The heart-stopping experience of tracking tigers in Rajasthan
Advertisement
CNA Lifestyle
The center-stopping feel of tracking tigers in Rajasthan
You don't have to get all the style to Due south Africa for an authentic safari experience. CNA Lifestyle explores the wonders of Ranthambore National Park.
Arrowhead, ane of the 70 tigers roaming complimentary in Ranthambore National Park. (Photo: Ana Ismail)
30 Jul 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 11 Jul 2022 10:43AM)
I have never been a peculiarly huge fan of jungles, but the feeling of being within clawing space of a Bengal tiger was a middle-stopping experience. Standing shut enough to admire the sinewy muscles under the striped orange skin of the purple beast, a calm took over, even as its bister coloured optics bore straight through me.
Information technology was Day 1 of my curt three-day Rajasthan safari experience, with husband and two kids in tow, comfortably ensconced in the open-summit Maruti Jeep manoeuvred by our trusty driver Mr Mohan and RK, my triple A-rated naturalist guide who was born and bred in these very parts.
The spouse had originally been unenthusiastic about our India jaunt, fifty-fifty to encounter tigers in the wild. His thought of a holiday? Articulate beaches and an air-conditioned resort. But judging by how intently he focused his camera lens on Arrowhead, one of the lxx tigers roaming free in the sanctuary, for three solid hours, it's safe to say he has changed his mind somewhat.
Iii NIGHTS BEFORE
We started our journey in Jaipur, a curt 4-hr flying from Singapore. "When are we going to see the lions?" asked my confused youngest, subsequently the elephant sanctuary of Dera Amer and the palaces, forts and markets we had seen in the Pink City.
"Tigers," I corrected him. "And that'southward tomorrow. After your blood brother and I go on a hot air balloon ride in the early morning. You can't come – yous're besides brusque."
We spent the remainder of the day in the turquoise pool of the exotic 175-twelvemonth-erstwhile Samode Haveli hotel, grateful for the absurd water as the sun barbecued our heads – and the bodies of a few pink Europeans, roasting themselves on sunbeds in 48 degree Celsius summertime estrus. Servers in pastel coloured salwar kameez floated by with lemon water, fresh towels and other amenities to heighten our poolside lounging.
I rose at 4am the side by side day – and despite rising bright (well, actually night) and early on, nosotros yet ended up being late. A miscommunication about the pick-up point resulted in me sitting in my room waiting for a phone call that never came because the driver from the hot air airship company Sky Flit was waiting at the lobby.
"If we miss the boarding fourth dimension for the hot air airship, you lot can't get on," the driver told my son and me apologetically equally he drove at summit speed through the dark roads, swerving mercilessly and tooting large trucks, cows and other animals off the road. He was to cram a 2-hour journey in half the time.
We arrived but in time, correct as the sky was turning pink. Tea and biscuits were laid out for united states passengers. In the field, 2 large hot air balloons were beingness inflated. We hopped into the handbasket of the smaller one aslope a family of four and floated away, loftier above Jaipur's farmlands and vistas beyond.
'I HOPE Nosotros SEE TIGERS!'
It was a long iii-and-a-half-hour drive to our next stop and main event, the safari experience in Ranthambore National Park and a stay at the regal palace hotel Nahargarh.
Tucking into a buffet dinner worthy of a Maharajah and his Maharani (and their um, Mahakiddies), we fell prey to the costless-flow naan service. Every bit soon every bit I had devoured the last garlicky morsel of flatbread on my plate, a server would magically appear at my elbow with more than fluffy ones, fresh from the tandoor.
It was my altogether that dark, and I found a Tiffany box abreast my dinner aperitif. My husband had picked upward the cute trinket in Jaipur (Rajasthan is well-known for its jewel merchandise). "I hope we run across tigers!" read the note, written in the married man'south kleptomaniacal scrawl.
The next mean solar day began with another sunrise experience, this time in the ruins of Ranthambore Fort, with a picnic of hot masala tea and biscuits – which the monkeys eyed hopefully. We returned to the Ranthambore National Park a few hours later, armed with our DSLR camera, telephoto lenses and sunscreen.
I had first heard of Ranthambore-born, tiger-loving naturalist and ex-cricketer RK through a friend. He'due south the co-founder of Ravishing India Holidays, a concierge company specialising in curated experiences for Singapore travellers.
Coming together him in Singapore a few weeks before the trip, I shared my reservations about visiting the, erm, reservation.
"I'm not outdoorsy," I confessed. "I don't like creepy crawlies. I don't like slithery creatures. Only I do love cats. Will I be prophylactic?"
RK looked at me solemnly. "Ana," he replied, "just leave everything to me. It will be an experience like no other."
A MAGNIFICENT EXPERIENCE
Tigers, of form, are the star attractions of Ranthambore, and seeing them in their natural environment requires a stroke of luck. It was only ten minutes into our bulldoze of the park when RK prophesised: "You will all see a tiger."
There were other vehicles bouncing alongside ours but RK soon directed our driver Mr Mohan off into the reverse direction of where everyone else was headed. ""Trust me," said RK, tapping his nose.
Mr Mohan slammed on his brakes abruptly.
Out of the brush, Arrowhead emerged majestically. He strolled slowly and steadily past the other jeeps and clicking shutters and headed straight towards united states of america. Each subsequent photo nosotros snapped was a closer and clearer image as it approached, like Shere Khan from The Jungle Volume.
More encounters with Arrowhead followed after he returned from a swim. He even gave us a quick demo of his speed and agility equally he tore after a sambar deer, which managed to get away by a tail's length. Arrowhead was not hungry plenty to give information technology his all, said RK.
We had booked two safari sessions, discovering later that ours was a puny feel compared to the more hardcore folk who crammed a six-day stay with 12 safaris. Still, nosotros were able to see enough.
In between the tiger encounters, nosotros spotted other native wildlife of the semi-dry deciduous forest, including a bluish bull, an Indian hare, some more sambar deer, crocodiles, and a pair of mating lapwing birds.
"What are they doing, Mummy?"
Perhaps I'll explain on our side by side visit to Ranthambore. I absolutely will return to this incredible place – peradventure in winter, to share a little mulled wine with RK, and to take hold of up with the magnificent Arrowhead.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/lifestyle/tiger-safari-india-rajasthan-ranthambore-national-park-263031
0 Response to "The heart-stopping experience of tracking tigers in Rajasthan"
Post a Comment