Tiger watching recommendations
Tigers are famously elusive, increasingly rare and can be difficult to spot; here’s our guide to watching them in the wild
1. Bandhavgarh National Park, India
This former royal hunting reserve in the heart of India has one of the country’s highest tiger densities, so there’s a pretty good chance of spotting one. The rugged, forested hills are a haven for a variety of animals, including spotted deer, sambar, langur, sloth bear and leopard. Safari by jeep and elephant-back.
2. Ranthambhore National Park, India
Ranthambhore, in the desert state of Rajasthan, is probably India’s most famous park. With its rolling hills and crumbling ancient fort, it’s certainly the most scenic. You’ve got a pretty good chance of seeing a big cat here, but the experience can be spoilt by crowds in large open-topped trucks, and excessive rules and regulations. Safari by canter trucks and jeep.
3. Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, India
The teak and bamboo forest of this 625 sq km reserve in Maharashtra state in central India is home to around 40 tigers, so fingers crossed you’ll see one. There’s a lot to see regardless, with sloth bear, gaur, dhole, striped hyena, jungle cat and perhaps even leopard if you’re lucky. Safari by jeep.
4. Pench National Park, India
The inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s
The Jungle Book, this 758 sq km reserve close to the city of Nagpur is wilder and less-visited than you may expect. There’s a good chance of spotting a tiger by the waterholes during the wet season, while gaur, wild boar, spotted and sambar deer, and langur are almost guaranteed. Safari by jeep.
5. Kanha National Park, India
This 1,945 sq km reserve in the state of Madhya Pradesh features lush sal and bamboo forests, grassland and rugged plateaus. The grasses attract large herds of swamp deer, so you may be lucky enough to see tigers hunting here, as well as leopard and jackal. There’s plenty of birdlife too, with over 200 species spotted. Safari by jeep and elephant-back.
6. Melghat Tiger Reserve, India
Spread over 1677 sq kms of teak forest in western state of Maharashtra, the rugged terrain can mean Melghat’s tigers, thought to number around 70, can stay well-hidden in winter. You’re sure to see gaur – the reserve has India’s second largest population – as well as sloth bear, sambar and spotted deer, nilgai, and monkey. Safari by jeep.
7. Chitwan National Park, Nepal
The subtropical forests in the lowlands of south-central Nepal are home to tiger, as well as leopard, langur monkey, wild elephant, four-horned antelope, striped hyena and over 450 species of bird. The grasslands on the edge of the park attract endangered Asian one-horned rhino, with about 400 animals in the park and surrounding areas. Safari by jeep or elephant-back.