Lions, Tigers & Birding Adventures Across India
We started our Wild India Tour with our guide Rajveer Singh in Delhi, and took a downtown walking and tuk-tuk tour there. The market was bustling. It had beautiful displays of food and flowers and rhesus macaques were frolicking in the trees and on the wires.
Our first National Park was the Gir Forest. We had wonderful safaris there. We had great views of Asiatic lions, Indian Scops Owl, spotted deer, Sambar deer, jungle cat, langur monkeys and many species of birds. One of the highlights was watching the Indian chameleon climbing a tree. We were thrilled when a lioness walked down the road towards us and walked right by our jeep! We saw a male and female lick each other in greeting. How lucky was that!
Our next stop was the Blackbuck National Park, a wide-open land with salt pans and water. We saw jungle cat, hyenas, blackbucks, wolves, and a very camouflaged Sykes Nightjar. The abundance of Steppe Eagle and three species of Harriers was impressive.
We flew to Jaipur, the Pink City, and toured a Mogul Palace and visited a textile workshop. We had an excellent guide for the Palace and learned the history of the city. Of course, we purchased a gorgeous silk rug for our house.
On to Ranthambore and the tigers! We went on 6 safaris, 3 of which, compliments to Rajveer our tour leader, were in the best zones for tiger viewing. We were rewarded with outstanding tiger sightings. We even watched a mother tiger hunt with her 3-year-old male cub. We had excellent views of a brown fish owl, and even got to see 2 sloth bears foraging for ants. On safari, in other zones of the park, we saw the Indian Gazelle and Nil Gai.
Our last park was Keoladeo National Park. It was a wonderous wetland area full of nesting painted storks. We were very lucky to see 2 Saurus cranes and a dusky eagle owl nest with owlets and both parents. There was a tree full of fruit bats and an Indian python just sitting on top of a bush! The white throated kingfisher was evident along with a female Indian spot billed duck with her ducklings chasing her in the water.
We added a wonderful boat trip on the Chambal River where we saw the Gharial, a fabulous and highly endangered crocodilian, a dream come true owing to its rarity. Indian Skimmers and Egyptian Vultures near the river were also a treat to see, along with the tent turtles basking in the sun.
We finished our Wild India Tour in Agra, staying at a deluxe hotel to visit the Taj Mahal and a marble workshop where descendants of the artisans who worked on the Taj Mahal still make beautiful inlayed marble tables. We got a great history lesson about the building of the Taj Mahal from our guide. Admiring the gorgeous Taj Mahal was a fitting end to our wonderful visit to India.
Toni and Bill
California