A typical day on safari in India
If you are considering your first wildlife safari to India, here is a taste of what you can expect.
We wake early and after a quick cup of tea or coffee we enter the park just as the sun is rising . Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to view wildlife as this is when they are most active.
We use 4 x 4 open jeeps which allow for great visibility all round.
There is a real air of anticipation and we hope to see signs of overnight wildlife activity.
Your guide knows the area well and is an experienced wildlife tracker, but several pairs of eyes are always better than one so you will probably want to join in, scanning the land for any movement or looking out for animal tracks.
When we are in forested areas, the undergrowth is often dense, so the guide will rely on the warning calls of other animals such as monkey or deer. These cries are an exciting indication that something, possibly a tiger, is on the prowl through the undergrowth.
In India the jeeps stay on designated tracks to avoid damage to the environment and stress to the animals, but in several of the National Parks we use elephant to take us off the track and deep into the tigers world. This does not bother the tigers but can give us the most wonderful sightings, perhaps a tigress resting with her cubs or guarding the remains of an overnight kill.
As well as tigers, you may see leopard, sambar, chital, langur, macaques, sloth bear, jackal, wild boar and many species of beautiful and amazing birds including India's national bird, the peacock. Depending on the areas you visit you may also see guar, swamp deer, dhole or Indian wild dog, asiatic lion or wild elephant.
The photo opportunities are fantastic.
In some places we take a picnic breakfast with us, and this is a great time to relax a little and to take in the beautiful scenery.
Mid morning we head back to our lodge. You may want to visit a local market or village or just spend some time relaxing in the lodge grounds, followed by lunch.
Late in the afternoon we head back into the park. There is a different atmosphere now. The temperature is starting to drop and the animals that have been resting in the shade are beginning to stir. It is a good time to wait by a water hole or lake where we will often be lucky enough to see a succession of animals coming down to drink. It isn't unknown for a tiger to cool off by getting right into the water. 
As dusk settles we head back to the lodge. It is a time to reflect on the days sightings and swap stories with other visitors over a leisurely meal and a cold beer or two.
It is however important to remember that although safari holidays are exciting and rewarding experiences, you will be in wild and remote areas looking for wild animals in their own environment. So consequently there is an element of unpredictability, so no guarantees can be given with regard to which wildlife you will encounter or how often you may see any particular species. Your guide will use his knowledge and experience and will be keen to provide you with the best wildlife viewing possibilities, but we respectfully request that you do not encourage your guide to break any of the park rules or deliberately disturb any animal in order to improve your wildlife viewing.
