The Best Tiger Safaris in India - A List of the 5 Best Places to Spot Tigers
The iconic tiger is an elusive animal so we have narrowed down what we consider to be the best safaris in all of India, which are coincidentally reputed to be the 5 best places to spot tigers. The following list is primarily based on tiger population, documented tiger sightings and best experience overall. India is home to roughly 2,226 tigers residing across 40 different national parks but if you want to maximize your chances of seeing a wild tiger, we recommend that you opt for one of the following tiger safari parks: Bandhavgarh National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Kanha National Park, Jim Corbett National Park & Satpura National Park.
Read on for a brief description of each to figure out what the best tiger safari is for you!
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1. Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh National Park is consistently rated the #1 best tiger safari in India and the #1 best place to spot tigers for one simple reason - it has one of the highest densities of tigers in the region. The main area of Bandhavgarh extends over 100 square kilometers and is home to over 50 wild tigers. That may not sound like a lot but with only 2,226 tigers remaining in total and with a ratio of tiger:land that plays in your favor, you are almost guaranteed to spot a tiger at Bandhavgarh. To give you a good frame of reference, Kruger National Park in South Africa is spread over 19,485 square kilometers - nearly 2,000 times bigger than Bandhavgarh.
Note that within the park itself, certain zones are better than others for spotting tigers so if you want to book the best zones, we recommend that you do so well in advance.
Other animals at Bandhavgarh National Park include several different species of antelope and deer as well as native bison, fox, bear & leopard.
2. Ranthambore National Park, Sawai Madhopur
Ranthambore National Park is similarly rated as one of the best tiger safaris in India, if not the best. It is specifically known as the best tiger safari for photographers - in fact, the better images of Indian tigers that one can find were most likely taken at Ranthambore. Whether you're a professional photographer or not, a tiger safari with your loved ones is certainly something you're going to want to document so make sure to keep Ranthambore National Park at the top of your list.
It is one of India's largest parks, spreading over an area of 1,335 square kilometers with a population of roughly 50 tigers.
Believe it or not, the tigers are not the only attraction here as the park is dotted with gorgeous ancient ruins, including a fort that both the tigers and leopards are particularly fond of - so you might be lucky and get an amazing shot of a regal tiger lounging about or slowly walking by, with the added benefit of distinct local architecture in the background.
Other animals at Ranthambore National Park include leopard, jungle cats, crocodiles, hyenas, sloth bears & native foxes.
3. Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Kanha National Park is one of the best places to spot tigers because the grounds are primarily large open meadows. Beyond providing better tiger sightings, the grounds are also strikingly beautiful and home to the hard-ground barasingha, an endangered species of deer that can only be found at Kanha.
The park extends over 950 square kilometers and hosts roughly 130 Indian tigers.
Other animals at Kanha National Park include wild pig, striped hyena, black buck & ant-eating pangolin (aka a scaly anteater).
4. Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
Jim Corbett National Park has a great reputation as one of the best tiger safari parks in India partly because it's been around since 1936 and is therefore one of India's oldest parks. After your safari through Jim Corbett, we highly recommend that you visit one of the grounds' watchtowers and get a bird's eye view of the wildlife below and beyond.
The park is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, spreads out over an area of 500 square kilometers and is home to over 165 tigers - making it one of the best preserved national parks in all of India.
Other animals at Jim Corbett include leopard, sloth bears, deer, jungle cats & fishing cats. Most notably however is a thriving population of over 600 Asiatic elephants - this is why Jim Corbett National Park is often referred to as 'Elephant Park'.
5. Satpura National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Satpura National Park is the best tiger safari for travelers looking for a more private and intimate experience. Only 12 vehicles are permitted in the park at a time so if you absolutely want to avoid any crowds, you should highly consider a tiger safari at Satpura. Satpura is unique as the only park that offers a walking safari, allowing you to disembark from the jeep, explore the grounds and track the elusive tiger by foot - with an expert guide of course.
The park extends across roughly 525 square kilometers and is home to over 340 tigers.
Other animals at Satpura National Park include several species of deer as well as hyena, leopard, foxes, bears, wild dogs & flying squirrels.
*Alternate Tiger Safari Suggestions: Other great parks include Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal), Pench National Park (Madhya Pradesh), Tadoba National Park (Maharashtra), Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka) & Bandipur National Park (Karnataka).
