sure it will. But I think it's inevitable there will be some issue whether they relate to staff not yet being fully trained or some of the accommodation/ public areas not being fully finished... there will be something!
I did absolutely love Vanyavilas though!
Sep 10th, 2006, 03:13 AM
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I will stay, but not during the opening two weeks. Will keep you posted, after i hv made my bookings.
While i was at Phinda, i did meet some of the rangers/head management team that were getting trained according to CCA standards. The head ranger is Sarath and he seemed very nice and sure of what he was doing.
Hari
While i was at Phinda, i did meet some of the rangers/head management team that were getting trained according to CCA standards. The head ranger is Sarath and he seemed very nice and sure of what he was doing.
Hari
Sep 10th, 2006, 04:18 AM
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Well, can't wait to hear back...
Oh, btw, our trip to Kaziranga may fall before park opens but luckily the camp owners have agreed to host us anyway and get us into the park anyway... though there's still a chance opening dates will be moved forward and our visit will then fall into correct dates!
Oh, btw, our trip to Kaziranga may fall before park opens but luckily the camp owners have agreed to host us anyway and get us into the park anyway... though there's still a chance opening dates will be moved forward and our visit will then fall into correct dates!
Sep 16th, 2006, 06:34 PM
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Lynda,
It does include full board and safaris. However, the Ranthambore park is not good at the moment. There was a lot of poaching in the last couple of years, and hence the tiger population is down at the moment. One of the reasons CCA didnt consider opening a property in the area.
Personally, i dont recommend going to the Ranthambore area at the moment.
Hari
It does include full board and safaris. However, the Ranthambore park is not good at the moment. There was a lot of poaching in the last couple of years, and hence the tiger population is down at the moment. One of the reasons CCA didnt consider opening a property in the area.
Personally, i dont recommend going to the Ranthambore area at the moment.
Hari
Sep 17th, 2006, 09:32 AM
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Hari-
Thanks for the info, I was going to email you this week as I better get started on this - but just so I know where to start wher is the best place for tigers? Actually I will email you right now - check your in box wehne you get this...
Thanks for the info, I was going to email you this week as I better get started on this - but just so I know where to start wher is the best place for tigers? Actually I will email you right now - check your in box wehne you get this...
Sep 20th, 2006, 03:08 AM
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As Hari said, yes the price includes full board and game drives (with drinks and spa treatments extra).
I was very worried about visiting Ranthambore since I knew in advance that poaching had reduced a population that had slowly risen to about 50 back down to around 15 again. But since the trip I did was closely associated with the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, which has strong links to Ranthambore, it was the park chosen for the trip.
I was extremely lucky indeed in that I saw tigers on every single one of my drives into the park. Two of the sightings were extremely good indeed, the others were simply of tigers sitting in the grass or padding along in the distance.
But I'm aware that visitors who were there only days before me saw no tigers at all during their 3 night stay.
Kanha and Bandhavgarh are said to be the two best parks in which to see tigers at the moment. We're including Bandhavgarh on the upcoming trip as it fits better into our itinerary in terms of travel time.
Kaziranga is on our itinerary for the asian rhinos which are abundant there. There is other wildlife but it's the rhinos we're going for.
And we're stopping in Bharatpur too for the birds.
I suspect that CCAfrica not only took into account the tiger numbers at Ranthambore but the fact that Vanyavilas is already in operation and very much a strong competitor for them whereas there is nothing whatsoever even approaching that level at the parks they have chosen instead.
I was very worried about visiting Ranthambore since I knew in advance that poaching had reduced a population that had slowly risen to about 50 back down to around 15 again. But since the trip I did was closely associated with the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, which has strong links to Ranthambore, it was the park chosen for the trip.
I was extremely lucky indeed in that I saw tigers on every single one of my drives into the park. Two of the sightings were extremely good indeed, the others were simply of tigers sitting in the grass or padding along in the distance.
But I'm aware that visitors who were there only days before me saw no tigers at all during their 3 night stay.
Kanha and Bandhavgarh are said to be the two best parks in which to see tigers at the moment. We're including Bandhavgarh on the upcoming trip as it fits better into our itinerary in terms of travel time.
Kaziranga is on our itinerary for the asian rhinos which are abundant there. There is other wildlife but it's the rhinos we're going for.
And we're stopping in Bharatpur too for the birds.
I suspect that CCAfrica not only took into account the tiger numbers at Ranthambore but the fact that Vanyavilas is already in operation and very much a strong competitor for them whereas there is nothing whatsoever even approaching that level at the parks they have chosen instead.
Sep 20th, 2006, 05:47 AM
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Thanks Kavey, I do appreciate it! I really want to treat Jamie and Laura (son & girlfriend) to an over-the-top couple of nights. Not that I want to break the bank, but I am sure they will probably never be able to afford the luxury accomodations on their own when they travel.
You and Hari pretty much said the same thing - I will look at Kanha and Bandhavgar.
Where are you guys staying at Bandhavgar - is that in Oct?
You and Hari pretty much said the same thing - I will look at Kanha and Bandhavgar.
Where are you guys staying at Bandhavgar - is that in Oct?
Sep 20th, 2006, 06:09 AM
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IF you are picking Bandhavgarh, and looking for luxuary at the same time....i suggest doing the CCA one. There isnt anything on that scale in that area...
Btw, Kavey i met the head of operations for CCA India during my Phinda stay, who was there for his training. He did mention, that Ranthambore was in their original plans, so was Sariska national park. Due to all the poaching concerns, they had to pick other properties (Pench and the other one i can't remember). Those will momentarily open over the course of 2007.
Hari
Btw, Kavey i met the head of operations for CCA India during my Phinda stay, who was there for his training. He did mention, that Ranthambore was in their original plans, so was Sariska national park. Due to all the poaching concerns, they had to pick other properties (Pench and the other one i can't remember). Those will momentarily open over the course of 2007.
Hari
Sep 20th, 2006, 07:27 AM
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Interesting...
Being a cynic though, I do still think that the presence of a camp such as Vanyavilas (and a number of other high lux properties already open or due to open) in the area would also have had something to do with the CCAfrica decision, whether it was their primary reason or one they'd ever discuss openly, who knows?
I fervently hope Ranthambore will successfully reverse the current poaching situation and decline in numbers. 25 years ago they were down to similar numbers as today and hard, hard work lead to the increase in numbers up to the high of around 50 individual tigers. So sad to see that hard work lost but there are dedicated individuals there willing to do their best to do again what had been done before...
Being a cynic though, I do still think that the presence of a camp such as Vanyavilas (and a number of other high lux properties already open or due to open) in the area would also have had something to do with the CCAfrica decision, whether it was their primary reason or one they'd ever discuss openly, who knows?
I fervently hope Ranthambore will successfully reverse the current poaching situation and decline in numbers. 25 years ago they were down to similar numbers as today and hard, hard work lead to the increase in numbers up to the high of around 50 individual tigers. So sad to see that hard work lost but there are dedicated individuals there willing to do their best to do again what had been done before...
Sep 20th, 2006, 08:55 AM
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Kavey,
I hope so. Ranthambore is stunning in scenery, though....
I did stay at this place called Sher Bagh, operated by the family of Tiger legend Valmik Thapar....this was a trip prior to Vanyavilas being open for business. The other property some friends of mine stayed at was, the Amman resorts in Ranthambore which according to them was even better than the Vanyavilas....
I loved Sher Bagh, though....it was in 2001.
I am going to Kabini national park in Karnataka sometime in November. No fancy options there....but, i've seen the indian wild dogs (Dholes) on every one of my trips....(atleast 5 trips). Tiger only once.
Hari
I hope so. Ranthambore is stunning in scenery, though....
I did stay at this place called Sher Bagh, operated by the family of Tiger legend Valmik Thapar....this was a trip prior to Vanyavilas being open for business. The other property some friends of mine stayed at was, the Amman resorts in Ranthambore which according to them was even better than the Vanyavilas....
I loved Sher Bagh, though....it was in 2001.
I am going to Kabini national park in Karnataka sometime in November. No fancy options there....but, i've seen the indian wild dogs (Dholes) on every one of my trips....(atleast 5 trips). Tiger only once.
Hari
