Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Ranthambore National Park is one of the finest wildlife parks to see Royal Bengal Tigers in northern India. The park combines dry deciduous forest with historic ruins, including the Ranthambore Fort. Leopards, sloth bears and crocodiles are also found here. Ranthambhore used to be the royal hunting ground of the maharajas of Jaipur, but today it is among the most favourable spots in India to view the Royal Bengal tiger. The park's scenery is dramatic, with old banyan trees draped in vines, lakes that reflect the crumbling temples, and the towering Ranthambore Fort that stands above the trees in the jungle.

Ranthambore’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

The Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort, Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan)

Aman-i-Khas, Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan) Sawai Shivir by TUTC, Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan) Sujan Sher Bagh, Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan) Six Senses Fort Barwara, near Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan)

Kaziranga National Park,
Assam

The largest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Kaziranga is in the far northeast of India. The park is home to elephants, wild buffalo and exotic birds that are found in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River. There is jeep and elephant safaris. Ride an elephant-back safari or on a jeep ride through the grasslands as the sun rises and you can see rhinos come out to graze in the fog.

Kaziranga Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Diplu River Lodge, Kaziranga National Park

Niltava, Kaziranga National Park

Bandhavgarh National Park,
Madhya Pradesh

Here is the true-life Jungle Book country, the thick sal forests which gave Kipling his stories. Bandhavgarh has a reputation of having high population of Royal Bengal Tigers. Morning safaris are filled with life as a forest with spotted deer crossing streams, a langur cawing on the trees, and at times, the familiar sound of rustling, which means a tiger is coming.

Bandhavgarh’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

The Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort- Bandhavgarh National Park

Mahua Kothi, a Taj Safari - Bandhavgarh National Park Samode Safari Lodge- Bandhavgarh National Park Kings Lodge- Bandhavgarh National Park

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Kanha is large as well as exquisitely beautiful, a mural of meadows, woods and bamboo groves. Landscapes are made up of sal forests and expansive grasslands that are perfect in safari. It is the habitat of the threatened Barisingha (Swamp Deer), and a conservation success story in India.It is morning and your jeep is driving through the forests of Kanha, round each corner you see something new of nature. Be alert to find a tiger lying on the Banjar River, or a pack of wild dogs prowling about. The Kanha Museum of Life and Art within the park is also an interesting place to visit as it exhibits the local Gond tribe art inspired by the forest.

Kanha’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Banjaar Tola- A Taj Safari- Kanha National Park

Kanha Earth Lodge- Kanha National Park

Gir Forest National Park,
Gujarat

The only place where the Asiatic lion, a close relative of the African species, exists in India is Gir. When one walks in its dry deciduous forest, he is transported to a different time where the voice of the lion can still be heard in the land. Go on a morning safari with a professional guide, where the air is fresh and the woods are silent, and the air is full of anticipation. You may see a lion taking its rest in the shade, or a leopard gracefully passing across your path. Stop by the local Crocodile Breeding Centre to see another of Gir’s success stories of conservation.

Kanha’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Gir Serai- IHCL SeleQtions- Gir National Park

The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary- Gir National Park

Aramness Safari Lodge- Gir National Park

Woods At Sasan- Gir National Park

Periyar National Park,
Kerala

Periyar, in the centre of the Western Ghats, is a serene reserve, with a dazzling lake where elephants and gaurs, as well as deer, come to drink.

A boat safari on Periyar Lake, where herds of elephants will congregate on shore at dusk. To be more immersive, you can go on a guided nature walk of the dense cardamom forests, where the air is fragrant and filled with the sounds of birds. Spend nights in a jungle lodge on the water, calm, green and restful.

Best places to stay in Periyar

Spice Village – CGH EARTH- Periyar

Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady

Blanket Days Resort and Spa Thekkady

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

Corbett, the birthplace of Project Tiger, is the first national park of India, and the place where the conservation story of India started. It is a home of un-tamed wilderness named after the renowned British-Indian hunter-turned conservationist.

Jeep safaris across the Dhikala Zone are thrilling experiences, elephants passing by, crocodiles sun bathing on the river banks and perhaps a glimpse of orange in the deep woods. Spend a night in a forest rest house to have a real old-world safari, and the jungle will hum with a canopy of stars.

Corbett’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Jim’s Jungle Retreat- Corbett National Park

Taj Corbett Resort & Spa - Corbett National Park

Sundarbans National Park,
West Bengal

The Sundarbans is a maze of waterways and mangrove forests that lie at the mouth of the Ganges Delta and is the habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Take a boat safari through narrow creeks where kingfishers flash jewel-like, saltwater crocodiles glide silently under the surface. It is not just the excitement of catching sight of the tiger, a king of disguise in these mangroves, but also the experience of the rhythm of one of the most complicated ecosystems in the world.

Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra

Pench, the forest which inspired The Jungle Book itself, is where Mowgli started his adventures. It is the home of tigers, leopards, jackals and deer, the same characters that were brought to eternity by Kipling in his lush forests and open meadows.

As your jeep cuts through the spotted shade of the teak forests of Pench, you can certainly think of Bagheera sneaking through the darkness or Baloo singing in your ear. The serene environment and excellent biodiversity in the park makes it one of the most rewarding and atmospheric safaris in India.

Pench’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Baghvan, A Taj Safari- Pench National Park

Pench Jungle Camp- Pench National Park

Jamtara Wilderness Camp

Nagarhole National Park,
Karnataka

Nagarhole, a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is an oasis of lush tropical forests and meandering rivers and hills covered with mist. The park also contains tigers, elephants, leopards and a variety of birds, making it a great place to visit by both wildlife lovers and photographers.

Early morning or late afternoon safari drives to watch the elephants drinking and bathing in the Kabini river, and spotted deer in sun-dappled meadows bordered by forested slopes. The rustling of the leaves, the here and there trumpeting of the elephants, and the calls of the birds in the distance make up a symphony that surrounds you with the wild world. You can spend your days in one of the beautiful lodges on the riverbank jungle, where you can listen to the call of langurs and kingfishers, and your nights at a starlit sky reflected in the still waters, a complete immersion in the wild beauty of India.

Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges near Nagarhole

Evolve Back, Kabini

The Serai Kabini

Waterwoods Lodge, Kabini

KAAV Safari Lodge, Kabini

Tadoba National Park,
Maharashtra

Tadoba, the oldest and wildest tiger reserve in India, is often referred to as the Jewel of Vidarbha, a landscape where thick stands of teak forest meet sunlit meadows, and silence creeps into an almost religious silence. These lands are dominated by tigers but they share with leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs and a staggering number of birds.

Early morning safari at the time of silver light over the forest. When the mist is drifting off Tadoba Lake, you can hear the alarm calls of the langurs, an indication of a tiger approaching. You might find one of them trotting along a dusty path, or lying down in a thicket of bamboo. And, don’t miss the evening drive, when the wood is amber and the animals come out once more.

Tadoba’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Svasara Jungle Lodge- Tadoba National Park

Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge- Tadoba National Park

Satpura National Park,
Madhya Pradesh

The nearest wilderness is Satpura, India, a relaxed scenery of sandstone cliffs, deep gorges, silent coves and sal forests that appear to tell ancient myths. Satpura is a reserve in which exploration is promoted through jeep, boat and foot, which, unlike most reserves, provides a traveller with an unprecedented understanding of the forest.

Go on a walking safari with naturalists who are familiar with the jungle as if it were their home. Listen to the plod of a sambhar running off, see giant squirrels jumping on the high trees, and experience the excitement of following new pugmarks on the banks of the rivers. Sail later on a boat safari on the Denwa River as the sun goes down over the Satpura ranges.

Satpura’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Reni Pani Jungle Lodge- Satpura National Park

Pugdundee Safari- Denwa Backwater Escape- Satpura National Park

Forsyth Lodge- Satpura National Park

Manas National Park,
Assam

Manas, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a horse-play along the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, a patchwork of grasslands, semi-evergreen forests and riparian tracts. The park is home to some of the rarest wild animals in the world such as the golden langur, pygmy hog, and the wild water buffalo.

Take a morning ride on an elephant through high golden grasses in the morning sun. Spot hornbills flying among the trees and herds of barasingha browsing serenely. And as you move deeper into the park, the banks of the river provide an opportunity to view wild buffalo taking a break in the emerald water, with the Himalayas faintly jutting in the background.

Bandipur National Park,
Karnataka

Bandipur is a fertile tapestry of teak forests, hills, and meadows with elephants, a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It was formerly a personal hunting ground of the Mysore royalties, but now houses one of the largest herds of wild elephants in India.

Morning in the jungle, at the time of daybreak, when Bandipur is most magical. The mists give rise to herds of elephants that softly lead their calves through the grasslands. Be attentive to the flash of tiger stripes amid the bamboo groves or the graceful walk of a leopard over the outcrops of the rocky areas. Crested serpent eagles can be seen by bird lovers flying around.

Bandipur’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

The Serai- Bandipur National Park

The Windflower Jungle Resort & Spa

Dudhwa National Park,
Uttar Pradesh

Dudhwa borders on the India-Nepal frontier, a serene, less well-known heaven of green sal- forests, tall grasslands and glittering swamps. One of the few remaining strongholds of the mighty one-horned rhinoceros of northern India, and a refuge of the endangered swamp deer, it is.

Take a sunrise safari in grasslands that are so high that they rippled like waves. Be on the lookout of slowly grazing rhinos, their huge bodies shinning in the gentle light. When luck is on your side you might glimpse the very rare Hispid hare or you can hear the low, melodious cry of a barasingha stag in the distance. Take a memorable boat ride to the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and see gharials.

Dudhwa’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Jaagir Manor, Dudhwa

Panna National Park,
Madhya Pradesh

Since it was emptied through poaching, Panna is one of the greatest conservation success stories in India today. Stretching along the Ken River, the park is a picturesque plateau landscape of falls, gorges, teak forests and is currently flourishing again with tigers, leopards, wolves and gharials.

Take a boat trip along the Ken at daybreak, when the crocodiles lie in the sun on the sunlit rocks, and the kingfisher flies through the air like a blue lightning bolt. Next take an adventure in a jeep through the heart of the forest, where you might see a tiger napping in the sunshine, a pack of wild dogs at work in a perfect rhythm, or a circle of vultures circling on the cliffs at Raneh Canyon.

Panna’s Most Luxurious Wildlife Resorts & Lodges

Pashan Garh, Taj Safari- Panna National Park

Ken River Lodge- Panna National Park

Frequently asked questions

Wildlife tours in India.

1.   Best time to visit India to go on a wildlife safari?

The ideal period to visit India on a wildlife safari is from October to May. February to May is the dry season and is especially perfect, as the vegetation is thinned out, and water is in short supply; this will cause the animals, such as tigers, to come out into the open where they will be seen much more often.

2.   What national parks would be most successful in seeing the Royal Bengal Tiger?

There are more than 50 tiger reserves in India. Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore, Kanha, Tadoba and Pench are the most renowned when it comes to tiger sightings. Bandhavgarh has always registered some of the highest tiger densities in the world, making it an excellent option for first-time visitors wishing to have that characteristic tiger experience.

3.   What types of wildlife safari experiences do you offer?

We have a variety of experience activities that suit all types of travellers; be it classic jeep safaris and elephant-back safaris to specialised wildlife photography tours, birdwatching tours and walking safaris in select reserves. We also design multi-destination tours that combine multiple parks to have a complete wildlife experience in India.

4.   Can we take pictures of wildlife within the national parks?

Yes, photography is allowed in all national parks. Our wildlife tours are guided by renowned naturalists who understand the favourable light, place and animal behavioural patterns to enable you to achieve great shots.

5.   Can your wildlife tours be done with family and children?

Absolutely. One of the most fulfilling and unforgettable experiences children could have is a wildlife safari, and a lifelong interest in nature and conservation is aroused. Our packages on wildlife are designed to be family-friendly and have comfortable accommodation with briefing and safari schedules that are age-friendly to younger travellers.

6.   Is there any local guide who will accompany us during the jungle safari?

Yes, you will be accompanied by an experienced and licensed guide during all the jungle safaris.

7.   How many hours do we spend on each safari, and what is the number of safaris that I can take in a day?

The national parks will allow two safaris a day, one in the morning and one in the evening, and each one will be 3-4 hours long.

9.   Will there be other travellers in our jeep during the safari?

You have the option to take a shared or an exclusive jeep. While the exclusive jeep will be only for you, in the shared jeep there will be a few more travellers.

10.   How can I reserve a wildlife tour, and how many days in advance should I book in advance?

You can reach us through our website, email or telephone. One should book the Wildlife tour in India at least 6 months in advance because of the high demand for safari permits, particularly in the popular parks such as Bandhavgarh and Ranthambore.