Hello Raju & all,
Back of two months of travel in India where we visited 5 parks : Kaziranga (Assam), Corbett (Uttaranchal), Keoladeo (Rajasthan), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) and Bandhavgardh (Madhya Pradesh).
Here thus the describe of our tour in this magical country on the tracks of Kipling and Jim Corbett.
KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK – ASSAM
Traditional arrival in India from Europe: Paris – Mumbay – Delhi (to recover a large heap of Vouchers there) – Calcutta
It seems that nothing moves nor does not change in Calcutta, always as many ricksaws, auto-ricksaws, bikes, cars, trucks and buses that the past leaves. I like this city where one sees the print of monsoon on the walls. 2 days to walk in between Bengalis always also friendly.
22 hours of train and 6 hours of bus later we are in Kaziranga N.P. classified as world heritance of UNESCO. We place in a lodge state : Haranya LODGE, clean and sympathetic place.
We are there for 6 days of morning and evening safaris in the three parts of the park. It is the beginning of the tourist season and there is not lot of people, we prefers because the Indian animals are even more shy than their African cousins.
Fauna presents in the park:
about 1500 Rhinos
1200 Elephants
1000 wild Buffaloes
86 Tigers
about 100 Leopards
Hyenas
Jackals
Chital dear
Sambar dear
Munjac dear
Rhesus macaque
Commun Langur
Pythons
Cobras
about 350 birds
1st day Western part in the afternoon: Rhinos, Elephants, Munjacs, Langurs, Macaques
5 Minutes after our first entry in the park our two first Rhinos, that starts well, like often one of the major animals of the park welcome us : a female and its carf. The “elephant grass” in this season is very high, approximately 2,5 meters. Thus just some pictures for the startup of my Canon 20 D in bush condition.
A part only of the park is accesssible in this period of the year, they rebuilt the tracks after the monsoon, which was abundant this year.In each part of the park 25% of the tracks are open. It is nevertheless largely sufficient to see a lot of animals.
we will see about fifteen Rhinos today, a heard of Elephants, twice Buffaloes, Munjac dears several times and once Langurs and Macaques.
In all + of 250 Photographs : it will be necessary from day to day to note what it is on the CompactFlash cards.
This park is the most professional one, on the level of Rangers, of all India.The best success of animal protection in India with safeguard extinction of indian Rhino. It is the centenary year of the creation of the park, new uniforms and rifles for the guards. This park is not include in the Project Tiger whether 86 Tigers are listed.It is the only park where we see the anti-poaching patrols at work every days, but also the head cheaf of the park inspecting it.
2nd day: Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, Sambar, Chital, Munjac, Langur, Eagles and Water birds in all kind.
Today East part in the morning and Western part in the afternoon.
A good score of Rhinos (only two in picture!!), twice a heard of Elephants being refreshed at the river, three times Buffaloes, a female Sambar, a heard of Munjacs and one small heard of Chital, Langurs, two Indian Fish-eagles and a lot of migrating water-birds of which a colony of pelicans. No Tigers, no Leopards.
3rd day same as 2nd day : Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, Sambars, Chitals, Munjacs, Langurs and Macaques, Indian Monitor Lizard, Eagles and Water-birds of all kind.
East part in the morning and Central part in the afternoon. Finally beautiful pictures of Rhinos with the good light, a heard of Elephants being refreshed at the river, three times Buffaloes in the mud, th three type of dears by far, both type of monkeys and birds by far.We met and discussed with the head cheaf of the park which authorizes us to earlier enter the park on the following morning, a very very big privilege, still thank you.
4th day: Rhinos, Elephants, Chital, Munjac, Langur, Eagles and Water birds in all kind.
Central part in the morning and Western in the afternoon.
Thanks to our early entry, 06H00 instead of 07H30, we could see from very very near a large male Rhino and an awaking young one. What a great show in a fogy morning to see these prehistorical monsters grazing 3 metters from us. But also a young Indian Monitor Lizard taking the first sunbeams.The afternoon we will still see other Rhinos but not from very near and Elephants bathing.
5th day : Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, Sambars, Chitals, Munjacs, Langurs and Macaques, Eagles and Water-birds of all kind.
East part in the Morning and central part in the afternoon.
Like the days before full of Rhinos by more or less far, Elephants twice at the river, Buffaloes in water and mud, the three type of dears, both type of Monkeys and lot of birds.
6th and last day: Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, the print of a Tiger, Chitals, Munjacs, Langurs and Water-birds of all kind.
Already the last safari in Kaziranga, central part in the morning.
Some Rhinos of which one very near, our last Elephants and Buffaloes, Chital and Munjac dears grazing quietly, a heard of langur and a lot of migratory birds. Yesterday we mist in the afternoon a male tiger whose pugmarks could be seen in the tracks of our jeep. The rangers say to us that a large male passed yesterday on the track 15 Minutes after us. And it is already the exit of the park with a beautiful Rhino near the gate which seems to say to us : Bye and see you soon.
( Next part continue in my next message continuously, see below)
1st afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou Storks and some birds.
Same circus that the morning.
2nd morning day: 3 Tigers, Langurs, Chitals, marabou Storks and some birds.
After a race with several jeeps we stop to await our turn for an elephant ride: a female tiger and 2 youngs 15 month old are located. After 45 minutes of waiting it is our turn, we are with an Indian tourist and his son 8 years old, we saw these three tigers exactly 3,30 mn and because the father and the kid were moving all times we didn’t take any good pictures, those of my wife are all fuzzy because of the kid who didn’t stopped pushing her to see the tigers. Afflicting spectacle, or how to make money on the back of the tourists.
2nd afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks and some birds.
I explained to our driver that we are also interested by the remainder of the fauna of the park, we are not here to see only the Tiger.
3rd morning day: 5 Tigers, Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou Storksand some birds.
The driver had understood us, we stop when we grow too rare animals. My wife decided not to come more the morning, too cold (-2 °C at the beginning this morning) and not enough of visible animals. We arrive at the concentration of vehicles awaiting their turn for the Elephant Circus. There I had make 2 turns for the price of one this morning; I am likely to talk with a Kénian of Indian origin who is biologist and naturalist;he explains me why best is to go up on the last elephant making the circus and by giving a tip to the mahout (100 rupees: 2 euros) one can remain longer. We climb both on an elephant, he prevents two Indian tourists to join us. the 1st turn we will be 7 mn near a female tiger and its 4 cubs 18 months eating 2 Sambar dears; and 15 mn the 2nd time!!!. Unfortunately he leaves the park the very same day. Thank you very much my friend, and he invites us to Kenya where he works for the national parks and the conservation of the vultures in Africa.
3rd afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks, King Vulture and some birds.
Just a King vulture with red head of very loan, not many things to see.
4th morning day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks and some birds.
This morning I said to the driver that I thus did not want elephant circus we turn in the park to see few animals.
4th afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks, King Vulture, some birds and also parasitic lianas on trees.
We decided this afternoon to make pictures of the forest and especially of a parasitic species of liana which makes nodes around other species of trees. The driver and the guide do not understand too our passion for this trick, but it is splendid and we appreciate the spectacle.
5th morning day: 3 Tigers, Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks, King Vulture and some birds.
This morning the chance is with me we enter first in the park and after 20 mn along one of the road we see a female tiger and its two cubs 2 years old (already two beautiful males larger than it!) to go in front of us and to stop at the edge of the road. I had 8 mn of pure happiness alone with them before the other cars with their noisy tourists do arrive. 3 of them overtake me and put themselves between the tigers and me and shout “Tigers, Tigers”. Result the 3 tigers run into the forest. Indian Tourists who do not respect anything!!!. One wants to throw them in the mouth of the tiger to make them conceal.
5th afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Peacocks and some birds.
like everyday, puff out dust behind the other jeeps and anything to see of loan because too much noise.
6th morning day: 2 Peacocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The roads which we take into the park are given every morning at the entry by one of the persons in charge of the park. This morning for my 6th day they give me the road B that where there are no animals. I make a scandal and before the end of the safari I say to the driver and to the guide to bring me back to the hotel. We decide not to make the afternoon safari, it in is too much.
Assessment of Bandhavgardh:
2 full days are largely sufficient to visit this small park. To see the tiger there it is necessary to have an “elephant circus”.
The famous French photographer : François Savigny at the time of his last stay in this park was fired off by the director!!!!!. He asked to be able to have as before an elephant the morning and the afternoon to take his pictures of tiger. Not possible now even for profesional photographers, therefore they do not come any more in this park.
So I better do to remain longer in Ranthambhore than in Bandhavgardh. When it is known that the foreign tourists 10 times more expensive than the Indians one expects another thing than this elephant circus . Kipling and Corbett must be turned over in their tomb!!!.
Assessment of these 5 Indian parks:
Kaziranga – Assam: 9 out of 10; Park very well preserved, lot of animals, really profesional gards and guides.
Corbett – Uttaranchal: 6 out of 10; Too many authorized vehicles.
Keoladeo – Rajasthan: 9 out of 10; for the bird-watchers a paradise.
Ranthambhore – Rajasthan: 9,5 out of 10; My favourite park, very profesional guides, lot of animals to be seen.
Bandhavgardh – Madhya Pradesh: 2,5 out of 10; My Disappointment of the trip, gards and guides obnubilated by the tiger and not profesional.
Me and my wife really wants to thank Mr. Raju to help us to make this dream travel. If any one want to get any help regarding North India travel you can contact with www.rajuindia.com
Bon Voyage.
Laurent Ribes.
http://www.joburg-frenchguesthouse.com/
South Africa
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