where to stay at wildlife reserves of india Archives

If you are a nature and wildlife photography enthusiast, India is just the place for you. The country has abundant national parks and sanctuaries. It’s no wonder, that it’s one of the most preferred destinations for wildlife photography tours! From giant Asiatic elephants to the roars of the tiger, India’s wild side offers you an excellent opportunity to test your photography skills and capture nature at its rawest. Here are some of the destinations you must visit if you’re looking for the best photography tours in India.

Blue throated flycatcher (Photo Credit – Rupal Vaidya)

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

Located in Uttarakhand, Jim Corbett National Park is one of the best places for nature photography in India. Name inspired by the foremost tiger conservationists in India, it is home to the royal Bengal tiger. Along with them, you will find leopards, sloth bears, red foxes and many other animals, as well as a stunning landscape at the base of the Himalayas, full of lush forests, plentiful water bodies and grassy plains. This is also one of the best destinations in India for bird-watching, with plenty of residents and migratory birds alike to spot and photograph.

Best time to visit: Corbett is best visited between November and June.

Getting there: The park is well connected by road and rail to Delhi, Manali, Moradabad and others.

Club this with: Corbett is easy to visit on a trip around North India, especially if you’re also interested in seeing the Himalayan towns of Dharamsala or Rishikesh.

Few showers and the habitat becomes green (Photo Credit – Rohit Varma)

Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Known for “the big five” – rhino, tiger, elephant, wild buffalo and swamp deer, Kaziranga is a perfect place for wildlife photography tours. The national park is located in Assam and is famous for bears, leopards, and several species of local and migratory birds, but the biggest attractions remain the endangered one-horned rhino. Kaziranga is also a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site for its Eastern Himalayan biodiversity.

Best time to visit: Head to Kaziranga between November and April to see it at its best.

Getting there: The easiest way to get there is to fly to Guwahati, and then drive down.

Club this with: India’s Northeast is incredible, and not as popular with international tourists – you could easily spend a week or two in the region. If you want more nature, you can also go to the nearby Nameri National Park. Get in touch with us, and we’ll help you plan your trip!

Kaziranga National Park (Photo Credit – Prashant Ram)

Gir Forest National Park, Gujarat

Gir Forest National Park is the last wild refuge of the Asiatic lion. If that’s not enough reason to visit, its unusual landscapes also make it one of the best places for nature photography in India. Apart from the lion, you might also get a chance to spot and photograph animals like sambar, chinkara, chital, porcupine, wild boar, blackbuck and a variety of avifauna as well.

Best time to visit: The best season to visit is from December to March.

Getting there: The park is well connected by road to Rajkot if you wish to fly. You can also take a train to Junagadh Station and a car from there.

Club this with: The state of Gujarat has plenty to offer, whether you’re interested only in nature, or culture and history as well. You can make your way up towards the Rann of Kutch to see the great Indian bustard and wild ass, as well as the dramatic salt plains. You can also go to the Banni Grasslands on the borders of the Rann! Get in touch with us for more help with planning a wildlife and nature photography tour in the area.

Sasan Gir, Asiatic lioness (Photo Credit – Arian Zwegers)

Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal

The Sundarbans National Park offers a very unique wildlife experience. It is home to our very own national animal – the Bengal tiger, along with saltwater crocodiles, wild boars, foxes, leopards, turtles, the Ganges river dolphins and several other varieties of mammals and reptiles, along with a huge variety of local and migratory birds. One of the specialities of this park is that the only way to travel around and across the park is by boat; no jeep safaris here! These wetlands, formed by the delta of the Ganges, offer spectacular photography opportunities.

Best time to visit: The Sundarbans are at their best from November to February.

Getting there: Gosaba is the nearest town, from where it is connected by road. Visitors can also take the motorboat from Canning, which is the nearest railway station.

Club this with: There’s plenty to see and do in this part of the country – you can go up to the tea plantations of Darjeeling, explore the colonial architecture in Kolkata, and even head further north towards Sikkim! Get in touch with us for help planning your personalized holiday in India.

Learn More: Revealing the Best Times for India Adventures

Sarakkhali – A Water Highway (Photo Credit – Kingshuk Mondal)

Satpura National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Located in the very heart of India, Satpura National Park is home to leopards, wild boar, bears, blackbuck, several kinds of deer, and several species of birds apart from, of course, the tiger. But one of our favourite species to spot and photograph here are the barasinghas or a swamp deer.

Best time to visit: You can expect to have a good time in Satpura between October and April.

Getting there: The nearest town, Pachmarhi is well connected via road. The nearest railway station is Piparia, also well connected by road.

Club this with: Madhya Pradesh has some of the best wildlife photography to be found in India – you can link a few of the national parks together on a two-week itinerary that’s full of nature and wildlife! Get in touch and we will help you figure it out.

You will find several species of birds like Small Green Bee Eaters (Photo Credit – Sankara Subramanian)

Eravikulam National Park, Kerala

The gorgeous Eravikulam National Park is one of the best places for nature photography in India. Located amidst the natural beauty of Munnar, the park is famous for the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. It is also home to elephants, deer, jackals, leopards, otters, mongoose, and a huge variety of birds and butterflies. The highest peak in South India, Anamudi Peak, lies in the park’s southern reaches, and once every 12 years, is covered in a stunning deep blue as the Neelakurinji blooms. The last bloom was in 2018.

Best time to visit: Visit between September – January or April – June, as the park stays closed for the calving season of the Tahrs (typically between January and March) and can be tricky to access in the monsoon months.

Getting there: Eravikulam’s a mere 15kms from Munnar and is easy to get to!

Club this with: There’s no reason why you can’t include this national park on an itinerary across Kerala. You can spend a few days here while in Munnar, and also go to the backwaters along the coast. We can help you plan your next Kerala holiday – get in touch!

Uncover: The Best Time to Visit Kerala

Nilagiri Tahrs at Eravikulam National Park, Munnar (Photo Credit – Sakeeb Sabakka)

Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh

If you want to photograph tigers, Pench National Park definitely claims a spot on India’s best wildlife photography tours. This is one of Madhya Pradesh’s prime wilderness areas. You’ll be able to see deers, elephants, wild boars, wolves, sloth bears, leopards, foxes, striped hyenas, and much more. Along with wildlife photography trails, you can even go on an adventurous nature walking trail. This is a great time to photograph smaller details!

Best time to visit: The best time to get there is between November and May.

Getting there: Seoni, the closest city, has a train station with links across the country. You can also fly into Nagpur and drive down.

Club this with: If you want to keep your trip nature and wildlife-focused, you can chart an easy itinerary across Madhya Pradesh’s many wildlife reserves. Get in touch, and we can help you plan your trip!

Leopards are excellent tree climbers that sets them apart from the other big cats

Sariska National Park, Rajasthan

The stark, novel landscapes of this national park make Sariska a haven for nature and wildlife photography. Wild residents here include striped hyenas, wild boars, jackals, serpent eagles, monkeys, hares, as well as several varieties of deer, apart from a few big cats.

Best time to visit: The national park is open between October and May, and is best explored in the winter months.

Getting there: The park is well connected by road to Hindaun, Jaipur, and Delhi.

Club this with: You can visit this smaller park on a holiday itinerary across North India that includes Delhi and Rajasthan. Nearby attractions include the Neemrana Fort Palace and the town of Bhangarh. It has a reputation of being India’s most haunted locales.

Learn About: Rajasthan’s Premier Place to Visit

Nilgai in Sariska National Park (Photo Credit – Mike Prince)

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Kanha National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in the country. With open grasslands and plentiful tree cover, Tiger safaris here are the most famous. You can also see elephants, jackals, leopards, striped hyenas, monkeys, and several varieties of deer including blackbuck, swamp deer, chital, and sambhar. This is another great place at which to spot the majestic barasingha!

Best time to visit: Head to Kanha in the winter or early summer; the park is open between October and July.

Getting there: Nagpur and Jabalpur are the two main hubs by the park’s gates, and both have airports as well as train stations.

Club this with: Kanha’s location makes it easy to visit on a holiday itinerary of both North India or West and South India. Get in touch with us and we will help you plan your wildlife photography trail!

National animal of India

Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Ranthambore is one of India’s foremost wildlife reserves. It is home to a large population of tigers. One of the most historic parks in India, it was once prime hunting grounds for the erstwhile royalty.

Dhak tree, called the ‘flame of the forest’ forms a large part of this forest’s cover. When the flowers bloom, it’s truly a sight to behold! Apart from tigers, you might also spot bears, leopards, jackals, elephants, hyenas, monkeys, different types of deers and snakes here.

Best time to visit: The winter months are when the park is most pleasant, but if you visit as the summer sets in, you are more likely to spot wildlife around the watering holes!

Getting there: Sawai Madhopur is the closest town, and it has a train station. You can also drive across from Jaipur, which is about 200 kms away.

Club this with: Ranthambore is the perfect addition to any Rajasthan and North India itinerary. It’s easy to access from Jaipur, in particular.

Learn More: Navigate the Best Season for an Indian Sojourn

If you’re looking for guidance for a wildlife photography trail across India, get in touch with us!

Safari at Ranthambore National Park (Photo Credit – Julian Mason)

Let’s face it, you came here expecting to embrace the wild. Enormous, calculating tigers stalking through the tall dry grass, peacocks unfurling their tails in the monsoon breeze, hordes of elephants storming through heavily damp rainforests. And it’s true, we have it all in many of our Indian wildlife reserves.

Here’s where you can go to crawl into the heart of the jungle and the national parks of India and hear the call of the wild whispering right into your bedroom window, whether your bedroom’s a luxury tent or a treehouse.

If you are specifically visiting South India, then we would recommend you to check out these Indian wildlife reserves.

Elephant in the jungle (Photo Credit – myashwanth)

Gir National Park

The last remaining natural habitat of the Asiatic Lions now has 523 big cats lounging about its grounds. This is a mind-blowing increase from the 20 that survived the widespread hunting of the 19th century thanks to conservation measures taken in the Indian wildlife reserves.

Apart from these star attractions, there are also Leopards, critically endangered Long-billed Vultures and Marsh Crocodiles. Moreover, the park organizes a Safari Tour that’ll take you through the core area of the jungle and right up close to the wildlife.

Where to stay: The Fern

When visiting the National Parks of India, where you stay can complete your trip. The Fern has the uncompromising luxury for the ecologically sensitive within the Indian wildlife reserves.

The Fern hits all the big names from sewage treatment to eco-friendly toiletries and doesn’t miss the little details, taking care to decorate their sprawling property only in potted plants and non-cut flowers.

Saltwater Crocodile (Photo Credit – Sarangib)

Kanha Tiger Reserve

Deep lush valleys, heavy green boughs overhead and soft grass underfoot – this is the forest that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. The safaris are intensive and take you right into the heart of the jungle, although they’re a hassle to book, you can leave that to us! Opt for a safari later in the day and you can catch the Sambhars and Gaurs grazing at Bamni Dadar in the glow of the setting sun.

Where to stay: Chitvan Jungle Lodge

A gorgeous property that promotes absolute self-sustainability in the beautiful surroundings of Kanha. Vegetables come fresh from the in-house farm and all electricity is converted from solar energy. You can even bring your pets along!

Kanha National Park (Photo Credit – Ashish Upadhyay)

SundArbans National Park

A unique ecosystem formed by the deltas of the Ganga and Bramhaputra rivers, thereby creating the largest halophytic mangrove forest in the world, the Sundarbans is home to the famous Royal Bengal Tigers.

If you visit in the winter, you’ll see not only the Tigers but Macaques, Indian Grey Mongoose, Leopard Cats, Ridley Sea Turtle, Wild Boar, Jungle Cat, Fox, Flying Fox, Fishing Cats, Chital, and Pangolin. All are driven to the riverbanks in search of some sun as you drift down the river by boat.

Where to stay: Solitary Nook Resort

A cosy little outpost that’s perfect for honeymooning couples. Rent out bicycles during the day to tour the forest and then simmer down in front of a roaring bonfire, with a pile of delicious seafood on your plate.

Mangroves – Sundarbans

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

Made up of 15 islands in the Andaman and Nicobar group stands an Indian wildlife reserve among paradise. This is a chance to see coral reefs first hand. You can either do so through glass-bottomed boats or more closely by snorkeling/scuba diving directly into them. A veritable paradise of sandy beaches and swaying palms, you may mistake the islands for being all fun and games, but the reefs help you to understand the beauty we are constantly destroying and must learn to protect and nurture.

Where to stay: Sea Princess

Serene and tropical, nothing can touch you here but the sounds of the wind and the sea. Located on the beach itself, try to remember that insects and mosquitoes are simply part of the daily routine here. Try and opt for eating out a few times for the sake of variety and your wallet.

Beautiful Andaman Islands

Balpakram National Park

Balpakram – the land of the perpetual winds. Tucked into a deep gorge in the South Garo Hills this is one of the wild national parks of India. The Balpakram is teeming with life and shrouded in folklore. It is said to be the final resting place of souls before they depart for the next world, a story that seems to ring true in the whispers of the trees.

Between these rich fronds frolic the rare Lesser Panda, the Indian Bison, and the Serow. Medicinal herbs and endangered flora flourish 3,000 ft above sea level, and great Hornbills and Orioles cry out.

Where to stay: Tura Guest House

There are no guest houses within the park, so visitors must stop at the Tura guest house run by the Meghalaya Tourism Department.

Red Indian Panda is also known as the Lesser Panda

Kaziranga National Park

A whopping two-thirds of the world population of the Great One-horned Rhinoceros resides in this leafy haven. Since 1904, there has been a boost of 1,600 animals from the park’s original 200. Ride in on an elephant safari and find that the animals are unperturbed by the gentle giants, allowing you to get well within photographing distance.

While you may not spot a tiger, you’ll see their presence all around in pugmarks, kills, and territorial markings. Apart from these big beasts, there are also swift swamp deer and partridge to be spotted. Also, keep an eye out for the Reticulated Pythons and Rock Pythons to watch out for!

Where to stay: Infinity Resort

Stilted cottages of cane and bamboo with thatched roofs echo the local architecture. A natural pool and verdant fruit trees mean a lively bird population. A sight that you can enjoy on your verandah each morning before your safari.

Rhinoceros in the Jungle

We’re here to help you plan your next wildlife safari holiday in India – get in touch and we’ll give you a plan that’s best suited to your needs!

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The Best Places for Nature Photography in India