India – Tigers Very Own Country

by On Jan 06, 2014

“Blame it on that majestic walk, that carefree look in the eye or on the roar that says the jungle is mine, a tiger is certainly the charmer of the world of the wilds.”

If you are among those who have the desire and stomach to face the beast of the woods in real, India is your dream destination. Cosseting more than 40 tiger reserves within its periphery, India is better known as the ‘Tigers Own Country’. Tigers here are not regarded as just any other fauna species; rather, being the national animal they enjoy a higher status.

Which are the best national parks to sight tigers in India?

As per the statistics, India provides a habitat to the largest number of the Royal Bengal Tigers. From the Jim Corbett in the north, the Sunderban in the east, Kaziranga in the north east, the Bandhavgarh, Kanha & pench in the center, the Ranthambore in the west, to the Bandipur in the south, every part of the Indian Subcontinent is blessed with an abode of the big cats.

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

corbett-tiger
The Jim Corbett National Park – in 1936, stood as the first national park of Asia, in 1973 it provided the grounds for the Project Tiger and emerged as the first Tiger Reserve of India and presently it is acknowledged as one of the best destinations for sighting the striped cats. Genuinely, there are a lot more milestones that the Jim Corbett National Park achieved; however, listing all of them in a single piece of content is an uphill task.

The best zone and season for watching tigers in the Jim Corbett National Park

For easy administration, the Corbett National Park has been divided into four zones namely Bijarani Dhikala, Jhirna & Durgadevi. Out of these four, the Bijarani & Dhikala are the best zone to sight tigers.
Best time: This Park remains open from Mid November to June end, and the best time for tiger safari is March to May.

Sunderban National Park, West Bengal

sunderban-national-park
Being honored with the title of ‘UNESCO’s World Heritage Site’, the Sunderban National Park is one of the beautiful jewels studded in the eastern part of India. This national park is famous for owning the world’s largest populace of the mangroves, and within the shed of these mangroves inhabits the dangerously beautiful cats – the Royal Bengal Tiger. The cats of the mangroves are known for having some distinct features; they are known for adapting almost an amphibian lifestyle. It has been noticed that the tigers here can swim a long distance and prey on aquatic species. Further, it forms the largest tiger reserve of India, which certainly is among the very prominent highlights of this national park.

The best place and season for sighting tigers in the Sunderban Tiger Reserve

Sunderban is basically a wetland and thus for sighting tigers wildlife enthusiasts need to visit the watchtowers. The main watchtowers of the park are:

  • Sajnekhali
  • Sudhanyakhali
  • Kumirmari
  • Dobanki
  • Marich Jhapi
  • Netidhopani
  • Burir Dabri

Best time: Though the park remains open throughout the year; October to April is the best time to catch the sight of the big cats.

Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

bandhav-garh-national-park
Embellished with the backdrop of Vindhya Hills, the Bandhavgarh National Park is a home to one of the richest biodiversities. If you are in India just to get a glimpse of the royal cats, the Bandhavgarh National Park is the best wildlife safari destination for you. This park has been blessed with a considerable tiger populace and thus, you get ample opportunities to watch them prowling. Though there are various fauna species that entice the wildlife enthusiasts, but tigers are the kings and they are the centre d’attraction.

The best zone and season for sighting tigers in Bandhavgarh

The Bandhavgarh National Park has three prominent zones – Tala, Magdi and Bamera. It is the Tala zone that fetches maximum tourism, as it is the best zone to treat your eyes with the vista of the magnificent cats.
Best time: The gates are open from Mid October to June, but those who just want to visit for capturing the grandeur of the tigers must step in between March to May.

Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

ranthambore-national-park
The land of Rajasthan is royal, and the big cats that are dwelling in this land are also royal – The Royal Bengal Tigers. Sashaying all around the Ranthambore National Park, the Bengal Tigers never miss a chance to dare the tourists to face them. Though Rajasthan is a deserted land, but for the furious beasts it is their abode and they are all happily prancing in here. An evidence of the same is a news headline that conveys a message ‘Two cubs sighted in Ranthambore and thus, happiness is poured on this New Year 2014’. Isn’t it a great news for the tiger lovers!!!

The best zone and time for watching tigers in the Ranthambore National Park

This park covers an area of 1,334 square kilometers; thus, is considered as one of the largest national parks and adds considerably to tiger tourism in India. Owing to its large size, the park has been divided into 8 zones that are recognized by numbers (Zone 1 to Zone 8). Though the tigers can be seen frisking around in almost every part of Ranthambore, Zone 1 to 6 are said to provide more opportunities to catch a glimpse of the big cats.
Best Time: The tourists can visit the park anytime between October to June end; however, it is in March – May when you can easily sight the tigers.

Bandipur National Park, Karnataka

bandipur-national-park
Considered as a hunting ground for the royalties in the yesteryears, Bandipur region today is one of the best protected areas for the Royal Bengal Tigers. This park stood among the first nine tiger reserves declared under the Project Tiger in 1973. Along with the furious predators, the park provides a habitat to various other fauna species like elephants, leopards, sambar, gaur, so on and so forth. However, as the king remains the supreme no matter how many competitors it has, a tiger remains the main attraction irrespective of how many wild beings reside in his territory.

The best zone and season for watching tigers in Bandipur National Park

The Bandipur National Park is not divided into any particular zone, you can enjoy tiger safari in every nook and corner of the place.

Best Time: The park remains open all year round, and the best time to catch the glimpse of the majestic cats is October to June.

Call them furious, dangerous or anything else, you can’t deny the fact that they are extremely beautiful. Their grandeur is something that entices you to meet them, irrespective of the fact that their roar gives you goose bumps. So come and get amazed by a mere sight of these beautifully dangerous beasts of the woods.

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