Planning A Tiger Safari Choose the Best National Park for You

Inbound Tourism in India 

Inbound revenue generation comprises a significant amount of nature tourism. The global market size stands at USD 650 billion. India makes an impact in inbound revenue generation that fetches significant foreign exchange vital for the country's economy. Well, this is not all, nature tourism, like tiger tourism in India, is vital for sustainable local economies, and a large sum of revenue is plowed back into the conservation of the inheritance.  

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Tiger Tourism In India

In MP alone visitors' fee draws in rupees 13 crores plus every year and this money is plowed back into conservation. Hence when you make a visit to a tiger reserve you not only seek a holiday recreation you contribute to conservation as well in terms of entry fee, guide fee, hospitality charges, and whatnot. You contribute to the local economy as well which is vital for the conservation of our priceless inheritance.

Tiger in India

What Pays Stays

Nothing can be truer. The contemporary economy is an equity-based one, and income for survival plays a vital role in managing environmental concerns sustainably. Wildlife attracts crowds and draws revenue hence preserving takes precedence over neglect and destruction.  The core benefit that these tiger reserves and the National Parks accord are employment and business to locals, infrastructure development in terms of schools, and dispensaries, diverse training for empowerment of women and children, and better mainstream connectivity. 

The parks and hospitality industry employs a huge chunk of locals as guides, cooks, waiters, guards, and drivers.  The tiger safari in the parks is regulated to prevent disturbance and harm to the animals. In spite of severe criticism, and a court case the ecosystem, on the contrary, has increased immensely and the tiger population has risen from 1411 to over 3000 since the beginning of Project Tiger Campaign in 1973. The inviolate core at the protected areas has proven to be the main savior of endangered tigers and other lifeforms. The buffer sustains old animals and growing populations of herbivores and tigers as well. Although conserving the sink is of major concern due to extreme human pressures nevertheless positive efforts are being made. 

With over 52 tiger reserves, inbound tiger tourism is one of the main contributors to foreign exchange earnings besides the supporting income generated for domestic tourism. 

Organizing a Safari Holiday in India 

No wonder the concept of a safari holiday is on the increase globally. In India, the spurt is recent, beginning in the mid-nineties, and has begun to peak now. Though the ecotourism concept includes bird watching, tiger spotting, and spotting the country's endemic and rare animals spread all over, the mainstays are the reserves where the big cats thrive. 

For overseas holidaymakers, wildlife enthusiasts, filmmakers, and photographers the preparation for tiger safari in India should begin at least six months in advance unless they are frequent travelers. For domestic travelers a few days ahead of planning is a prerequisite.   Remember securing a safari permits is mandatory for excursions. 

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Among the top-ranking factors that you should consider for a memorable experience are:

• Tiger Watching Success
• Other Animal Watching Success
• Birding Potential 
• Expectations 
• Popular Circuit 
• Local Experiences (Frequent Travelers) 
• A Classic Hospitality Experience 
• Reach 
• Ease of Travel
• Safety 
• Smooth travel in a long itinerary (package tours)

The Best National Parks 

There are many reserves that are well known for the high visibility of the big cats and tourists flock in large numbers to them. Though the purpose is a holistic visit, it is well known that the focus is on the tiger. But many other factors define a sound holiday experience.  

Although there are few well-known National Parks in India, the ones listed below are most preferred.

• Ranthambore National Park
• Kanha National Park
• Corbett National Park 
• Bandhavgarh National Park
• Pench National Park
• Tadoba National Park 

These destinations rank highest among visitors as far as tiger sighting is concerned. But there are other factors that encourage visitors to choose them for a safari. Corbett, for example, is not only good for spotting big cats but also good for spotting a number of mammals and reptiles, besides it is the best place for birding. The bird species at Corbett range over 500 including the Palearctic migrants. It is close to birding hotspots like Sat Tal & Pangot in Nainital in Uttarakhand. The preserve gets crowded on weekends and festival times so plan your visit carefully.

Ranthambore is part of the famous Golden Triangle Tour that comprises visits to New Delhi, the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur the capital city of the State of Rajasthan. It is popular for the high visibility of predators and for bird watching in terms of the number of visitors, it could be most crowded so avoid a visit during the weekends and holidays. 

Kanha, Pench, and Bandhavgarh form an extended circuit for package tours in Central India. Though the wildlife experience is the same, there are subtle differences that make tourists visit them often.

Bandhavgarh's inheritance includes panoramic sightseeing and exploring ancient tribal architecture that dates back over 2000 years. Kanha has been acknowledged as the world's best-managed park, it is home to the rare hard-ground swamp deer a race only found in this park. 

Pench is Kipling's Country made famous by the movie Jungle Book based on Rudyard Kipling's esoteric novel the Jungle Book. Shere Khan, Bagheera, Baloo, Bandar Log, Tabaqui, and Kaa all can be seen on a visit. Though Mowgli is no more thousand of charismatic kids live around the neighboring villages. Another attractive feature of Pench is its vicinity to Nagpur Airport which is just 90 km away. 

Tadoba is a recent success with a phenomenal number of sightings of the big cat. The tourism infrastructure is fast developing and attracting a large number of inbound tourists from many countries.  It is about 140 km from Nagpur Airport. 

Other Popular National Parks are:

• Periyar National Park
• Manas
• Namdhapha
• Wayanad 
• Nagzira Navegaon
• Bandipur
• Nagarhole
• Mudumalai
• Eravikulam 

These destinations attract tourism on an impressive scale with unique sightings and wildlife experiences. They have a well-developed tourism infrastructure and can be reached easily. 

Choosing Best Destination 

If the tiger is the main focus, choose the first list for making a decision. Base your decision on the ranking factors listed above. Holidaymakers have their own reason for visiting wildlife places for recreation and rest. But if you consider the factors described above you will be able to have a good wildlife experience and tiger spotting of course. Choose a place based on your own preference besides the suggestions made here. 

For travelers not interested in making their own arrangements package tours are the best. There are many package tour operators in India that provide good service. They can be verified using testimonials and TripAdvisor reviews or using references from friends and relatives.  

 

Wildlife Tourism in India

India is a vast country with interesting zoo geography. This has resulted from diverse climatic conditions, varying altitudes, and local situations. Diverse life forms exist in the country. The wildlife of India is unique, interesting, and worth experiencing. 

There are more than 300 species of mammals among which the tiger and lion are tertiary carnivores and prime predators. The lion is restricted to Gir National Park in the state of Gujarat, but the tiger inhabits many regions.    

Tiger is the main interest of tourists in India and Internationally. In recent times interest in Lion safari has become popular. The Asiatic lion is the sole representative of its race in the World. The Asiatic lion survives only at Gir National Park in India. In Gujarat Asiatic Wild Ass in Little Rann of Kutch and Black Buck at Velavadar are also of tourist interest.

In Eastern India in Assam, the Indian Rhino safari attracts thousands of tourists to Kaziranga National Park. The one-horned rhino is now found only in Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and some regions of Nepal. The Indian wild elephant and Asiatic wild buffalo also make Kaziranga their home. Manas tiger reserve is also a habitat for tigers and rhinos in Assam besides the Golden Langur. Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh is home to the red panda, hoolock gibbon, and clouded leopards besides many endemic species.   

The best place to see the tiger are Kanha, Pench & Bandhavgarh National Park in Central India. They are the finest habitat of the Bengal tigers in the country.  A large number of tourists come here for tiger safaris, birding, and wildlife watching. Other places to see tigers in India are Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttranchal and Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan. The tigers inhabit many reserves in India but are not easily sighted.     

Many tiger reserves in the South are also popular tourist destinations because of the diversity in flora and fauna they harbor. There live many endemic mammals and birds in Southern India which are found nowhere else.

The best mode of travel to India is on package tours. The top-rated Indian wildlife tour operators offer packages for wildlife safaris in India. These are professional companies and make your safaris very successful. Organized tours do away with the hassles of frequent travel bookings and transport arrangements etc. Hence this form of travel is preferred all over the World.      

Bandhavgarh Pristine Paradise and Amazing Fort

In remote district of Madhya Pradesh or Central India lie the amazing imprints of an ancient human civilization.  The Rewa forests were known more by Shikari’s and wood loggers than others. It was a chance discovery of white tiger that brought Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to the World tourist map.   The white tiger was found near these forests by the erstwhile Maharajah if Rewa estate.

The tiger reserve is situated in Umaria District a forest belt with dense canopy and tribal hamlets.  Since more than two thousand years tigers and humans lived together in this wilderness. Unlike the modern times there was no conflict between the two then. But civilization came one after the other and vanished into antiquity. The tigers remained but badly decimated by shikaris and poachers, the forest where ravaged and their wealth plundered. Today forests survive as small pockets scattered here and there.

Though a small reserve, Bandhavgarh is an enchanting paradise on Earth. Amidst the dense Sal forests lie ruins of ancient kingdom.  Scattered around are man made caves, stables, temples in ruin and shelters carved out of igneous rocks. The climb to Shesh Shaiyya is steep and rugged but rewarding. This mesmerizing pool besides the reclining statue of Lord Vishnu enthralls one and all. The ferns, vines, shrubs adorn the whole scape on the slopes of Bandhavgarh Hill. The pool is fed by trickles of water and miniature falls from the vegetation on the slope. Tigers splash in the pool whence devoid of humans.

From Shesh Shaiyya it is a steep climb to the top of the hill where in lies the magnificent 2000 year fort in ruins.  The hillock is at height of 800 MSL and is part of the Vindhya Range. It towers over the conglomeration of marshy grasslands, deep valleys and dense forest belts, fed by snaking rivulets all around. The place offers a panoramic view of the reserve.  The first spectacle is the arch still preserved but tampered by later dynasties. The second good spectacle is of a tall statue of Lord Vishnu on the edge over looking the forests below.  Then between stretches of grasslands there lie scattered large reservoirs all man made.  The statues of Lord in fish and turtle forms intrigue as do all zoomorphic depictions in this reserve.  The Laxman Temple stands near the rampart and is regularly visited by the worshipers.     

The ruins are scattered all over, the fort was not plundered or destroyed but disentangled with passage of times. But the process could not envelope the stone and masonry work which still remain.  Some structures still remain. The site is a virtual museum of ancient architecture and delightful carvings of Gods and Goddesses. There are many small temples within the fortification and more structures that are little away from the main complex. There are historical reference to it in ancient Hindu scriptures.

The plateau now back to wilderness supports lot of life forms including tigers and leopards. It is eerie and scary to be up there alone in the lost kingdom. The Fort is enchanting and esoteric - worth a visit if you wish to experience ancient India.

There are many places of interest near the park. Most of the accommodation in Bandhavgarh is offered by jungle resorts both luxurious and budget. Book hotels in advance to  avoid heavy seasonal rush. You can book Indian tiger tour as well at MP online kiosks. There are many affordable tour operator packages In MP that conduct wildlife safaris in the tiger reserve. the best season is winters but hot summer offers a unique ambiance to the visitors. 

The National Park is approachable from Jabalpur and directly from New Delhi up to Umaria by Rail. It is at a distance of 170 plus km from Jbp which is connected by Air with New Delhi. All tiger reserves, Khajuraho and Pachmarhi can be reached from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. 

Tourism Madhya Pradesh - Wild Heritage

Madhya Pradesh or Central India is one of the finest tourism destination in India. Ensconced in the center of the country and land locked the large state has impressive forest cover. Known as tiger state of India, the state has much more to offer than tiger safaris. 

Green, beautiful and serene this is how the state appears to the tourists thanks to the forests that cover a large part of the state.  There has been a rapid development in road infrastructure and accommodation making tourism more viable. The state boasts of finest National Parks, wildlife sanctuaries, hill retreats, pilgrimage centers and monuments temples, forts and places. 

The state is rich in ancient history and tell tale monuments with an architecture that bedazzles the visitor. The country's most sacred river Narmada originates in MP and Ujjain, Maheshwar and Jabalpur are most visited  pilgrimage centers. Earlier the state had a forest driven economy and relied heavily on minor forest produce for income. MP is now well industrialized with main commercial hub being Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur.    

Tourist Safari Destinations

Pachmarhi Hill Retreat: The rugged hilly terrain is in stark contrasts to the plain below. Undisturbed, unscathed and inviolate it is the post pristine eco belt in India. Rabid urbanization and expanding humanity has not affected the retreat. Pachmarhi is among few hill stations that have not been  taken over by marauding colonizers. This is where Capt James Forsyth set foot and went on pen down his experiences in his book on Highlands of Central India.        

Dazzling waterfalls, esoteric springs, serene pools; densely forested hills and valleys, ancient caves, and temples are enchanting ingredients of this picturesque hill retreat. Pachmarhi is a sanctuary to rare wildlife and amazing birds.

Satpura Tiger Reserve: On climb up the Matkuli Ghat resides Satpura Tiger Reserve a large National Parks home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and Central Indian mammals. Less seen, less known Satpura National Park along with Pachmarhi and Bori sanctuary holds lot of surprises. The wildlife and birds have yet to be properly check listed in this inaccessible and unexplored paradise.       

Kanha Tiger Reserve: Well known and popular tiger heaven the National Park is home to rare swamp deer adopted for hard ground survival. Best place to see the tiger in the wild there resides large number of deer, carnivores and herbivores. The park is populated by impressive number of bird species and reptiles. 

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve: Picturesque and enchanting this tiger haven surpasses all in terms of tiger sightings in the wilderness. The undulating terrain is dotted with a number of hillocks that accord Bandhavgarh with characteristic grace and charm. On park safari history unfolds ancient civilizations that found relief in the deep confines of Vindhya Hills. Tiger rules over the forests, hills and valleys, marshy grasslands and riverside habitats. The majestic Bandhavgarh Fort though in ruins glorifies the little paradise. Shesh Shaiyya is fairy tale abode of Lord Vishnu. The scattered remains, temples, caves, stables and zoomorphic idols of Lord Vishnu enthrall tourists on wild safaris. 

Pench Tiger Reserve: Kipling Country land of the tiger and Mowgli the wolf child. The enchanting characters  in this famous intrigue are right in their homes at Pench. Sher Khan, Baloo, Kaa, Bagheera, Colonel Haathi and the wolf pack now are targeted sightings for tourists on wildlife safaris in the preserve. Pench offers exciting sightings of Indian wolf, leopard, wild dog, bison and sloth bear besides the Bengal Tigers. Bird Life at Pench is worth a trip.

Panna National Park

About forty five km from Khajuraho Temples the park boasts of amazing Central Indian wildlife and fresh water crocodiles at Ken River Sanctuary nearby. It was once a good place to see tigers but the tigers have been poached to extinction. Tiger relocation program has been inducted and few tigers relocated from other reserves. Nevertheless Panna is good place for wildlife watching and birding in MP.      

Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary: The lesser known preserve differs with Kanha and Bandhavgarh in terms of habitat. Less seen animals of Central India are prominent in picture here. Indian wolf, chinkara, blue bull and common animals like sambar, spotted deer, wild boars and Hanuman Langurs can be seen in the sanctuary. Noradehi is the most promising  WLS in India for birding. Rare bird like Grey creeper make this sanctuary its home. Noradehi  offer both forest and wetland bird sightings. Find more information on Birding tour at Nauradehi  WLS.              

MP has large number of protected areas which are less visited and less known. Some of them are Sanjay National Park, Rani Durgavati, Sardarpur, Sailana, Ralamandal, Orchha, Gangau, Bagdara, Rata Pani, Panpatha, Karera, Phen, Ghatigaon, Gandhisagar, Karera, Ken Ghariyal, Kheoni, Narsinghgarh, Chambal, Kuno Palpur and Son Ghariyal.

The state can best be visited on MP tourism packages that are organized by many tour operators. Most of the packages cover popular wildlife tourism destinations besides sightseeing. Tour packages are also available for pilgrimages and monuments of Central India.    

Best season for touring Madhya Pradesh is winters. But journeys can be made during summers by those who can bear the heat. The month of November, December and January can be extremely cold.

Luxury Hotels at National Parks

Tiger Tourism is on rise day by and there is a greater rush during holidays and week end. The accommodation has to keep pace with rising number of tourists every day. A number of hotels, wildlife lodges and jungle resorts have been set up around the periphery of the park.

Some of the hotels in the tiger reserves are high priced like the Celebration Van Vilas at Kanha and Celebration at Bandhavgarh while the semi luxurious hotels are affordable. Courtyard House Kanha is in the same price range but nonetheless offers luxurious amenities.

Besides the above two there are many other wildlife resorts and camps that offer accommodation. The accommodation types range from cottage, tents to standard hotel rooms. Some of the star properties provide luxurious amenities and cater to upscale tourists from India and abroad.  

There are many budget hotels in Kanha which are at best comfortable. During vacations it is advised to book hotels in advance since the room rates skyrocket as the rush begins and at times all room at the National Parks are fully booked. I have on number of occasions seen FITs turning back due to lack of accommodation.

Some of the finest hotels in NPs established in recent times are as follows:

Celebration Van Vilas Kanha Hotel



Celebration Hotel at Bandhavgarh


The hotel websites have option of booking online, which is fast and comfortable.

Traveling to Madhya Pradesh

Central India - Madhya Pradesh

Central India has always been a tourist attraction because of its natural beauty, wildlife and historic monuments and ancient temples.


Ujjain is a religious center for Hindus in the Malwa region. The river Kshipra runs through east of the town. Kumbh Mela Hindu religious festival is held here every twelve years. It is also the abode of Shiva as the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga a shrine of Lord Shiva is situated here.

Ujjain is well connected with Indore by road and rail. Indore has an airport with flights from Delhi, Mumbai abd other major cities.

Sanchi is located in Raisen district and is a pilgrimage center of the Buddhists. the famous Sanchi Stupas are relics of Buddhism first commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd Century BCE. The Stupas are World Heritage site.

Sanchi is accessible by road and rail with Bhopal which is 46 kilometers away. Bhopal is well connected by rail network and air flights. It is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. The third World Heritage site to be declared UNESCO is the rock shelters at Bhimbetika which is near Bhopal.

Orchha on the Betwa river is situated in the district of Tikamgarh in MP. Orchha has many cenotaphs, ancient forts and temples of Hindu architecture .

Marble Rocks and Duandhar Falls is a gorge in the river Narmada situated at Jabalpur. The river runs through rocks of marbles of various colors and hues in the process creating scenic and splendorous wonder. Other places of interest at Jabalpur are Madan Mahal the ancient fort of Raj Gond Dynasty built by Madan Shah the husband of Gond Queen Rani Durgavati.

Pachmarhi the queen of Hill stations, and Indian Tiger Reserves Kanha, Bandhavgarh. Panna and Pench are accessible from Jabalpur which is a major railhead and an Airport. Other wildlife destinations are the Chambal river sanctuary, Shivpuri National Park, Bori Sanctuary near Pachmarhi and Satpura National Park.

The most famous destination in Madhya Pradesh is the Khajuraho Temples situated in Chhatarpur district is World famous and tourists from all over the globe. No wonder it is UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples date back to 10 to 11th Century AD.

Other places of architectural, cultural, and religious significance are Amarkantak near Jabalpur, Bhopal, Chanderi, Chitrakuta, Gwalior, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Mandu, Omkareshwar and Sonagiri.

Kerala Tourism - Wildlife

Periyar - Thekkady

Situated in Idukki district of Kerala on the Western Ghats Periyar Tiger Reserve is the hot bed for Kerala tourism and wildlife safari. Periyar is one of the most popular National Park in Southern India. It contains diverse habitats and a variety of mammalian and reptilian species. There are more than 265 bird species. Peyriyar is famous for wild elephants in Kerala. Tigers, gaurs and leopards are also found in the park.

The boat ride on the Periyar River offers exciting animal and bird sightings. Jeep safaris are also available in the tiger reserve. The forests of Periyar are home to many endemic animals and birds.   

The Sabarimala Ayyapan Temple is situated inside the Periyar preserve a popular pilgrimage spot visited by thousands of devotees.

How to reach Periyar

Air - Nearest Airport : Madurai (Tamil Nadu) 140 kms, Kochi (Nedumbassery - 185 km), Thiruvananthapuram (265 kms).

Rail - Nearest railway station is Kumarakom 114 kms. Madurai station is about 136 kms.

Road - An excellent road network from kumily (4 kms) links the to all major towns and cities in india.

Other Wildlife Places in Kerala --

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Eravikulam National Park
Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

There are many tour packages available for Kerala tourism. They include visits to National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries besides sightseeing. For further information about wildlife tours in Kerela please see the links on this blog.