David Pettitt
India
India is known for its diverse animal and birdlife making it a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts. With such a wide range of different species as well as incredible variation of natural environments, the choice of reserve largely depends on what it is that you wish to see. Another important thing to consider if you are planning to go on a wildlife safari, is when will be the best time to visit India so as to ensure that you make the most of your experience.
Overview of India's Wildlife Destinations
Ranthambore National Park
India’s best known reserve, Ranthambore is located between Agra and Jaipur and can easily be incorporated into a Golden Triangle holiday. Ranthambore's forested interior and rivers provide a home to tiger and leopard, deer, wild boar and crocodile.
See a holiday featuring Ranthambore National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park
Located in central India, Bandhavgarh's forests, meadows and grasslands make it one of the best places in India to spot tigers in the wild. Aside from tiger, other wildlife species here include leopard, sloth bear, nilgai, barking deer and Indian bison.
See a holiday featuring Bandhavgarh National Park
Kanha National Park
The reserve that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’, Kanha National Park is arguably central India's finest wildlife reserves. Kanha is home to tiger, leopard, Indian wild dog, hyena, wild boar, sambar and barasingha deer.
See a holiday featuring Kanha National Park
Corbett National Park
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Corbett is India’s oldest national park and a popular wildlife destination. The reserve's thick forests support tiger, leopard and elephant as well as more than 500 different species of bird.
See a holiday featuring Corbett National Park
Nagarhole National Park
Set in the heart of southern India in the foothills of the Western Ghats and close to the city of Mysore, Nagarhole is the region's finest reserve. Heavily forested, the park supports tiger, leopard and hyena as well as elephant and a number of different species of deer.
See a holiday featuring Nagarhole National Park
Gir National Park
Located in western India within the state of Gujarat, the dry deciduous forests and scrub of little-known Gir is best known as a haven for the extremely rare and endangered Asiatic lion which is no longer found anywhere else in the wild.
See a holiday featuring Gir National Park
Kaziranga National Park
There is no better place in the Indian Subcontinent to see the rare one-horned rhinoceros in the wild than Kaziranga. Located in the remote North East of India, the park's grasslands and swamps are also home to tiger, leopard and buffalo.
Best Time to Go on a Tiger Safari
If you are looking to go on a tiger safari in India, the best time to visit is generally between the months of October and May. During this time, the weather is dry and, as the months progress, the forests gradually become less thick making it easier to spot tigers amongst the undergrowth.
