Meeting Wild Tigers in Ranthambore Wildlife Reserve, India

June is one of the hottest months in India which makes it an unpopular time for tourists but due to the thinning grasses, it is great for seeing the native wildlife. We had come to the town of Sawai Madhopur to fulfil a lifelong dream of seeing a tiger in the wild and were excited to go on our first jeep safari.

Ranthambore National Park is a fantastic protected area for wildlife and the locals are incredibly proud of the work they do to conserve this important natural space for animals. This support has allowed the area to flourish with over 60 Bengal Tigers as well as many other endangered species such as Leopards and Sloth Bears. Over the few days we were in this wonderful town, we went on three safaris in total and were lucky enough to see lots of different animals including Samba Deer, Peacocks, Crocodiles, Langur Monkeys, Eagles, Hares and Mongoose.

It was on one particularly early morning as we watched the sun rise over the forest, that we got to meet the animal we had come to this country to see; a Bengal Tiger. What we didn't realise was that the tiger was actually coming to see us! We were sitting in the jeep watching the forest for signs of life when we turned the next corner and came face-to-face with a male Bengal Tiger. He walked within a couple of metres of our open jeep, making it feel like we were right next to him on the ground as he strolled to a small lake for his morning swim. We were able to watch him for over half an hour as he wandered around his territory, and it was quite honestly a moment that neither of us will ever forget. 

If that wasn't enough tiger spotting, we were also lucky to see a female tiger with her cubs in a clearing across the valley with help from the guides who we're pretty sure had superhuman vision. We visited Ranthambore with the intention of seeing tigers but were blown away by everything else the park had to offer, including the knowledgeable guides. It was a pleasure to see so many animals in their natural habitat and meet wonderful people who have such a passion for conserving their local wildlife.