Bandhavgarh National Park of Ranthambore?

shothyme · Jul 25th, 2006, 18:41

I am heading to India for the first time in January and want to take 2 days to visit a park and maybe see a tiger...Which do you recommend at that time of year? what are the major differences?

Dr.Barai · Jul 25th, 2006, 19:15

Why do not u visit sundarban delta which is around 200KM away from Calcutta. This area has maximum number of tiger in india.

somnath · Jul 25th, 2006, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Barai

Why do not u visit sundarban delta which is around 200KM away from Calcutta. This area has maximum number of tiger in india.

Wise decision

. ha ha ha….
Dr., here is a thread :

West Bengal

shothyme, welcome to India.

aadil · Jul 26th, 2006, 01:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by shothyme

I am heading to India for the first time in January and want to take 2 days to visit a park and maybe see a tiger...Which do you recommend at that time of year? what are the major differences?

Bandhavgarh is where I would go as there are more tigers there than Ranthambore and also the mode of transport is better here. There are no canters (buses) that rattle along the roads in the park like in Ranthambore and no shortage of jeeps either!!! Another plus point is the one hour elephant rides in the evening as well as in the morning for the tiger show for five minutes only. Both the parks have a fort inside their premises so both score on that front equally!!! Cheaper places to stay in Bandhavgarh than in Ranthambore though getting there is a bit of a problem compared to Ranthambore but then that is the beauty of the whole trip. You can also visit Kanha nearby which is another park worth visiting for the tigers!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

BenV · Jul 26th, 2006, 03:55

If you plan to visit a park as a quick stop-over, Ranthambore probably fits your itinerary better. Bandhavgarh is further away and hence it will cost you more time to get there and there furthermore is less in the vicinity to see (Khajuraho and Varanasi are both pretty far off).
If you do not mind sitting in the bus or taxis for long hours to visit a less touristic park, then Bandhavgarh is the place to go.

(Agree Aadil?)

dilbharatmain · Jul 26th, 2006, 07:24

yeah, Bandhavgarh is a LONG journey to get there, the roads not too bloody good either - much easier access to Ranthambore - although I visited Ranthambore 26 times (stayed there a month) before seeing a tiger - that was going twice a day on bloody costly jeep safaris. But the park is beautiful and beware, bloody FREEZING in Jan - I am talking below zero degrees on early morning jeep safaris. I found access from the (more expensive) lodges in Bandhavgarh no as easy, but did see a tiger there within a week. You also have a reasonable chance in Corbett National Park, which is easy to access from Delhi - easier than the other 2 mentioned, and also a beautiful landscape - I saw a tiger there after about a week of elephant trekking which was easy to organise from park headquarters. Dont put too much weight on seeing a wild tiger if you only have a couple of days to spare - overall the landscapes are beautiful, and there is a lot of other wildlife to see - do not expect that an indian national park is anything like wildlife viewing in Africa, totally different experience. And remember how cold the morning safari can be, plenty of warm warm clothes. Lucky you, good luck with that tiger spotting. Dil.

ferml · Jul 26th, 2006, 08:54

I was there in late March/early April and overall, I wasn't impressed. Their wasn't a lot of wildlife, mostly just deer. There was very little greenery, maybe that's because it was right before the monsoon. There is a nice fort inside the park and a couple of other sites to see, but honestly, I've seen so many forts at this point that I can't honestly say that this fort was anything special. There is a secret temple, albeit very small, that is on the right side of the entrance to the Palace of Clouds.

All of the jeeps were booked three months out when I got there, which I'm guessing is typical. So if you are interested in a jeep, you should book in advance. This may also be a seasonal thing, in which case, if you are able to get a jeep without a reservation, then it's likely that you won't see a tiger because it's not tiger season.

Turns out it was okay that I didn't get a jeep ride because I saw a tiger on my first ride through the park (in a canter). It was pretty far away, but still pretty cool. Too bad my camera decided to break earlier that day.

Disclaimers:
1) Ranthambore is the only tiger preserve that I have ever been to so I have no other basis for comparison with other parks.
2) I have no special interest in Tigers, it was really an accident that I ended up going there so what you find interesting may be different than me.

In any case, I just thought that I would point that out since you and some of the posters obviously have a special interest in Tigers and have been to other preserves.

aadil · Jul 26th, 2006, 14:15

Agreed the roads are bad in MP where Bandhavgarh and Kanha are located but then they are also located near some of the other lovely places like Khajuraho and Orchha which are nearby too so one can make a good trip out of these places in one go. The month of January is pretty cold in these parts and it is a bit less likely to show tigers anyway since they usually come out more in the open when it is hot and like to spread out in the cool grass near the water holes. I went in April so it was pretty hot then and around the best time one should visit since it shows more tigers easily!!! It does get a bit too hot for comfort especially for most foreign tourists not used to the summer heat in India but then your chances of spotting a tiger in the wild do increase a lot. Hope you see some during your visit wherever you finally decide to go and be sure even if you do not see tigers they surely have seen you!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

mikewill · Aug 6th, 2006, 03:23

Hi

Haven't been to Ranthambore since 1995, but am led to believe (see elsewhere on IM) that its no longer posible to visit by jeep, only in canters. In addition, Ranthambore has been at the centre of the scandal over disappearing tigers - see my previous post on this subject - and numbers are now much reduced from just three years ago.

I was in both Bandhavgarh and Kanha in February this year; four nights in each. Tigers were seen every day in both parks by the Tiger show, but I believe this stresses the tigers so didn't go that way. We did see tigers anyway in Bandhavgarh - as did pretty much everyone else we talked to.

Access to the fort in Bandhavgarh is difficult unless you stay at a very expensive camp - forget the name now.

There are fewer other species at Bandhavgarh - no gaur or barasingha, for example.

It isn't easy to get to though, and although Kanha is also in MP it's around six hours by car on pretty rough roads (they are being improved and new sections built) from Bandhavgarh.

Something else we hadn't thought about is the effect on your body of visiting the parks. Up at 0530 and at the gate just after six for opening at 0630. Bounce around in the back of the jeep for five hours (with a short stop for breakfast around 10) before returning to your hotel / camp for lunch. Then back to the park around three for the evening drive which finishes about 6. So you can spend almost eight hours a day in a jeep being shaken like some kind of jelly!

I don't think there's much to choose temperature wise between the two parks; there was frost on the grass two or three mornings in Bandhavgarh and, even at lunchtime it was still cold in the shade although the direct sun was very hot.

Try not to encourage the 'must see a tiger at all costs' mentality. It does lead to some fairly awful driving and behaviour by drivers trying to satisfy their clients. We watched a tigress separated from one of her cubs by jeeps being driven too close when the animals were crossing a road.

Good luck - and enjoy the forest wherever you go.

BlueRose · Aug 6th, 2006, 04:09

If you decide to go to Bandavgarh, make sure you get to the gate at least a half an hour before they tell you to. You will be waiting in a long line, a queue, and if you are not first or close to it, you will not see the tiger.
Mikewill got it right, you will be bouncing around quite a bit, so make sure you get to the gate early to make it all worth while. It will definitely make your day to see the tiger, at least it did me. Here is a photo of the tiger I saw as a good luck for you, Good luck!
The park at Bandavgarh is really lovely. Enjoy wherever you go...

Jul 25th, 2006, 18:41	#1
shothyme Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New York Posts: 14	Bandhavgarh National Park of Ranthambore? I am heading to India for the first time in January and want to take 2 days to visit a park and maybe see a tiger...Which do you recommend at that time of year? what are the major differences?

Jul 25th, 2006, 19:15	#2
Dr.Barai Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lucknow Posts: 309	Think of sundarban Why do not u visit sundarban delta which is around 200KM away from Calcutta. This area has maximum number of tiger in india.

Aug 6th, 2006, 04:09	#10
BlueRose Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 80	If you decide to go to Bandavgarh, make sure you get to the gate at least a half an hour before they tell you to. You will be waiting in a long line, a queue, and if you are not first or close to it, you will not see the tiger. Mikewill got it right, you will be bouncing around quite a bit, so make sure you get to the gate early to make it all worth while. It will definitely make your day to see the tiger, at least it did me. Here is a photo of the tiger I saw as a good luck for you, Good luck! The park at Bandavgarh is really lovely. Enjoy wherever you go... Attached Thumbnails

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Jul 26th, 2006, 03:55	#5
BenV Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Netherlands Posts: 137	If you plan to visit a park as a quick stop-over, Ranthambore probably fits your itinerary better. Bandhavgarh is further away and hence it will cost you more time to get there and there furthermore is less in the vicinity to see (Khajuraho and Varanasi are both pretty far off). If you do not mind sitting in the bus or taxis for long hours to visit a less touristic park, then Bandhavgarh is the place to go. (Agree Aadil?)

Jul 26th, 2006, 07:24	#6
dilbharatmain Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 108	yeah, Bandhavgarh is a LONG journey to get there, the roads not too bloody good either - much easier access to Ranthambore - although I visited Ranthambore 26 times (stayed there a month) before seeing a tiger - that was going twice a day on bloody costly jeep safaris. But the park is beautiful and beware, bloody FREEZING in Jan - I am talking below zero degrees on early morning jeep safaris. I found access from the (more expensive) lodges in Bandhavgarh no as easy, but did see a tiger there within a week. You also have a reasonable chance in Corbett National Park, which is easy to access from Delhi - easier than the other 2 mentioned, and also a beautiful landscape - I saw a tiger there after about a week of elephant trekking which was easy to organise from park headquarters. Dont put too much weight on seeing a wild tiger if you only have a couple of days to spare - overall the landscapes are beautiful, and there is a lot of other wildlife to see - do not expect that an indian national park is anything like wildlife viewing in Africa, totally different experience. And remember how cold the morning safari can be, plenty of warm warm clothes. Lucky you, good luck with that tiger spotting. Dil.

Jul 26th, 2006, 08:54	#7
ferml Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 32	I was there in late March/early April and overall, I wasn't impressed. Their wasn't a lot of wildlife, mostly just deer. There was very little greenery, maybe that's because it was right before the monsoon. There is a nice fort inside the park and a couple of other sites to see, but honestly, I've seen so many forts at this point that I can't honestly say that this fort was anything special. There is a secret temple, albeit very small, that is on the right side of the entrance to the Palace of Clouds. All of the jeeps were booked three months out when I got there, which I'm guessing is typical. So if you are interested in a jeep, you should book in advance. This may also be a seasonal thing, in which case, if you are able to get a jeep without a reservation, then it's likely that you won't see a tiger because it's not tiger season. Turns out it was okay that I didn't get a jeep ride because I saw a tiger on my first ride through the park (in a canter). It was pretty far away, but still pretty cool. Too bad my camera decided to break earlier that day. Disclaimers: 1) Ranthambore is the only tiger preserve that I have ever been to so I have no other basis for comparison with other parks. 2) I have no special interest in Tigers, it was really an accident that I ended up going there so what you find interesting may be different than me. In any case, I just thought that I would point that out since you and some of the posters obviously have a special interest in Tigers and have been to other preserves.

Jul 26th, 2006, 14:15	#8
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 1,802	Agreed the roads are bad in MP where Bandhavgarh and Kanha are located but then they are also located near some of the other lovely places like Khajuraho and Orchha which are nearby too so one can make a good trip out of these places in one go. The month of January is pretty cold in these parts and it is a bit less likely to show tigers anyway since they usually come out more in the open when it is hot and like to spread out in the cool grass near the water holes. I went in April so it was pretty hot then and around the best time one should visit since it shows more tigers easily!!! It does get a bit too hot for comfort especially for most foreign tourists not used to the summer heat in India but then your chances of spotting a tiger in the wild do increase a lot. Hope you see some during your visit wherever you finally decide to go and be sure even if you do not see tigers they surely have seen you!!! Cheers, Aadil.

Aug 6th, 2006, 03:23	#9
mikewill Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Exeter, England Posts: 275	Hi Haven't been to Ranthambore since 1995, but am led to believe (see elsewhere on IM) that its no longer posible to visit by jeep, only in canters. In addition, Ranthambore has been at the centre of the scandal over disappearing tigers - see my previous post on this subject - and numbers are now much reduced from just three years ago. I was in both Bandhavgarh and Kanha in February this year; four nights in each. Tigers were seen every day in both parks by the Tiger show, but I believe this stresses the tigers so didn't go that way. We did see tigers anyway in Bandhavgarh - as did pretty much everyone else we talked to. Access to the fort in Bandhavgarh is difficult unless you stay at a very expensive camp - forget the name now. There are fewer other species at Bandhavgarh - no gaur or barasingha, for example. It isn't easy to get to though, and although Kanha is also in MP it's around six hours by car on pretty rough roads (they are being improved and new sections built) from Bandhavgarh. Something else we hadn't thought about is the effect on your body of visiting the parks. Up at 0530 and at the gate just after six for opening at 0630. Bounce around in the back of the jeep for five hours (with a short stop for breakfast around 10) before returning to your hotel / camp for lunch. Then back to the park around three for the evening drive which finishes about 6. So you can spend almost eight hours a day in a jeep being shaken like some kind of jelly! I don't think there's much to choose temperature wise between the two parks; there was frost on the grass two or three mornings in Bandhavgarh and, even at lunchtime it was still cold in the shade although the direct sun was very hot. Try not to encourage the 'must see a tiger at all costs' mentality. It does lead to some fairly awful driving and behaviour by drivers trying to satisfy their clients. We watched a tigress separated from one of her cubs by jeeps being driven too close when the animals were crossing a road. Good luck - and enjoy the forest wherever you go.

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