HYDERABAD: The anticipation among nature lovers over the relaunch of wildlife tourism at the Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) has been massive and it seems like the day to experience the wilderness up close is not too far away. ATR, one of the largest tiger reserves in India, is all geared up to restart ecotourism activities from January 10, 2023.
The activities include safari rides at the Farahabad gate, which involves explaining the flora and fauna of the site with a special focus on birds along with a tour guide and a Community Based Ecotourism (CBET) stay which provides a unique and recreational experience to the visitors.
Speaking to TNIE, G Rohith, District Forest Officer (DFO), Nagarkurnool, said, “We initiated the tiger stays from Mannur last year and received a tremendous response. This year, we have refurbished the stays and increased the count from six blocks to 12 blocks, which will accommodate 24 people. We have fabricated eight open-top vehicles, which were named after cartoon characters such as Bagheera and Baloo among others.”
“Another addition this year will be the Srisailam tour package, where we have refurbished the old cottage with four suites. It will offer a visit to the watch tower and octopus viewpoint along with nearby villages,” he added. “We have also trained five more tour guides, while the drivers will also be from Chenchu tribes, creating a large employment pool for the local people,” the DFO said.
To aid revenue, he said they will also set up a gift shop where visitors can pick up a souvenir to remember their trip to ATR. In addition, the TSFDCL has sanctioned funds to increase ecotourism activities.
M Akhil, co-ordinator of ecotourism in Mannanur, said, “The ecotourism activities in ATR began in November last year and continued till July. We stopped the activities in the reserve area because of the heavy rains. It is also considered the mating season, so we didn’t want to disturb the wildlife.”
Tribal youth, who were trained in hospitality management, will also render their services to the guests, Akhil mentioned.