Sundarbans Tour
The Sundarbans is a cluster of low-lying islands in the Bay of Bengal, spread across India and Bangladesh, famous for its unique mangrove forests. This active delta region is among the largest in the world, measuring about 40,000 sq km. The Sundarbans forest is about 10,000 sq km across India and Bangladesh, of which 40% lies in India, and is home to many rare and globally threatened wildlife species such as the estuarine crocodile(Crocodilus porosus), Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris), Water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator), Gangetic dolphin (Platinista gangetica), and olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The forest in India is divided into the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve and 24 Parganas (South) Forest Division, is the only mangrove forest in the world and West Bengal in particular where the Royal Bengal Tigers are found. The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language (Shundor, "beautiful" and bon, "forest"). The name may have been derived from the Sundari trees (the mangrove species Heritiera fomes) that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers.
The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for the (Panthera tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes.
The Sundarbans delta in India has been a popular region due to its unique biodiversity. While it supports a sizeable population of wild tigers and other wildlife, it is also an ecologically fragile and climatically vulnerable region that is home to over 4.5 million people. Securing the future of the Sundarbans, its biodiversity and people requires a long term vision that can integrate climate adaptation and conservation strategies along with shorter term interventions such as ensuring sustainable livelihoods, access to clean and sustainable energy and effective human wildlife conflict management. The Sundarbans has also been enlisted in the New7Wonders of Nature.
Visit for more information: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/452 and http://www.sunderbannationalpark.in/
Important information for tourists: http://www.sunderbans.in/Dos-and-Don'ts.php
The ICMC 2017 social event will host a tour to the Sundarbans from 22nd – 24th January, 2017. The journey will begin from Haldia in the morning of 22nd January, reaching Sonakhali via Kolkata by road. We board a chartered vessel from Sonakhali and cruise through the jungles, reaching Sajnekhali in the Sundarbans by evening. The night halt is at a resort at Pakhiralay in Sajnekhali. The next day our tour starts early morning from Pakhiralay, cruising through the creeks and rivers, reaching Sajnekhali, Sudhyannyakhali Dobanki and Buri dabri watch towers. It is from these watch towers you can have a glimpse of the forest and wildlife. The tour ends on the third day on 24th January at Sonakhali and we get back to Kolkata/Haldia in the evening. The tour costs Rs. 3600/- per head (inclusive of fooding, Lodging and other expenses).
Interested participants are requested to confirm in advance to the following person and pay the said amount either during the conference or earlier to the ICMC2017 account.
Contact
Subhabrata Barman
Mobile:+919433194248
Email: subha.barman@gmail.com
Cultural function and banquet dinner
There will be a cultural function organized on January 20, 2017 evening, followed by a Banquet Dinner. All the registered delegates are heartily invited to join.