A tiger sighting on the first safari is always special and it whets the appetite for the second. That afternoon, the plan was to look for Krishna, my daughter's favourite tigress, with a litter of three cubs. We'd just got a glimpse of the family on our last visit and badly wanted a 'quality' sighting this time. And we scanned through all her usual places in Zone 4, but with absolutely no sign of her or the cubs. She was probably back in 'Toota' Nala, which was off bounds for tourist vehicles. And Hemraj was even more disappointed than Navya; one of the things that makes him special is how keen he is for children to get their sightings and he will push to his limits to make that happen. Truly a privilege to have access to him and his expertise.
This time, we gave up on her early and decided to head back in case we got lucky with another sightings. And the jungle often rewards initiative with some serious luck, even if not always of the feline variety. We'd just crossed the Baba ki Gufa area near Lakkarda check post, when we saw a spotted deer kill next to the road, with a pair of jackals in attendance. And as they settled down to tuck in, they had a rather unwelcome and uncommon visitor to the buffet - a wild boar. Often prey themselves, these opportunistic omnivores aren't averse to a free meal or two especially at the expense of a small animal they can bully. And as we watched, the poor jackals tried their best to budge him from their (presumably) hard won meal, but size did matter as the boar simply bulldozed them away while he had his fill. We never got to see the end of this drama as our safari time drew to a close, and we drove away marvelling at the jungle and the surprises it throws up, seemingly at will.
Day 2 was a half day safari, and this time we were joined by Rajesh Gujar, another ace naturalist and wonderful person. Between Hemraj and him, we have the pick of Ranthambhore's naturalists and their insight and personalities always livens up a safari, even those where there is nothing to see. I was looking forward to the half day, since I'd never done one before. And Rajesh had planned it perfectly - head to Zone 2 to try for Noor and her sub-adults, then drive through Zone 3 for Arrowhead and maybe her mate and then finally close it out with Krishna and her cubs. His instinct was to wait for some news of Krishna from the morning's jeeps and then head straight there. And it went perfectly to plan, well almost.
Day 2 was a half day safari, and this time we were joined by Rajesh Gujar, another ace naturalist and wonderful person. Between Hemraj and him, we have the pick of Ranthambhore's naturalists and their insight and personalities always livens up a safari, even those where there is nothing to see. I was looking forward to the half day, since I'd never done one before. And Rajesh had planned it perfectly - head to Zone 2 to try for Noor and her sub-adults, then drive through Zone 3 for Arrowhead and maybe her mate and then finally close it out with Krishna and her cubs. His instinct was to wait for some news of Krishna from the morning's jeeps and then head straight there. And it went perfectly to plan, well almost.
He marked his territory, a sign of him expressing his presence to all and sundry and then walked off to find a shady corner to spend the afternoon contemplating his future. Sub adult male tigers have to go through a period of nomadic existence, usually away from their home territories. Their father no longer wants them around and their mother usually has a new litter to nurture and protect. And these young fellas get turfed out, left to fend for themselves like teenagers in college. For now they have each other, but that will change soon as they set out to carve their own territories.
Krishna once again played truant and we finished our half day safari with 5 different sightings, including an unexpected one in Zaalim.
A hat-trick of trips to Ranthambhore then and each one special in its own right. Here's to many more special years like this one!
Ranthambhore Trip Guide
Getting there
Ranthambhore is arguably the 'most easy to access' Tiger Reserve. Sawai Madhopur (SWM), the adjoining town, is a major junction on the Mumbai to Delhi/Jaipur trunk line hence train connectivity is excellent. From Mumbai, the Delhi August Kranti Rajdhani is the best option (leaves Mumbai at 17:40 and reaches SWM the next morning at 06:30) and on the way back it leaves SWM at 20:45 and gets into Mumbai at 9:45 the next morning. There are a number of options to Delhi, including the August Kranti.
Jaipur (140 kms) is the nearest big city and airport, a comfortable 3 hour journey on largely good roads.
Stay
Ranthambhore has it all. From budget hotels to home stays to mid range to full-on opulence, you can get the whole nine yards.
For those who prefer a home-like ambience, the best is Tiger Home, an 8 room place (www.ranthambhoretigerhome.com) built by Hemraj Meena, a local who is one of the park's finest naturalists. A personal friend, Hemraj's dream had always been to have a place of his own where he can host wildlife lovers. And Tiger Home does exactly that. It's a really comfortable 8 room house with air-conditioned rooms and all the mod cons. Excellent home cooked food and very helpful staff make you feel genuinely like you're at home. And the best part is the company, Hemraj's experiences are incredible and you could well hear all about his stories with Ranthambhore's amazing tigers.
At the mid-level, the Ranthambhore Regency is a superb option. It is comfortable, offers facilities like a pool and a bar and has some awesome food. And the hospitality of the Jains is incomparable.(www.ranthambhor.com). Another great option is Aditya Singh's Ranthambhore Bagh (www.ranthambhore.com)
The luxury options include Taj Hotels' Sawai Madhopur Lodge, Oberoi Vanyavilas and Amanbagh.
Safaris
Ranthambhore offers two types of safaris - gypsy (6 seats) and canter (approx 20 seats) Unlike most other parks, here the bookings are on a seat basis, so you can book individual gypsy or canter seats without having to pay for the whole vehicle. All bookings need to be made on the website (www.rajasthanwildlife.com)
Please do book well in advance, especially if you need gypsy bookings. And always carry your ID proof with you, since there might be some checking at the entry gates.
In addition to morning and afternoon safaris, you can also do half and full days in the forest, though it is restricted to very few vehicles. If you're up for it, they're well worth
In addition to morning and afternoon safaris, you can also do half and full days in the forest, though it is restricted to very few vehicles. If you're up for it, they're well worth
Other attractions
Ranthambhore Fort and the Ganesh Temple - one of Ranthambhore's most distinctive features is the huge fort that looms over the park. This medieval fort also has Rajasthan's oldest Ganesh temple, which attracts thousands of visitors, especially on Wednesdays.
There are village visits and homestays - Hemraj's village Bhuri Pahari is an example where there are some comfortable stay options. You can explore and experience village life and also spot some interesting birds, especially in winter.
There are village visits and homestays - Hemraj's village Bhuri Pahari is an example where there are some comfortable stay options. You can explore and experience village life and also spot some interesting birds, especially in winter.
Other Tips
Ranthambhore can get really hot in summer, so sunscreen, comfortable clothes and headgear are a must. It can get equally cold in winter, so carry a thick jacket for sure.
The full day safari is a delight but it also takes some getting used to. Please carry a bag or haversack with sun-block, adequate water and also some dry snacks or fruit if you get peckish during the day.
While a gypsy can take 6 people, it's advisable for a full-day (or half day) safari to have no more than four people. 6 is a tight squeeze and manageable for a 3 hour safari, but to spend 6 or 13 hours like that is not recommended, definitely for your sanity!
The full day safari is a delight but it also takes some getting used to. Please carry a bag or haversack with sun-block, adequate water and also some dry snacks or fruit if you get peckish during the day.
While a gypsy can take 6 people, it's advisable for a full-day (or half day) safari to have no more than four people. 6 is a tight squeeze and manageable for a 3 hour safari, but to spend 6 or 13 hours like that is not recommended, definitely for your sanity!
Another factor is the dust, so if you're troubled or allergic, a face mask will come in handy.
No comments:
Post a Comment