Who's been to India

[Shardul]

Hi @Pckts , thanks for starting this thread.

When planning a tiger safari, you need to take a few factors into consideration before deciding to choose which places to go.

Accessibility: Nearest international airports, distance to other places you might want to visit. For eg, the New Delhi international airport is 5 hours drive from Corbett, and 6 hours drive from Ranthambhore. A lot of foreign tourists combine these places along with the Taj Mahal, which is in Agra, near to New Delhi.

If you are landing in Bengaluru International Airport in Southern India, then Nagarahole, Bandipur and Wayanad are closest. 

For the Central Indian reserves, like Kanha, Pench, bandhavgarh and Tadoba, they are equally far from all major international airports. They are also more remotely located and the only way to go is by road. The nearest airport is Nagpur, and from there it is a 4 hour cab drive through remote forests. However, since they are also near to each other, you can visit all of them.

Animals You want to see:

Bandipur, Kabini, Wayanad, Periyar: The southern reserves have tigers, elephants, gaurs, sloth bears, dholes and leopards. In kabini, you are also more likely to see leopards, and if very lucky, a melanistic one. Tiger sightings are decent too.

Corbett, Rajaji, Ranthambore: In Corbett, the only mega fauna you're likely to see are tigers and elephants, but the scenery is astounding, the Dhikala grasslands are the best places in India to photograph elephant herds and the number of bird species is close to 800. Corbett also has Gharials, I think. In Ranthambhore, tiger sightings are very good, along with sloth bears and leopards, and plenty of Sambar and chital around. Ranthambhore is also very beautiful, with the lakes and the fort providing a backdrop found nowhere else.

Kanha, Pench and Tadoba: You'll see everything except elephants. Tiger sightings are also very good and Kanha also has the rare barasingha. Kanha and Pench are also very scenic with the tall Sal trees and the dappled sunlight that passes through them. There are open meadows in Kanha where you can see herds of barasingha and Gaurs.

Kaziranga: Only place to see one horned rhinos, elephants, wild buffaloes, swamp deers and, if lucky, tigers. It's like the Serengeti of India. You are guaranteed to see the herbivores, and lots of them.

Tiger Sightings:

They usually depend on the following:

Naturalist/Guide: Probably the most important factor. An experienced and knowledgeable guide knows the habits of individual tigers very well, has excellent look out, and understands the sights and sounds of the jungle very well. If you have an excellent guide, you'll see tigers even in places with low record of tiger sightings.

Time of the year: In summer, temperatures are high, water is scarce and the undergrowth is not very dense, leading to increased visibility. Tigers can be seen near waterholes and are easier to track than in winters. Tiger sightings are the highest, but the temperature may not be tolerable for someone coming from a cold climate. Winters are the best for foreign tourists as temperature is mild and tiger sightings are still pretty good.

Luck: Another important factor. You might see a tiger on your first safari, or you might not see one even after 10. Best way to maximize your chances are to have a great naturalist/guide and have at least 4 jeep safaris in one reserve. Remember jeep safari, avoid cantors at all cost as they are big and noisy and scare away the animals.

This is an overview, hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions. Reply