2 nights 3 days of Weekend Photography Tour plus Biodiversity Boot Camp at Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area rich in biodiversity, situated between the northern Sahyadri range and the western coast of India.
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Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area situated between the northern Sahyadri range and the western coast of India. Though not directly connected to the main Western Ghats range, the biodiversity is similar. Located in Murud and Roha talukas of Raigad district in Maharashtra, the Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary was created in 1986 to preserve its unique coastal woodland ecosystem that currently comprises of about 6979 hectares with pockets of open grassland, called mals that occur throughout the sanctuary. Once part of the hunting reserve of the princely state of Murud-Janjira, the region is now home to several species of flora and fauna. The sanctuary has four main trails namely, Gunyacha Maal, Chikhalgaan, Dharangaan and Phansadgaan. Observation points located near the water bodies make for easy sighting. The dense forests of the sanctuary is home to over 150 species of birds, 720 varieties of plants and 279 species of fauna, including mammals, birds, snakes, butterflies, etc. Spread over 52 sq km, the coastal woodland is a popular destination for trekking, photography and birding. The Malabar Giant Squirrel (state animal of Maharashtra), Sambar, Barking deer, porcupine, palm civet, Leopards, Wild boar and Hyenas are some of the major wildlife species that can be spotted in the sanctuary. The 150 species of birds found in the region include, Malabar pied hornbill, Asian paradise flycatcher, Yellow footed green pigeon, Plum-headed parakeet, Green billed malkoha, etc. Migratory birds visit the sanctuary during November-January. The 31 species of snakes in Phansad include Russell’s viper, Bamboo pit viper, Indian rock python, etc.
Target species
Russell's Viper, Indian Rat Snake, Green Vine Snake, Cat Snake, Bamboo Pit Viper, Saw Scaled Viper, Common Trinket Snake, Indian Rock Python, Spectacle Cobra, Atlas Moth, Owlet Moth, and many more. (Sighting of any of these is based on your luck; we cannot assure sighting of them all)
Mumbai – Phansad - Mumbai
Kharghar
2 nights 3 days
Kharghar
Soumendra Mukhopadhyay, an engineer by profession and a wildlife photographer by passion. Soumendra specializes in macro photography. He is extremely passionate about what he does and experiments continuously to polish his skillsets every time he is out in the field with his camera. He shares his knowledge of photography selflessly with people around him. His images have been appreciated and acknowledged in various online forums, articles and magazines. He is a talented photographer and has great teaching acumen. He is a Panel Expert for Team DCP, Mumbai. He uses the camera as a tool for conservation as his work generates awareness in common man about the hidden beauties of nature and earth's natural history.
Read moreMumbai / Thane is wel connected via flights with other cities. Our team will assemble at Thane and from there, we will travel together.
Mumbai / Thane is wel connected via trains with other cities. Our team will assemble at Thane and from there, we will travel together.
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is about 140 km from Mumbai and is on the Alibaug – Murud road. The best way to reach Phansad is via road. Our team will assemble at Thane and from there, we will travel together.
Things to carry:
Equipment available on rental - please mail us at rentals@dcpexpeditions.com.
We leave from Thane at 7 am. We will take a halt in between for light snacks and continue our journey to Phansad. We expect to reach there by 12 noon considering the possible traffic in Mumbai. Rooms will be allotted as we reach, and we will have a quick introduction session, followed by lunch. Interested participants may opt to go for a trail around the camp site, however this is optional and those who wish to take rest can do so. In the evening we will have a night trail around the forest before dinner. Post dinner one more short night trail will be conducted looking for various life forms.
Wake up early morning, have your breakfast and get ready with your gears. Begin trek deep inside the jungle. We will be in the forest till evening and will be searching for innumerable diversity of myriads of life forms teeming inside the forest. Green Vine Snake, Bamboo Pit Viper, Saw Scaled Viper, Wolf Snake, Cat Snake and many more other interesting species will remain our key target species for photography and documentation. We will be carrying packed lunch with us … it’s a great experience to enjoy lunch in a group of like minded people in the serene atmosphere of the silent jungle. Upon return in the evening back to camp site, after light refreshment and resting for a while, we shall meet again for an informative discussion with our biodiversity and photography expert, about the species that we were able to spot and about conservation of nature and also about photography. This will be followed by dinner.
Wake up early and start trekking back to the jungle. We will explore the forest for approximately 3 hours and the return to camp site for a proper breakfast by 11am. Return to your rooms, and get ready for the return journey which starts at 12 pm. We shall take a halt in between and have lunch, and again continue our journey till Thane. We expect to reach Thane by 5pm.
On field learning from the experts is said to be one of the best methods of improving your skillsets. Our Wildlife Photography Expert will hand hold you at every possible step for a better understanding of perspectives, camera controls and how to make use of the best opportunities to get better images. The training will focus on the following
The participants will be using INaturalist software platform for documentation during the expedition. DCP recommends the usage of INaturalist platform by all, with or without participation in its explorations - it is a place where you can record what you see in nature, meet other nature lovers, and learn about the natural world. From hikers to hunters, birders to beach-combers, the world is filled with naturalists, and many of us record what we find. What if all those observations could be shared online? You might discover someone who finds beautiful wildflowers at your favorite birding spot, or learn about the birds you see on the way to work. If enough people recorded their observations, it would be like a living record of life on Earth that scientists and land managers could use to monitor changes in biodiversity, and that anyone could use to learn more about nature.
Rs 6900 per head inclusive of all taxes
*To know charges for foreign nationals please write to info@dcpexpeditions.com
Cost includes
Cost does not include:
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, Murud, Raigad, Roha,
18.426683 72.950697Cancellation policy
Yes. Please send us a mail to info@dcpexpeditions.com as it is subject to availability.
Yes certainly. However, the cost will remain the same
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