Wildlife Safari Experience in India: A Beginners' Guide

There is a high chance that you have already tried trekking and rafting or at least one of them. But, have you ever been on a wildlife safari? Being an adventure activity like no other, a wildlife safari promises adrenaline-packed adventure. It is a trip where you go through the wilderness and see animals living in their natural habitats. One can opt for a jeep safari, elephant safari, canter safari, or any other kind of safari for that purpose.

India has long been home to various national parks and sanctuaries which provide an ideal habitat to animals. Touring these very places makes for a thrilling, fun-filled, and exhilarating experience altogether. A wildlife safari in India helps you explore unspoilt, calm environs and offers the perfect chance to see the rich flora and fauna of a place.

As a beginner, it is important to know the dos and don’ts of going on a wildlife safari experience in India. At the same time, you must have a ready-list of the places that offer the best wildlife safaris in India. Here is a beginner’s guide for wildlife safari experiences in India that takes care of all of these questions:

1. Jim Corbett National Park

Perched amidst the foothills of Himalayas, Jim Corbett National Park offers the chance to go on one of the best jungle safaris in India. Home to diverse flora and fauna, the park also comprises of streams, lakes, grasslands, marshy depressions, and hills. Being a paradise for photographers, nature lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts alike, the park is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, a critically endangered species. The list of things to do in Jim Corbett includes an adrenaline-pumping safari where you gaze at animals going about their usual routines amidst peaceful environs. One can go on a canter safari, elephant safari, or jeep safari to explore the beauty of the park.

Along with the royal Bengal tiger, you can spot elephants, golden jackal, spotted deer, and many more species in the park for an enthralling experience in the wilderness.

2. Bandhavgarh National Park

Welcome to the tiger’s den as Bandhavgarh National Park takes you through an enchanting wildlife safari experience. Situated in the Vindhya Hills of Umaria district (Madhya Pradesh), the national park offers a chance to spot a Bengal tiger and a thrilling opportunity as far as a jungle safari in India is concerned. Famous as a tiger reserve, it also houses species such as deer, elephants, reptiles, and a huge number of birds. The national park offers the perfect set-up to gaze at the rich wildlife and admire the picture-perfect natural environs on an adventurous jeep safari.

Since it is one of the best places for wildlife safaris in India, there are many safari tours in India that take you here.

3. Ranthambore National Park

Credited for the best jungle safaris in India, Ranthambore National Park presents a whirlwind of adventure in the wilderness. The thrill of sighting a tiger is beyond amazing and Ranthambore National Park offers many such opportunities to spot this majestic creature. In fact, such is the pull of this place among wildlife safari tours in India that there are dedicated tour packages for it. When you head out on a safari here, you can hear your heart thump when you spot a tiger, hyena, Indian fox, jackals, leopards, and various other species.

The park can be explored through a canter or jeep safari. Bird watchers are also welcome in the park as you they get to see ibis, pelicans, egrets, parakeets, and flamingos.

4. Sunderbans

Situated in West Bengal, the Sunderban National Park is a tiger reserve home to royal Bengal tigers. Housing gorgeous estuaries and roaring rivers, the park is undeniably one of the best wildlife safaris in India. The only way to explore this massive national park is through a boat safari which, in a way, adds to the thrill.

When you begin your journey on a safari in the national park, thrill and adventure seem to take over when you get a chance to spot Bengal tigers along with various birds and reptiles here. The national park is also home to mangrove forests and offers jaw-dropping views of nature that let you unwind and relax.

5. Gir National Park

Home of the Asiatic lions, the Gir National Park is an exhilarating wildlife experience for those who visit here. One of the best forest safaris in India, Gir provides the perfect opportunity to spot the king of the jungle and a variety of fauna. Other species that you get to see here include Indian leopards, jungle cats, sloth bears, crocodiles, snakes, monitor lizards, and striped hyenas. Tourists can go on minibus safaris to discover the wildlife here. It is with good reason that many wildlife tour packages in India include a trip to this fascinating national park.

6. Kaziranga National Park

You simply don’t talk about wildlife safaris in India and not mention Kaziranga National Park. Located in Assam, the park offers the chance to spot one-horned rhinos. The park is almost entirely covered by rich vegetation. Huge tropical broadleaf forests, marshlands, and tall elephant grass are a common sight in the park. As you set out on your wildlife safari, you also get the opportunity to spot wild water buffalo, royal Bengal tigers, leopards, and Asiatic elephants apart from the one-horned rhino here.

Enjoyed best on a jeep safari or an elephant safari, Kaziranga National Park is the best place for jungle safari in India. The calm environs and the diverse flora and fauna here catch your attention like no place else. All said and done, it is the kind of rejuvenation you look forward to on a holiday.

7. Things to keep in mind for the ultimate wildlife safari

Here is a list of dos and don’ts that you must keep in mind while heading out to the best wildlife safaris in India: -

 Dos

• Plan a safari in India in the dry season because there are high chances of landslides occurring during rainy weather. Many wildlife reserves do not even open for tourists during the monsoon season.
• If you wish to take photographs during your safari, check the equipment you are allowed to take with you.
• As the weather can fluctuate in a forest area, do keep an additional pair of clothes along with you.

Don’ts

• When you are around wild animals, make a conscious effort to not make any noise.
• Refrain from feeding or offering eatables to the animals unless the safari guide allows it.
• Do not litter in the jungle when you go on a safari anywhere in India.
• Do not smoke in the jungle as even the slightest fire can lead to a major accident, causing harm to both the animals and the environment.

The best wildlife safaris in India take you through calm natural surroundings and leave you fascinated by what you get to see. For that reason, wildlife safaris in India are indeed the perfect place to get up and close with nature and have an enchanting experience altogether!