When planning your visit to India to see tigers, the question of the best time to see tigers in India is undoubtedly crucial. This blog aims to assist you in making an informed decision to maximize your chances of spotting these majestic creatures during your safari.
Seeing the Royal Bengal Tiger free in the wild is an out-of-this-world experience. When you embark on a tiger safari and come face to face with one of these majestic creatures, you forget about the world around you at that moment. It is only the tiger that occupies your mind. Your heartbeat will quicken, and seconds will seem like minutes. You should not miss out on this thrilling wildlife experience during your visit to India.
Depending on how much holiday time you have, traveling to two or more parks is idyllic. This will improve your opportunities of seeing tigers and will give you an excellent combination of wildlife and diverse tiger habitats.
In terms of the best place to see tigers in India, every other person, travel company, or photographer will have his own opinion. Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore, Kanha and Tadoba National Parks are fantastic tiger spots. Similarly, Satpura, Pench, Corbett and Kaziranga also offer good tiger densities along with much more diverse activities like Canoe Safari, Cycling, Walking Safari with mobile camping and Night Safari.
The experience of sighting a Tiger in the wild can be diverse depending on the month of your travel. Some months are dry aiding better visibility; while some months have misty mornings. It is a surreal sight to behold a big cat emerging out of the thickets.
Tiger Sightings In Winter
October to December – The parks in central and western India open in October once the rainy season is over. The vegetation is thick, so you cannot see very deep in the forest. In these months, it is better to go to drier landscapes like Pench, Ranthambhore and Tadoba. The forest undergrowth starts to dry out here faster and you have good visibility inside the forest. Unlike Africa, in India, the safari vehicle is not allowed to go off-road in the bush and parks have stringent rules so that you do not disturb the wildlife. Tiger sightings are a little slow in early October due to dense undergrowth, but central Indian jungles start drying up very soon. Sightings start picking up towards the end of October. Though the sightings are not in great numbers; it is a pleasure to see a Tiger in a lush green forest backdrop.
January to March – January is cold and sightings can be slow. But the best tiger shots have come out of January when a big cat emerges from the morning overcast and there is a bit of dew on the grass underneath. As the ground is wet due in the cold months, it is relatively easier to track tiger pugmarks. February onwards, most parks are at equal footing for tiger sightings. In Corbett and Nagarhole, the water begins to recede in the dammed river that flows through the tiger reserve, creating fresh grasslands where wildlife congregates. Around March, most water sources in dryer landscapes like Ranthambhore, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Tadoba dry out and there are limited sources of water. This condition increases the chances of seeing tigers in these parks as prey and predators all need to visit the water sources in dry season.
Tiger Sightings in Summer
April to June – The months of April, May and June have warm weather and you often get to see tigers cooling off in the water sources. Though the landscape is dry, wildlife sighting is exceptional if you are willing to bear the heat. Most wildlife photographers and filmmakers come during this time to the parks. The parks are also not so busy in these months.
Monsoon rains start in July and the tiger reserves are closed till September. Some tiger reserves do allow safari in buffer areas, but sighting a tiger is difficult as the forest is very green and the weather is very humid.
Conclusion
Determining the best time to see tigers in India is a pivotal aspect of planning a memorable safari experience. Witnessing the Royal Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat is an awe-inspiring encounter that captivates the senses. While opinions on the best tiger-spotting locations may vary, parks like Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore, Kanha, and Tadoba consistently offer fantastic opportunities
