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Planning wildlife safari trip in India - Printable Version

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Planning wildlife safari trip in India - BARKA - 11-30-2017

@Pckts 

Yeah, you're right. In summer, their usually much leaner....Sharad vats told me the same thing. That's why when i do go to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, it'll be around November, when its much cooler, the forest looks much more lush and the Tigers look bigger!


RE: Tiger Predation - Rishi - 11-30-2017

@BARKA share your pics.. Vacations & Holidays


RE: Tiger Predation - BARKA - 11-30-2017

(11-30-2017, 06:31 PM)Rishi Wrote: @BARKA share your pics.. Vacations & Holidays

I haven't been yet. I'm planning on going in November 2018, when the weather is cooler. After i do, i'll definately share the pics on Wildfact! What about you, have you ever been to any national park and viewed Tigers, since you live in India??...


RE: Tiger Predation - Pckts - 11-30-2017

(11-30-2017, 05:40 PM)BARKA Wrote: @Pckts 

Yeah, you're right. In summer, their usually much leaner....Sharad vats told me the same thing. That's why when i do go to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, it'll be around November, when its much cooler, the forest looks much more lush and the Tigers look bigger!
The best time to go is April, when it's post monsoon the lush greenery makes it harder to spot wildlife and the rain will wash away tracks as well. The only reason April is considered better than May is because it's cooler but honestly, the heat isn't too crazy. You're better off going in the summer months, sightings are easier and watering holes are more sought out. Kanha was green and it even had a massive lightning storm when I was there in May, so event he summer months aren't too bad there.


RE: Tiger Predation - BARKA - 12-01-2017

(11-30-2017, 10:40 PM)Pckts Wrote:
(11-30-2017, 05:40 PM)BARKA Wrote: @Pckts 

Yeah, you're right. In summer, their usually much leaner....Sharad vats told me the same thing. That's why when i do go to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, it'll be around November, when its much cooler, the forest looks much more lush and the Tigers look bigger!
The best time to go is April, when it's post monsoon the lush greenery makes it harder to spot wildlife and the rain will wash away tracks as well. The only reason April is considered better than May is because it's cooler but honestly, the heat isn't too crazy. You're better off going in the summer months, sightings are easier and watering holes are more sought out. Kanha was green and it even had a massive lightning storm when I was there in May, so event he summer months aren't too bad there.

@Pckts 

I thought November was post monsoon season?...

And i'm really surprised you didn't go to Bandhavgarh! Even Sharad vats told me that's the BEST place for guaranteed Tiger sightings, aswell as many other testimonies i've read from people. Bandhavgarh, arguably has the highest density of Tigers too.

I also heard that in April, the temperature can reach 45 degrees! That's too hot and humid. When is the coolest time of year to go to Central indian parks, and at the same time have good Tiger sightings??


RE: Tiger Predation - Pckts - 12-01-2017

The monsoon Runs through Sept/Oct. but it's still very green afterwards, it doesn't begin to dry until a few months after the end of the season.
India isn't like Africa, spotting wild life there is much more difficult and far less frequent, you need all the help you can get.  The lush green forest may lend itself to better landscape photo ops but for wildlife, the dry empty branches on the tress is a better option. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to spot Tigers in the lush time in Kanha.

When you travel to these parks you'll need to determine what you want, they aren't close to one another and you need to plan accordingly. The way I did my visit was 1st I went to the Taj then traveled to Tadoba, Pench then Kanha since they were all in the same direction but that doesn't mean they are close. You'll be spending a lot of time in a car traveling from one to another. In regards to Sightings, any of the parks mention will most likely yield Tiger sightings and I was lucky enough to see Tigers in each Park. Trying to see specific Tigers is near impossible, but at the time, Tadoba had many cubs and Mutkasur was sighted often then like you, I wanted to see large males and what better place than Pench and Kanha? Pench was known for BMW and Ryakassi a long with the lesser sighted Prince, Handsome and Tarzan and Kanha was infamous with the recent death of KF and Bheema and the ongoing struggle between Uma and CM to go along with all the other males that are sighted there as well. But everyone I spoke to said the same, you can't go wrong with Bandhavgarh but Kanha is their favorite. It's massive, green, cool and the wildlife is abundant. It was my favorite park by far, that is for sure.

Make sure whoever you book through knows the areas and the accommodations, getting multiple quotes always helps. Don't worry about spotting tigers, the Drivers and Guides know every sight and sound, they live there, spend every day and night in the forest and they all communicate with one another. There is no one better than them, just make sure your tour guide knows the areas and can communicate your desires to them.

I'd also highly recommend Africa as well, when it comes to wildlife, there is nothing like it. You definitely can't go wrong with either but they are two very different experiences.


RE: Tiger Predation - BARKA - 12-01-2017

@Pckts 

Thanks for the info and advice. When i looked, there's different trip packages you can do, i was planning on doing like a 1-2 week safari trip at Bandhavgarh and Kanha. You're right, Kanha is by far one of the best looking parks in India, which contains some of the biggest Bengal tigers in the country, that's why my plan from the start was to go to these two legendary national parks, that housed some of the most infamous Tigers like, Charger, B2, Bamera, Bokha - and Munna, Bheema, KF and Langda, the Gaur killing specialist. Out of all the parks, these two are the ones i've always set my sights on. So i'll be going to Bandhavgarh and Kanha.

As for Africa, well...my parents and Grandparents, aswell as other relatives come from Kenya and Uganda, so i've already been to Africa and seen the Wildlife. I've seen the Lions, Hyenas, Cape buffaloes, Wild dogs, Rhinos etc....But it was when i was a little kid, so the pics ain't in good quality. We actually had our car chased by a huge Hippo, and wild Baboons come sit right near us, when we were out of the car! I had alot of adrenaline rushes on that trip. Africa's the best place on earth, to see consistent wildlife, period.

After i've been to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, i really wanna go to the Ngorongoro Crater, to see the Crater lions. And hopefully see a predation on a Cape buffalo, that would be a once in a lifetime experience!


RE: Planning wildlife safari trip in India - Pckts - 12-01-2017

Kanha and bandhavgarh are pretty far from one another if I remember correctly and 1-2 weeks isn’t very long when you include travel (air and car.) You’re better off picking one or the other and visiting some surrounding parks.

The crater was great, it’s one of my favorite life experiences for sure. We weren’t lucky enough to see a predation but we did see a coalition of 5 young males feeding on a buffalo kill with a bunch of hyena waiting their turn.