Tiger Safari Review
Pete Gifford from the UK visited India for 14 days from 19 December 2008. Apart from visiting famous sites like the Taj Mahal he enjoyed some time on a tiger safari and told me all about it in an e-mail interview upon his return...
For the tiger safari we stayed in a pair of cottages at Tuli Tiger Resort in Kanha National Park, which I found on the Web.
The accommodation and food were excellent. Hotel grounds lovely and just the right size.
We stayed there for a full week, while most others were only there for a couple of days. The full week there enabled us to see the whole park, not just the areas most likely to produce a tiger sighting.
It also gave plenty of time for bird watching and looking for the less spectacular but equally interesting mammals.
Also having same guide and driver meant we were able to build a rapport. By the end of the week we had become firm friends and still keep in touch.
When not on the tiger safari we stayed at the Meridien Hotel in Delhi, Jaypee Palace in Agra & Triton Hotel in Jaipur.
Regarding the food, we had a split camp! I love Indian food so ate local at every meal; my wife and daughter tended to eat more English style fare. The food was excellent and served buffet style so you could easily fill up or not take as much.
Breakfast was taken in the park Al Fresco - had some great times just sat eating and watching the beautiful park and its animals. We had breakfast Christmas Day sat at the hightest point of the park - really memorable.
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All safaris started in an open jeep (just the three of us), though we did one tiger viewing from elephant back. Would not change anything - whilst the elephant back viewings are great they are a bit contrived, the jeep was able to take us away from the more well travelled roads.
During the week we had 5 tiger sightings - one just a tail swishing as a tiger sat on a kill and would not move out. Two others of 30 minutes plus, one with the tiger padding along just 20 metres behind the jeep.
Perhaps the most exciting was an evening sighting as we headed out of the park: the driver sighted fresh pug marks in the dust of the road and we set off in pursuit. Stopping, we could hear the langur monkeys making their 'tiger beware' call and the bark of sambar deer ahead. Rounding a corner we just saw a tiger vanishing into the bushes of the hillside.
Speeding up we hoped to intercept on the other side of the hill. As we sat waiting we heard more calls, and eventually found a tiger sat deep in the undergrowth, but this was not the one we were following! It was a female - we sat and waited and were rewarded with her leaving the bush making haste down the track ahead of us.
Apart from tigers, we saw many many deer - spotted, sambar, barashinga, nilgai, Gaur, jackal, dhole, mongoose, hare, jungle cat. My bird count was over 150 species! The highlight was the tiger spotting above, but watching two huge bull gaur was also a highlight!
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We had a 04:45 alarm call!! quickly got dressed, putting on up to 7 layers! and hot water bottles for the ladies. Met for a cup of tea and headed to the park ready for 06:30 entrance. We would then drive for around 3 hours before stopping for breakfast, this about 45 minutes.
Then headed out again for another drive till midday. Back at camp for dinner at 13:00. A short relax before dinner, taking some sun, was really hot at this time! Now in shorts and tee-shirts.
Afternoon safari started at 14:15 and lasted until dusk. Usually most of the morning spent chasing the bigger species and the afternoon more around birds as this suited our request.
After pre-dinner drinks and the evening meal we would have a coffee around open fires and head to bed at 21:00 - this the time the hot water bottles arrived as the evenings quickly chilled off.
We had 13 safaris in a row but each one different and hugely enjoyed. For those staying a shorter time it was more a case of 'tiger fever'. We were able to relax more.
Weather
Fantastic! But huge temperature swing! We left each morning at 05:00 with a frost, by mid day was near 30°C! Never saw a cloud!!!
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Whilst away we also wanted to visit the big sites of Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Delhi.
All the guides both on safari and at the tourist sites were superb.
Just go!! Go with an open mind and forget all the scare stories around the food, beggars etc. We had a relaxing two weeks felt no pressure and whilst there is poverty there is also friendship and helpfulness from all walks of life. We had no stomach issues at all!
Language was not at any point an issue … most locals all fluent in English.
There were no disappointments - only surprise was first class rail travel in India - not that first class! But even this added to the experience and everyone was so friendly and helpful.
The most useful item in my luggage was a fleece - it was cold in the mornings! And a camera.
Tiger Safari Rating:
10 out of 10.
As both a wildlife and cultural experience India is a must! Perhaps not the numbers of game seem in East / Southern Africa but sometimes the hard work makes it more rewarding.
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