Tour of Greater Pench

26-29 January 2023

Tour of Greater Pench is a fully supported, 4 Days, MTB cycle tour in and around Pench National Park in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, India. ToGP has evolved from our earlier 3 days in the Pench, called as Tour of Mowgliland. ToGP includes additional parts of the Pench in the route and is a day longer as well. Tour of Greater Pench ‘ToGP’ gives you a genuine impression of the woods, wildlife, village life, culture, rivers, mountains, forest lakes and reservoirs while riding on your mountain bike. During 4 days of ToGP, you’ll ride 350 kilometres through Mowgli’s realm, a place where stunning Satpura-Maikal vistas are mixed with beautiful village huts, agriculture fields and forest, keeping you overwhelmed and humbled with each kilometre you pedal through this beautiful landscapes.  Jungles of Pench are where the story of Mowgli, known as The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling is set in.

Start Point: Sillari  (How to reach?)
End Point: Sillari, Pench
Tour Dates: 26th-29th Jan 2023
Riding Days: 4 (25th Jan will be Day 0)
Total Mileage: 350 KMs (Approx)
Attractions: Traffic-free route, riding in forest, wild-life, beautiful villages.

Tour Fees: Rs 23,000 (Stay,Camping, On-Ride Support)

Glimpses of Tour of Mowgliland 2021 Reviews of Tour of Mowgliland 2021

Our Partners:

DAY 0 – Ice Breaker

Sillari, 25th Jan 2023

We will be staying near the Sillari gate in forest rest house. The night will be filled with noises of the jungle and it is a wonderful experience to have.

Participants arrive by afternoon at Sillari, Kit Distribution, Introduction of Participants, Guides and Organisers and bike check.

DAY 1 -Welcome by the Wolfpack

Sillari – Karmajhiri, 26th Jan 2023

Day 1 ride starts on Republic day after hoisting of tricolor at Kolitmara: a tribal village situated at the bank of Pench river. Ride starts through an off-road uphill jungle progressing further through picturesque quaint villages dotted around the forest in scenic traffic-free roads surrounded by farmlands. As you cross Ghatkukda village, you enter Madhya Pradesh State. The 75 Kms ride passes through Jamtara Gate of PTR MP, Pench River and terminates at Karmajhiri Gate of PTR MP. Karmajhiri gate is famous for its herds of deers grazing right beside the forest rest house. The phone network coverage is erratic.

Route attractions: We will explore PTR buffers on the hilly terrain of west side of Pench river: the lifeline of Nagpur. Jamtara Gate, Satapura-Maikal landscape, Pench river and Karmajhiri gate.

Start Point: Sillari Gate End Point: Karmajhiri Gate
Distance: 75 KMs (Mix of on and off road)

Day 2 – Shere Khan’s Lair

Karmajhiri – Sakata, 27th Jan 2023

The north side of Pench Tiger Reserve, from Karmajhiri has a fairly straightforward downhill on flat asphalt road, until you reach Daundiwada village. Enroute you will visit the origin of a main tributary of Godavari: the Wainganga. From Daundiwada onwards, you will ride through one of the most picturesque off-road route. You will spend the Day 2 night at Sakata, a little tribal village with a population of 82 close to the Sakata Forest Resthouse, built in 1903. Spending a night under the light of the moon in the deep forest will help you understand the reason why we included this beautiful place in your itinerary. It is an unparalleled experience and our favourite night.

Route attractions: Wainganda River origin at Mundara village, Ride through dense forest of Pench-Kanha Tiger corridor, rural landscapes, farmlands, forest trail riding.

Start Point: Karmajhiri End Point: Sakata
Distance: 70 KMs. (Mix of on and off road)

Day 3 – Time Travel

Sakata – Turiya , 28th Jan 2023

An off-road trail through Rukkhad-Sakata ancient highway, once a connection between MP and Maharashtra, will mesmerise you with the jungle’s biodiversity and wildlife wealth. When we exit from Masurnala gate and ride just 1 kilometre on NH7 to enter again in the woods on mixed off-road routes you will be mesmerised to ride on until you arrive at resort for a comfortable and cosy stay so that you can prepare for your return trip the next day.

Route Attractions:  Ancient route Rukkhad Sakata, Masurnala gate, beautiful village offroads, Turiya gate.

Start Point: Sakata End Point: Turiya
Distance: 70 KMs (Majorly off-road)

Day 4 – Mowgli Comes Home

Turiya – Sillari, 29th Jan 2023

We will finish ToGP by riding on the fourth day through Bawanthadi reservoir backwaters and upon entering Maharashtra state, the Mogarkasa lake. Both of these destinations will enhance your ToGP experience manyfold. We kept Mogarkasa forest lake as the final support station so that you can spend more time here to enjoy the beauty of the place. When you return home, we hope you will have an idea of the harm that we as humans have done to the nature and wildlife and will help you realise that, every living creature has an equal right to survive on this beautiful planet. 

Route Attractions:  East side of PTR and Mogarkasa forest, Teliya Gate, Kohka Lake, Khursapar Gate, visit to tribal residential school, Bawanthadi river and backwaters, Mogarkasa forest lake.

Start Point: Turiya End Point: Sillari
Distance: 75 KMs (Mix of on and off road)

Pre-Register Here

{Pre-Registration takes 2 minutes to fill and is basically an expression of interest. No fees needs to be paid at this time. We evaluate your profile and send an invitation by email, then you can pay the fees and register for the tour.}

  • 4 Nights of stay in tents/resorts in exotic natural locations (Twin Sharing)
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Hydration Snacks on all 4 days
  • Baggage transport from one location to another on all days
  • Support Stations on route
  • Backup Vehicles
  • Medical Assistance
  • Trained Bike Technician to help with maintenance and breakdown
  • Various departmental permissions and entry fees 
  • A Tour Jersey and other goodies
  • Finisher’s Medal and Certificate
  • Riding on beautiful forest trails
  • Loads of Fun, Memories & Friends

TOUR EXTRAS
1. Bike transportation: Nagpur to Sillari, to and fro – Rs 1000
2. Rider transportation: Nagpur to Sillari, to and fro – Rs 2500
3. Rental Bike (will be made available at Sillari on Day 0): Rs 3500. Hybrids and MTBs available. We try to arrange bikes as per rider’s height but you may get a plus or minus sized bike as per availability on first come first serve basis. Bikes are a mixed bunch of reputed brands. Any damages incurred will have to be borne by the rider. 

  • Day 0: Sillari Nature Interpretation Center
  • Day 1: Forest Rest House, Karmajhiri
  • Day 2: Camping at Sakata Forest Rest House
  • Day 3: Resort at Turiya

WHY SHOULD I DO THIS TOUR?

For a very memorable riding experience through the charming forests of  Pench, which once inspired Rudyard Kipling to write ‘The Jungle Book’. if Mowgli was part of your childhood, you can’t miss this.  You will hardly come across any city influence or vehicular traffic.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT IS PROVIDED DURING THE TOUR? WHAT ELSE IS INCLUDED?

This is a fully supported bicycle tour. There will be 1 or 2 support stations (depending upon the length of the route) along the route with ample supply of water, drinks, beverages, snacks etc. Beside this there will be multiple backup and breakdown support vehicles plying the routes. Mobile medical assistance will also be available during the tour.
For more details please see Inclusions tab.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO DO THIS TOUR?

Any regular cyclist, aged 18 or more, who can ride 100KMs easily on any given day is eligible to do this tour. However please note that right to invite a participant is reserved with the organisers and their decision will be final.

WHEN SHOULD I REACH NAGPUR?

We would recommend that you reach Nagpur on 25th Jan morning, so that you can leave for Sillari in afternoon and get settled at and also attend our pre-tour briefing in the evening in which we will be explaining the flow of the tour and other important information.

DOES THE TOUR FEE INCLUDE TRANSPORT TO AND FROM NAGPUR? WHAT ABOUT STAY ON DAY 0 IN SILLARI?

No, transportation to Sillari is not included in tour fees. However we will be transporting some riders to Sillari in shared transport for an extra fee (Rs. 2500). Stay of Day 0 in Sillari is however included in the tour fee, so you don’t have to worry about that.

IS THERE A LUGGAGE LIMIT?

There is a one bag per rider limit. Each rider is entitled to one piece of baggage (the max limit is 30 litres/15 Kgs). However we advise you not to carry any fragile items or expensive gadgets/ equipments in your baggage. We do not provide any guarantee for the safety of any fragile/expensive items in the baggage. We will not be responsible for any loss/ theft or damages.

WHAT KIND OF BIKE IS MOST SUITABLE FOR THIS TOUR? DO I BRING MY OWN BIKE?

This tour involves fair bit of off-road riding so we would suggest you to bring a MTB for this tour and we expect most of the participants will be bringing MTBs. However if you have a Hybrid bike with 35mm+ tyres, they should be ok too. We won’t suggest road bikes at all for this route though. And yes if you want us to arrange bikes on rent, we can do that too. Rent including transport of bike to start point and back is Rs. 3500. Please note that if any parts are damaged of the rent bike due to falls during ride or mishandling will be have to paid by the rider. 

WHEN CAN I PLAN MY RETURN FROM NAGPUR?

Tour will finish at Sillari on 29th Jan afternoon, Nagpur is just 80 Kms from there, so you can probably catch a late-night train OR flight back from Nagpur, but to be on safer side, we would recommend to take return flight on 30th Jan. morning.

HOW DO I TRAVEL WITH MY BICYCLE TILL SILLARI?

The nearest airport and railway station is Nagpur (80Kms) . Modern bicycles are really easy to carry in cars using a bike rack, or even in the boot of the car. If you are travelling by train, then you can easily remove both the wheels and then carry the bike with you in some bag. If you are flying to Nagpur, then you can easily check-in your bike in bike-box. Local bike shops can help you with packing it in a cardboard box, if you don’t have a proper bike bag for travelling. People travel all over the world with their bikes, so it’s a good idea to talk to someone who has already done so.
Once you reach Nagpur, you can travel on your own to Sillari, hire a taxi or can also opt for bike and rider transport being arranged by us for an extra fees of Rs 2500 for rider transport and Rs. 1000 for bike transport.

WILL I ENCOUNTER WILD ANIMALS DURING THE RIDE?

It is tendency of wild animals to avoid any human presence and that is why it is so difficult to spot them even when you enter the core area of jungles. As we will be bicycling in buffer areas only where otherwise too there is significant number of villages and other human settlements, chances of this are very low to none. The route has been chosen in consultation with forest officials and is safe for riding. Further, on desolate patches volunteers will ensure that participants ride in a group.

HOW IS THE MOBILE NETWORK CONNECTIVITY THROUGH OUT THE ROUTE?

There will be sections of routes where you won’t have connectivity for few kilometres on the route. In our recce we found Jio network had the best coverage.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

1. Any Cancellation due to COVID Lockdown: 100% Refund or 125% Refund in tour fees for our future tours
2. In other cases:
Before 20th Dec 21 – 90% Refund
Before 1st Jan 23 – 50% Refund
Before 10th Jan 23 – 25% Refund
After 10th Jan 23 – Sorry No Refunds

I AM NOT AVAILABLE ON THESE DATES, ARE MORE EVENTS PLANNED IN FUTURE?

Yes. We have many tours in pipeline. Please follow us on our social media handles so that we can keep you posted or join our mail-list.