Tiger Safaris, India Wildlife Safaris

India Tiger Safaris and Wildlife Safaris and Holidays

India Tiger Safaris:

Bengal Tigers are today one of the most critically endangered animals left on our planet. Orginating in Siberia, the Bengal Tiger is one of nine species, of which three (the Balinese, Caspian and Javan) are already extinct today. The Royal Bengal Tiger (same species as Bengal Tiger) has the largest remaining population, however, combined, the entire world population of tigers is estimated optimistically at only 6,000! It is for this reason that travellers should make every effort to see this majestic creature today on a tiger safari in India, as with the help of increased revenue into the parks which in turn feeds into conservation, we may still have a chance of saving this unique and majestic predator.

An India Tiger Safari is one of the, if not the, wildlife safari highlights of any enthusiasts wildlife career. The best places to track the tiger in the wild include the National Parks of Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench. Tiger safaris make up part of the perfect Indian holiday and are available between the months of October – June. Please note that preferred months of travel do vary depending on what your reasons for travelling are (photography, etc).

Coming across these majestic beasts in their natural environment is at once both spine-tingling and unnerving as you understand the sheer power and presence of these beasts in their royal kingdom of the jungle. This experience is enhanced by the possibility of India tiger safaris on elephant back – sitting only metres away from the most powerful mammal on the Asian continent is a humbling experience, one that is not easily forgotten and the highlight of your Indian holiday. Elephants are easily accepted by the tigers as they are another natural animal of the forest, therefore allowing clear viewings and an unbeatable highlight of your wildlife vacation! In order to avoid disappointment it is best to book your India tiger safari as far in advance as possible.

Pench National Park is a beautiful park located in the province of Madhya Pradesh providing good access to tiger safaris. With a rich prey base and access to the Pench River, tigers seem to be thriving in this area; other wildlife of interest includes leopards and wild dogs.

Kanha National Park one of the biggest National Parks in India providing unrivalled wildlife viewing. A fantastic diversity of wildlife including the swamp deer (also known as barasingha), spotted deer, sloth bears, leopards, approximately 300 bird species and almost 100 tigers…

Bandhavgarh National Park much smaller than Kanha National Park, Bandhavgarh is still a huge hit with tourists providing a smaller area to cover and therefore a reasonably high chance of spotting one of the national parks tigers. A visit to the Bandhavgarh Fort is also essential, providing spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

Corbett National Park a lovely park located in the foothills of the Himalayas. With some great lodges and camps this park is not as regularly visited as others however it should not be missed out! Dramatic landscapes with rivers running through them provide a stunning backdrop to your tiger safari. Wild elephant sightings are also regular here and you even have the chance of tracking tigers on elephant back along the winding river beds…

Wildlife Safaris:

Asiatic Lions – with only 320 left in the world (and all of those to be found in the one park in India), this is an underestimated but necessary wildlife experience! Sasan Gir National Park provides the last remaining habitat of the Asiatic Lion. With numbers having increased over the years this is one of India’s wildlife success stories, although unless now that Gir is full it is yet to be seen whether the lions will be able to survive their own story of success as the park begins to become crowded with too many lions! The lions of India combine perfectly with other wildlife and cultural highlights and with their characteristic differences to that of the African lion (smaller in body, shorter mains and slightly darker in colour) this is a must see!

Sasan Gir National Park a lovely park in western India consisting of forest, grassland and a number of rivers. Gir makes for a pleasant wildlife experience and the only chance you will have to see the critically endangered Asiatic Lions…

The Indian Rhino also known as the Great One-horned Rhino is nowadays limited in numbers to approximately 1,700 in the Kaziranga National Park. With its short stumpy legs, deeply folded skin, small singular horn and armour plated skin this really does look like an animal from the prehistoric era! Although principally grazers, rhinos can also be found raiding crops during the night; other than this they are usually found in grassland areas with regular swamps or lakes and they are usually solitary territorial animals covering a home territory of approximately 2 sq miles. Kaziranga National Park a flat grassland area interspersed with a number of swamps provides the ideal home to the Indian Rhino. Sightings are fairly regular and this area provides a pleasing contrast to the dense forests and jungle of the tigers habitat in parks such as Kanha or Bandhavgarh.

The Asian Elephant is shorter than its’ African counterpart with smaller ears and a visibly more arched back. Sightings are best in either Corbett National Park or Kerala. Elephants form a significant part of Indian history and tradition and are a major part of the Indian way of life with most temples being linked to the elephant in one way or another.