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.  

 

Big Cat in Highlands of Central India

Bandhavgarh National Park

Bandhavgarh is situated in the Vindhya Range but its tail ends at the confluence of Vindhya and the Satpura Range. This region is called Maikal Hills where Achankmar in Amarkantak Hills and Kanha National Park near Mandla all tiger havens, converge here. 

Tribal Architecture

Bandhavgarh is one of the most picturesque tiger havens in India and is home to ancient tribal architecture. The zoomorphic idols of Lord Vishnu, Fort in ruins, Man-made caves, horse stables and shelter, courtrooms, Hindu temples, reservoirs, and dome-shaped shelters date back to more than two thousand years. The Fort finds are mentioned in ancient Hindu annals chiefly in Skand Purana.

The fort complex witnessed internecine battles that led to conquests and subsequent rules by many dynasties. The Baghels were the last rulers before they shifted their capital to the Rewa District. Tiger rules the fort complex now, and the grove at Shesh Shaiyya inundated by trickles from the looming Bandhavgarh Hill is an enchanting spectacle with the twenty feet statue of reclining Vishnu beside a fairy pool. 

The White Tiger Land

Mohun the world's first and only white tiger was found in Sanjay Dubri National Park. Barley over an hour's drive from Bandhavgarh the park is home to a number of big cats and the number is on the increase.

Tourism at Sanjay Dubri is at a nascent stage but the park holds promise as it is extended into the neighboring state of  Chhattisgarh. The jungles comprise a large area for breeding big cats. The white cubs grew up under the care of Maharajah of Rewa HH Martandsinghji at Govindgarh Palace in Rewa. The white predator multiplied in zoos all over the world and it survives in captivity.

The Protected Areas

This region constitutes one of the finest tiger landscapes in India. Untouched and unspoiled for centuries this large tract of forest stands fragmented today. Well-preserved isolated patches have been designated PAs or protected areas. Most of these PAs have been constituted lawfully as tiger reserves.   

The Maikal Hills at Amarkantak incidentally is where River Narmada originates besides Son. Son moves towards the Ganges basin and merges into the Ganges River. Narmada traverses almost seven hundred kilometers to merge into the Arabian Ocean at Bharuch in Gujarat.

Throughout its journey, Narmada flows between amazing geological formations the forest-clad hills and valleys, and between some magnificent gorges like Bhedaghat in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. Once the lifeline of contiguous forests, Narmada and its tributaries now inundate fragmented forests in the Highlands of Central India. 

Pachmarhi & Satpura Tiger Reserve

The Hill Resort Pachmarhi and Satpura Tiger Reserve too are part of these magnificent hill ranges and are home to the big cats as well. The forest-clad hills make Madhya Pradesh the most forested in India as the Tiger State.  Amarkantak Bio Reserve and Satpura Bio Reserve constitute a large area covering sanctuaries and reserves that is accorded protection from commercial interests. These are an incredible hub of diversity and habitats of some of the unique flora and fauna in Central India.   

Highlands of Central India

These highlands' once-perfect ecosystems teeming with wildlife have been vividly described by Capt. Forsyth in his book named “Highlands Of Central India”. He was a pioneer in discovering many geological formations and wilderness that prevail during his time. His notes on the wild animals stand out as remarkable records of natural history. Much still remains fragmented but well preserved. Bandhavgarh, Achanakmar, Kanha, and Pench are the prime tiger reserves that have been turned into protected areas for tiger conservation. Pench and Kanha once contiguous were the settings for Kipling’s Jungle Book a story of Mowgli the wolf child. This is a wonderful tale woven by Kipling creating a classic using both facts and fiction.  

The majestic animals still roam in the reserves albeit in reduced numbers, and the panoramic features described by Forsyth can still be witnessed here albeit in bits and pieces. Much subjected to biotic and abiotic pressures the reserves are holding grounds thanks to the management and the conservative initiatives supported by Madhya Pradesh And Central Governments under the aegis of Project Tiger Program. 

The Big Cats Tours

Tigers are the prime attraction and the keystone species of these realms. Their numbers after years of depredation are thankfully increasing year on year. This is attracting a lot of wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and filmmakers to visit the reserves on safari and expeditions. Holidaymakers make a beeline for these destinations in Central India for safari holidays. The main attraction is the tiger but the biodiversity supports enchanting mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. The floral diversity is extravagant with amazing botanical evolution and the tall stands of Sal and Teak are the main hardwood. The mixed forest species and bamboo abound intermixed with the hardwood, shrubs, and herbs. 

The reserves support unique niche habitats and creatures that have lost ground in areas taken over by man for commercial forestry, settlement, and agriculture. One of the most important biodiversity hubs a part of Satpura Biosphere Reserve is Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary home to incredible species of herbs and shrubs that are classified as flora of medicinal importance.  Incidentally, Pachmarhi is a holiday destination due to its panoramic surroundings, amazing natural formations, and salubrious climate.

While Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Pench National Parks are most visited due to easier sightings of the tiger Satpura excels in biodiversity and pristine forests. Satpura Tiger Reserve encompasses Bori Wildlife Sanctuary which is home to the finest teak forests in Central India. The population of big cats is increasing in these wild havens thanks to the protection accorded and the conservative initiatives. 

Sanjay Dubri though at a nascent stage as far as tourism is concerned is an upcoming National Park bound to become popular due to its proximity to Bandhavgarh, Allahabad, and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Thus Central Indian Highlands are the focus of big cat tours in the State of Madhya Pradesh. The popular reserves are Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, and Satpura. These tours can be extended further to other reserves near and far.              

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.