Mainly Tigers!

Bandhavgarh, India, May 2023.

The Journey

Getting to Bandhavgarh is no small task, situated in the North East of India we initially had to fly into Delhi and then an internal flight to Jabalpur. Following this its a 4 hour drive to the Park, we have luxury transfers and a stop part way for refreshments. If you can weather the long international flight then its not a bad trip overall

Accommodation & food

Driving through the rural areas of India you get a glimpse of the differing levels of poverty and some interesting driving practices. As we approached the accomodation it was hard to guess what the quality would be like. Once inside it was like a mini paradise, the main lodge was comfortable and spacious. The short walk to the rooms was on sand paths through well maintained jungle like trees and plants. Once in the rooms they were simple in nature but quite comfortable, large beds, good bathrooms and air conditioning. Zero complaint and overall excellent.

The food was amazing and more than any of us could consume, with options for any dietary needs. The staff super helpful and nothing was to much trouble, we were well looked after. 

Zones, vehicles, guide & drivers

The part is split into three zones and your access has to be booked months in advance and is tied to your passport! The organisation is good and the regulations to protect the habitat and Tigers well conceived. The challenge with this is that if you book the wrong zones you could be out of luck for Tiger sightings. This is why is was so important to have the right local guide that made sure we had the right bookings, in this regard Bali was amazing.

Once you are in the correct zone the next challenge is finding the Tigers, for this you need the best drivers. The knowledge ours had of the Zones and Tigers I am still convinced was a major factor in the success of the trip. Hats off to Tracey for knowing the right people.

For those that have done African Safari before it is worth noting that the vehicles in India are quite a bit smaller so think carefully about what you need with you on each drive.

First Sightings

The first drive drive out was into Zone1 and expected to be the least productive, seeing the terrain for the first time it was hard to see how you would spot a Tiger in such dense jungle. As the sun was setting and we had to  head out of the park we did get a distance glimpse of our first Tiger, nothing in photo range. I have to admit to being worried at this point!

The next morning we headed into Zone 2, moving at a good speed, about 5th in the initial 'rush', our driver suddenly piled on the breaks and claimed - Tiger!. We hit reverse and where directed to look to our right. Even with the binoculars I could not see this Tiger and then what looked like a fallen log rolled over and looked up at us (it was some distance away)! Crazy to think how camouflaged it was and even more to think the driver spotted it!

The Premonition 

One moment of the trip that will never be forgotten would become known as the premonition. As we drove around Zone2 there is a long track that leads over a rise and out of sight. We rounded the corner to an empty road as far as the eye could see, as we did Tracey proclaimed that a Tiger was going to walk over the rise and down to the mini lake behind us.... 5 second later a Tigress appeared on the Horizon!!! Crazy. What was even more amazing, no other vehicles in sight, so we got a good 20 mins alone as she padded down the road and went for a swim, it was a breathtaking experience.

Following this start we ended up seeing 10 different tigers a total of 17 different times! Along with 30+ other species of mammal and bird! It was a super trip and I would recommend anyone into wildlife, with your without a camera to find a way to go!

Finally thanks to Wild Aperture and Bali our local guide who was amazing.