10 Best Tiger Safari In India
With more than 1,400 tigers within its boundary, India hold nearly 50% of the world’s wild tiger count. Spread over 40 different national parks, tigers thrive in India. If you are looking for a tiger safari, you ought to choose the parks with the maximum number of tigers, depth safari option and good visibility (short grass regions).
Here are the Top 10 Tiger Safaris in India to spot tigers.
1. Bandhavgarh National Park
This wildlife sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh has the highest density of the country’s national animal. Around 50 tigers are spread around in just 100 square kilometer. This park was also famous for white tigers. Now, the white tiger species was not spotted for 50 years or more. Other animals to spot in this park are sambar, chital, wild boar, wild dog, Indian fox, leopard, bison, blue bull, antelope, nilgai and others.
The best way to get closer to tigers is by choosing jeep or elephant safari. There are four zones to cover in this park and only limited number of vehicles is allowed to access the park via each zones, every day. Thus, pre-booking is very essential.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – April to June; closed on all Wednesdays
Safari Timing – 5:30 am to 10 am and,4 pm to 7 pm
Closest Airport – Jabalpur airport, which is 197 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Bandhavgarh National Park
Read More : Top 20 Wildlife Sanctuaries to Visit in India
Also Read : Top 10 Places to Visit in Madhya Pradesh
Suggested Tour :
2. Ranthambore National Park
This park is one of the largest in the country and is very famous among wildlife photographers. Once a hunting ground, this park is now a protection site for tigers and a top tiger reserve. Other important animals to spot here are jungle cats, Indian fox, crocodiles, leopards, sloth bear, jackals and others. Tigers are usually spotted in the Bakaula region of the park, which has a dense forest and many watering holes.
Ranthambore has interesting tiger stories. The park is said to have had the longest living tigress of the world. The queen of the park, Machli was 20 years when she passed away, which is way higher than the average lifespan of 10-15 years. The tigress won lifetime achievement award for being a top tourism attraction and playing a grand role in conservation. There are ten zones in Ranthambore National park and zone 4 has the highest population of tigers.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – April to May
Tiger Safari Timing – 7 am to 10:30 am and, 2:30 pm to 6 pm
Closest Airport – Jaipur airport, which is 132 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Ranthambore National Park
Read More :
- Top Reason to Visit Sawai Madhopur Ranthambore
- Top National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in Rajasthan
Suggested Tour :
3. Kanha National Park
This national park is best described as the background for Jungle Book of Rudyard Kipling. This park has a very high visibility as a large area of this park is covered by open meadows. Apart from spotting tigers, you can find gaur, palm squirrel, striped hyena, chinkara, mouse deer, black buck, jackal, porcupine, sambar and others. The best way to spot tigers is by taking the early morning elephant safari from Mukki entrance of the park.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – April to June
Tiger Safari Timing – sunrise to 10 am and, from 3:30 pm to sunset
Closest Airport – Jabalpur airport, which is 175 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Kanha National Park
Read More : Best Time to Visit Kanha National Park in M.P.
Suggested Tour :
4. Jim Corbett National Park
This is one of the prestigious national parks in the country and one of the oldest ones too. Located on the mighty foothills of Himalayas, this park has a diverse landscape making it favorable for an array of animals to thrive. Top animals to spot in this park apart from tigers are sloth bear, goral, fishing cat, leopard, chital, barking deer and others. The best way to spot tigers is by visiting the eastern part of the park, Bijrani. You can also choose to get a panoramic view of the park to spot tigers from top of watchtowers in Dhikala and other regions.
Tourists tend to stay in forest rest houses in Dhikala zone overnight to spot tigers in action. Bijrani zone is the one with the highest density of tigers. Jhirna zone visitors spot tigers more frequently. however, it is more famous for bird-watching.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – March to June
Safari Timing – 6:30 am to 10 am and, 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Closest Airport – Pantnagar Airport, which is 50 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Jim Corbett National Park
Read More :
Suggested Tour :
5. Satpura National Park
Tigers are born predators, which are by nature, accustom to lurk and survive in silence. Expecting such an animal to show up when a long row of canters and jeeps run into the jungle, is unreasonable. Thus, Satpura allows only 12 vehicles per day. The best place to spot tigers is Sonbhadra River. During summer, you can find tigers swimming in the river to avoid the heat. This is one of the very few tiger reserves, where walking tours are permitted. Apart from tigers, you can spot porcupines, wild boars, chinkara, chital, gaur, leopard, hyena, black buck and others.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – April and May
Safari Timing – 7 am to 11 am
Closest Airport – Bhopal Airport, which is 135 km away from the park
Also Read : 10 Lesser Known Wildlife Sanctuaries in India
6. Pench National Park
This park is located in the heart of the country, covering 758 square kilometer of forest area. It holds 43 tigers within its boundaries. The lake regions are usually the common tiger spotting sites. This park is one of the best spot to find diverse wildlife beauty. Apart from the royal Bengal tiger, you can spot barking deer, hyena, Indian leopard fox, sloth bear, wild boar, wild dog and others.
There are seven zones for safari in this park. The Turla region is the most famous region for spotting tigers. The regions around the stream in Turla are packed with tigers during summer season. Night safari is also open in this zone. Canter and jeep safaris are common options to explore the region to spot tigers.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – March to June
Safari Timing – 7:30 am to 10:30 am and 4 pm to 6:30 pm (timing changes with season)
Closest Airport – Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International airport, which is 92 km away from the park
Suggested Tour : 16 Days – Footsteps India Tiger Tour
If you want to experience wildlife in luxurious way then the most popular Deccan Odyssey Luxury Train offers you to luxurious journey of 8 Days Maharashtra Wild Trail covering Mumbai, Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, Pench, Tadoba, Ajanta and Nashik.
7. Tadoba National Park
Tadoba is the largest park of Maharashtra and also, the oldest one. This park is famous for spotting tigers from open air gypsy. Safaris start from either of the two entrance gates, namely the Mohurli Gate and the Kolara Gate. Apart from tigers, the park is famous for jungle cats, crocodiles, barking deer, sambar, Indian leopard, nilgai, sloth bear, small Indian civet, Indian python, wolf spiders and others.
The best tiger spotting region is the Mohurli gate region. There are also good accommodation facilities in this region. The place will be extremely hot during summer season. If you are determined to spot tigers, it is better to venture this forest region during height of summer.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – March to May
Safari Timing – 5:30 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 6:30 pm (timing changes with season)
Closest Airport – Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar International airport, which is 140 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Tadoba National Park
Also Read : Beginners’ Indian Travel Guide – Wildlife Safari
8. Nagarhole National Park
Named after the Nagarahole river of Karnataka, this national park belongs to Mysore and Kodagu. Nagarhole national park is a part of the famous Nilgiri biosphere reserve and is famous for being a protected habitat for tigers and elephants. Apart from the majestic species of the land, the park is famous for leopards, wild boars, sloth bear, bison and more than 250 species of birds.
There are three entrance points for safari; the Veeranahosahalli, Nanachi and Antharasan the gates. There are two options to spot tigers. You can take the canter safari or jeep safari. Jeep safari runs deeper into the forest and covers top tiger habitat sites too. Boat trips are open during peak season.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – April to June
Safari Timing – 6 am to 8 am and, from 3 pm to 5 pm
Closest Airport – Mandkalli airport, which is 98 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Nagarhole National Park
Read More : 10 Best Wildlife Safaris in South India
Suggested Tour : 10 Days – South India Wildlife and Culture tour
9. Bandipur National Park
Bandipur along with Nagarhole and Mudumalai stands as a major Tiger population region in Southern India. The tiger population in the Western Ghats is estimated to be 1/4th of the country’s tiger population. Bus safari, elephant safari and jeep safari are provided in this park. If you are choosing to spot tigers, it is best to opt for elephant safari or jeep safari.
Located on the Ooty - Mysore highway, this park is one of the famous destinations for sporting tigers and elephants. The park stretches along two states. On the Tamil Nadu side, this park is called as the Mudumalai reserve. The northwest region of the park with Kabini region is famous for spotting tigers during summer season. Apart from tigers, you can find Nilgiri tahr, langur, Indian hare, leopard and many others.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – March to June
Safari Timing – 6:30 am to 9 am and, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm (bus); 10 am to 11 am (elephant safari) and, 6 am to 9 am and, 4 pm to 6 pm (jeep safari)
Closest Airport – Coimbatore international airport, which is 84 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Bandipur National Park
Read More : Travel Tips for Visiting Bandipur National Park
Suggested Tour : 6 Days – South India Jungle Safari
10. Periyar National Park
Periyar national park is an important wildlife sanctuary and tourism attraction of Kerala. Apart from tigers and elephants, this place is lush with Indian wild dog, sambar, wild pig, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr and others.
If you want to increase the chances of spotting tigers, you ought to reach the park early in the morning. Boating in the Periyar lake is the best way to spot thirsty tigers with cubs. However, the probability of spotting tiger is very small in this park. If you want to increase the chances of spotting tigers, better pack binoculars.
Best Time For Tiger Spotting – March to June
Safari Timing – 7:25 am to 4 pm (boat ride), early morning to 3 pm (jeep safari)
Closest Airport – Kochi international airport, which is 140 km away from the park
Get Complete Info : About Periyar National Park
Read More : Top Tourist Attractions in and Around Thekkady, Kerala
Suggested Tour : 14 Days – Kerala Wildlife Package
Tips for Tiger Safari in India
- Even in the highest tiger population density regions, spotting tigers is not a certain event. Some tourists take back-to-back safari for several days to increase the chances of spotting tigers.
- Elephant safari is the best option to get closer to the tigers. Jeep safaris will penetrate deep into the forest, into the habitat of tigers.
- Always follow your guide’s advice while on a safari. This majestic animals is a well-known carnivorous. Your safety is very essential.
- Absolute silence is required for tiger spotting. Making a party scene in the safari will scare the animals away.
- Usually, summers are the best time to spot tigers as the water holes will be dried out, compelling tigers to reach out of their habitat to find large water sources. Also, the grasses will be dried out, increasing visibility.
Also Read : Top 5 Luxury Wildlife Resorts In India
What to Wear For Tiger Safari
- The prime tiger spotting time falls during the peak summer season. Thus, wear fully covering thin clothing. Exposing your skin to sun can lead to sunburn, dehydration and other problems.
- Wear a lot of sunscreen and cover up with hats, scarves and sunglasses.
- Carry a large bottle of water.
- Wear comfortable shoes or any footwear that covers your feet completely
- If you are choosing early morning safari, choose to carry a thin jacket with you.
Also Read : What to Wear in India
