A Road Trip To Yawal Wilderness

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A Road Trip To Yawal Wilderness

The place had a beautiful waterfall, and the hike to the temple turned out to be an adventurous fun activity for my children

Monday June 24, 2019 6:12 PM, Numair M Hesham, ummid.com

Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary

As a kid, I had always enjoyed playing in the garden and visiting the zoo. I also wanted my children to explore the lush greenery and wilderness, which today is limited to the documentaries telecasted on the satellite channels. Moreover, I believe that the dwindling greenery in the cities and the extinction of the local fauna like the sparrows, for instance, is something my children should be educated about. I thus decided to introduce my children to nature as a holiday treat in the summer this year. Having made up my mind, I started planning for one day outing near Ahmedabad.

Travel to Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary

A visit to Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary was always something I had planned for my children to cherish, but it always took a backseat due to other commitments and impromptu change of plans. This year, however, we were able to make it, and I was glad that I chose the month of April. I discovered that the optimal time to visit this wildlife sanctuary is in between October to May. April and early May are the best months to pick as the climate of Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary is always on the colder and wetter side at other times.

Nestled in the Yawal Tehsil of Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, the lush forest sanctuary is the home to a diverse variety of plant and animal life. Our journey started by road from Ahmedabad to the wildlife sanctuary. Although we have a car which is perfect for driving around the city, I wanted a comfortable and safe car for the road trip to Yawal. It was then that my spouse suggested that I rent a licensed car in Ahmedabad, and by the end of our trip I realized that this was surprisingly worth it.

An overview of Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary

The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 178 sq.km and is housed at the Anner and Manjal River Banks making it an ideal spot for one day picnics near Ahmedabad. My children were delighted to spot the significant flora dominating the sanctuary like the teak and Anjan trees. We also found Haldu, Tiwas, Khair, Charoli, Jamun, Tendu and Awala. on our forest hike. The sanctuary is the home to animals like tigers, leopards, blue bull, deers, and flying squirrels, to name a few. Luckily, my children were able to see a couple of wild animals like the deer, jackal, and flying squirrels from the comforts of the rental car. Our driver was super friendly and patient enough to take us around the place.

There are several homestays and resorts near Ahmedabad. As I had booked a forest bungalow from the Jalgaon Forest Department before the trip, my family enjoyed a comfortable stay at night. I befriended a local person who was pleased to guide me through the forest to spot some fox and jackals. The residents are very protective of the wildlife sanctuary and strictly prohibit poaching or hunting along with the forest officers. However, they also aid the tourists with the best maps, locations, and good food for an amazing experience.

Next day, early in the morning, heeding the advice of my new local friend, we headed to the Sirvel Mahadev Temple, which is 77 km away from Yawal. The place had a beautiful waterfall, and the hike to the temple turned out to be an adventurous fun activity for my children.

How to reach Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary – cabs from Ahmedabad

There are no direct buses or trains from Ahmedabad to Yawal. Hiring a cab with an experienced driver is the best viable option. There are many cabs available from Ahmedabad to Yawal where one could also take a detour to the Sirvel Mahadev Temple. I also feel that traveling via train or bus and having to change the mode of transport until we reach the destination is especially hectic on tour. Directly reaching the destination has always allowed me to enjoy the beauty of the place without having to worry about the hassles of transport. And, when I am not driving, I would, of course book a taxi with an experienced driver in Ahmedabad.

Distance and time taken

The Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary is approximately 473 km from Ahmedabad while the best possible route is via Ankleshwar Burhanpur Highway. From one of my friends, I learned that the nearest airport to the sanctuary would be the Jalgaon Airport, which is almost 50 km away from the destination. The closest railway station located in Bhusawal is 18 km from the sanctuary while the other railway station is Raver; convenient for the backpackers. Also, it is easy to book cabs to resorts near Ahmedabad if you plan to opt for a night stay.

On the whole, the trip to Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary turned out to be more than what I had expected while my children are keen on visiting the place very soon shortly. Indeed, this was one of the perfect weekend getaways near Ahmedabad.

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