CC Africa camp in India
 

I just received this message from CC Africa about their camp opening in November:

http://www.ccafrica.com/newsletters/..._june2006a.htm

CW

shouldn't that be posted on the India board?

There are quite a few of us here who have been interested and discussing it here since we kind of "know" each others' interest and experiences...

The wildlife stuff kind of gets lost amongst everything else on the Asia board - not much interest.

And it IS an African company! :D

I approached CCAfrica about their India lodges a couple of months back when I started putting together my itinerary for my upcoming India safari trip. (I'd originally planned to go to Africa this year but have been diverted by a request and desire to attend a favourite cousin's wedding in India).

At that time they couldn't offer anything firm on opening dates or prices so I went ahead and booked my trip.

As it turns out, their prices, even on introductory offer, are higher than I had expected. I knew they'd be high but didn't think they'd START that high!

($600 per person on the introductory offer!)

looks like a cool place and adventure, but it sure isn't cheap!

I will definitely chk it out as soon as they open and keep everyone posted.

Hari

I posted the information as a follow-up to the previous discussion to which Kavey refers,

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34683932

and because of the common interest here with wildlife, game drives, and national park preserves.

Excuse the geographic incorrectness.

CW

The latest edition of Travel+Leisure magazine has an article on their new camp in Bandhavgarh. It sounds amazing and makes me dream of tigers...

We encountered their driver/ guides plus some of their other staff out on training drives through the park in the days just before they opened (we shared a truly marvellous tiger sighting with them) and then encountered them again with their very first guest onboard. Unlike many of the drivers in the park they have been trained along highly professional CCAfrica lines and are courteous, informative, excellent drivers and appreciate how best to see wildlife (i.e. not shouting and revving and jockeying for position with other drivers). If I had the budget I'd love to try them out.

Kavey,

Yes....but, in parks like Bandhavgarh and Kanha the CCA cars will be beside the other cars listening to the shouting and screeming?

Thats why i want to first try their other properties (panna and Pench)taking the cost into consideration....

Hari

Hari
To a certain extent that's true but not entirely. For the first hour, maybe hour and a half, of the morning drive (which was almost 5 hours long) each driver follows a set route and one does encounter more cars on this. After that (and in the afternoon) the drivers can spread out and take any route they like.
We were able to persuade our driver and guide to keep us as far away from other vehicles as possible and so when we came across that most magical of sightings we had it to ourselves for the first 5 minutes and then shared it with the CCAfrica staff team only for the next 15 minutes and they were very polite. Only after that first 20 minutes did we (following the tiger along the road) encounter other vehicles and we left the tiger to them as we could see her turning off into the jungle just at that point.
Also, having taken one elephant ride to see tigers at close proximity on the first morning (but having had to sit in a queue of other cars on the road for an hour while we waited our turn) we and our fellow guests luckily agreed strongly and instructed our guide and driver to skip all further elephant rides from that point forward.

Thanks, Kavey....

hi - just got back from india and spend several days at bandhavargh. had the most amazing time and saw many tigers. but I stayed at the bandavargh jungle lodge which I highly recommend. we saw the jeeps from the cc africa lodge and while nice looking, they are too big and bulky for the park. They had a much more difficult time getting around and the people we met frm there didn't have nearly the luck we did. I would think twice about spending money to stay there.

Wow!!! thanks. why do you think it was harder for them?

How did the like the Bandhavgarh lodge? How did you get to the lodge via nagpur? if so, how long did it take for you to drive.....

Thanks,
Hari

Oddly enough there were some comments about the size of the CCAfrica vehicle from other folks as their stepped seat configuration means they are taller than all the others plus they are slightly wider. Width isn't a major issue (though could make a couple of routes a little hairy) but height would freak me out because of the very many immense spider webs (with their shiver-inducing huge spiders sitting in the middle) hanging usually just above head height for those of us in the normal jeeps!

Oh and I meant to mention, I got an email from CCAfrica (I'm sure some of you have the same one) about the opening of their latest India camp, Baghvan. Looks nice enough though the email doesn't say how many guests it accommodates...

Rate is listed as same as Mathua Koti in Bandhavgarh - $600 per person per night.

I think it was harder simply because their vehicles were huge. Personally, our lodge's naturalist was brilliant - he's worked there for years and knew the park unbelievably well. All the other guides (including the CC Africa TAJ) were asking him questions.

I loved the lodge. The people were great and the food was great. The rooms are fine but not the luxury of CC Africa in Africa or even from what I've seen in India. BUt so worth it.

Accommodation there looks similar to that in Tiger Trails, where we stayed. Nothing particularly special but perfectly comfortable and very sweet staff.

Hi Kavey,

Yes...i got that ccA email also.......

The accomodations look awesome!!! i agree

Hari