Ranthambore National Park - India

We travelled halfway around the world to visit Ranthambore National Park for one reason only. To see the mighty and very elusive Bengal Tiger, a symbol of wild beauty and conservation importance. I wonder if they still exist?

In Ranthambore village, Precious decided to hire a tailor to make shorts. After a lot of haggling and bargaining, he finally did the necessary and, hopefully, the awaited trousers.   Nothing really worked according to plan. The tailor had a long story; the pants were late, had to be altered, and ultimately, they weren’t up to scratch. Disappointment looms as their fate is determined.

Ranthambore National Park is the home of the tiger, and Butch was going to catch it by its tail, come hell or high water. We booked three safaris, hoping for the best.   The system for allocating drivers and vehicles to guests is confusing and inconsistent.   Booking repeat game drives doesn't guarantee the same driver, which can hinder building rapport and may be influenced by local practices, making the experience less predictable and more frustrating.

 We saw the tail end of a Tiger on the second evening, after driving at breakneck speed with semi-competent drivers and guides who are hell-bent on showing you a Tiger in an 8-seater Indian Jeep without suspension.  "Suspension," they think, is the anticipation of the sighting.    

We would’ve been quite happy to enjoy the other game, birds, and wildlife, but there was no chance of that happening!  

Being keen birdwatchers, Precious sometimes pointed out species he could identify, but was curtly slapped on the wrist by another passenger who made it clear that he was there to see Tigers and that if we preferred bird-spotting, we could go to the zoo.

John Varty, a very passionate conservationist, has a large Tiger rehabilitation centre in the Orange Free State, South Africa. All reports are very positive, and those involved are excited and praise John's dedication.   We're planning to visit and support these efforts, hopeful that soon, Bengal tigers will thrive more in protected areas than in India.