Trek for a Cause

Event Date: August 24th, 2014

Today.. 
Celebrate a day with nature and contribute to a cause

Enjoy the magical spell of nature as the rich forest soaks up the rains and transforms itself into its most beautiful avatar. Walk through gushing streams; climb slippery boulders; splash in waterfalls; have fun and adventure; and above all, CONTRIBUTE TO A CAUSE.

Trishul Learning Centre for less-privileged kids and Nature Knights invite you to the Sylonda trek in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, Mumbai, on Sunday, August 3, 2014.

All profits from this event will be used for funding Trishul Learning Centre and you will get tax benefits under Section 80G for your contribution.

Beneficiaries: Children at Joseph Patel Wadi, A slum at Andheri West, near Seven Bunglows, Versova. Attending Free Trishul Learning Center.

(All profits from this event will be used for funding Trishul Learning Centre Project; Stationery; Art and Craft Material; Faculty Fee; Electricity for centre etc.)

Note: All participants will get 80G Receipts on their payments.

The Adventure Trek: The trek will take us through Sylonda Jungle trail crossing flowing streams. The trek will be escorted by trekking and wild life experts.

Trip Fee for a cause:

Adult Participant: Rs.1000/- per adult.

Student Participant (upto 16 years old): Rs.750/- per adult.

Sponsor 2 children from Trishul Learning Centre: Rs.1500/- (2 children)

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Scroll down for inclusions / exclusions / checklist etc.

The forest

The Park houses over 1000 plant species, 251 species of migratory, land and water birds, 50,000 species of insects, 40 species of mammals. In addition, the Park also provides shelter to 38 species of reptiles including crocodiles; monitor lizards; 9 species of amphibians and also 150 species of butterflies; and a large variety of fish.

The Cause

Trishul Learning Centre, a free learning centre for economically less privileged kids. Located at Josep Patel Wadi, Near 7 Bunglows, Versova Welfare School, Fisheries Road, Andheri West, Mumbai. Clickhere to know more about the project; click here to know moreabout Trishul NGO.

The trip fee includes:

80G Receipt for your donation

Certificate of participation and appreciation

Trek to Sylonda Trail (3^rd stream)

Expert Support (Wild life and trek)

Hearty Breakfast at beginning of trek

Entry fee and permit at Sylonda Trail

Notebook and ball pen

Excludes:

Bottled water or beverages

Snack during trek

Any kind of Insurance policy

Entry fee or Parking fee to National Park

Parking ticket fee inside National Park if applicable

Un-utilized resources will not be refunded (no refund)

Trip Plan:

8:15 am meeting inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali East).

8:30 am Introduction / Induction

8:45 am Breakfast

9:30 am to 1:30 pm Sylonda Jungle Trek

3:30 pm Windup

What to carry and jungle code; what to carry; dos and don’ts:

Eco-sensitive tourism code to be strictly followed; leave only footsteps and take only memories

No littering; not causing any type of damage to forest.

No music players.

Attire: Track Pants / three fourth Pants with t-shirt (preferable full sleeves)

Rain wear (Poncho or Rain Coat); additional small umbrella for photographers)

Hand towel

Personal brunch bag.

Water bottle (Pet bottles or regular water bottles not disposable mineral water)

Carry all items kept in water proof sacks kept in protected backpack.

Optional:

Field Guide

Binoculars

Digital Camera

(Kindly carry enough precautions to protect all your electronic equipments from rain).

Coming Soon Easy Adventures at Sanjay Gandhi National Park


Custom Adventures Customized to meet your needs: Jungle Treks, Nature Trails, Camping and Cycling Trips.

More about Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), previously Borivali National Park (BNP), is a National Park (Reserve Forest) in the northern part of suburban Mumbai city. It encompasses an area of 104 square kilometers (40 sq mi) and is surrounded on three sides by India's mega metro Mumbai. It is notable as one of the major national parks existing within a metropolis limit and is one of the most visited parks in the world.

The rich flora and fauna of Sanjay Gandhi National Park attracts more than 2 million visitors every year.  Inside heart of Park also lays the national heritage Kanheri Caves dating back to 2400 years, there are over a 100 caves sculpted out of the rocky cliffs which lie within the park.

The park is nestled in the hill ranges to the east of the suburb of Borivali. It occupies most of the northern suburbs. To the west lie the townships of Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar. To the east lie the townships of Bhandup and Mulund. To the south lies the Aarey Milk Colony. The northern reaches of this forest lie in Thane city. The park and these areas surrounding it are all part of the Mumbai metropolitan area.

The park is a bustling forest, with an estimated 800 types of mauve. This flower is native to the park and the surrounding regions, including Karnala, the Yeoor hills, Tungareshwar and some parts of Goregaon’s Film City. The park is also home to a small population of leopards.

Photo Albums of Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Monsoon-Majic-SJNP-june2010

Sylonda-Jungle-trek

Fews of the Nature Trails / Nature Treks in Forest from Borivali National Park Side.

Sylonda Trail (Going up-to 1^st Stream, 2^ndStream, 3^rd Stream)

Highest Point of Mumbai or Jambul Trail. (Via Kanheri, Via Lower Hill Trail or Via Bamboo Hut Trail)

Bamboo Hut Trail

Lower View Point Trail (Gaumukh Point).

Census-in-SJNP

BNP-Jungle-Trek-Monsoon-2008

Macros

Silonda-Trail-March22-2009

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A Blog by Anushankaran on trip with Nature Knights to Sanjay Gandhi National Park

http://anushankarn.blogspot.com

SGNP-July19-2011

Flora and fauna

The park is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna. The forest area of the Park houses over 1000 plant species, 251 species of migratory, land and water birds, 50,000 species of insects, 40 species of mammals. In addition, the Park also provides shelter to 38 species of reptiles including crocodiles; monitor lizards; 9 species of amphibians and also 150 species of butterflies; and a large variety of fish.

Flora: Bamboo, Kadamba, teak, karanj, shisam, and species of acacia, ziziphus, euphorbia, flame of the forest, red silk cotton and a number of other varieties of flowers. Karvi or Karvy, a flowering plant that flowers once in seven years, can be found in the Park.

Karvi

The Karvi shrub, as it is locally called in the Marathi language, sometimes also spelled as Karvy in English, only blooms once in eight years in a mass flowering covering the forest floor in a lavender blush. It grows in abundance in the Western ghats hills near Mumbai including throughout the Sanjay Gandhi National Park as in other parts of its natural range. In Sanjay Gandhi National Park its latest bloomings took place in 2008, and it is scheduled to bloom here again in 2016. Termed by nature enthusiasts as 'nature's miracle' its maximum bloom can be seen on some of the inner paths and trails that lie undisturbed in the park. It survives best on vast slopy expanses on the hillsides with Kanheri caves area of the park being one of the best places to observe large areas of blooms.

In the state of Maharashtra, the mass flowering of Karvi has been observed to occur in Mumbai the same year as in the hill station of Khandala and one year earlier in Bhimashankar and Malshej Ghat, beyond Kalyan. Near Mumbai, the Karvi is also found in Karnala, the Yeoor hills, Tungareshwar and some parts of Goregaon including Film City.

Fauna: The forest cover in the park helps provide the ideal habitat for many wild animals. Chital (or spotted deer), Rhesus Macaque and Bonnet Macaque are some of the wild mammals that can easily be spotted roaming inside the park. Other large mammals found in the park are: Black Naped or Indian Hare, Muntjac (Barking Deer), Porcupine, Asian Palm Civet, Chevrotain (Mouse Deer), Hanuman or grey langur, Indian Flying-fox, Sambar Deer and Leopard. One can also spot hyena or four-horned antelope.

Reptiles living here include: crocodiles in the Tulsi Lake, pythons, cobras, monitor lizards, Russell's Vipers, Bamboo Pit Viper and Ceylonese Cat Snakes.

In 2003, pug marks and droppings of a Bengal tiger were found in the park. Although the tiger was never widely seen,  it did bring some excitement to city folks as records of tiger being found here are quite old and forgotten now with the last tiger being shot down 80 years earlier in the region. Conservation was also proposed for the interlinking habitat corridors and nearby wilderness areas in the state and upgrade their status as Tiger habitat.

Butterflies Total 172 species of butterflies has been reported here, of which the spectacular ones are Blue Mormon, the phenomenal artist of camouflage the Blue Oak leaf, the bright jezebels and Large Yellow and White Orange tips, Tigers, Egg flies and Sailers.

Avian-Fauna: Some of the birds one may see in the park are: Jungle Owlets, golden orioles, racket-tailed drongos, minivets, magpies, robins, hornbills, bulbuls, sunbirds, peacock, and woodpeckers. Migratory and local birds such as paradise flycatcher and various species of kingfishers, mynas, drongos, swifts, gulls, egrets, and herons have also been spotted.