Best Places to see the tiger in India?

The largest share of the conversion is between Kanha and Bandhavgarh. But you can see the tiger at many other places some of them are Pench, Ranthambhore, Tadoba and Corbett. For tiger safari I recommend Kanha and Bandhavgarh since these are the reserves with good population of big cats.

At Kanha you can sight more mammals since the hard ground swamp deer and bison is found in greater abundance. Nevertheless the beauty of Bandhavgarh hillocks and glens is as enticing as that of grasslands of Kanha.I have been to Pench and seen fabulous tigers but the destination has less cross roads hence you see comparatively less of the cross section of the habitat. Nevertheless “The Spy in The Jungle” says it all about the Mowgli Land. Pench is also known as the Kipling Country since the “Jungle Book” is based on the forest of Seoni. To reach you can fly down to Nagpur and taxi eighty kilometers to the park. 

At Corbett the focus is on birds but it is a fantastic destination. It’s Terai landscape is mind boggling and mesmerizes you. The tiger reserve has many more mammals and you can see the yellow throated marten, hog deer and goral mountain goat. The sight of crocodiles and gharial is awe inspiring.

Ranthambhore has a good record of tiger sighting. It is in the Golden Triangle Tourism and provides easy accessibility from New Delhi. It takes about six hours to reach Ranthambore using train or taxi. Corbett takes about seven to eight hours by road and is overnight to Ramnagar by rail.

To reach Kanha you can fly to Jabalpur and drive three hours to the hotels. For Bandhavgarh you can fly to Jabalpur and drive four hours to Tala hotel complex. For both the destinations you can catch overnight rails to Jabalpur. For Bandhavgarh you can catch an overnight train from New Delhi to reach Umaria rail head which is 32 km from the park. A seven hours drive takes you to the park from Khajuraho Temples.

I have not been to Tadoba in Maharashtra but this place is abuzz with frequent tiger sightings. Though devoid of good accommodation there is a wild rush to get here and see the big cat. You can fly to Nagpur from New Delhi and then drive in a radius of hundred plus kilometers to reach the respective gate here. Book your accommodation in advance.

I may be biased in favor of Kanha and Bandhavgarh but for those focused on holistic experience should arrive at the former. While those looking for the exotic and intrigue should experience the ancient structures besides the tiger at the latter. That also means booking your safari and hotel much before your tour begins. These places offer experience of wild expanse of Indian jungle besides some amazing settings. At the world famous Bandhavgarh National Park tigers abound.

Of tiger safaris I should say sometimes you are unable to see the big cat hence always seek a holistic tour. It is essential not to rush, if hard pressed at least stay for two nights, three nights being ideal. Stay in an accommodation that is suitable for wildlife holiday. They should have good naturalists, interpretation center and serene ambiance.

Big cats are elusive  but worth an effort to witness nature’s amazing charisma.

Prospect of tiger watching in Kanha

Well known for its tigers Kanha National Park is World renowned. It is home to hundred Bengal tigers and many leopards amongst the tertiary carnivores. The prospects of tiger watching is a question that arises among the tourists visiting Kanha. Well this is the first question that people ask me.

Which is the best place to see tigers in India?

Well my answer is fair and square. “Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Ranthambore.”

Why Kanha?

Kanha is the best introduction to wildlife and ecosystems in India. It has many species of mammals which are easily sighted. Most of all it is the best managed conservation unit in the World.  The extensive grasslands and dense forest offer  sightings of the best of the big cats.

Since many years people have been visiting Kanha in MP. I am visiting the park since 1976 and have seen many tigers and the magnificent wilderness in evolution. The protected area status has been a savior for this wildlife heaven. The tourism peaked in the nineties and augured change in the rules and regulations.

Unlike earlier times the tourism at Kanha is more regulated with lots of impediments. Free roaming in the park is a thing of past. The fixed route, shorter evening time and limited vehicle entry has hampered tiger sightings. This is the case with all tiger reserves in MP. Tiger Show which made it possible to see the big cat if you missed him on the road is banned.

The park management  has created four tourism zones in the core area. These are as follows:

Kanha Zone
Kisli Zone

Mukki Zone

Sarhi Zone

On jeep safari one has to drive on a prescribed route that falls within the zone. Though this is suffocating the resultant benefit is few vehicles in a particular area.

Tiger sightings in Kanha depend upon many factors besides the rules and regulations. The most important factor is the local conditions. These are elements that provide tiger with rest and ease. The animalmoves when stressed, they move much less whence at ease. You cannot see  the carnivore till it approaches the road. The animal is easily camouflaged in its natural surroundings. It prefers to hide in dense thickets and rarely comes out in the open.

Hence during and after the rains water availability is in plenty, the prey base too spreads out making tigers keep to the dense forest canopies far away from the road. Hence immediately after the monsoon the big cat is hard to come by. Thus  sightings in the reserves in early winters is less compared to that in the summers. Nevertheless major reserves have large population of tigers hence the sightings are never disappointing.

Other factors that hamper tiger movement are the disturbance caused by too many vehicles, labourers, roadside fires, construction work, excessive heat, strong sunlight and lack of prey. These factors can push the tiger deep into the confines of dense forests.

Sometimes the tigers are shy and avoid humans including their vehicles. This is more so the case with tigresses especially those with cubs. They not used to jeeps also stay away from the jungle roads.

The best opportunity to spot these animals is during territory marking, searching for mates, on hunt and during its search for water. Tigers prefer to tread on soft jungle road hence you can trace them from their pug marks.

Tracking skills also play a role in increasing your tiger sightings. Many luxury hotel accommodations in Kanha National Park employ trained naturalists. These naturalists are good at tracking tigers in the park. Hence you should hire one or ask for one since many hotels offer free services.

Lot of tiger sightings depend upon chance and luck. These big cats are capable of giving a surprise visit to the tourists. The probability of sightings are hence generalized. So plan your itinerary and count your luck. A holistic experience of wild places pays rich dividend rather than a singular minded chase for Bengal Tiger.

Tiger Sighting at Kanha

This year has been excellent at Kanha as tiger sighting have been very good. It is rare these days not to be able to see a tiger in three nights stay.

Well unfortunate can happen as animal behavior cannot be predicted things could be made worse by heavy tourist influx and may be road side fires to clear the pathways and prevent spread of forest fire if it takes place.

The hotel at Kanha where I was staying during my last visit was a treat what with luxurious rooms and banquets. My guests were very pleased with the hospitality and the ambiance. Anyway they could see the tiger and click lot of images as well so that made them more happy and my pocket a little warmer.

It was raining when I left, the rains augur the closer of the park and hence no tiger safari in the monsoon as the jungle roads are not motor able. It is a said feeling that one will not be able to see the big cats till start of the season in October.

But anyway Kanha holds lots of surprises with may be new tigers to see. Reading behavior traits and admiring physicality of the animal makes every tiger sighting a first sighting …well almost.

Tiger Safari at Kanha

Read my account of an amazing wild tiger safari at Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Me and my tourist friends where able to spot six tigers in two days. It was simply amazing, I had never had such good tiger sightings ever. Though I have often seen four to five tigers in one trip but never had a tiger safari like this. WOW!

After the tourist rush is over by January 2nd week. It is tiger time at Kanha since there is less disturbance and water holes elsewhere start to dry up. Good times then begin with lots of wildlife at your doorstep. Although to be quite honest there can be dry days without much sightings. That is Indian jungle life for you…the element of surprise…

We were lucky enough to sight another secondary carnivore..the wild dog or dhole as the animal is known in India. We could not see the whole pack but could spot three of them two being the Alpha pair perhaps.

Plus we came across the rare endangered Hard Ground Barasingha or Swamp Deer (cervus duvauceli branderi)and Asia’s largest deer Sambar (cervus unicolor) the ubiquitous chital or spotted deer (axis axis)which is the main prey base of tertiary carnivores like the leopard and the bengal tiger in Indian jungles.

It was a fantastic trip for my guests from UK who did lot of tiger photography as well. They got some exciting photos of the tigers in the wild. Kanha is most visited by photographers and filmmakers during the summers. These months offer good sunlight and longer days.

Tiger Tours

If you ever think of visiting Kanha and Bandhavgarh and wish to see a tiger and perhaps even go for bird watching then plan your trip in advance. Contact a naturalist list like me for tiger tour trip information and perhaps to accompany to make your tiger sightings far exciting and adventurous.

I can assist well due to my experience. Both the Indian tiger reserves are best visited in between November and March. March is best as the grass and vegetation dries out a bit and animals congregate near water holes and partially dry river beds. This offers best opportunity for tiger photography and photo graphing wildlife on Indian national parks. A good time for bird photography as well since foliage decreases with the onset of summer and birds congregate near remaining water sources. The best benefit is always the increased sunlight.

The most common animals seen are spotted deer, sambhar and monkey and wild boars. Hard Ground Barasingha is found only at Kanha and can be seen post winters when they arrive at Kanha Meadow and surroundings. Leopard sighting needs lot of luck although they are spread near the periphery. Their main conflict is with the Bengal tiger and a shrewd spacing mechanism keeps them away from the tigers paw.