India

I think many first-time visitors to India are pleasantly surprised to find such rich culture, friendly people, diverse landscapes, culinary delights and simply stunning historical sights and artifacts. Yet at the same time they may find the experience to be overwhelming, due to its intensity and the borderline chaotic atmosphere with crowded streets, unfamiliar customs and potential health concerns.

Full disclosure: I had some misgivings about visiting India for many years. Only now, having visited the country twice and planning to go back, do I realize that it was mostly due to a lack of knowledge. After two different visits and spending several weeks cumulatively in the far north (Ladakh), the western ghats (Mumbai), the far east (Assam), the golden triangle (including Agra and Jaipur), the holy city of Varanasi on the Ganges River and in four major tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh in central India, I do know one thing. The country is underrated as both a cultural and a wildlife destination. The secret of course, as is the case almost anywhere else in the world, is to travel with a local tour operator who can match your expectations with the actual experience. Or at least get pretty close. Maybe India isn’t for everyone and every prospective visitor has to be prepared to be challenged to some degree, whether it’s culture shock or simply naivete about life in a developing country. 

If you can handle being outside of your comfort zone and you relish experiencing things and sights and people and experiences that may shock you a little but also exceed your wildest expectations, then by all means go to India. We would love to talk to you about arranging your own customized itinerary or joining one of our small-group trips focused mostly on the tiger & wildlife experience. Call us at 713-467-5222 or 1-800-513-5222 or email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com for more information. 

The Tigers

Three thousand six hundred and eighty two individuals is the current estimate for the Bengal tiger population in India. A significant increase from previous years and in fact one of the world’s great conservation success stories. Seeing a tiger in the wild is the single most exciting and impactful wildlife encounter I have experienced anywhere. The suspense of looking for them and then finding them and seeing these awesome, larger than life, striped cats confidently striding through an Indian jungle, is near impossible to convey in writing. If I’d known how magical a tiger sighting would be, I definitely would have made my way to India a long time ago.  

The people, culture, traditions, religions, diversity and cuisines

While tracking tigers in the wild is likely the most compelling reason to visit India – at least for wildlife devotees – there are many, many others. India’s rich culture, traditions, its diversity and its incredible variety of regional cuisines make for a truly unforgettable journey. As do its people.  

Most visitors to India get to meet and interact with just a tiny fraction of the country’s one and a half billion inhabitants. Which is too bad as they are infinitely fascinating and diverse, colorful, and unfailingly friendly and welcoming to strangers. I found that connecting with Indian people on a human-to-human level became easier by the day, with the least bit of effort on my part. Whether they were school children or college students, young professionals, retired workers, restaurant employees and owners, roadside vendors, shopkeepers, naturalist guides or hospitality industry professionals, farmers, fishermen, city guides, taxi or rickshaw drivers; the Indian people I’ve met on my travels were curious, spontaneous, warm and polite. Even in the face of sometimes overwhelming language barriers, I had a year’s worth of memorable ‘stranger of the day’ encounters in just a few weeks. You can too!

Mumbai

What does one even say after spending just two days in the megalopolis that is Mumbai, India’s largest city and home to more than 20 million people? I think my enduring memories will include the stunning sunset views from Harriman Point over Back Bay and the Arabian Sea, with the city skyline bathed in a golden-red early evening light. Also visiting the intriguing Afghan Church, the physical embodiment of a lesson in history that several modern leaders have disregarded at their peril. 

The Lalbaug spice market was fascinating, particularly observing the step-by-step process of making custom blends of garam masala. Engaging with a few local ladies – one of whom had her son with her – turned into a watch party of sorts as we joined them keeping an eye on their chosen mix of red chilies being roasted on large, firestoked pans (tawas). Don’t stand too close: a whiff of the acrid smoke will singe your nasal passages like never before. Once the chilies had been toasted to the patrons’ specifications, a separate mix of additional seasonings such as bay leaves, coriander, turmeric, cumin, black pepper and mustard seeds was scooped onto the hot pan surface. After the roasting comes the grinding – almost constantly going on in the background – and in no time you can be on  your way with your own unique masala mix. After some rupees have changed hands of course.    

Often (still) referred to as Bombay – even by its own inhabitants – my short visit to Mumbai was simply delightful. This megacity is likely best known for being home to India’s thriving Bollywood film industry. It has more billionaires than any other Asian city. There are state-of-the-art bridges, a stunning oceanside drive, a skyline crammed with gigantic skyscrapers, architectural masterpieces, and marvelous old churches and palaces. Dharavi – Mumbai’s well-known slum area – is one of the most densely populated areas in the world with an estimated density of nearly 900,000 people per square mile. In popular culture, Dharavi was most notably used as the backdrop in the award-winning 2008 British film, Slumdog Millionaire. 

A few of the other highlights on my day-and-a-half of guided touring in Mumbai included these:

• The Chhatrapati Shivaji rail terminus. This architectural marvel, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, is known for its unique blend of Victorian Gothic Revival and traditional Indian styles. Designed by Frederick William Stevens, it is replete with pointed towers and turrets, and a massive central ribbed dome. The station has a unique place in Indian history, being the spot from which the first train in India departed in April 1853, travelling a distance of 25 miles. Nowadays nearly a million people pass through the station on a daily basis. Be sure to look for the spot where the still missing marble statue of Queen Victoria once stood. My guide Heer and I (from No Footprints Mumbai) hopped on a local train to Byculla for a light lunch at Bombay Sweets. This ‘sweet shop with a twist’ takes familiar Indian sweets and creates something entirely new. Fancy some gulab jamun dressed up in the shape of a Mexican churro? This is the spot. The restaurant also serves some healthy street snacks, if sweets are not your thing. 
• The Gateway of India. This rather dour-looking victory arch was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. Opposite the much more imposing Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea, the Gateway of India is the emblem of Mumbai tourism. The Gateway was built as a symbol of the power of the British. Ironically, the monument also marked the end of British rule, as the last infantry left Indian shores from the Gateway in 1948. From the Gateway we took a walk to the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, the beautiful Dhanraj Mahal (an Art Deco Palace) and the Maharashtra Police Headquarters.
• The Afghan Church should be a mandatory stop for anyone with even the vaguest of interest in the invasion Afghanistan. It was built by the British between 1847 and 1858 to commemorate the dead of the First Afghan War and the disastrous 1842 retreat from Kabul. In this fiasco the British army lost 4,500 troops, along with about 12,000 civilian camp followers, the worst British military disaster until the fall of Singapore a 100 years later. A memorial inside the church also records casualties from the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The impressive edifice was constructed using locally available buff-colored basalt and limestone. 
• Worli Fishing Village and Sassoon Dock. Best visited early in the morning (when the fishing pier is literally buzzing). After a drive-by glimpse of the colorful fishing village, we spent some time taking in the dock area, with several trawlers alongside, having just off-loaded their catch. A sea breeze helped but did not entirely succeed in masking the overpowering smell of heaps of drying prawn shells, leftovers from the morning’s auction.    

• Mumbai’s famous bazaars. I spent half an hour or so perusing the Crawford Market, a bustling hub of organized chaos. It’s a treasure trove of surprises – jewelry, textiles, decorations, and sadly, even pets. Strolling through the narrow lanes, dodging push carts and motorbikes, this is the place to get a real ‘slice of life’ glimpse of Mumbai’s street culture and human interactions.  
• The Laundry District area where the laundrymen, more popularly known as the Dhobhis, wash the clothes of Mumbaikars. Again, best to get there early in the day to  see the Dhobhis at work, flogging and beating the clothes tirelessly. With nearly all of the city’s washing done here, it’s hardly surprising that these guys are known as the ‘Washing Machines’ of Mumbai.
• The Dabbawalas. We stopped, chatted and took some photos with a few of the approximately 5,000 dabbawalla workers who deliver around 200,000 hot lunches from homes and restaurants to office workers in Mumbai. The lunchboxes are picked up in the late morning and are delivered using bicycles and rail transport. Even though many of the dabbawalas cannot read or write, their distribution system is practically flawless, using abbreviations for collection points, color codes for starting stations, numbers for destination stations, and building and floor markings for the dabbawallas who make the ‘last mile’ delivery to the offices.  

Satpura National Park

In a conversation at a breakfast spot on my second day at Satpura, a seasoned tiger aficionado remarked that Satpura National Park was fast developing into India’s single best park. By the time I left two days later, I knew exactly why he said what he said. Satpura is beautiful with an enviable mix of tall sandstone mountains, narrow gorges, ravines, waterfalls, streams and dense forests. The park’s all too evident diversity starts with two unique species of trees – sal and teak. Add to that a wide variety of ferns, mango trees and a host of other trees, shrubs, bamboo, climbers,  grasses and flowers. Its biodiversity is enhanced by the presence of several natural as well as anthropogenic grasslands, created by the relocation of a host of villages from the core area of the reserve. The grasslands support a sizable population of herbivores which in turn support a steadily increasing number of Bengal tigers. Satpura National Park has an abundance of butterflies, birds and reptiles, and it has good numbers of mammals. Among those that are readily observed are several  typical central Indian species like spotted deer, sambhar, sloth bear, leopard, wild dog, tiger, gaur, Indian giant squirrel and more. My best advice is to go and see Satpura soon, before everyone else discovers it.

Bori Lodge

Mumbai may be an Indian megacity but here’s one thing you cannot get at the airport: decaf coffee. Ask and all you’ll get are questions and odd looks. I settled for tea. Getting from Mumbai to the first tiger reserve on my schedule – Satpura National Park – involved an Air India flight to Bhopal (the capital city of Madhya Pradesh state), followed by an uneventful 3-hour private road transfer to  Bori Safari Lodge. 

Bori Safari Lodge is located on a farmland estate neighbouring Dhapadamal Village, close to the park entry gate. From Bori Lodge, guests can do game drives, walking safaris, night drives, bird watching and anthropological walks. The expert staff naturalists are well versed with the landscape and are ever ready to bring the experience alive for you. 

Bori Lodge has eight modern rooms with more than ample space. The rooms – each of which has a private viewing deck – have both inside and outside showers and a partially outside bath. The central courtyard is for recreation and socializing, with a separate dining area, lounge (which had slow WiFi) and a library. There are a couple of options for outdoor dining as well, and an infinity pool for the hot days which the area experiences from about March onwards. The food is excellent, as I experienced right away over a late lunch around 3 pm on my day of arrival. That evening, I joined a few other guests over sundowners, at a high rocky spot overlooking a mix of teak, crocodile bark and Indian satinwood trees. 

The following morning we departed early on a game drive, entering the park at 530 am, spending a good couple of hours driving through the park to Zone 1 in the core area. It was initially quiet, but as soon as we entered the core area we started to see good numbers of wildlife. These included wild boar, monkeys, langur monkeys, nilgai, sambar deer, gaur and more. 

By late morning we came upon a party of 3 subadult tigers. My first tigers for the trip! While it wasn’t my best view of tigers by any means, the excitement was running high and we did get some good looks at two of them, and managed to take a handful of useful photos. On the way back to camp we got really lucky with an excellent sighting of a leopard, always a somewhat unusual and very special occurrence in the Indian tiger reserves. Before it slunk off, the spotted cat spent several minutes sitting in a heavily shaded area, apparently looking around for signs of prey animals. Getting a perfectly exposed photo was more than challenging but I was thrilled to see my first tiger for the trip, on my very first game drive.

Our afternoon game drive was even better. This time, our destination was Bori’s Zone 2, not nearly as long a drive from the camp as Zone 1. Also the area is relatively new so it does not attract quite as many vehicles as Zone 1. This afternoon, our luck held out and we had simply superb views of a female tiger in good light. The tiger gave us every opportunity to get our shots as she emerged from behind some rocks into the open, walking right in between two trees and directly towards us, and then taking a detour into the bushes before emerging again and giving us yet more looks. Every photographer in the area was smiling. Zone 1 had lots of general game and some great birds as well. All in all a near perfect day in a tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh!

Reni Pani Lodge

The following morning we set off on a road/boat transfer from Bori to Reni Pani. I made a rookie mistake by not keeping my big camera with me, not realizing that all luggage (other than what you were carrying) would be transferred to the destination lodge separately, by road. So when we came upon two sub-adult tigers on the edge of the lake, all I had to capture the action was my iPhone. Fortunately we did get pretty close up and one particular sequence – when the young male walked over to his sister and then started to show some interest in the boat – was best captured on video in any event. An incredible sighting. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful lake scenery en route to our next stop in Satpura: Reni Pani Jungle Lodge. 

Reni Pani Jungle Lodge turned out to be an older but clearly very popular lodge located in forest habitat typical of the Satpura Tiger Reserve. Reni Pani features twelve comfortable if somewhat rustic cottages, all built using local material. All the cottages have  viewing decks, large bay windows, sturdy doors and well equipped bathrooms (with showers and separate toilets). The air conditioning was 100% effective, an important consideration in Satpura where it can get very hot (well into the 90’s Fahrenheit) by mid afternoon from March onward. The central area or meeting place has a unique design with a dining area, bar, library and lounge all under the same cover. Over the course of my 2-night stay, I enjoyed a good variety of mostly buffet food, heavy on vegetarian options but not exclusively, with both chicken and fish starters and a goat stew on one of the nights. Also plenty of paneer, and an excellent range of fresh salads. 

Reni Pani’s large stands of teak forest and its heavily wooded, rugged hills are typical of the terrain one should expect in the Satpura Tiger Reserve. It is a true forest environment with adjacent patches of agricultural land. The area around Reni Pani is known for consistently good sightings of animals like sambhar, cheetal (spotted deer), nilgai, wild boar, barking deer, black buck and occasionally leopard. The abundance of Reni Trees (a type of berry) and other fruit-bearing plants  attract good numbers of sloth bears to the area. The area around the lodge is particularly rich with bird life. 

A night drive into the buffer area on the afternoon I arrived was a bust. We hardly saw anything and when we eventually did find a nocturnal animal – a civet – the naturalist’s spotlight was not strong enough to make the animal visible. The morning drive the next day more than compensated for that lapse with my first-ever sighting of a sloth bear – actually two of them – in good light and in an open area. Sloth bears are notoriously difficult to photograph, but I lucked out as at least one of them had its head up and the autofocus managed to lock on to the snout. Totally black animals can play havoc with autofocus due to the low-contrast situation.   

My stay in the Satpura area ended with yet another highlight – an extended sighting of a small jungle cat – yet another first on my now rapidly growing list of Indian mammals. Uncharacteristically it did not immediately run away or hide, and I had more than just a few seconds to get some pretty good images of this dainty little animal – which looks uncannily like a regular domestic cat.

Yet another first for me in Satpura was observing and being able to photograph a large marsh (also known as mugger) crocodile, alongside a stream where it was lying with its gape open. These medium-sized crocodiles are found in many parts of India, but their conservation status is considered ‘vulnerable,’ due mostly to habitat loss.  

Agra – The Taj Mahal 

If you’re carrying even a moderate amount of electronic gear on a trip to India, resign yourself to getting unwanted additional scrutiny from their equivalent of the TSA. They never made me take off my running shoes but more than made up for that ‘lapse’ by rifling through everything else. Checking in for my flight from Bhopal to Delhi I had to remove my binocs from their case, and was instructed to open every small bag with batteries, GoPro camera, cables – the works. It was a solid  20-minute process.   

My evening was spent at the comfortable Andaz hotel at Delhi Airport. We’ve had to spend quite a few nights there over the last couple of years and it delivers a first-class experience every time. Dinner was room-service pizza (perfectly edible) with some gulab jamun for dessert. The following morning Kathy and I literally spent less than an hour together (she had just arrived in Delhi from Istanbul) before I had to get myself and my stuff downstairs for the train ride to Agra. Just like my last train trip in India in January 2023 (which was from Delhi to Jaipur), the journey to Agra on the Gatimaan Express (India’s first semi-high-speed train) was an easy and relaxing ride of just over 90 minutes. Considerably faster than a road trip which takes close to four hours. Fortunately we brought along a packed breakfast as the breakfast served on the train was pretty mediocre. The Gatimaan Express isn’t first class by any means but it is a fast, safe and comfortable way to get from Delhi to Agra, or vice versa. 

Our local Agra guide Sanjay Mudgal accompanied us in a small deluxe tour bus on our day-long sightseeing outing in Agra, a city of 3 million inhabitants of which about  75 percent are Hindu and 20 percent  Muslim. This one-time capital of the mogul kingdom has several notable monuments and palaces, and of course the world’s most famous mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. Outside of the city itself there’s a substantial agricultural area where lentils and mustard seeds are cultivated, among others. Agra is also known for its handmade rugs, for shaping and manufacturing of jewels, and the city has a large cadre of working artisans and craftsmen.

Our first stop was Agra – the fort. The Red Fort in Agra is a massive 16th-century fortress built of red sandstone. Enclosed by towering walls, it houses palaces, mosques, and audience halls with intricate Mughal architecture. Once a royal residence, its blend of Persian and Indian styles, lush courtyards and views of the Yamuna River make it both a historical marvel and a symbol of the grandeur of the Mughal Empire.

By late afternoon – after a welcome respite from the heat back at our hotel –  we boarded the bus again for the ride to the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal – the stunning white marble mausoleum in Agra – was the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan’s tribute to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1631. The Taj has become an enduring symbol of love and devotion. It did not disappoint. Looking at it for the first time one is immediately struck by the perfect balance and elegance of this timeless jewel. The four minarets balance out and complete the ensemble for simply the most pleasing whole. 

Walking around with our guide we were shown some special angles from which to take a few more photos. I think my conclusion was that the Taj Mahal looks great from any angle. I was also relieved to realize that it was possible to take good photos of the Taj from several spots without necessarily showing all the other visitors. There were likely several thousand other visitors present but it really did not matter. An enterprising photographer used some deceptively simple techniques (among others using light reflected from a cell-phone) to produce some innovative and highly creative images of several of us in the form of silhouettes with the Taj Mahal in the background.  

The following morning we enjoyed some alternative views of the Taj Mahal from a small hillock, perhaps half a mile or so from the edifice, where a small group of people were doing some yoga. While they worked their way through a series of asanas, we enjoyed some tea and coffee and refreshments and trained various cameras and iPhones on the domes and minarets of the Taj Mahal as the sun rose in the east. It was a relaxing and pleasant end to our brief Agra stay; imminently we’d be back in the bus and heading back to Delhi. Tiger safari ahead!

Part 2 of this blog – a closer look at our tiger and other wildlife viewing experiences in Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Pench National Parks and in the farflung Kaziranga National Park in Assam – will be published in our June newsletter.

For information about our Fish Eagle Safaris March 2026 small group trip to India please contact Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com, or leave a message with our answering service at 1-800-513-5222 or at 713-467-5222

They will put all of this together within the context of recent sightings, established habits and movements of tigers known to be present in the area and seasonal patterns such as finding tigers close to and sometimes in water in the hotter months. And then, often suddenly and seemingly miraculously, it happens. Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!

The participants on one of our small group trips in March experienced this in the most memorable and striking manner on their very first day in Bandhavgahr National Park. Seeing their first ever tiger in the most perfect manner. Initially we had just a glimpse of the large striped cat lying down in thick grass. I wondered if I should even take the big camera out of the bag. This was going to be a nothing event. Was I ever wrong!

Everything changed in a matter of seconds when the tiger caught sight of and started stalking a huge male gaur, sometimes referred to as the Indian bison. Actually much bigger than a bison and equipped with an ominously dangerous looking set of horns, there was practically zero chance of the solitary tiger attacking and overpowering the gaur. At that moment, it didn’t matter. The tiger pretended to be deadly serious and we were only too happy to let it pretend. 

Watching the sinewy form of the tiger as it slowly crept in the direction of the guar was the stuff of wildlife documentaries. And we were in it with ringside seats. It almost didn’t matter when – predictably – the tiger gave up on the pursuit and started moving from our left to our right, still partially hidden in tall grass. 

As if a dinner bell had been rung, all the safari vehicles took off in clouds of dust, with even the least experienced observer knowing exactly what would come next. The tiger was going to emerge in an open area perhaps a 100 meters or so further along the road. Not three minutes later, it happened. In full view  of practically everyone who had a permit for Zone 1 in Bandhavgarh that afternoon, one of the reserve’s superstar dominant males – Bajrang – emerged into the open, barely meters away from his awestruck observers. 

In near perfect ‘golden hour’ light the huge tiger majestically strode towards and then right by us. I was so excited I had to remind myself to keep the animal’s feet in the frame. And Bajrang was far from being my first tiger. Such is the impact these gorgeous creatures have on humans. As if one, the adoring crowd experienced the heart-stopping, mesmerizing moment with hardly a word being uttered. No one on our jeep – or anyone in the cars around us – will ever forget that moment, that animal, that experience. Out there in the jungle, confidently strolling around, master of its own domain, a tiger is so much bigger, stronger, more beautiful and more impressive than one could ever imagine. 

It is not going to be like Africa

Finding and seeing tigers in India is beyond thrilling, but an African safari it is not. At least not the version of the African safari we’ve grown accustomed to. Those being safaris operated in private game reserves with very few vehicles around, with a high degree of exclusivity and with practically all the guides operating within the constraints of a strict code of conduct. 

For example, on safari in Africa it is considered unethical at best to drive into someone’s photo shot. You apologize and get out of the way. In India’s tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh state, you can bank on someone parking right in front of you if there is even the tiniest bit of space to squeeze into. Matter of fact, it happens quite often without so much as a sidelong glance. 

In Africa’s private game reserves and concessions observing and capturing photos and videos of a leopard is a quiet, almost hushed experience. In India? It’s a participation sport with constant and often loud banter between guides, drivers and guests. 

In most of the Madhya Pradesh tiger reserves a flotilla of small, open safari vehicles converge on high profile sightings, sometimes three deep and often just inches from each other. Fortunately the total number of vehicles is controlled with a finite number of permits being issued for specific zones per day. Some areas within tiger reserves – such as the Bori Wildlife Sanctuary bordering Satpura National Park – are further away from the tourist hotspots and offer a quieter, more relaxed wildlife-viewing experience. 

In most of the popular tiger reserves, the safari experience is boisterous and very much a free for all. Much like India itself. Stick around for a few minutes and a converted bus or truck with up to 18 excited passengers will show up, often filled with local family groups including young kids, all keen to see their first tiger in the wild. Such a wonderful harbinger for the future of wildlife in India. 

Noticeably, less than 10 percent of the visitors to the Indian tiger reserves are from abroad. The vast majority are Indian – both local residents of Madhya Pradesh state and from elsewhere such as Mumbai, Delhi and beyond. Straddling the entire spectrum of Indian society. Some speaking near perfect English, others engaging you with just their smiles or their curious glances. Indian tiger safaris are not just for the privileged few; the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Department encourages locals to visit the parks with discounted permit fees (about half of what foreign visitors pay) and clearly they are succeeding. 

If you can embrace the egalitarian nature of the Indian tiger viewing experience, the give and take, the live and let live attitude which is at the heart of the Indian way of life, then by all means come along on our next trip to India next spring 2026. It’s not exclusive, it’s not private and it has its shortcomings. All of which vanish in a second when you see your first tiger in the wild. 

What you will soon realize once there, is that there is an unspoken agreement at work, even when you are ensconced in a scrum of small safari vehicles. Someone might abruptly cut in front of you, but he will be happy to reposition his vehicle to allow you an unobstructed view of the tiger or leopard or whatever may be the focus of attention. Information about sightings is routinely and immediately shared and vehicles (other than ones with full day permits) are required to relocate after 10 minutes. So everyone gets a chance, nobody is shut out and you’ll get some good views and photo opportunities. Not always from the absolute best spot and you might have to get creative to avoid vehicles in the background. As is the case anywhere in India, a bit of patience, a dollop of good will and a smile go a long way. 

There will be slow days on a tiger safari

In Africa a slow day on safari is usually interspersed with some sightings of elephants or buffaloes or maybe giraffes and zebras and many different antelopes and gazelles. India’s tiger reserves have only five or six mammals which are common and seen regularly, namely spotted deer, sambar deer, gaur, wild boars and jackals. Barasinga deer, Nilgai antelope and barking deer are also seen in some areas. Compared with Africa, the total number of mammals is relatively low. 

So you will almost definitely experience days on safari in India where not much happens: mostly just a lot of driving along dusty, bumpy roads checking known tiger haunts and following up on recent sightings. The guides will stop to listen for alarm calls made by langur monkeys, spotted deer and sambar deer; they will check the terrain for tiger tracks (pug marks as they are referred to in India) and droppings. And they will constantly be exchanging information with other guides and drivers electronically. 

Despite their best efforts, some days are bound to be slow and tiger-less. Feeling disappointed is a natural reaction but it’s nobody’s fault and everyone is working as hard as they can to produce sterling sightings. Male tigers have huge territories and the animals move around in real time. Sometimes a thunderstorm or some other weather event or controlled burning (with workers on the edge of the roads) or a tiger census being underway or a bird count or some other unknown factor results in the tigers staying hunkered down. 

The payoff for not being overly critical and judgmental or expecting the process or the results to be just like they are in Africa is huge. It comes of course in the shape of a massive striped cat which has no rival in the animal kingdom in terms of sheer star power, visual impact and magnetic presence: the Bengal tiger. Getting a really good look at a tiger in its environment – perhaps in a sal forest in Bandhavgarh or emerging from a teak forest in Satpura, may very well be a life changing experience. One thing is certain: you’ll want to see another one.

People and conservation

A trip to India’s tiger reserves is mostly about seeing tigers and other wildlife but you’ll be sure to come back with memories and experiences well beyond that. Starting with the people. I’m constantly impressed by all the people working in the various reserves, so focused on protecting their wild spaces and the amazing fauna and flora around them. Starting with your dedicated Indian tour leader, you will experience many happy people loving what they do and wanting to share it with visitors.  

Our India partner – Encounters Asia – has been closely associated with the success story which is Project Tiger since its inception in 1973. Your presence in India will directly help to protect tigers, by growing the financial impact of responsible tourism in disadvantaged rural communities. Sustainable eco-tourism brings jobs, creates a demand for support services and grows local businesses. All of which act as an incentive for local communities to become engaged in protecting the wildlife and the wilderness.

Some practical hints:

Binoculars

Don’t even think of showing up in an Indian tiger reserve without your own pair of good binoculars – and don’t try to share a pair. Sightings of tigers and leopards are often at a relatively long distance. With good binoculars you’ll have more than satisfactory views, even if the animals are too far away for photographs. Without binoculars you will miss many of the sightings altogether. So buy a good pair of binoculars and familiarize yourself with using them before the trip so that you won’t be fumbling around with focusing or finding something quickly. On a tiger safari, sometimes just seconds can make a difference between seeing something truly spectacular – and missing it altogether.  

Photography

Keen photographers, take note: for the same reason as mentioned above (many long distance sightings) bring a long enough telephoto lens, at least 400mm and ideally up to 600mm and 800mm. A 180-600mm or 100-500mm zoom lens also works well.  

Be sure to pack a monopod as you’re likely to be shooting into shady forested spots in some reserves such as Bandhavgarh and Kanha, and you’ll need to support the camera to be able to reduce the shutter speed and keep the ISO as low as possible.

Game drive preparation

It will be dusty to very dusty, particularly if you travel from February through April. Take a buff to protect yourself and a bag or cover for your cameras and lenses. There will be water on the vehicles but take your own bottle if you want. Mornings – even as late as early April – can be chilly so be sure to have at least a light jacket or fleece handy. It warms up quickly and by 9 am you’re likely to start peeling off a layer or two. For winter travel – November through January – much more extensive layering is necessary and you’ll be glad to have a heavy, well-insulated hooded jacket, a puffy jacket, good quality gloves and a cold weather beanie at hand. 

Driving between national parks

There will be some long drives – mostly around four hours but up to five and a half hours – on asphalt roads to get from one tiger reserve to another. Comfortable compact air-conditioned SUV’s are used, with professional drivers, and top speeds rarely exceed 50 mph. Nonetheless it can be a disconcerting experience due to India’s free-wheeling driving practices, the constant honking, the often narrow, winding roads and the many obstacles and road hazards which have to be avoided. These include cows, domesticated buffalo, dogs, goats, motor bikes, bikes, pedestrians, trucks, buses, other livestock and random objects which may range from wheelbarrows to oxcarts. Comfort stops are made but they can be more than two hours apart. So limit your liquid intake. There are snacks and water in the vehicles. If you are prone to motion sickness, be sure to bring your Dramamine or other medication. The tight turns and repeatedly swaying left and right, with sudden jerks and bumps and unpredictable movement, can trigger nausea. So best to eat light before any road transfer.

Commercial flights

There’s likely to be at least two commercial flights on your tiger safari. On our last three trips the flights were from Delhi to Jabalpur and then Nagpur back to Delhi. Neither of the flights were much longer than an hour and generally speaking we’ve had no issues with the airports, check-in procedures (mostly quick, short lines) or in-flight service and baggage handling. Security is super-tight everywhere and it is important not to pack anything electronic (something which has a battery) in your checked luggage; specifically power banks or lithium-ion or similar batteries. All electronics including cameras, laptops, iPhones, tablets and similar have to be separated from your hand luggage for the pre-boarding security screening process.  Allow an additional 20 minutes in your schedule for that purpose. It’s all done in a very professional and courteous manner, but it can be time-consuming. 

Accommodation in tiger reserves

Your accommodation on a tiger safari will be in comfortable, effectively air-conditioned cottages with king size beds and showers with hot and cold water available 24-7. The rooms at Pench Safari Camp are tented. The eco-lodges are mostly located right on the edge of the national park core areas and the early morning drives to the gate usually don’t take much more than 10 minutes or so. Occasionally, when entering a reserve through a different gate (to be able to reach a different zone) or where the lodge is further away from the closest gate, it could take up to 30 minutes or so to reach the entrance. Be prepared for some early mornings with a few wake-up calls around 4:30 am – mostly a little later. 

It doesn’t take long to get used to the daily routine of a tiger safari. Suffice it to say that the schedule can be pretty demanding. Don’t anticipate a lot of downtime. After a light early morning snack with coffee and tea, you’ll head off to the park entry gate where vehicles line up for the 5:45 am gate opening. Opening times change during the year depending on sunrise. Morning safaris last for around 5 hours, inclusive of a picnic breakfast brought from camp and enjoyed in a designated area, usually served on a tablecloth spread on the hood of the safari vehicle. Breakfast starts with some freshly brewed coffee or tea and there’s usually sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, a deep-fried treat of some kind or another, stuffed flatbread, a sweet item like muffins or a coconut & chocolate bar and some juice boxes. Some of the picnic sites have small tables and a few vendors preparing and selling typical Indian snack foods such as samosas, “Alikattas’s famous aloo bondas” (Pench), Bandhavgarh’s Maggi (spicy noodles), pakora and the like. For many tiger safari aficionados, these picnic breakfasts are an ideal opportunity to interact with some of the other guests and local visitors. Breakfasts are roughly taken around 9:00 am, a little earlier if you get lucky with a couple of good tiger sightings, later if you don’t.  

If breakfast runs late you may opt out of lunch, which is usually served around 1:00 pm in camp. Skip a meal at your peril. The food is generally delicious, expertly prepared and there is an abundance of choices which will satisfy even the most demanding visitors. The dinner menus are usually more elaborate with several starters individually served (chicken, fish and paneer tikka among others), followed by a lavish buffet dinner. Dessert is served at the table.  

Afternoon safaris follow the same pattern, starting around 3:00 pm and exiting the reserve right around 6:45 pm. As you will soon notice, the drivers like to play a little game with the on-board GPS device (carried by the forest guide) which monitors the vehicle’s speed and movement. The game? Exiting the gate right at the required time, not a second too soon. 

For more information about our next small group trip to India – or about custom travel to the subcontinent – contact Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com or leave a message with our answering service at 1-800 513-5222 or 713-467-5222.