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India, Rajasthan, Agra, Varanasi
Hello everybody. Back after 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. Two 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 heritage site of UNESCO. We stayed 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 deer Sambar deer Munjac deer Rhesus macaque Commun Langur Pythons Cobras about 350 birds. FIRST 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 calf. 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 included in the Project Tiger where 86 Tigers are listed. It is the only park where we see the anti-poaching patrols at work every day, but also the head cheaf of the park inspecting it. SECOND 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 herd of Elephants being refreshed at the river, three times Buffaloes, a female Sambar, a herd of Munjacs and one small herd of Chital, Langurs, two Indian Fish-eagles and a lot of migrating water-birds of which a colony of pelicans. No Tigers, no Leopards. THIRD 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 herd of Elephants being refreshed at the river, three times Buffaloes in the mud, three type of deers by far, both type of monkeys and birds by far. We met and discussed with the head chief of the park which authorizes us to earlier enter the park on the following morning, a very very big privilege, still thank you. FOURTH 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 foggy morning to see these prehistorical monsters grazing 3 meters 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. FIFTH 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 deers, both type of Monkeys and lot of birds. SIXTH 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 missed 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. Thus again 06H00 of bus + 23H00 of train to join Varanasi our favorite city. VARANASI - my favorite city in India...... Therefore after 06H00 of bus and 23H00 of train us here with Varanasi with a concern : in the night during the crossing of Bihar the backpack of my wife hung under her with chains and lock was stolen. All her clothing, shoes, Large bag of Medicines for an hospital and large bag of toys to give to one poor family vapourised. Sometime, it can be also that kind of India. We remained 8 days in this city that, I say one more time, we love. We stayed in two different places, initially 3 nights in Maruti Guest House in Assi Ghat then 4 nights in Gampati Guest House in Meer Ghat. Much happiness to find oneself in this city full with contrast and so alive. Such pleasure of walking every morning on the Ghats to take picture of these nice Indian people. After one night in the train for Delhi, a car driver awaited us at the railway station, direction Uttaranchal and Jim Corbett N.P. JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK - UTTARANCHAL Fauna presents in the park: 135 Tigers about 100 Leopards about 800 Elephants Sambar deer Chital deer Langur Macaque 10 To 30 Sloth Bears Otter Python Cobra Gavial Crocodile Monitor lizard + of 280 species of birds The dream of much of the visitors of national parks in India is to see the Bengal tiger in front of them. It is also the dream of all Indians, therefore there is now crowd in the parks where the tiger easily lets itself see (Corbett, Kanha, Bandhavgardh) Moreover to make even more under the directors of these parks had authorised the entry of a too great number of car. We have stayed in Ramnagar 2 km of the gate of Ijrani in the east of the park, the 1st afternoon safari was done from this gate. As usual after the entry a troop of Elephants wishes us the welcome, we remain more than 45 min with them. Excitement gripped the people in all the jeeps as everybody dashed to see the tiger! We arrive in the dried up bed of a river where about fifteen jeeps are trying to get in the best position to see a beautiful male tiger laying down at more than 200 meters far from them!!! Madness to see all these people exiting the jeeps, which is prohibited, jumping from jeep into jeep, jostling, (impossible to take a good picture because of that) and shouting instead of keeping silent. Still more shouts, the animal condescends to rise and approach us. The Tiger, aggravated by the noise and the madness of the vehicles, decides to go up on a hill and disappears. Our driver (very profesional and very calm, I am always lucky to have the best one) moved our jeep in the expected path of the tiger; after 10 min waiting it was on the road 10 meters in front of us. Unfortunately the other jeeps arrived and chased away the majestic beast once and for all. Result: two good pictures. SECOND Morning Bijrani Gate Afternoon Jhiona Gate:Chitals, Sambars, Langurs, Macaques, King Vulture, king-fishers and many birds. No tiger in this second day but great pictures of deers and monkeys as well as King Vulture (Vulture with red head), the track of a very large python having crossed the road 15/20 mn before us. 3RD day Morning Jhina Gate Afternoon Bijrani Gate: Chitals, Sambars, Langurs, Macaques, king Cobra, king-fishers and many birds. No tigers, Elephants or Leopards, pugmarks of a sloth Bear and a king cobra fleeing with our approach. The following day visits in morning of the winter house of Jim Corbett 25 km of Ramanagar before going back to Delhi. Thus not so conclusive that this 2nd park of which I had a joy, it would have been necessary that we stayed in the north of the park in luxury lodges to have access to the gate which goes towards Dhikala in the center of the park where one finds Gavials, Crocodiles and other highlights of the park. It is my fault, I wanted to save money while staying in Ramnagar. KEOLADEO NATIONAL PARK - BHARATPUR - RAJASTHAN Fauna presents in the park: Sambar deer Chital deer Blue Bull (Nilgai antelope) Langurs Mongooses Jackals Striped Hyena Python Cobra Water snake + of 430 species of birds A sad news in connection with this park: the female tiger which had fled Sariska N.P. and had settled in the park died of disease in July 2005. As usual in Bharatpur we stayed in Ashok and Indu place at the Safari Guest House which is a place not expensive and really clean with a calm and relaxed environment.This park is universally famous for its migratory birds and residents who come from three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. You can visit it by foot or bicycle. Siberian Cranes come to spend the winter there. I was lucky to see from very near a family: the mother, the father and the baby. This time I didn't see any of the pythons because it was too cold for them to leave their burrows (22 to 24 °C only). I took nice pictures of male and female Blue bulls in the marshes, of Sambars as well as few birds including one colony of 3.000 storks. After 8 days on Bharatpur,we went to Udaipur by Jaipur always with the car with Driver, from my friend Raju's company. Two days of rest and shopping in Jaipur, Raju invited us in his city; staying in a Maharadja Hotel. A suite nicely decorated to rest!!!. We discovered that it is in Jaipur that Indian traditional puppets are manufactured, will bring back from there finally 19 pairs!!. One hopes to resell some. Departure early to join Udaipur 350 km from there. We take the national highway, surprised of being able finally to exceed the 60 Km/h, we will make even 100!!! Arrival at the beginning of afternoon, we stayed in Kankarwa Haveli on the edge of the lake in front of the famous white marble palace used for the James Bond film Octopussy. Udaipur is a very tourist city thanks to its lake and its Palaces. Visit of the city palace, boat trip on the lake and shopping downtown take us our three days. RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARK - RAJASTHAN Fauna presents in the park: Tigers Leopards Sloth Bears Sambar deers Chital deers Blue Bulls (Nilgai Antelope) Indian Antelopes Langurs Crocodiles Pythons Cobras + of 250 species of birds At 6AM we start in direction of Sawai Madhopur, the city near Ranthambhore. We arrived there towards 06 PM just after dark. The park of Ranthambhore is experiencing a resurgence of poaching and numbers of tigers are falling, with 22 and that of the bears to 10. One week before we visit it 5 people of the park had been arrested for poaching. Because of this the park can be visited only in Canters (trucks carrying 22 noisy tourists); 12 Jeeps have an exemption for the luxury hotels lodges. I have there a friend who is a guide naturalist in the park. We could have a jeep during the four safaris we made. The park is divided into numbered roads from 1 to 12 allotted to the various vehicles entering the park. Best are the 5 and the 6. 1st morning day: road N° 6: 2 tigers, Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls and a lot of birds of which one was a king vulture with red head. Entry at 06H30, the temperature of the night is still cold : 6 °C. After the checking inside the park we directly went to stay in observation hut close to one of the lakes of the park where a female tiger and its two cubs of 18 months have taken up residence. After 5 am one of the cubs (the male) leaves tall grasses and poses for posterity in front of the vehicles. His sister comes to join in briefly before they return into the tall grasses, awaiting the return of their mother. 2 or 3 good pictures, that starts well. We explore road 6 until 11am, the exit time of the park. Photographed Sambars, Chitals, Blue bulls and Langurs as well as a King Vulture which does not fly away when we approach. 1st afternoon day: road N° 5: 3 Tigers, Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls, Crocodiles and a lot of birds. Entry at 2PM, it is 26 °C, it is better than in the morning. In a curve of the road 6 the female tiger and its 2 cubs of the morning walk on. Superb pictures. The rest of the afternoon we followed road 5 where Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls and other birds still give us some beautiful pictures. 2nd morning day: road N° 6: Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls and lot of birds. This morning lots of pugmarks of tigers but no visual contacts. That's no problem, once again Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls and lot of birds are there for pictures. 2nd afternoon day: road N° 2: Sloth Bear, Tiger, Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls, Crocodiles and lot of birds. The road N° 2 is not famous for tiger spotting, but the forest is very nice there. After half an hour we see emerging a male Sloth Bear which crosses the road in front of us at full run!!! Brilliant, no picture but what a sensational feeling. After a long curve in the thick forest a large male tiger crosses the road. We are absolutely alone during more than an hour with the king of the Indian forest who scrapes its head, changes position less than three meters from us!!! I took more than 200 pictures and a lot are superb. For the return and the last exit of the park we saw Sambars, Chitals, Langurs, Blue bulls and lots of birds. Fresh pugmarks of a male Leopard crossed our road but didn't saw it. Ranthambhore, as to each time I went there does not disapoint me. It is the fourth time that I was there and it is always too superb and magic, it is my favorite park by far. Departure at late evening to rejoin Jaipur then the following day connection to Agra to catch a night train to take us to Umaria in Madhya Pradesh, the nearest railway station from Bandhavgardh N.P. BANDHAVGARDH NATIONAL PARK - MADHYA PRADESH Fauna present in the park: Tiger 60 including 20 in the tourist zone Leopard about 30 Sloth Bear 15 To 30 Sambar deers Chital deers Macaques Langurs Pythons Cobras + of 250 species of birds We arrived Umaria at 6AM, met by a car from the lodge where we stayed: the Nature Heritage lodge. We left our luggage at the hotel and we had our first safari. The weather is very cold at night and in early morning in December in that part of India. More than 90 jeeps are authorised in this small park, a madness! This park is almost dedicated to the tiger, so the guards and drivers aim only for tiger views to get good tips. Hardly any stops for the other animals!!!. Elephants are used for "the elephant circus": three elephants take turns to show 4 people at the same time the tigers located in the forest during 3 to 4 min. 12 euros per person, it is a big business, as in Pench and Kanha. 1st morning day: Langurs, Chitals, marabou Storks We move from one place to another hoping to see the tiger, no chance, only the pugmarks: we saw a few Chitals, Langurs and some Marabous. 1st afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou Storks and some birds. Same as 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 15 month old cubs 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 min and because the father and the kid were moving all the time we didn't get any good pictures: those of my wife are all fuzzy because of the kid who kept jogging her. 2nd afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks and some birds. I explained to our driver that we are also interested in other 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 see rare animals. My wife decided not to come for the morning, too cold (-2 °C at the beginning this morning). 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 talked with a Kényan of Indian origin who is biologist and naturalist;he explains to me it is best to take the last elephant making the circus and tip to the mahout (100 rupees: 2 euros) so one can remain longer. He and I climbed on an elephant and he prevented two other tourists from joining us. The 1st trip we spent 7 min watching a female tiger and her 4 cubs feeding on two Sambar deer, and were treated to 15 min viewing on the second turn. 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. 4th morning day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks and some birds. This morning I said to the driver that not to take us to the elephant circus but drive into the park to see a 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 take pictures of the forest and especially of a parasitic species of liana which makes nodes around other species of trees. 5th morning day: 3 Tigers, Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Marabou storks, King Vulture and some birds. This morning luck is with me. 20 mins after entering the path we came across a female tiger with 2 young males about two years old. I had 8 happy minutes alone to enjoy them before other vehicles full of tourists arrived and frightened the animals off. Indian Tourists do not respect anything!!!. One wants to throw them in the mouth of the tiger! 5th afternoon day: Langurs, Chitals, Sambars, Peacocks and some birds. like everyday, puff out dust behind the other jeeps and see nothing because too much noise. 6th morning day: 2 Peacocks!!! The roads which we take into the park are allocated every morning at the gate by one of the park wardens. This morning for my 6th day they give me the road B where there are no animals. I complained 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. Assessment of Bandhavgardh: 2 full days are largely sufficient to visit this small park. To see the tiger there it is necessary to take an "elephant circus". The famous French photographer : François Savigny at the time of his last stay in this park was evicted by the director!!!!!. He asked to be able to have an elephant the morning and the afternoon to take his pictures of tiger. Not possible now even for proffesional photographers, therefore they do not come any more in this park. So I better do to remain longer in Ranthambhore than in Bandhavgardh. Foreign tourists are charged 10 times more than Indians, and subjected to this elephant circus. Kipling and Corbett must be turning 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 guards 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, guards and guides obnubilated by the tiger and not professional. Me and my wife really want to thank Mr. Raju to help us to make this dream travel come true. If any one wants to get any help regarding North India travel you can contact with www.realindiatours.com Bon Voyage. Laurent & Catherine.
