Forest department Introduces grassland safari in Solapur 

Expanding its eco-tourism initiative beyond Pune, the Pune forest department has launched a grassland safari in Solapur district. The safari was officially inaugurated on February 14, although the online bookings starting from March 16, a senior forest official confirmed. 

The safari is based in Boramani village, a vast grassland ecosystem home to diverse wildlife, including wolves, Indian jackals, Bengal foxes, blackbucks, Indian antelopes, rabbits, wild boars, and wild cats, along with numerous butterfly species. 

“As part of our grassland management program, the safari aims to raise conservation awareness and highlight the unique biodiversity of Solapur’s grasslands. Additionally, the initiative will support local communities through various livelihood programs,” said Ajit Shinde, assistant conservator of forests, Solapur division. 

To enhance the visitor experience, the department has introduced several facilities, including machan accommodations for night stays, drinking water, and toilet facilities. However, there is no designated safari vehicle service yet, and visitors must bring their own. 

The safari operates in two time slots – morning 6:30 am to 10:30 am and afternoon 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm. 

The charges for the safari and night stay range between ₹1,100 and ₹1,500, with only four to five vehicles allowed at a time, Shinde added. 

In October 2023, the Pune forest division launched similar grassland safaris at Kadbanwadi (Indapur tehsil) and Shirsufal (Baramati tehsil), which saw a positive response. Between October 2023 and December 2024, these safaris generated ₹34.77 lakh in revenue from 3,044 bookings. 

Meanwhile, the department recently conducted a logo design competition for the grassland safari project, receiving 103 entries.