Since the time I developed this dope nature of travelling atleast once a year or may be twice or thrice sometimes, all I can recall is, I wanted to go for a Jungle Safari. It took time but finally done and dusted off from my bucket list. Yes I do believe in bucket list and mine is extensive too. I wish to fulfill it by the time I reach 45.
So my journey started from Jaipur, i was travelling from Kolkata and there are plenty cheap flights to jaipur, provided you plan the trip earlier. Stayed at Jaipur for a day, the next day I started out for Ranthambore National Park ie in Sawai Madhopur. See I have opted for a car here to traverse from jaipur till ranthambore so that I get dropped down at my resort directly but if you are tight on budget, you can travel by train to Sawai Madhopur station and then hire a jeep from there till your hotel.
We reached sawai madhopur after a journey for 4 hours from jaipur and it was pleasant experience. There is a linking road which is a bit rough and with potholes but then it is worth it. My hotel is about 30 minutes away from the station and had a great stay there. You can read about my stay review at Sultan Bagh jungle Camp here.
Now here's the main story, I did not book my jungle safari beforehand and asked the hotel concierge if they can arrange it next morning or afternoon slot whichever is possible for them. But you need to know that I am approaching them 24 hours in advance which is minimum time, you have to give to any travel desk to help you out with booking specially in peak season. Secondly do a bit research prior to your trip when opting for jungle safari so that you be aware that how many shifts are there for visitors to enter into jungle and regular entrance fees and camera charges and so on. When you actually reach the spot, the prices do vary but its not that you are not prepared for it if you have done a little research before your trip began. I always do the same.
The hotel happily arranged for us, a slot for jungle safari, next morning at 7am sharp in a private jeep which will accommodate 6 pax. So if you are big family travelling along, best option is to take a private jeep.
It was a thrilling experience and I have imagined I will get that adrenaline rush what if a tiger arrives right infront of me but trust me guys once you are inside the jungle, all you wish is you spot one tiger/tigress inside, no matter what risk it brings along with his/her presence.
We were not lucky enough to spot one tiger during morning safari but did spot many deer, actually plenty and Sambar and Nilgai which was a pretty deal too. The experience of being inside the natural habitat of wild animals, to see them moving freely without fear of human interference, is a surreal feeling.
But I was determined to see a tiger and approached my hotel travel person once more to put me in the afternoon shift if possible. As I have already paid for the private jeep during morning safari, which was exorbitantly high, I thought of trying my luck once more but in a canter which accommodates 20 pax and is quite affordable too. Magic!! This time in the afternoon slot, I was lucky to spot the female tigress Noor, not once but thrice. So yes the dream came true. The way the tigress moves stealthily and without caring about so many people looking at her, was amazing. It was her home and she knew she was safe. Please keep in mind the jungle safari takes almost 2 hours in total plus 15-30 minutes transportation time back to your hotel or place of residence.
I look forward to such beautiful and amazing experiences in the coming days and share it with you all here at Tripoto. If you have any more queries about your trip to Ranthambore National Park, shoot me a message or mail.You can follow me at Instagram too for more travel and fashion related updates. Link is here.
