Where The Light Is (Chasing Fireflies at Bhandardara)

Day 1:

Once you meet the Vagabond EMs (Experience Managers) at the pickup point of your choice, we take our privately booked AC bus to Bhandardara in rural Maharashtra. On reaching Arthur Lake, we take the boat across and reach our campsite. We check into our tents and settle in. After some high tea and icebreakers, we can head down to the lake for a quick sunset swim.

An early dinner of the local cuisine will be served, after which we spend some time around the campfire. A few songs and games later, we head out to the deep dark forest with a guide to experience nature's wondrous phenomenon- FIREFLIES! Don't forget your DSLR cameras if you're a photography enthusiast. But be warned, no photo or video will ever do justice to how beautiful this sight is with your own eyes! After spending some time staring at this sight in awe, we return back to our campsite.

We will, of course, get back to the campfire, accompanied by guitars, singing & campfire games if the weather permits.

Feel free to stay up the night and gaze into the galaxy, if you wish.

Day 2:

Wake up for breakfast by 8:00 am. Go for a dip in the lake and click those last few photographs.

We head back to Bombay in our bus and return home with yet another experience ticked off our bucket list!

• Transport in an AC seater bus (Ex-Bombay)
• High tea, dinner, and breakfast
• Boat rides across Lake Arthur to our campsite and back
• Camping arrangements (Tent with foam mat, pillow, and blanket) or dormitory stay if it's raining heavily.
• Mineral water at the campsite
• Campfire
• Group activities
• Midnight fireflies trail walk
• Access to life jackets for swimming in the lake
• Extension boards for charging
• Clean and separate western washrooms for men and women
• Basic medical and first-aid kit assistance
• All permits, tolls, and parking charges
• Experienced local guide
• Assistance by Vagabond EMs

• Lunch during the bus journey (to and fro)
• Any personal expenses
• Travel insurance

• Regular (with transport): Rs. 3,300 /-
• Vagafam* (with transport): Rs. 3,000 /-

*'Vagafam' is anyone who has joined us on 3+ experiences

All transport is from Bombay and back

Accommodation:

• Camping will be on a double-sharing basis
• A foam mat, pillow, and bedsheets will be provided

Meals:

• High Tea: Pakoda, tea, coffee
• Dinner: Rice, dal, bhaaji, chicken gravy, chapati, papad, pickle
• Breakfast: Tea, coffee, poha/upma/boiled eggs

Transport:

• We will be traveling from Bombay to Bhandardara and back in AC buses
• During both journeys, the bus will make lunch stops en route.

• Extra pair of clothes
• Toiletries
• Towel
• Insect repellent
• Water for the bus journey
• Power bank
• Warm clothes (it gets chilly and windy after sundown)
• Torch/headlamp
• Slippers
• Closed footwear & long pants (for the fireflies sighting walk)
• Rainwear (poncho/raincoat)
• Personal medication
• Optional: Camera, musical instruments, playing cards etc

• If you're joining us on our bus from Bombay, your pickup points are Chakala Metro Station (09:30 am), Hiranandani Powai bus stop (10:00 am) and Thane Cadbury Junction (10:30 am)
• If you’re opting for PUBLIC TRANSPORT, you can board a central line train from Bombay and get off at Kasara station. From there you will have to take a taxi (that can take up to 8 passengers) to Bhandardara. It is a minimum 2-hour journey from Kasara station to Bhandardara. The taxis will stay overnight and drop you back to Kasara the next day. This would cost approximately Rs. 4,000/- per taxi
• Tell them to drop you at the Bhandardara toll booth: https://goo.gl/maps/7GEQoroFiFUkoPG98 You need to be here between 3:00pm to 5pm
• If you’re opting for PRIVATE TRANSPORT, map your way to this location https://goo.gl/maps/7GEQoroFiFUkoPG98 between 3:00pm to 5pm and contact a Vagabond EM (we’ll send you details closer to the date) 
• There will be traffic as you enter Bhandardara post 4pm.
• However, our campsite is isolated and can be accessed only by a boat ride across Arthur Lake.
• Since the campsite is only accessible by boat and the boat service is discontinued post sundown, it is possible that you may not be able to reach the campsite after 6 pm or when it gets dark.
• We request all self-drive participants to be in touch with us and plan their travel accordingly.

• There isn’t an age restriction on any of our experiences, everyone is welcome. However, the average Vagabond customer is anywhere between 20 – 35 years old. The experiences involve a good amount of time spent with the group. Depending on what experience you’re opting for, there could be a lot of walking and physical exertion.
• It’s important to understand that most of our experiences include very rustic accommodation and not a luxurious means of transport. These may be basic in their facilities, but the hospitality is homely and comforting. If you’re someone who doesn’t like compromising on your comforts while travelling, this experience may not be very enjoyable.
• Most of our trips have a healthy number of solo travellers. We encourage you to join us solo, especially if you’re tired of waiting on your friends. We promise you’ll return with many more.
• We try our best to be responsible travellers. Everyone is welcome to explore with us, but we pay utmost importance to cleanliness on all our experiences. We encourage you to #LeaveNoTrace behind while you discover the beauty of the outdoors.
• It’s important to understand that in a limited amount of time, only a limited amount of experiences can be had. We like to cover a few places in-depth rather than just ticking off a long list of things-to-do and places-to-go. However, if you are that kind of traveller, on almost all trips you can feel free to wander by yourself to places of your interest.
• At a Vagabond Experience, it’s important to stay open-minded and positive when things don’t go as per plan. The essence of traveling in a group is being able to help each other out when in need. The weather could go bad, and plans could get altered. In such situations, we urge you to have faith in your group leader to make the most informed decision for the group.

Years of experience: We’ve been leading trips around the country since 2014. Our time in this field has helped us learn about places and people. This knowledge about the destination contributes to a safe, wholesome, and enriching group experience.

Footfall: Since our inception, we’ve led more than 4,600 people on treks, backpacking trips, camps, and outdoor experiences. Rest assured, we’ve dealt with all kinds of people.

Safety first: Given the time we’ve spent in the travel field, we know and believe in the importance of safety. All our experience managers are first-aid certified, and carry a well-equipped first-aid kit on every trip.

Solo traveller-friendly: Over the years, we have had a healthy number of solo travellers who have been from diverse backgrounds. Especially those who got tired of waiting on their friends to agree to a plan.

Group size: Taking large groups of people compromises on an intimate interpersonal experience. Thus, we do small groups which makes it easier for people to get to know each other over the course of the trip.

No discrimination: At Vagabond, we believe that your age, social class, caste, gender or sexual orientation doesn’t determine your travel experience. Everyone is welcome to travel with us and explore new places, and new ideas.

Flexible itinerary: On a Vagabond experience, you’re free to stray away from our scheduled itinerary and explore the place on your own. You do you. We’re not your school teachers. We’re here to facilitate a better understanding of the place and help you experience it in your own comfort zone.

Mindfulness to nature: Over the years we’ve seen the places we visit turn filthier by the day. We don’t want to contribute to that any further. At a Vagabond experience, we encourage you to reduce your contribution to waste and follow sustainable tourism practices as much as possible. Check out #LeaveNoTrace

In-depth research: We're not a tour & travel agency. Every experience we offer you has been researched and experienced first hand by our core members. We visit the locations ourselves and curate an experience that we believe to be in sync with our ideologies.

• In case of cancellations 7 days or more prior to the date of departure, Rs 1,500 will be deducted.
• In case of cancellations 6 to 3 days prior to the date of departure, Rs 2,000 will be deducted.
• Cancellations made within 48 hours to the date of departure will receive no refund.

-3.8% of all booking amounts are payment gateway charges. This amount is not refundable.

-Please refer to the further Terms and Conditions mentioned in the footer of the website

• All timings and activities are subject to weather, group size, capabilities of participants, etc.
• Vagabond holds the right to cancel the event due to unforeseen circumstances (for eg. unfavorable weather)
• By registering for this trip, you agree to have read through and abide by the Vagabond Terms & Conditions mentioned in the footer.

For further inquiries, feel free to Whatsapp/call: 7400054929

(Please contact these numbers only between 11 am and 7 pm)

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