Ranthambore-On the Tiger Trail

Summer was fast approaching. Every week new records were being set for the highest temperature. We started planning for what could possibly be the last bike trip of the season during the second weekend of April. After pondering over the numerous hill stations around Delhi we finally zeroed in on the small but little exploited Landsdowne. Preparations were in full swing but then life is so full of ironies. This nature trip of mine came in conflict with the nature saving initiative of my company- the introduction of Euro IV fuel grades in India. We were loaded with so much work that I had to bail out of the trip in the last moment. My friends had a wonderful time and got some nice pictures, much to my envy. I was at an all time low having missed out on the season’s last journey.
But as my friend says “The biggest problem of getting bitten by the travel bug is that constant itching to travel further”. One month hadn’t passed after Landsdowne and we started to consider the next possibility. With temperatures soaring ever so higher our initial dilemma was between Nainital, Dehradun and Kasauli. Each were ruled out for their distinctive disadvantages. My disappointment of having not seen a tiger in Sariska made me suggest a trip to some tiger reserve. Sunil, my friend, having visited all tiger reserves except Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh and the North Eastern ones suggested Ranthambore. This was the ideal time for sighting them there. But 400kms by road oneway, in this climate and with just two days made a road trip almost impossible, and we decided to go by rail.
We started scouting for tickets. Unfortunately, all trains to Sawai Madhopur district where Ranthambore is located were full. We finally booked a sleeper in the Mewar express. Our return tickets were in RAC. Got a room booked at Hammir Resort in Ranthambore. Also booked a morning trip to the forest on 1st May. On 30th April we caught the train at 7:30 PM. Reached there at 1 AM.
In Ranthambore we can go in either in a gypsy, 6passengers, or in a canter, which is like a truck with 14 passengers. Gypsy costs Rs 600 per head and canter Rs 400 per head. We wanted to get a gypsy for just the two of us. Unfortunately, none was available. This was a little disappointing as Sunil being an avid bird watcher wanted to have the freedom of stopping the vehicle whenever he saw even the smallest of birds which wouldn’t be possible in a canter. Further, you are put up with 12other people which is not always good when you gor for a wild life trip.
Our morning trip was at 6 AM. So after a 3hour sleep we got ready to leave. Our worst nightmares came true when we saw the people in the canter. They were making so much noise that we lost hope of seeing any interesting wildlife let alone a tiger. They had no interest in anything except seeing the tiger and some even thought there were lions in the reserve. They got on the nerves of our driver and guide and even got “Gallis” from other vehicles for the noise they were making.

But I guess luck favors the stupid. After about 30minutes into our journey we had the first sighting. There was a group of 3vehicles, two infront of us, and walking towards us was the female tiger T-19. Since we were last in line we couldn’t get a good shot of the animal. But it passed by the side of the first few vehicles and then went into the jungle crossing right in front of our canter. It was so close, like the strays that cross our vehicles on city roads. What a magnificent animal it was. And it was very huge. I imagined wild tigers to be sleeker than those in zoos as they are not spoon fed. But she was huge. This sighting changed our moods for the better. We waited for some time hoping it will come out ant then moved on. There were quite a lot of other animals as well- spotted deers, sambhars, neel ghais, hanuman langurs etc and a lot of bird life as well. But the tiger was missing. We were nearing the end of the 3 hour trip and the driver started taking us back. But just about 15 meters from the boundary gate was parked a canter and gypsy and its occupants were buzzing. And there it was basking in the morning sun, right in the middle of the road, another huge beautiful female T-17, the sister of the one we saw earlier. It was less than 8ft away from our vehicle, unperturbed by the trespassers into her territory. We got about 15min with her until the calm was disturbed by a vehicle full of school kids, who on seeing the animal couldn’t control their enthusiasm. But after this everyone was really happy and excited, satisfied with the journey. On returning to the resort I handed over 1000Rs to the guide for the seats in the canter as is the case in Sariska. He was very happy and asked whether we will be going in the evening. We said we haven’t decided. But after returning to the reception, we learned that the money for the seats were to be given here and not to the guide. The guide thought we had given him a handsome tip, which explained his eagerness in getting us to go with him in the evening. But the excitement of seeing the tiger helped us overcome the huge dent this blunder made to our pockets.

From the reception we came to know about a guy called Sunny Patil. He is an ex navy guy, who quit that job and now worked as guide at the Oberoi. He also takes people on private guided tours to the Chambal ravines around the sanctuary. Though his charge of 4000Rs was very high, we decided to go ahead with it as the ravines are famous for mammals like jackals, fox, Indian wolf, caracal, sloth bear; reptiles like the crait, cobra etc. Also, his tour included a trip to a lake as well with ample bird life. We set out at 5 from the resort and on way got sighting of a Jackal family. Unfortunately, when we reached the lake, the staff of one of the hotels was having a picnic there. They were making such noise that any chance of seeing wildlife disappeared. However the place was serene and beautiful. Would have been excellently peacefully had it not been for the people gathered there that day. After the sun went down we started our return journey, ideal for spotting mammals. But misfortune continued as it started drizzling slightly. The climate became so pleasant that our hopes were crushed. We saw camel spider, a whole lot of jackals, a couple of rufous tailed hares. But nothing in the scale of what we had expected. We returned disappointed. But our guide was very impressed with our knowledge on wildlife which was not the case with most of the other tourists that he takes out. He was esp impressed with Sunils knowledge on birds. So next day we planned to meet again, this time free of cost.
After dinner, we set out on a night stroll hoping may be a leopard will jump in front. But after walking a few hundred kilometers away from the resort, the place becomes so dark and spooky that the flashlight you used rarely when you set out comes into use for every rustle of the leaf you hear.
Next day morning again we came to know that we got a canter only. Our spirits went down slightly. But the group this time was very interesting. They were wildlife enthusiasts, not just tourists who came to see the tiger. They enjoyed other animals as well, even the smallest of birds like us. So it was an interesting trip. We were in Zone 1 this day. It’s a very small area surrounding the very famous Rajgadh water hole of Ranthambore. But there was no tiger any where. At the centre of the lake is a fort. News had come that the tiger is inside the fort with a kill. We kept circling the water hole but as I said earlier, it seems tiger comes out only for stupids. We saw lots of other animals and birds but just not tiger. Finally we gave up and settled below a tree hoping the tiger would come out of the fort. After about half an hour of patient waiting one guy with a bino spotted the animal. It set the entire canter abuzz. We managed to get a long shot of the animal. It was the same T-17 we saw earlier, but the pictures we got was more natural than the previous day’s. The spirits shot up and everyone left the park happy.
That day after lunch, we took a gypsy for 2000 and went to a nearby place called Kundla. Roamed about for a couple of hours. Got pug marks of tiger and sloth bear but dint sight any big mammals except the jackal. But we were lucky to see the juvenile of a flame backed king fisher being attacked by three rufous backed treepies.

After this we met up with Sunny Patil. He took us to a place were leopard sighting is common. But it started drizzling again. Though we dint see the leopard, we got pictures of a chinkara juvenile, sand grouse etc.

Finally our trip was coming to an end. I dint feel like coming back from there. The place is so cut out from the rest of the world. There you see how people respect the wild life. Our return trip was by the 1 o’clock Mewar express. We were packed up and ready to leave by 11. Our tickets which were RAC also got confirmed. So after two days of excitement and very little sleep we were ready for a peaceful and comfortable trip back. But our adventure was just not getting over yet.

We reached station way before time but were surprised to check the reservation list. Neither of our names were there on the list. Our confusions increased and we were incensed by the inefficiency of the railways who after sending us a confirmation sms has failed to put the names on the list. But we were in for shock when we analyzed the ticket. Our ticket was for 1:00 AM on 2/05/2010 which meant the train left early morning Sunday. We got mixed up with the AM-PM confusion and booked the wrong train. Finally we had to book a general class ticket and come in a train all packed with humanity. Thus came to an eventful end a very eventful trip.