India Tiger Safari

A truly excellent trip, from start to finish. For any wildlife fanatic seeing tiger in the wild is a must - awe-inspiring and majestic.

Wonderful trip. Just the right mixture of wildlife and culture. Can’t describe the feeling when we first saw a tiger at close range. At a loss for words. Sloth bear also made it a fabulous trip

The trip was excellent from start to finish. We were met at Nagpur by Krishna who gave us information about the trip and introduced us to the other members of our group. It was a group of mixed personalities and could not have been better. We all got on very well. The drive to Pench Jungle Resort was a bit of a problem due to an accident in the road ahead meaning we arrived late at the Resort, but the staff had kept the Restaurant open so that we could have a meal before bedtime. On our first game drive we saw our first tiger, but saw no more tigers in Pench. We did see a leopard with its kill and lots of monkeys, deer and a large variety of birds. We saw one tiger in Kanha and another 6 in Bandhavgarh. All in all worth every penny!

This was a last minute booking, which absolutely came up to my expectations.

Good trip that delivered the goods eventually! We had one far off sighting in Pench, nothing at all in Kanha but my goodness did Bandhavgarh deliver with interest. One tiger drinking in a water hole, one tigress and 2 cubs walking out straight in front of our vehicle and one tigress drinking from a water hole and then turning and backing into the water to lie down and cool off. The overnight train to Agra was an experience ... and I'll leave it at that! The Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra were worth seeing, but we were upset at the amount of rubbish in and around the Taj Mahal, it really could be better looked after.

This was my second time on the Land of the Tiger trip. This time exceeded the first.  11 tigers seen, a couple of them seen on a few occasions (reliable sightings). One excellent sighting, most of the rest in the good category. 2 leopards, 1 jungle cat, 1 sloth bear and 1 wild dog also seen. You need to be aware that you will get your best views from the back of an elephant during the "tiger show".

I've seen lots of wildlife all over the world but the buzz you get seeing a Tiger is up there with the best. Traveling in what many see as the peak Tiger viewing period of April, I was lucky enough to come across 20 individuals, some fleeting, some ridiculously close. The supporting cast of other wildlife is also impressive. If you would like to see why, check out my video of the trip - https://youtu.be/1DJV8K421dA

Tigers are illusive animals in the middle of what can be a very large area, but they have habits. These habits are known by the spotters, so given a bit of luck you may well see one or more if there are cubs. Patience and understanding is required when seeking out these majestic animals. It does not come easy but the rewards when one breaks cover or is found at a water hole is just simply fantastic. Along the way you will come across some of the most beautifully coloured birds. There are lots of other animals/ predators which roam the tree and Bamboo lined grounds, you might see a kill or a carcase. This is life in the National Parks of India.

We went on the 15 prearranged game drives plus two extra ones at end January/start of February. We saw leopard at Pench on two drives, but not elsewhere. Saw tiger(s) at each of the three NPs on 7 of our 17 game drives, which is maybe fewer sightings than some other reports in April. What made this trip special for me was the overall variety of stunning wildlife & scenery. 18 different mammals seen & 81 different bird species. The variety of habitats with open grassland & wetland/freshwater greatly added to the interest. The standard of accommodation was very good (except for the first night at the Bloom Hotel) even at the NP lodges, despite the terrible air pollution (see below).

I had wanted to visit India for 60 years and I was not disappointed. A fabulous country. Everything I had hoped for....and more. It probably hasn't changed since I first thought of going! My daughter arranged the trip as a surprise because my husband had never wanted to go. We had an excellent mixed group of people. From 23years old to 68years old. Male and female. A great experience to share with like minded people. The trip is by no means leisurely, Very long days in bumpy jeeps over rough terrain. But I loved every minute!