• Very high densities of tigers for virtually guaranteed encounters, one of the best parks in India to see & photograph Wild Bengal Tigers.

• Safaris/game drives in a 4×4 open private vehicle (Maruti Suzuki Gypsy)

• No route or zone restrictions, this means ultimate freedom & flexibility in tracking wildlife

• More time in the park simply means more time to track tigers and other wildlife

• Better sighting opportunities - With additional time & zone free access, more sighting opportunity as compared to a regular safari.

• Max 3 guests per vehicle for comfortable watching & photography

• The chance to photograph majestic Tigers in the wild, multiple times

• Accompanied by the most passionate and experienced forest guides and drivers who know Bandhavgarh like the back of their hands

• Less Travel, so maximum time spent in the forest

• Best Recommended Tour for nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts & photographers of any skill level. This safari is designed to give you the best possible opportunity to see & experience India’s tigers & other wildlife.

• Stay in boutique wildlife resort / lodge with all meals included.

• Photography assistance both on and off the field

• This Safari begins and ends in New Delhi, India

To see a Tiger in the wild for the very first time, is like something you’ll never forget. It’s better than what you can imagine. To experience these astonishing creatures first hand, finding words to describe that feeling is hard, it simply takes your breath away. It will be an experience that you will cherish always. Listening out for the distress calls of Chital, Sambar and langurs, there is nothing to compare with the excitement of looking for and trying to predict where the tiger would appear, and then finding a tiger in the wild, what an incredible thrill that is. Seeing these apex predators in their natural habitat is simply beyond compare. But sighting one of these beautiful striped cats requires a real play of strategy and teamwork between drivers, naturalists and guides in order to attempt outsmarting this shy and elusive stripy predator. Come with me and discover the crown jewel of India’s natural heritage - the magnificent royal Bengal tiger!

Bandhavgarh National Park, the place with the highest density of tigers on earth, is situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The park has wonderfully varied landscape from its open meadows, tall exposed mountain sides with steep rocky hills and secluded lakes to the densely wooded Saal and bamboo forest. The combination of thick jungle and open grass plains give a diverse game viewing experience. Experiencing tigers in the wilds of India is probably one of the most amazing experience you will ever have. Over 60 individuals roam freely in this 105 square km forest so our chances of encountering them are very good. There are also at least 150 species of birds in the park, along with other wildlife such as - leopards, jungle cats, sloth bears, langur monkeys, macaques, wild dogs, warthogs, mongoose, 3 kinds of deer – chital, sambar and muntjac also known as the barking deer.

Bandhavgarh is peppered with little hillocks, the most prominent of which is 800 metres high and dominated by the ancient Bandhavgarh Fort. Thought to be over 2000 years old, there are no records remaining apart from the references found in ancient literature. This is the oldest fort in India, its monuments discovered in the jungle and natural ramparts provides incredible viewpoints.

Safari Zones: Bandhavgarh is divided into 3 zones – Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli. All zones have good number of tigers.

FULL DAY SAFARIS

There are 2 kind of safaris in Bandhavgarh - Regular AM PM Safaris and Full Day safaris. Regular safari is 3 hours each. In a regular safari we will have to go to one of the allotted zones, and Vehicles and guides are allocated on roster system (turns of duty).

Full Day Safari is from Sunrise to Sunset. A maximum of 5 vehicles are permitted to stay inside the forest from sunrise to sunset & are provided zone free access across entire park, allowing us to choose the region of the park we would like to be in at any given time. I strongly recommend doing full day safaris to have zone free access to all the areas of the park. Its expensive but well worth it, in my honest opinion.

The benefits of the full day tour are that it allow us to stay in the park all day and be completely free to move from zone to zone to zone where you are most likely to see Tigers in their natural habitat and with no time limit. It's a great way of really feeling part of the forest. It's also the only way to be sure of getting great tiger images as a lot of encounters happen when ordinary tourists have to leave the park.

Full day safari permit allows us to choose specific drivers that are the best for photography and know how and where to place the vehicle. Other visitors are assigned a driver at random, and getting an inexperienced driver can be a disaster. Plus in a regular safari, visitors are assigned a certain zone by lottery, which may or may not be a good area for sightings on a particular day. Its a shame to see other vehicles having to stop at zone boundaries when there is a tiger sighting perhaps only a few hundred yards away but in a different zone. Full day permit gives us the freedom to go to whatever area on any route we choose so that we can target the areas with the best recent sightings. By being able to place ourselves in the best areas for recent tiger activity, and staying there longer, we will maximize our chances of good tiger encounters.

Often times in a regular safari, guests fail to see a tiger which is very disappointing indeed but not altogether surprising as there are limited tigers in each zone (being solitary in nature) and they are shy and elusive and not all of them are moving at the same time. So a bumpy and dusty ride in each of the 3 hour long regular safari trips is sometimes all for nothing. We know a sighting in the wild is never guaranteed, but it helps if you can go to a zone which really does have a tiger movement.

This Tour is a dream come true for any wildlife photography enthusiast just itching to create that perfect shot of the magnificent tiger in its natural habitat and experience the wild like never before! On this Tour, you will behold, observe and make images of this astonishing animal.

As a photographer myself, I totally understand the need of other photographers. I work closely with the clients to ensure they return home with a portfolio of images that they would be proud to show to their friends, family and colleagues. As a Skipper and Naturalist, I will be guiding in all aspects of photography, natural history, animal behaviour and more. I can also help them with light, composition and different ways of viewing a scene to expand their creativity. Off the field I can help them with post processing their images, so they have a “Wow!” factor. I will also help the clients to prepare for their journey with advice on what gear to bring and what to expect during their travels.

Tiger photography is not an easy thing to do. Unlike, for example, Lions in Africa, Tigers in India are rare and far more secretive. Plus there is a world of difference from a tiger sighting and a good tiger photo-op. I lead from the front and make the decisions about where we go, I have over 500 tiger safaris now under my belt so know the park inside out and so am able to make sensible decisions to ensure that you have the best chance of being in the right place at the right time!

Photographers of all levels are welcome, from beginners to professionals, from iPhone and Smart Phone users to bridge and mirrorless photography enthusiasts to experienced professionals carrying large amounts of photographic equipment.

Photographic Equipment

The most used focal lengths with a full-frame DSLR or mirrorless cameras are usually between 100-400mm.

Bandhavgarh is also full of magnificent panoramic views and a wide-angle in the 24-70mm range is ideal.

Tripod is not required on this tour as there will be no space to mount it on the safari vehicle. Most of the time you will be hand-holding whatever kit you have as the action is very fast paced, beanbags will be supplied and you can also use the vehicle support.

If you have questions about what equipment you ought to bring, please feel free to contact me.

Climate:

Autumn (Oct and Nov)

October: 18 to 36 deg Celsius

November: 12 to 30 deg Celcius

Winter (Dec to Jan)

December: 10 to 24 deg Celsius

January: 7 to 19 deg Celsius

Spring (Feb and March)

February: 11 to 22 deg Celsius

March: 16 to 32 deg Celsius

Summer (April, May, June)

April: 22 to 39 deg Celsius

May: 29 to 45 deg Celsius

June: 27 to 42 deg Celsius

All seasons are beautiful in the park. After the revitalizing force of the monsoon, the reserve is lush green and the water is abundant when the park re-opens in October.

Then in December winter kicks in and the temperature starts to drop dramatically. This is a good time to see the tigers in their glorious orange winter coat, in the misty mornings over a frosty ground. In winter, tigers usually prefer to walk on the forest tracks than on the wet grass (because of dew drops). Also they are much more active in winter and walk several kilometres when they are on their territorial walks.

Summer season from March to June gets very hot. It’s the best time to see cats and other animals coming down to the waterholes to drink water and to cool down. The number of sightings are at their best although the heat reduces the chances of seeing the animals in action.