Every Hero’s Journey starts with a call to adventure into the unknown which is a lot of the time, in a lot of stories, an impassable, frightening, and dangerous forest. Wildlife encounters are known to awake the primordial being in people, for learning to control it is a real challenge that is holding them back from achieving their true potential – it’s all a part of the conflict of growing up. Start your self-searching journey with a trip to these 7 best safaris in India which are handpicked by/for animal lovers.
Kaziranga National Park, Assam
Declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Kaziranga National Park is home to the largest population of the critically endangered one-horned Rhinos or Indian Rhinoceros in the world. Due to its remote location in the northeast India, the national park has a thriving wildlife including panthers, tigers, elephants, bears, swamp deer, wild buffalos, and many more. Spread across an area of 430 square km, the park offers 4 safari ranges and 2 travel options. Visitors can take a safari ride on an elephant making it the best option for exploring the park. Book flights to Guwahati right away and travel to one of the best national parks in the world for a thrilling experience at Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan
One of the most popular safaris in India for wildlife photography, the Ranthambore National Park is the place to go to see a huge population of Bengal Tigers living in its natural habitat. It was also home to the world’s oldest wild tigress, Machali who lived here until her death. The best time to visit this national park, if you want to spot tigers, is during November and May. This wildlife sanctuary is inhabited by a wide range of animal species including Indian leopard, sambar, wild boar, sloth bears, nilgai and mugger crocodiles to name a few.
Sasan Gir National Park, Gujarat
The only place in the world to see to Asiatic lions is the Sasan Gir National Park with 650 lions. This wildlife sanctuary was established to save the majestic Asiatic lions from extinction brought on by the trophy-hunting British colonists. Sasan Gir has become the centerpiece of Gujarat tourism because of its successful conservation program that drastically increased the lion population from a dozen few to 650. A total of 375 animal and bird species inhabit the Sasan Gir National Park including Indian leopards, golden jackal (Indian fox), Indian gray mongoose, chital, nilgai, Indian gazelle, four-horned antelope, mugger crocodile, Indian cobra, striped hyena, tortoise, and various species of vultures and eagles.
Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
The first initiative of Project Tiger launched under Indira Gandhi Government, Jim Corbett National Park was established in 1936 for protecting the endangered Bengal Tiger under a different name. It was changed to its current name to honor Jim Corbett, the British naturalist who helped create it. Its thick forests are home to an extensive range of fauna including leopards, fishing cat, leopard cat, barking deer, sambar deep, chital, sloth, Himalayan black bears, otters, thick-tailed Indian pangolin, as well as to more than 586 bird species, and 33 reptile species. It is not only a popular destination for ecotourism but also offers one of the best safaris in India.
Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sundarbans National Park is well-known for its huge population of Bengal Tigers. The Sundarbans area consisting of 54 islands and a total area of 4624 sq. km inhabits a wide variety of birds, prey animals, small and big cats, as well as reptiles. The best time to visit this national park and wildlife sanctuary located in West Bengal is between the months of October and April. One of the best safaris in India for wildlife lovers, its main highlight is a rare opportunity to see royal Bengal tigers swimming in the water.
Hemis National Park, Ladakh
Hemis National Park is the largest national park in India located at a high altitude north of Himalayas which is famous for preserving the endangered snow leopards. Apart from being home to 200 snow leopards, it is the only place in India where you can spot Shapu, a.k.a. Ladakhi Urial. The high altitude Himalayan national park is a home to 16 mammal species and 73 bird species including the golden eagle, lammergeyer vulture, and Himalayan griffon vulture. With Indian Eagle, you can easily book cheap business class flights to Delhi. From Delhi, take a road trip to ladakh as it is one of the beautiful roads to travel through snowy landscapes and majestic mountains.
Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Famous worldwide as the Mowgli Land, Kanha National Park inspired Rudyard Kipling to write his most famous work, the Jungle Book. It depicts the forests of Kanha and the wild beasts that dwell in it – the royal Bengal tigers, black panthers, pythons, elephants and sloth bears. As one of the best wildlife safaris in India for nature lovers, the national park is home to 125 Bengal Tigers, as well as various Indian leopards and a huge variety of fauna and flora species.
