India is home to about 10% of the world’s wildlife with a wide variety of mammals, and the highest diversity of wildcats in the world including the Royal Bengal Tiger.
As per WWF, the global population of tigers in the world stood at 3890 in 2016. Most of this population can be found in India, home to about 2200 tigers, making it best destination in the world to view this majestic big cat in its natural habitat.
We have planned this journey especially for a sighting of the elusive tiger. Travel through the popular Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, known for its population of Bengal tigers.
The popularity of Ranthambore has led park officials to divide the area into ten tourist zones in order to reduce the concentration of visitors in any one region. But since the last 2 years, the park has started allowing limited number of jeeps to stay inside all day with no zone restrictions. We have incorporated such drives into this journey to guarantee a sighting of the majestic Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat.
Apart from tigers, other wildlife that you will find in the region are:
Mammals: Sloth Bear, Leopard, Striped Hyena, Golden Jackal, Indian Fox, Jungle Cat, Sambar Deer, Chital Deer, Blue Bull Antelope, the Indian Gazelle and if you are lucky, Indian Pangolin and the Honey Badger
Birds: Indian Peafowl, Paradise Flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Indian Pitta, 4-5 species of Woodpeckers, 3-4 species of Kingfishers, Crested Serpent Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle along with 250 other species of birds
Reptiles: Marsh Crocodile, Indian Rock Monitor, Rock Agama, Chameleon, Fan-throated Lizard, Russell’s Viper, Indian Rock Python, Spectacled Cobra and many more
Day 1
Arrive in Delhi. There are no special activities today, as we wait for all guests to arrive. Spend the day at your own pace. Overnight in Delhi. Note: Optional activities within the city can be organised for those who arrive early, on additional payment.
Day 2
With everyone rested from their long journey, we take a train this afternoon from Delhi to Sawai Madhopur (1300-1800) to visit the Ranthambhore National Park, famous for its tiger spotting. Evening at leisure. Overnight at Ranthambhore Kothi.
Day 3
We have opted for a full-day permit today to explore Ranthambhore tiger reserve, with access to all the zones of the park. This will give us the opportunity to view its varied landscapes and experience the jungle at quieter intervals when the rest of the tourist crowd is not around. Spend the day traveling through the park with packed meals and pitstops at the forest check posts for restroom breaks and meals. Safari ends at about 1800 when we return to the lodge. Overnight at Ranthambhore Kothi.
Day 4
Today, we have planned two regular safaris in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, which will give you some time to rest and unwind in between. The safari timings are 0600-0930 and 1500-1800. Overnight at Ranthambhore Kothi.
Day 5
Spend the first half on a zone-free safari with ample time to explore any part of the forest, without other tourists around. Return to the lodge by lunchtime and take the afternoon to relax and unwind. In the evening, we visit Surwal Lake for birding. Located at the edge of the park, the lake attracts many of the park’s denizens including the Bengal Tiger. Here, you might see the park’s most elusive cat – The Caracal. Overnight at Ranthambhore Kothi.
Day 6
We take our last jeep safari this morning and return to the lodge for breakfast. After lunch, check out and transfer by road to Jaipur to catch your flight to Delhi, from where you connect on to your international flight.
