About Matheran

Matheran literally means “Forest on the Top” (of hill)….. this well-known hillstation of about 7.2 sq kms, not far from Mumbai (90 kms) and Pune (120 kms) is clothed with verdant semi evergreen forest at an altitude of about 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level. It comes under the municipal council in Karjat Tahsil in the Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Matheran is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and is one of the smallest hill stations in India. It can easily be reached via the closest railway station on central line- Neral. Matheran’s proximity to many metropolitan cities makes it a weekend getaway for urban residents. It is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. It is Asia’s only automobile-free hill station. Matheran has quite a variety of wild animals including the Malabar Giant Squirrel (Shekru) -state animal of Maharashtra.

Tour Overview

     Duration: 1 Nights  2 Days

     Date: 17-Feb to 18-Feb 2024

     
     Total Trails: Around 2-3 of 4 hours each

Itinerary:

     Day 1  –  Reach Matheran for lunch, rest and then go on a birding expedition till sunset. Evening trail based on availability.

     Day 2  –  Morning bird trail in the forest, lunch and check out

Expected Species:

Orange-headed ground thrush, Indian Cuckoo, Malabar Whistling thrush, Sunbirds and Flower-peckers, White-rumped Shama, Nightjars, Bombay Bushchat, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Wyanad Laughing thrush, Asian Paradise Flycatchers, Barn Owls, Malabar Giant Squirrels and many more.

Learnings:

Our guided field tours will help you improvise both your photography and wildlife skills, while focusing on the below aspects during the trip –

• Discipline and ethics while approaching wildlife
• Best shooting modes for birding
• Exposure control techniques
• Focusing in birding and methods to get sharp images of subjects
• Framing and composition guidelines
• Ethics and respect for nature and wildlife

 Why us?

• We allow max 4 participants to join this tour. This helps connect one to one for mentoring and improve assistance at personal level with beginners. Less crowd is also beneficial in the field as everyone gets sufficient time to take better shots of every species spotted during the trails.
• Guided tours help in utilizing the time effectively. We will take you through trails where different species are expected to be spotted.
• Our photography mentors will provide field assistance on any technical inputs with respect to camera settings, composition and framing etc. and will ensure you go back with some great shots.
• We also jointly review the pictures taken during the trails and provide post-processing assistance during and after the tours.
• You get to connect with like minded fellow travellers and go back with handful of lifetime friends and mesmerizing moments of life.

Package

Rs. 8,500 per head inclusive of all taxes

Cost inclusions:

• Travel from Mumbai to Matheran via train and return
• Accommodation on sharing basis in a decent hotel
• All breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Entry fees, if any
• Local guide and trail charges
• All taxes and service charges

Cost exclusions:

• Any extra meals, mineral water etc
• Any medical assistance, insurance or emergency charges

Cancellation Policy:

• All cancellations before 45 days of the tour date – 80% credit
• All cancellations between 30 – 45 days of the event date – 50% credit
• All cancellations within 30 days of the event date – No credit possible

Field Gear

• Camera (DSLR or Mirror-less) or mobile phone for capturing pictures
• Telephoto Lens for your camera or mobile phone
• Carry extra memory cards and camera batteries with charger
• Water bottle to avoid dehydration during the walks
• Carry enough silica gels in your camera bags for moisture protection
• Headlights or torches for the night trails, preferably headlights to free up your hands
• Comfortable footwear
• First aid or medical kit as per individual need
• Carry Odomos or any mosquito repellent spray as per need