Travel Category

Sri Lanka , a small tear drop shaped island located just off the southern most tip of India , offers a very complete tourist experience, which is why I’m calling it “ the world in one country “ ! The small size of the country ensures that traveling time between its various tourist attractions is minimal ( our longest single day drive was 5 hours) , and its diversity ensures new and unique experiences and sights each day .

The reason I used the tag line “world in one country “ , a phrase I borrowed or copied from a South African tourism logo , is that , very few destinations actually provide more complete and holistic travel experiences, the way Sri Lanka does. In Sri Lanka, one can visit half a dozen World Heritage Sites ( including the famous Sigriya Rock Fortress, the Dambulla caves , Galle Fort etc ) , do Safaris in National Parks ( Yala and Minneriya , famous for Leopards and Elephants respectively) , experience Tea Tasting in real working Tea Gardens and Factories, feel a touch of “little England “ in the hill town of Nuwara  Eliya, walk in the ramparts of the buzzing old Portuguese and Dutch influenced old fort town of Galle , and then relax on the sandy beaches of either Bentota or Negombo ! 

I traveled to Sri Lanka after a long gap earlier this year ( when all was well there ) and was actually very impressed with the people , the infrastructure, the hotels and the general tourist friendly feel of the destination. For the last month or two , Sri Lanka is in the midst of economic and political turmoil, which we hope will be over soon , and things will be back to normal for potential visitors to this wonderful island .

Located in the desert state of Rajasthan, about 150 kms from Udaipur ( and about the similar distance from Jodhpur), is the Sujan Jawai Camp, arguably the last word in experiential luxury as far as India’s wildlife resorts and camps are concerned. It’s literally like a luxury African safari camp experience, with Indian hospitality thrown in, where every detail has been looked at and attended to. 
The Jawai Bandh area is itself a rugged terrain, with hills and rock outcrops that are thousands of years old, a large rain water reservoir, and India’s densest leopard population. What makes the area and the wildlife experience different, is the fact that here man and animal seem to be coexisting in complete harmony. One can see Leopards moving around the hills and open grasslands, while village farmers and their families go about their daily lives in the vicinity.

The camp itself, lovingly created by the husband and wife duo of Jaisal and Anjali Singh, is literally the last word in luxury as far as glamping in india is concerned. The tents are large and comfortable, the dining exquisite and the service par excellence. The accommodations are so comfortable, the heated pool so inviting, the Spa and Library so relaxing, that’s it’s actually quite easy to forget that your main purpose of visiting Jawai was the wildlife, mainly the leopards ! Safe and comfortable jeeps, great drivers , friendly and knowledgeable naturalists , all put together, provide a great and unique wildlife experience, with excellent leopard sighting opportunities. 

India, as a wildlife destination, has for long been known as a must do destination for Tiger enthusiasts, but sighting leopards in the wild, being out in the bush, with the surrounding rugged hills, and the exemplary Sujan service, makes a visit to Jawai a must do for wildlife enthusiasts.

A wildlife corridor is all set to be developed in India. The idea is to create a wildlife corridor that starts from Ranthambore in Rajasthan, covering national parks in Madhya Pradesh. The wildlife corridor will uplift tourism in the state, and also help in development activities.

The corridor will cover Madhya Pradesh’s Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district, Kuno-Palpur wildlife sanctuary in Sheopur district, and Panna Tiger Reserve in Panna district.

There is however a delay in bringing cheetahs from South Africa to the Kuno-Palpur Sanctuary due to the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier the cheetahs were supposed to reach in the month of March, but now there is a delay of about four weeks.

Madhya Pradesh is a wonderful wildlife destination with some of the best national parks and sanctuaries in the country. Connecting these destinations with Rajasthan’s famed Ranthambore National Park is a great move to create a wholesome wildlife travel experience.

As per the latest travel guidelines, travellers arriving in India from any country and testing positive will not mandatorily be managed at an isolation facility. They will however be treated/isolated as per the laid down standard protocol, not essentially at an isolation facility.

Now, as per the revised guidelines for international arrivals that have been recently released, the new norm will come into effect from January 22, 2022, and will remain in place until further orders. Reports also have it that the rest of the provisions will remain the same in the revised guidelines. As per the existing guidelines, travellers coming from any country, including from those considered ‘at-risk', will be managed at an isolation facility, and will be treated as per the said standard protocols.

The recently announced revised guidelines have removed the clause that made staying at an isolation facility mandatory upon arrival. Those found to be symptomatic during screening will be isolated immediately and taken to a medical facility as per health protocol. Contacts of those who are found positive shall be identified and managed as per protocol.

However, do note that foreign arrivals who test positive, will still have to undergo home quarantine for seven days, and even if they test negative, they will have to undergo RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India.