Top 5 National Parks for Tiger Safari in India Tours

Top 5 National Parks for Tiger Safari in India Tours

1. Bandhavgarh

One of the Top 5 Parks for a Tiger Safari India 2021, Bandhavgarh is located in the heart of India, in Madhya Pradesh. The state has maximum tiger numbers at 526 in the wilderness compared to any other state.

Bandhavgarh has a high density of tigers, and it acts as a source of dispersing tigers to neighboring protected areas, like, Sanjay Dubri, Achanakmar, Kanha and as far as Palamu Tiger reserve. It is also the erstwhile home of the White Tigers, which can now be seen in Mukundpur White Tiger Safari near Rewa state.

2. Kanha

Second in the list for Tiger Safari India 2021, is Kanha. Located in the state of Madhya Pradesh it has the highest tiger count in India as per the census and figures released in 2020. Over 526 tigers roam the state of Madhya Pradesh out of which about 108 tigers call Kanha their home. Kanha has achieved tremendous success in providing a sound ecological haven to the rich floral and faunal diversity.

Kanha Tiger Reserve, one of the top parks for tiger safaris in India, has been the centre of many successful conservation stories, from the Hard ground Barasingha in Kanha itself, to the translocation of Indian Gaur from Kanha to Bandhavgarh (2011), Hard ground Barasingha translocation from Kanha to Satpura, tigers translocating from Kanha to other parks, and reintroducing blackbuck in Kanha. Saunf village in Kanha was the first village relocated out of any in India.

3. Jim Corbett

Third in the list for the Top 5 for Tiger Safari India 2021, is Jim Corbett. Named after the legendary hunter James Edward Corbett who shot only man-eating tigers of Kumaon and other regions, this was declared the first national park of India in 1936. It was initially named as Hailey National Park, then Ramganga National Park, and finally named as Jim Corbett National Park in memory of the famous hunter, turned conservationist, who also is a renowned author with the bestselling books on Indian Wildlife.

Corbett Tiger Reserve has the largest tiger population in any single protected area in the world. This park has close to 231 tigers as per the latest census done in 2018. It can most certainly be called as the mecca of Indian wildlife when it comes to fauna and flora diversity. Apart from tigers, Corbett is very good with sightings of wild Asian Elephants.

The Ramganga river flowing through the forest with a huge reservoir right in the heart of the park, is the life and light of Corbett. The two unique points for visiting this park are: Firstly, along with tiger safaris in India this place is a birder’s haven. For serious birders, there are close to 550 species of birds here. Therefore, a birding tour to this tiger park can also prove very fruitful. Then there are areas around Corbett like Nainital and Pangot which can be combined to add to the checklist of your birding tour.

4. Ranthambore

Fourth in the list for Top 5 for Tiger Safari India 2021, is Ranthambore. Located in the north-western state of Rajasthan, Ranthambore is also known as the Land of the Tigers, making a tiger safari in this park very special. Situated beautifully amidst the most popular tourism circuit known as the Golden Triangle, this park is perhaps the only park that faced serious assault by poachers in the previous century. however, it came out stronger every single time due to good wildlife management.

One of the best for a tiger safari in India, the terrain of Ranthambore is undulating and the vegetation is sparse, making tiger sightings comparatively easy. Ranthambore is an island in an ocean of human-dominated landscape.

The park is away just 10kms from the Sawai Madhopur town which is also a big railway station. It is rather surprising that just 10kms away from such a bustling town you have tigers roaming free, and living in harmony with humans in the nearby villages. This proximity to dense human population reduces the chances of tiger disbursal to other nearby areas.

5. Tadoba

Last in the list for the Top 5 for Tiger Safari India 2021, is the Tadoba Andhari National Park. Tadoba can be adjudged as the youngest park to shoot into the tiger tourism circuit. Located just two hours from the Nagpur International Airport, this is one of the most easily accessible national parks in India with some fantastic tiger sightings. It is a mixed forest with a huge water reservoir on the edge thus making it a good habitat for birds and crocodiles.

Tadoba is also good with sightings of Sloth Bears, Leopards, and packs of Indian Wild Dogs (Dholes). It is here that many encounter sights of tigers with sloth bears and tigers pulling down Indian Gaur. Why Tadoba has been good with tiger sightings is also due to the fact that there are a few small sanctuaries in the vicinity that have been accorded protection by the state and they have also opened several core and buffer areas for tourism.

Hence Tadoba along with Ranthambore have become a role model of how to promote tourism and increase tiger numbers. Several experts will not conform to the fact that tourism plays a role in conservation, but deny they might, but ignore they cannot that the revenue generated by tourism brings in instant cash flow in the area thus showing benefit of conservation to the local community which otherwise would depend on the forest for their bio-mass requirements.

Curating bespoke Indian wildlife safari tours for over years, we at Nature Safari India bring to you experiential journeys that encapsulate some of the best luxurious wildlife safaris, with a touch of finesse in service and our expert guiding