Ranthambhore National Park is vast, approx 1,334 km2 and covers a wide range of landscapes ranging from rocky outcrops to deciduous forest.
Safari 1 was yesterday morning, it was freezing cold before dawn and we were given blankets to wrap ourselves up. The birds were quite active
Unfortunately we saw very little clearly else; two spotted deer, some tiger footprints and a couple of monkeys. I did however glimpse a sloth bear crossing the track but couldn’t get a photo. It was huge and proceeding to scratch around in the undergrowth for a while but was hidden from clear view by some boulders.
Safari 2 yesterday afternoon. Lots to see: monkey, sambar (deer), spotted deer, kingfisher, wagtail, stork?, crocodile
and, finally, TIGER!!!!!! albeit mostly back view.
This was the point when I really, really wished I'd splashed out on a jeep seat; our canter was at a distance from the tiger but suddenly out of nowhere 10 or more jeeps arrived and drove right in front of us and right up close to the tiger.
I was lucky enough to be sitting at the front, but there was a tree blocking a clear view.
It was fascinating and hard to know whether or not the deer (there were 2) knew the tiger was there. She played the long game and just sat there for ages.
Eventually we saw her muscles start to tighten and she finally got up but of course the deer scarpered immediately.
I don't think she was really bothered about hunting as she then just wandered off and at one point crossed the track right in front of me but everyone was leaping around in the canter and unfortunately my shots were out of focus.
Safari 3 was this morning and no tigers in sight and very little else!
End of free internet access so I’m not sure when my next post will be.