New Trips 2010
Andaman Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival Delhi:
Met on arrival by Snow Leopard Adventures representative and transfer to the hotel.
New Delhi is a bustling metropolis, which successfully combines the ancient with the modern. Along with the fast spiraling skyscrapers, the city is dotted with many historical monuments that stand as silent reminders to the regions ancient legacy. The first impressions for any visitor traveling in from the airport are of a spacious, garden city with roads lined by trees.
Overnight in Delhi hotel.
Day 02: Delhi Port Blair (Flight, Dep. 06:16 hrs/ Arr. 12:05 hrs):
Early morning transfer to airport for flight to Port Blair via Chennai.
On arrival at Port Blair, meet and greet by Snow Leopard Adventures representative transfer to the resort at Bay Island overlooking the pristine blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. The architectural style of the hotel reflects the native life of the Islands.
Post lunch we visit Ross Island. Ross Island was once the seat of British power. The ancient structures of abygone era are almost in ruins now. A small museum named 'Smritika' holds photographs and the other mementoes of the British era.
Later, in the evening we visit cellular jail for sound and light show Son-et-Lumiere at 19:30 hrs.
Cellular Jail, stood mute witness to the torture meted out to freedom fighters incarcerated in this jail. The jail is made up of individual cells for solitary confinement of prisoners. It originally was a seven pronged building with central tower acting as its fulcrum and a massive structure comprising honeycomb like corridors. The building was subsequently damaged and presently three out of the seven prongs are intact. The Jail, now a place of importance for all freedom loving people, has been declared a National Memorial.
Return to hotel for formal welcome dinner. Overnight stay at Bay Island Resort.
Day 03: Port Blair:
Wake up leisurely in the morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, we drive to Wandoor for the visit to Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team Centre for Island ecology (ANET - A division of the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Centre for Herpetology) and the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park.
Founded in 1989, ANETs primary aim is to help ensure the long-term survival of as much of the natural biodiversity as feasible, whilst recognising the needs of the human inhabitants, especially the threatened aborigines.
The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park at Wandoor covers an area of 281.5 Sq. Kms. This Marine Park is made-up of open sea, creeks and 15 small and large islands. Here once can view the rare corals and underwater marine life through glass bottom boats.
Lunch at ANET. Post lunch we go croc paddling with a support boat into the Lohabarrack sanctuary
The saltwater crocodile were once commonly found throughout the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in its mangrove habitat. The Andaman and Nicobar mangroves are considered one of the world's largest mangrove ecosystems. When reports indicated a sharp decline in the crocodile population due to hunting for commercial skin trade, encroachment of nesting habitats for agricultural practices and due to killing of nesting females & large scale egg collection by settlers, a special drive was started in 1972 to protect the species.
The Forest Department of Andaman & Nicobar Island initiated a captive rearing and breeding programme at the Haddo Mini Zoo in Port Blair. The objective was to establish a `rear and release' programme for restocking of crocodiles in wild habitats, and farming of the surplus stock. In 1981, Lohabarrack, a northern extension of the Marine National Park in South Andaman, was declared a crocodile sanctuary. Five mangrove creeks drain into Port Mouat, one of the largest bays within the sanctuary area, where fishing is allowed.
In the evening drive back to the resort. Overnight stay at Bay Island Resort.
Day 04: Port Blair - North Passage:
Early morning after breakfast, we take a 5- 6 hrs Dunghi ride (Small boats with customized outboard motors) to North Passage Island.
North Passage Island is 9 kms long and 3 kms wide at its broadest and measures approximately 30 sq. km with 95% of the landmass designated to Reserve Forest area. The Island has very little history of habitation, other than sporadic visits from different sects of the Great Andamanese Tribe. Currently only a few representatives of the Forest Department live in this Island.
Lunch on board the dunghi. Post lunch, we kayak and explore the creeks and channels in the vicinity and then proceed to the beautiful beach at Merk Bay to set up camp for the night.
Merk Bay is on the northeastern side and is famous for its dolphin sightings. The western side of North Passage Island is calm, sheltered waters, between North Passage and Middle Andaman.
Overnight in tents at Merk Bay.
Day 05: North Passage:
Wake up leisurely in the morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, we shall head 6 miles north on kayaks to explore the Guitar Island.
Lunch on an isolated beach. Post lunch, we shall paddle through the creeks and mangroves. Overnight in tents at Merk Bay.
Day 06: North Passage - Long Island Lalaji Bay:
Wake up leisurely in the morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, we take a 2 hrs Dunghi ride to Long Island.
Long Islands, 82 kms from Port Blair and 8kms south of Rangat Bay in Middle Andaman. The Island is 8 kms long and 1.5 kms wide at its broadest with evergreen forests and unpolluted sandy beaches. The Island was uninhabited until the arrival of first settlers in the 1970s. This island has a village with a population of about 1500 people.
After exploring the area, we paddle 6- 7 miles north to camp for the night at Lalaji Bay.
Lalaji Bay is east facing and has one of the finest beaches in the Andaman Islands. Here water remains calm through the year. From the east to the west coast of the Bay is over 100 acres of coconut plantation run by the government Directorate of Agriculture.
On arrival, we set up our camp and relax for the day. Overnight in tents at Lalaji Bay Beach.
Day 07: Lalaji Bay:
Wake up leisurely in the morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, we leave for a 1 ½-hr hike to the village. The community here consists of erstwhile forest dwellers from the Santhal Pargana tribal district of the state of Jharkand, in India.
Return to camp for lunch. Post lunch we paddle the creeks or follow a small trail running north leading to a secluded cove with calm water, some regenerating coral and white sandy beach. This place is a perfect spot for those who want to snorkel or relax in complete privacy.
Overnight in tents at Lalaji Bay Beach
Day 08: Lalaji Bay Rangat Avis Island:
Wake up leisurely in the morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, we take a 45 minutes dunghi ride to Rangat inhabited by the Jarawa, an ethnic tribe of the Andaman Island. These are nomadic hunters and still use their traditional methods of bows & arrows for hunting.
Rangat has untouched sandy beaches and rich foliage of evergreen trees. The Curtert Bay known for being the nesting place for sea turtles is just 20 kms away.
On reaching Rangat, we drive for 2 hrs (70 kms) through a forest to reach Mayabunder. The population includes settlers from Burma and East Pakistan.
From Mayabunder, we then board boats for a 30-minute ride to Avis Island.
Avis Island is famous for its white coral reefs. The placid waters here is ideal for paddling through mangrove creeks and the Austin creek around the island.
Overnight in camp at Avis Island.
Day 09: Avis Island Rangat - South Button (Swiftlet Rock Island) - Charka Erema Island
Havelock Island:
Wake up early morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, transfer to Mayabunder and drive back to Rangat.
From Rangat, we then take a 2 hrs Dunghi ride to South Button (Swiftlet Rock) - known as the best snorkeling site for its coral diversity. Swiftlet Rock is a tiny speck in the sea, a little more than an acre in area. The rock face here rises sheer out of the water on the Southern side, to a height of 10 meters and tapers evenly to the north into the water. There is no beach here so access onto the island is not possible. The southern side of the island has an exquisite coral garden and many interesting grottoes. Snorkelers usually swim a round of the island as it is fringed with corals on all sides.
After enjoying snorkeling around the Island, we proceed to Tamarind Beach Camp on Charka Erema Island for Lunch.
Charka Erema Island is inhabited by the Aka-Kede Sect of the Great Andamanese tribe. It is relatively a large island spreading about 50 sq km in size and boasts excellent quality forests, teeming with deer, wild boar and pristine mangrove creeks.
Tamarind Beach Camp is located on the northern coast of the island. The name of the camp comes from Tamarind trees that line along the beach. The camp is unique for this high quality corals that lie close to a mangrove creek.
Post lunch, we paddle 5 6 miles through Ritchies Archipelago followed by half an hour boat ride to Havelock Island.
Havelock Island is 54-km northeast of Port Blair. The Island is popular for its marine life and its elephant population. It has some of the most beautiful beaches stretching across several kilometers, and crystal clear waters abundant in dolphins and turtles. The island population comprises settlers from Bangladesh.
Havelock Island was originally inhabited by the Aka- Kede sect of the Great Andamanese tribe. Evidence of their early inhabitation still exists around Elephant Beach. The Aka Kede retreated from Ritchies Archipelago in the late 1800s, after the advent of the British. Dinner and overnight stay at Barefoot Resort.
Day 10: Havelock Island:
Wake up early morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, Paddle to Elephant Beach for Snorkeling.
Elephant Beach is located near the center of the eastern coast of Havelock Island. It lies midway between the two locations - Jetty and Radhanagar Beach. Though the beach used to be a narrow strip of sand, it was further narrowed following the tsunami of 2004. Dead trees and driftwood line the waterfront a poignant but picturesque sight. Elephant Beach boasts some of the best near-shore snorkeling at Havelock for beginners. It has good quality coral and diversity in marine life.
Lunch on the beach. Post lunch, we paddle to Havelock Jetty through the creek which is home to more than 10 varieties of mangrove trees and is an ecosystem of its own. We paddle through creeks as we progress towards the sea-mouth near the Lighthouse.
After spending some time at the Jetty, we drive back to Barefoot Resort (20 minutes drive).
Dinner and overnight stay at Barefoot Resort.
Day 11: Havelock Island:
Wake up leisurely in morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, full day for independent activities - Massage/ Diving/ snorkeling, trekking etc.
Evening celebration dinner with Tribal drums. Overnight at Barefoot Resort.
Day 12: Barefoot Island Port Blair Chennai (Flight S2 614, Dep. 12:40 hrs, Arr. 14:40 hrs)
Chennai Delhi (Flight 9W 830, Dep. 17:00 hrs, Arr. 19:35 hrs):
Wake up early morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast, transfer to Port Blair by boat to board the flight to Chennai.
In Chennai, board the connecting flight for Delhi. Meet and greet by our representative at Delhi airport and transfer to hotel.
Overnight in Delhi hotel.
Day 13: Delhi Onward destination:
Wake up leisurely in the morning followed by breakfast. Post breakfast we go for a guided city tour of New Delhi.
The tour of Imperial Delhi will include a visit to the Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India and Humayun tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun. The tomb, an outstanding monument in the Indo-Persian style, is said have inspired Emperor Shah Jahan to make the world famous Taj Mahal.
Lunch at an India restaurant. Post lunch we go for shopping at Delhi haat.
Early evening after celebration dinner transfer to the International airport for onward journey.
