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In March 2018, I embarked on my first ever international trip to India with 18 amazing people whom I had met while working at Big Cat Rescue from 2015-2023. We visited three different national parks and the Taj Mahal during our 12-day adventure.
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Traveling to India
I was incredibly lucky to have had six tiger sightings in Kanha National Park and seven in Ranthambore National Park. Three of the sightings were direct, while the rest were from a distance or through foliage. I also had the opportunity to see rare bird species, Dholes, Jackals, a Jungle cat, Spotted deer, Muntjac deer, Sambar deer, Blue Bull, Gaur, Swamp deer, Wild boar, three different Mongoose, three and five stripe squirrels, crocodiles, Langur and Macaque Monkeys. Although I did not see them directly, I saw scat and tracks for leopards, civet/genet, and sloth bears, which was still amazing.
We used various modes of transportation, including planes, trains, cars, jeeps, canters, rickshaws, and a tour bus. In addition to visiting national parks, we also explored nearby villages and cities to learn more about the culture.
India completely stole my heart, and I would love to go back once the current situation in the world improves. Here are some images of our trip. So, sit back, grab something good to drink, and enjoy the journey!
Organizing a Trip to India
Former BCR intern Diane, a Graduate Research Assistant at Clemson University’s College of Agriculture, Forestry & Life Sciences, organized a trip to India for anyone interested in joining her during her six-month research in the country. Eighteen of us, including BCR volunteers, staff, former interns, friends, and family members, along with a local guide and Diane’s college professor, joined her for ten days. We visited three of India’s National Parks and some cultural visits throughout the country, making it an adventure of a lifetime.
Arriving in India
Ten of us drove from Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, FL, to Orlando, FL -then we flew from Orlando, Florida, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to New Delhi, India, where we met our fantastic guide and the rest of the group that came from other parts of the world for the trip. We arrived late in the evening and stayed one night at The Pride Plaza Hotel in New Delhi.
Traveling to Raipur
We woke up early and headed back to the airport for a short flight from New Delhi to Raipur and then a couple of hour’s drive through the city and countryside to one of the most incredible places on earth – Kanha!
Traveling to Kanha National Park
Our safari adventures began in Kanha National Park, where we stayed at the gorgeous Kanha Jungle Lodge.
Kanha National Park is set on The Chhota Nagpur Plateau in Madhya Pradesh; Kanha provides breathtaking vistas of grassy plains and strands of Sal forests. This 366 sq mile preserve was formed to save two endangered species, i.e., Tiger and The Barasingha.
The park offers a variety of species, including tigers and leopards, cheetals, gaurs, barking deer, Sambhar deer, and the endangered barasingha deer.
Going on a Safari in India
We spent each day going on a morning and evening safari and had some incredible sightings among the group.
We feel fortunate to have seen even one tiger in the wild, but our group saw an unbelievable amount of tigers in our short time there… they must have smelled us coming… We saw around ten different tigers, including two – 8-month-old cubs in Kanha.
We also had the pleasure of seeing lots of other animals, including many, many (some rare) bird species, Dholes, Jackals, two different JUNGLE cats!, Spotted deer, Muntjac deer, Sambar deer, Gaur, Swamp deer, Wild boar, Mongoose, 3 and 5 stripe squirrels, Langur Monkeys and luckily for us NOT very many spiders or snakes LOL!
We also spotted scat and tracks for leopards, civets/genet, and sloth bears. Even though we didn’t get to see them directly, knowing they were nearby was terrific.
The lodge we stayed in is family-owned, and they don’t miss a detail for their guests. They taught us how to wear saris properly, showed us firsthand how the locals live, fed us like kings and queens, and made us want to stay forever.
But the journey must continue…
Traveling to Ranthambore
Next, we drove to Jabalpur airport to board the train to Sawai Madhopurwe for an overnight train ride to Rajasthan, where we stayed at the Ranthambore Kothi Hotel and visited Ranthambore National Park for morning and evening safaris.
Ranthambore National Park
This park landscape was drastically different from Kanha but did not disappoint; it’s said that this park inspired the story of The Jungle Book. On our first safari, we spotted a Tigress named Arrowhead and watched her run across a land bridge and into ancient ruins.
During our time here, we were lucky enough also to see Arrowhead’s mother named Krishna with her three cubs, an unidentifiable female, as well as our grand finale and the final tiger sighting of the trip… an 8-year-old male from Krishna’s first litter named Aakash.
We saw many ancient temples, forts, ruins, and diverse bird species: antelope, mongoose, Blue Bull, crocodiles, and Macaque monkeys.
Visiting Rajasthan
During our time in Rajasthan, we ventured into the city for shopping and sightseeing, and six people in our group got their noses pierced in the traditional Indian way by a local family at their jewelry shop. What a thrilling adventure!
Laxmi Niwas Palace
Our last stop was in Bharatpur, where we stayed the night in the Laxmi Niwas Palace, visited the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary via rickshaws, and the big finale was a visit to the Taj Mahal.
Visiting the Taj Mahal
And not to be forgotten…. the food and drinks were unbelievable. I had the best Coke I have ever had – their recipe in India is top-notch!
This was an unbelievable journey for all of us. We helped care for captive tigers daily at Big Cat Rescue, and to have the ability to see them as they should be, wild and free, was indeed an emotional experience. There were many tears shed on this trip thinking about our beautiful but caged animals at home while watching these be free. It makes us all want to fight harder to end the suffering in captivity and protect those still left in the wild.
Thanks for walking down this dreamy memory lane with me! If you have any questions about my trip to India – ask!
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Certainly an incredible adventure of a lifetime😁