Navegaon-Nagzira itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Navegaon-Nagzira

1. 01

   Day 1: Navegaon National Park

   Start from Arjuni Morgaon with a booked morning safari at Navegaon National Park. Spend the morning on the lake edge and the forest drive, then have lunch in Arjuni Morgaon. In the afternoon, stop at Itiadoh Dam if you have energy, and return before dark.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Navegaon National Park	Half a day	Easy	November to February for comfortable weather and migratory birds
   Itiadoh Dam	1 hour	Easy	November to February; after the monsoon the reservoir is fullest

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Navegaon-Nagzira

1. 01

   Day 1: Navegaon

   Book a morning safari at Navegaon National Park, rest after lunch, and visit Itiadoh Dam and the Gothangaon Tibetan settlement in the afternoon.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Navegaon National Park	Half a day	Easy	November to February for comfortable weather and migratory birds
   Itiadoh Dam	1 hour	Easy	November to February; after the monsoon the reservoir is fullest
   Gothangaon Tibetan Settlement	1-2 hours	Easy	Morning, in the cooler months

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Nagzira

   Drive south early to Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary for a booked morning safari. Plan the return drive in daylight, since the rural roads are narrow.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary	Full day	Moderate	November to February; summer for waterhole sightings but it is very hot

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary: Safari vehicles do most of the work, but the drive in is long on narrow rural roads, and the jeeps are high and bumpy. There are watchtowers and a small museum at the tourist complex; seating is limited.

Plan 03

3 days in Navegaon-Nagzira

1. 01

   Day 1: Navegaon

   Safari at Navegaon National Park and a lake-side rest.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Navegaon National Park	Half a day	Easy	November to February for comfortable weather and migratory birds

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Nagzira and New Nagzira

   Stay near the Chorkhamara gate and take a morning and an evening safari in the southern half of the reserve.

3. 03

   Day 3: Koka or a quieter outing

   Go to Koka Wildlife Sanctuary from Bhandara for winter birds, or visit the Gothangaon Tibetan settlement and Pratapgad fort if you are fit and have a local guide.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Koka Wildlife Sanctuary	Half a day	Moderate	November to February for migratory birds
   Gothangaon Tibetan Settlement	1-2 hours	Easy	Morning, in the cooler months
   Pratapgad Fort (Gondia)	About 4 hours round trip	Demanding	Cool, dry months, morning start

   Pace: Pratapgad Fort (Gondia) involves a lot of walking or steps — do it early, and keep the rest of the day light.

   With parents at Koka Wildlife Sanctuary: Roads to the sanctuary are rural, and facilities are basic. There is little shade or seating once you are inside, so older travellers should keep to a vehicle visit.

   With parents at Pratapgad Fort (Gondia): This is not suitable for most older travellers. The climb to the citadel takes roughly two and a half hours, with uneven forest trail and no water or seating.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Navegaon-Nagzira trip for parents and children

• Visit between November and February; summer heat can exceed 40 degrees.
• Book the safari in advance on the forest portal, and ask for a morning slot.
• Expect long drives on narrow rural roads; break the journey and avoid night driving.
• Carry water, snacks and any medicines, as there are almost no facilities inside.
• Skip the watchtower stairs if the climb is hard; vehicle viewing is enough.
• Stay near the gate you will use, to avoid pre-dawn transfers.

Navegaon-Nagzira with elderly parents: the full guide →