The Indian Subcontinent - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 315

Tiger safaris in india

India is still the place to go if you want to see a tiger in the wild and their populations are
generally healthiest in parks most visited by tourists, where there's a financial incentive
to protect them. The lodges mentioned below are all committed to the preservation
of the tiger, and staying at one of them ensures you the best chance of seeing this
magnificent cat in the most unobtrusive way possible.
October (towards the end of the monsoons) is the coolest time to be in the parks. From
October to January the land is green and lush, which makes it harder to spot tigers, but
best for birdlife. The hottest months are April to June as the land gets drier before the
next monsoon, when tiger sightings become more likely as wildlife gathers round the
shrinking waterholes. For more on Indian tiger safaris see W www.toftigers.org.

423 corbett tiger reserve
The first wildlife reserve in India, Corbett was
responsible for launching the tiger conservation
scheme Project Tiger, and is well-known for
its varied wildlife - keeping the striped cats
company are elephants, wild boars and flying
foxes. The five Raj-era rest-houses within its
borders make multi-day treks through the park
an attractive possibility in a country where
accommodation is usually on the parks' edges.
Base yourself at Camp Forktail Creek ( W www.
campforktailcreek.com; T [phone]),
with nine spacious safari tents and two mud
huts lit by candles and paraffin lamps. From
there you can head on guided walks into the
forest, and if you want the full wilderness
experience, stay overnight in one of the rest-
houses. Back at the camp, you can head down
to the river and try your luck at catching the
biggest game fish in the world, the mahseer.

this majestic landscape than Nanda and Latika,
the owners of the elegant Singinawa Jungle
Lodge. Latika was the first woman to gain a
doctorate in tiger conservation, while Nanda has
made films for the BBC and National Geographic
on the tiger.

Need to know Located in the centre of India
in southern Madhya Pradesh, the park can be
reached by rail from all over India via Jabalpur.
For directions, rates and reservations see W www.
singinawa.in; T [phone].

425 Panna national Park
Covered in a mix of acacia and forest, Panna is a
beautiful park with an amazing variety of birds,
and plentiful wildlife from crocodiles to sloth
bears. Unfortunately many of its tigers haven't
fared so well in recent years, with poaching a
persistent threat despite improved measures
protecting tigers' welfare. Stay at Ken River
Lodge, however, and you've a tiger-spotting
opportunity unique in all of India - night safaris,
which offer the best chance of seeing these
nocturnal predators hunting. Futhermore, a stay
in the park could easily be combined with a visit
to the famous temples of Khajuraho - only 27km
away - complete with erotic stonework.

Need to know Corbett is located in the foothills
of the Himalayas near Ramnagar, in the state of
Uttaranchal, an overnight train journey from Delhi.

424 Kanha national Park
Probably the most beautiful of all India's parks,
Kanha - a mix of deciduous forest and savannah
grassland - is reputed to have provided some
of the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's novel,
The Jungle Book . It's particularly rich in wildlife
- tigers and gaurs are regularly spotted here
- and its remoteness keeps it quieter than some
other parks. You couldn't get better guides to

Need to know For information on Panna National
Park visit W www.pannanationalpark.net; T +91
(0) 112 794 8870. Ken River Lodge: W www.
kenriverlodge.com; T [phone].