Safari means “travel” and is usually associated with round trips in the East African national parks. With the ever-increasing possibilities for large, complex journeys – and the rapidly increasing interest in pure nature journeys – not least caused by TV’s massive coverage of nature – the need has grown strongly for similar journeys to other parts of the world. A challenge Tourist Travel naturally follows up on.
We hereby present a unique safari for the best nature and bird trips in the breathtaking India. Few areas in the world are as suitable for safaris with day-long stays in undisturbed surroundings as India.
Whether you want to go on a “guaranteed tiger trip”, on ornithological journeys, experience the sounds of the jungle and Kipling’s jungle book atmosphere and observe the wildlife, you are on the right track. In particular, we can recommend the following national parks, all of which are included in our travels:
Here is a brief description of India’s best national parks:
Corbett National Park
Once you read the legendary big game hunter Jim Corbett’s books, “The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag” and “Man-eaters of Kumaon” you are ready to take Corbett right away. Corbett is definitely worth a visit – and is perhaps India’s most beautiful national park with its rolling, wooded mountains and grassy plains, where the tiger lives in the most beautiful surroundings imaginable. We will make an extra effort to get to see this incredibly beautiful giant cat – but it is difficult, even though Corbett’s rather open forest offers an advantage. In 1936 the area was declared a national park under the name Haily National Park and it does not have nearly the same degree of tourism as for example Ranthambhore, Sariska and partly Kanha and Bhandvgarh. Here it is nature that counts. Corbett covers 1,300 km2 and is located in the foothills of the Kumaons Foot Hills – the Himalayas.
During safari rides, the wild animals are sought out, such as the Indian elephant, golden jackal, wild boar, otter as well as several deer and monkey species, but also jackal, leopard, jungle cat and of course the tiger. In the rivers lives the strange, long-nosed crocodile Gangesgavialen, which, despite its size, is a peaceful creature that feeds on fish. The bird life is among the richest in North India and there is a true myriad of tropical birds such as eagles, black storks, various chickens (including the bankiva hen – the ancestor of the domestic hen), the large rhinoceros bird and lots of small birds. After such days, dinner at the lodge does extra good before one can settle down to the jungle sounds of the night and really feel very far away from home.
Ranthambore National Park
The 400 km2 Ranthambore Tiger Reserve near the town of Sawai Madhopur is one of India’s most legendary natural areas. Along the way, there is the opportunity to make a stop to stretch your legs and visit some of the local villages. Upon arrival at Ranthambores, there is accommodation at a lodge. Those who have tried this kind of thing in East Africa will find here a far more authentic experience – as from before the days of mass tourism. The reserve, which is among India’s finest for tigers, is dominated by vast forests, alternating with open grasslands. A biotope typical of many of the Indian subcontinent’s reserves.
With the jeep, a great effort is made to see the tiger, but this cloud, incredibly beautiful animal, is never easy to work with – even though Ranthambore is known for its many day-active tigers. So there is no guarantee of seeing one, but the chances are great and the lodge’s staff know the individual animals’ movements and will do everything in their power to make the mission a success. Here, however, are many other animals, such as; sambar deer, monkeys and crocodiles, a leopard, the big jungle cat or a black lip bear. Do not be surprised to hear familiar chicken sounds: here are both peacocks and bankiva chicken. In addition, there are of course a multitude of forest birds, such as parrots and woodpeckers as well as pelicans, flamingos and the beautiful, rust-red Brahmin ducks.
Kanha National Park
With 1,945 km2, according to fashionissupreme, Kanha is one of India’s largest national parks. When one sees the large flocks of deer or finds a large predator, one understands why Kanha is called India’s Ngorogoro. Namely because of the wildlife here is easier to see and the population is larger than in India’s other national parks. Kanha´’s beautiful forest – with its numerous small streams, swamps and lush grassy meadows – inspired Rudyard Kipling to write The Jungle Book and the park is considered by experts to be India’s safest place to see tigers. Both tigers and leopards feed well on the herds of deer and black bucks that are widespread here, just as the large Indian wild ox, the Gaur, is quite common.
