2024 - 2025 Guide to
Wildlife Travel in India
Wildlife Travel is gaining immense popularity, and since the slow down from Covid-19, health and tourism have recovered and the infrastructure to cater to this demand has improved as well.
India as a wildlife landscape is extremely interesting, and boasts of tropical wildlife diversity that is so abundant, endangered, and beautiful.
There are iconic species such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Asiatic Lion, and the Greater One Horned Rhinoceros(or Indian Rhinoceros) which are probably the 3 most popular species for a wildlife tour in India. Wildlife lovers and passionate travellers have been flocking to India and Nepal from across the globe for this safari experience since decades.
However, there is just so much more to see!
Today, tours for Snow Leopards, Brown Bears, Red Panda, Himalayan Wolves, Wild Ass, Primates, Endemic Birds, and Gharial are possible and are each equally fascinating.
Here are some important tips to keep in mind before planning a wildlife trip in India
1. Have an open mind.
Animal sightings are a matter of chance and not a matter of right.
Nowhere in India do landscapes resemble the African Savannah, and while there is equally as much biodiversity in in any given National Park in India, wildlife here is more subtle and not as numerous.
2. Important to read Blogs and Vlogs about Wildlife Trips to India.
Tripadvisor reviews, and personal blogs/vlogs of travelers are the way to go. It’s important to view blogs of like-minded travelers! It is also important to choose an ethical and knowledgeable travel company if you decide to go down that path. It is a bit of a risk to trust someone unknown with your money, and to entrust them with the responsibility of creating a good wildlife travel experience, however, the promptness and attention to detail of the person you are interacting with over email and telephone will give you an idea of what you are dealing with. The honesty and frank-ness of that person is important too, hence personal research beforehand helps in that regard as well.
The beauty of Indian forests is subtle but amazing, a keen eye and an open mind is important to enjoy a safari in India to the fullest!
3. Plan ahead of time.
The latest you should consider firming up plans to India for a wildlife trip is 5 to 6 months ahead of time.
Permits for safaris in Tiger Reserves are the toughest to obtain and these get immediately sold out when the booking window opens : 4 months before actual date of travel. Getting rooms at the right lodge at the Tiger Reserve/National Park for when you are going for a Tiger Tour, is also important, hence leaving it later than 4-5 months out is a definite no-no. However, a good number of hotels and lodges exist in such areas.
For landscapes which cater to non-tiger related tourism in India, the inventory at lodges may be limited, more so at lodges which are well-located and can cater to your needs in the optimum manner. Hence for such lodges, 9-12 months is ideal before firming up your plans for a wildlife tour in India.
4. Research about wildlife of the Indian Subcontinent.
It is important to gain an understanding of this landscape as a whole, and about each National Park that you will be visiting in India. It is important to know about the interesting, highlight species that you can find on your safari tour.
Especially in the case of tours where you are looking for a chance of seeing the Tiger, it is important to not drive around merely looking for the tiger. There is merit in driving slowly in the jungle, looking at all the various facets of wildlife ; understanding tracks and signs and understanding the habitat of the Tiger. It happens often that distress calls from animals suddenly emanate from the jungle and the Tiger emerges out of nowhere. Silently traversing the jungle, away from the crowd, has huge benefits.
Such a rich natural history, India has insects, trees, birds, fungi, rocks, reptiles, and interactions amongst species that are fascinating and worth learning about!
It is also crucial to understand the relationship between the people and the wildlife of the area.
Cultures are shaped by the geographical conditions of an area, and the indigenous people of the wilderness areas lead a life that our ancestors did, bearing the brunt of the wildlife that lives around them.
While we all have ended up close to animals, there is nothing more beautiful than watching wildlife on safari from a safe distance, the animal behaving comfortably and naturally - unbothered by our presence. This young male Tiger at Bandhavgarh seems relaxed in our presence.
5. Follow General ethics while traveling on safari in India :
· It is important not to resort to playing bird calls to attract birds for viewing or for photography.
· Please dissuade your guides and drivers from getting too close to wildlife if avoidable(yes all safari activities disturb wildlife, however there are benefits for conservation in the 21st century due to tourism related activities in wildlife reserves on the whole).
· Dissuading the guides, naturalist, and driver from using mobile phones to track animals, especially predators. Finding a tiger on one’s own is 100% more thrilling, moreover, you miss a lot of animals on the way to the “tiger sighting” and even then there isn’t a guarantee of a tiger sighting in this manner. It is guaranteed that the “tiger sighting” will be a crowded one due to the transfer of messages via mobile phone. Finally, it leads to unsafe driving through speeding ; Indian drivers and guides are enthusiastic and in the hopes of pleasing their guest, they may resort to such measures ; lets teach them the right thing.
· Night safaris are avoidable unless done under the correct conditions.
· Important to acknowledge the role of the local communities of the area, and to treat them as any other citizens by giving them their due space.
· Playing loud music through speakers is highly discouraged.
· Tipping local guides, drivers, and staff, if they have put the effort, is appreciated.
Safaris in India require knowledge of wildlife zones, and good local tour operators can provide that insight in interesting landscapes.
6. Choose a responsible Safari Tour Operator.
Obviously we are biased towards the idea of choosing a wildlife tour operator in India. It is actually important, for the experience begins at this point. The recommendations and information provided by a naturalist will ideally hold value.
It is important to choose an ethical and responsible tour operator whose interest in wildlife is genuine.
At Monkey Business Safaris, we try and respect nature and are passionate to have others experience wildlife in India the right way. Wildlife in India is not merely about the species but it is a holistic wildlife experience that begins as soon as you depart from the busy urban centre's into the heart of the country. Though we enter the wilderness, there is yet an important relationship with people in those areas.
India really is a conglomerate of humanness and wilderness.
You may also click on the following blogs or wildlife travel guides to know more :
Comments