This backpacker went to Tadoba using public transport. What happened next will shock you!

Thank you Scoopwhoop for inspiring me to write this title. My Facebook wall is inundated with posts with similar names. My head can't get enough, it seems.

Getting to the point, I never imagined that getting to Tadoba - Andhari Tiger Reserve, such a popular tourism destination, was so much hassle. It's not that the ride was bumpy - it wasn't. What alarmed me was that nobody really knew how to get to Tadoba if you didn't have a car waiting for you at Nagpur. So here's some chronological help for those of you who like to rough it out.

1. Book accommodation at FDCM: Little known place, right next to MTDC, also government owned. You can book rooms at Maharashtra's Eco Tourism website, the site that is usually used for booking safaris. Most people know that if you don't book your safari one month in advance, all park safaris get sold out. What most people don't know is that FDCM has a 3 jeep quota for all guests staying with them. So even if you don't book in advance, you still get to travel in the core areas of the park.
2. Reach Nagpur on a Tuesday: Nobody, bloody hell, tells you this. Go to point 6 to know why.
3. Go to the bus stand: When you reach Nagpur by train or air, head for the nearest ST (state transport) bus stand. There is a bus stand right next to the station. From the airport, the closest station is Chattrapati Shivaji Chowk that is about 1.5 kms away. The only two ways to get there are walking or by an auto-rickshaw that will cost you Rs. 150. Take your pick.
4. Take a bus: AC buses are hard to find. Take a regular ST bus to Chandrapur for Rs. 157. At the ST stand, you'll find private buses picking up passengers too, and for the same cost. My suggestion is to take the ST bus because they tend to be airier.
5. Sleep for 3 hours: A car takes you 2 hours, but a bus will take you 3. Get off at the last Chandrapur stop.
6. Take the 1:30 pm Chandrapur bus to Tadoba: There's only one ST bus from Chandrapur to Tadoba daily. Just one. And if you take this bus, you reach Tadoba at 3 pm....if your bus leaves on time...which it won't. Which means that you'll miss the evening safari. Which is fine if you reach on a Tuesday, because there is no safari in the core park area on Tuesdays. I didn't know this so I couldn't go on the bus. It costs about Rs. 50, I think.
7. If it's not a Tuesday, you can also take an auto-rickshaw: You've already booked your train / plane tickets? No problem. Get off at Chandrapur and don't look for a cab. Catch an auto for Rs. 500 to Tadoba. It's 10 times more expensive than the bus, but it will get you there for cheaper than a 2000-buck cab. Most auto-walas don't know that they are allowed till Moharli, but they are.
8. Save the auto-wala's number: So he can come back to pick you up on your way back.
9. Try to take the bus back: The bus from Moharli to Chandrapur leaves at 9:30 am everyday (if it leaves on time). If you oversleep, go to point 8.

Now get your best camera ready and go see some tigers!

A pregnant Maya walks towards the water to cool herself down