Holidays for · Wildlife
Three of India's best-known wildlife parks sit close to the classic routes: Ranthambore for tigers, Gir for the last wild Asiatic lions and Keoladeo at Bharatpur for birds in winter. We plan around the seasons, closures and permits, and we never promise a sighting.
Ranthambore National Park, where the Aravalli and Vindhya hills meet in eastern Rajasthan, is one of the best-known places in India to look for wild tigers, with a hill fort and lakes inside the park. Gir National Park, in Gujarat's Saurashtra region, is the heart of the only wild population of Asiatic lions in the world. And Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a wetland that fills with resident and migratory birds through the winter.
Wildlife trips run on the parks' calendars. Ranthambore's core zones close for the monsoon, roughly July to September, and Gir's safaris close from 16 June to 15 October; Keoladeo is at its best for birds from about November to February. Safari permits are limited and sell out in busy months, so it pays to fix dates early. We suggest at least two nights at a park, so you have more than one chance, and combine the safaris with the forts, temples and cities nearby.
We suggest at least two nights at each park, so you have two or three safaris. One drive is a gamble; several give the forest time to show you what it has.
Safari permits for Ranthambore and Gir are limited and sell out in the winter months and on holidays. Fix your dates early, and the permits can be included in your quote.
Hotels and lodges near the park entrance, in the category you choose, so a dawn safari doesn't begin with a long drive in the dark.
An SUV for the drives to the parks, with room for camera bags, binoculars and warm layers, or a tempo traveller (a 12- to 17-seat minibus) for a larger group.
We tell you plainly what each season is like and never promise a tiger or a lion. Wild animals keep their own hours, and every safari is different.
Where to go
Ranthambore fits between Agra and Jaipur on the Golden Triangle with Ranthambore, or makes a short break from Jaipur on the Ranthambore Safari Weekend. Safaris go out by gypsy (a six-seat open jeep) or canter (an open-topped bus with about 20 seats), and Ranthambore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands inside the park.
Gir is open for safaris from mid-October to mid-June and closes from 16 June to 15 October. It lies close to the temple town of Somnath, so the Dwarka, Somnath and Gir tour pairs lion country with the Saurashtra coast.
Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about 55 km from Agra on the road to Jaipur, so a night there fits into the Golden Triangle. From about November to February, you explore the wetland by bicycle or with licensed cycle-rickshaw pullers, many of whom know their birds well; how full it is depends on that year's monsoon.
Tours
Sample itineraries — every one can be changed.
7 days / 6 nightsDelhi → Agra → Ranthambore → Jaipur
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur with two nights in Ranthambore National Park for tiger safaris, in seven days by private car.
3 days / 2 nightsJaipur → Ranthambore
Three days from Jaipur to Ranthambore National Park, with three safaris by gypsy or canter and a visit to Ranthambore Fort and the Trinetra Ganesh temple.
6 days / 5 nightsDwarka → Somnath → Gir
Six days on the Saurashtra coast: Dwarka and Nageshwar, Gandhi's Porbandar, Somnath's evening aarti and two safaris in Gir.
Questions
No. No one can guarantee a tiger sighting in Ranthambore or any other park; tigers are wild and range over large areas. Two or three safaris give you a better chance, and the forest, lakes and birdlife make the drives worthwhile either way.
Gir National Park's lion safaris close from 16 June to 15 October each year for the monsoon and reopen on 16 October. The forest department sets the dates, so check them before you plan.
Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur is at its best for birds from about November to February, when migratory birds join the resident species. How much water the wetland holds, and so how many birds it draws, depends on that year's monsoon.
Yes. Ranthambore fits between Agra and Jaipur, and the Golden Triangle with Ranthambore takes seven days in all, with two nights at the park for two or three safaris.
On safari in Ranthambore or Gir, wear muted colours such as khaki, olive or brown, and bring warm layers for winter mornings in open vehicles. From April to June, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen matter more.
Also
Private tours for families, with a car sized to your group, rooms that keep you together and days paced for every age.
Ideas and toursPrivate tours for honeymooners and couples: Udaipur's lakes, the Taj Mahal at sunrise, a night in the desert and palace hotels.
Ideas and toursTours for groups of friends, clubs, family reunions and company teams, with tempo travellers or coaches, rooming lists and GST invoices.
Ideas and toursTemple journeys to Khatu Shyam ji, Salasar Balaji, Pushkar, Nathdwara, Somnath and Dwarka, planned around darshan and an easy pace.
Ideas and toursPrivate tours of the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan and Gujarat for visitors from abroad, with airport pickup, a driver throughout and guides at the major sights.
Ideas and toursShare your dates, who's travelling and what you'd love to see. We'll reply with a day-by-day plan and an itemised quote — no obligation.
