Guide
Tadoba safari gates: core and buffer zone entries
The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is entered through six core gates and seventeen buffer gates. Which one you book changes almost everything about the trip — the drive, the landscape, the accommodation nearby, and how many other vehicles you share the forest with. This guide lays out the options.
The six core gates
The core zone is the strictly protected heart of the reserve. Core safaris must be booked in advance and are grouped into three zones:
| Zone | Gate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tadoba | Kolara | Closest core gate to Nagpur — about 120 km, roughly 2.5 hours. |
| Tadoba | Navegaon | Northern approach into the Tadoba core zone. |
| Moharli | Moharli | The reserve's busiest and best-known gate, with the most accommodation nearby. |
| Moharli | Khutwanda | Second entry into the Moharli zone, usually quieter than Moharli itself. |
| Kolsa | Zari | Southern end of the reserve — the longest drive from Nagpur, around 190 km. |
| Kolsa | Pangadi | The other Kolsa-zone core entry. |
The buffer gates — often the better choice
Seventeen buffer gates ring the core, among them Agarzari, Devada-Adegaon, Junona, Belara, Alizanza, Madnapur, Palasgaon, Sirkada, Nimdela-Ramdegi and Chora. Buffer zones are genuine tiger habitat, not a consolation prize: tigers, leopards, gaur and sloth bears are all recorded across them.
For most visitors the practical advantages are that buffer gates are easier to book at short notice — several accept offline booking at the gate — and carry far less vehicle traffic than Moharli. In peak season, book ahead regardless.
Chora Gate, Bhadrawati
Chora is a buffer gate near Bhadrawati, roughly 26 km from Chandrapur, opening into the buffer of the Moharli core zone. It has an offline booking counter at the gate, and you can enter in your own vehicle or hire a gypsy locally.
Tadoba Aranyavas sits at Chora Gate — Survey No. 43, Gao Chora, Taluka Bhadrawati — which is why the project is described as being at the reserve's edge.
Getting there
- From Nagpur: the reserve is about 140 km. Allow 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the gate — Kolara is the shortest run at roughly 120 km, Zari the longest at around 190 km. Nagpur has the nearest airport.
- From Chandrapur: about 45 km to the reserve, an hour to an hour and a half. Chandrapur is the nearest major railway station.
- Chora Gate specifically: roughly 26 km from Chandrapur, via Bhadrawati.
Booking notes
- Core-zone safaris are booked online in advance and sell out in season.
- Several buffer gates take offline bookings at the gate, but do not rely on it during holidays.
- Carry the original photo ID used in the booking — it is checked at the gate.
- Fees, timings and vehicle rules are set by the Forest Department and change by season and zone. Confirm the current position on the official portal before you travel.
Gate lists, zone groupings and distances above are compiled from publicly available Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve information and are given as guidance for planning only. Safari availability, fees and rules are decided by the Maharashtra Forest Department — always verify directly before booking or travelling. We are not a safari operator and do not sell safari bookings.
Step Into Aranyavas
Own a farmhouse plot at the reserve's edge
Choose how you'd like to experience Tadoba Aranyavas — a live online presentation from the comfort of home, or a family visit to the site itself. Our team will guide you through plots, pricing and the ownership journey.