More Good Cat Juju

I’d say 25 tiger sightings and a leopard qualify as (more) good cat juju!  Throw in a few of the more exotic birds and it was an amazing wildlife experience as only India can do.

We started our fam trip with the colorful, bustling Chandni Chowk market.  Our guide met us at the Roseate House then we navigated the market by tuk-tuk and on foot, walking through the spice market.  Ah, the aromas of India’s multitude of spices!  Chandni Chowk is always a great introduction to India. Humayan’s tomb rounded out our quick city tour in preparation for our early morning flight to Nagpur airport where we started our safari in Tadoba NP. 

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

The nicest place in Tadoba is Waghoba Eco Lodge with friendly service, great food and experienced naturalists, one a female which is nice to see. It was HOT – our first afternoon was 107, the next afternoon temps reached 111 degrees.  It’s a dry heat, but still hot.  The lodge bedrooms have air conditioners but the bathrooms are hot while the dining and lounge areas have large fans.  The lodge is built using local materials and designed to mitigate the heat.  About 80% of the pool is covered under the lounge with a smaller portion in the sun for sun worshipers no matter the temperature.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

Our first game drive yielded a tiger in about 30 minutes which thrilled the advisors who had never seen a tiger in the wild. That female and 2 male tigers were followed by 3 tigers the next morning including mating tigers.  That was my 3rd time witnessing mating tigers and my conclusion is they do it longer, louder and more often than lions in Africa!  On our last game drive we saw the beautiful Bablee and 3 sub adults for a total of 11 tigers. Tadoba has one of the largest concentrations of tigers in Central India. 

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

Onwards to beautiful Pench NP with its teak, bamboo and ghost trees.  One must drive between the national parks as there are no scheduled flights like most of Africa.  It’s frustrating.  Lanes are optional and tail gating is a sport so the drives can be entertaining.  Royal Expeditions always hires new, clean, very comfortable SUVs with good drivers and the scenery is colorful as you go through villages.

With only 2 game drives here, we saw 3 tigers including Bijamatta, the swimming tiger, and her mating partner, L-Mark, the largest tiger in Pench.  While I don’t want to fat shame him, that boy is massive!  

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

A thrill for me was seeing my first leopard in a tiger park!  We were on our way out for the evening when he crossed the road.  (I’ve seen quite a few leopards in Jawai, which is all leopards, no tigers.) 

We stayed at the always fun Pench Tree Lodge in the tree houses which make me feel like a kid again.  We had 2 delicious dinners outdoors, one in the organic garden.  PTL also has a very good female naturalist as well as excellent male naturalists.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

Next came Kanha NP, also beautiful with its sal trees and lots of bamboo.  Three game drives yielded 7 tigers with a few of them barely visible through the bamboo – hey it’s the jungle.  We watched mahouts bathe their patrolling elephants in a pond on the right hand side while on the left side of the vehicle, 2 brothers emerged from under the road tunnel.  I also saw a black buck which I’d never seen but alas the photo isn’t good enough to post.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

We watched brilliant lightening strikes and almost made it back to Kanha Earth Lodge before the pelting rain soaked us.  The bungalows have spacious bedrooms and bathrooms. We were treated to an outdoor dinner with cuisine from the local village which is always nice to experience.  The naturalists here are very experienced and work hard to get you the sightings.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

Our 4th and last national park is perhaps Central India’s best known park, Bandhavgarh, where we had 3 game drives, although the last morning was only partial as we had to drive to the Jabalapur airport for our flight back to Delhi.  No tigers on our first drive but we did see a wild elephant.  Naturalists think the wild elephants, recently arrived in the past few years, have upset the normal equilibrium of Bandhavgarh resulting in fewer tiger sightings.  Next drive we saw Chakradhara as she walked through the trees.  Unfortunately we were on our way out and didn’t have much time to spend with her.  On our last game drive, the partial one, we had good sightings of 2 of her cubs about 1&1/2 years old.  Again on our way out, we barely saw the father hidden in the bamboo.  That made 4 tiger sightings in Bandhavgarh for a total of 25 in the 4 parks.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
Screenshot
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

Kings Lodge was our home for two nights, again in spacious, comfortable raised bungalows. We enjoyed a very spirited dance performance by the local Baiga tribe in colorful clothes in addition to delicious food.

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

If you can handle the heat, that’s the best time to see tigers as they are in the water, at waterholes, going to the water or laying in cool grass.  Some of your sightings won’t yield good photos as it’s challenging to capture them through the bamboo – they’re still exciting to see.  Some tigers will pose for you.

In addition to the cats, birding is excellent in India!

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

And the langurs are the most fun and entertaining monkeys I’ve seen anywhere!

A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.
A green and blue clock with the time 1 2 : 3 0.

Safaris in India could not be more different than Africa – you can attribute that to government bureaucracy.  The tree density makes sightings more difficult so much of the guiding is auditory, listening for alarm calls from langur monkeys, spotted deer (not the most reliable) and sambar deer. 

The jungle tells its secrets if you are quiet and listen.  Hot winds rustle the leaves, cicadas and other insects make their presence known, birds chirp, frogs croak, peacocks screech, and alarm calls fill the jungle with its unique sounds.  Tigers growl if you’re lucky.  There is no silence in the jungle – sights and sounds leave you in utter amazement and awe at nature.

India wildlife is amazing! The Taj Mahal is iconic. India’s history is profound. The culture is fascinating. There is so much to do, see and experience. Go! Travel with Royal Expeditions!

Royal Expeditions was founded by the Princess of Jodhpur, former Parliament member and Minister of Culture.  Partner and Managing Director, Vishal Singh, helped found and is the India Director of TOFTigers, committed to wildlife conservation.  The Royal Expeditions team can plan all your wildlife, cultural and beach experiences.

kiki paris / april, 2024

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