So, what was I doing outside Jaipur airport in the peak of summer (42 degrees) with 5 other people stuffing our bags into a tempo traveller which was going to drive us down to Sawai Madhopur?
This couldn't just be another trip - my husband and his friends have been going on jungle trips from their teens; they know the calls, the excitement of sightings, and especially the disappointment of not having a single sighting. But, this was me...my introduction to the jungle...and, my husband went crazy figuring out how to go about it. Should it be December or should it be May/June? It will be more comfortable for her in December, but sightings are better in the heat. Should it be Tadoba, Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Ranthambore?!? He knew that if the first trip was not close to perfect, chances of getting me to do another would be slim. He spent days thinking about this, talking to his friends, and then finally decided that it was best to take me to the jungle he loved the most at the time when sightings were best!
So, here I was outside Jaipur airport in the peak of summer with 5 other people stuffing our bags into a tempo traveller which was going to drive us down to Sawai Madhopur; and what a trip we had!
The 2 hour drive to Sawai Madhopur from Jaipur was fairly uneventful barring the pit stop for delicious paranthas and the fact that the multiple fitbit's in the vehicle recorded 20K steps without having walked more than 200 (those tempo travellers sure are bumpy!)
You know you're getting close to the forest when the number of hotels lining the Ranthambore Road start increasing every 100m. You have from amazing 5 star hotels like the Oberoi Vanyavilas, to Vivanta by Taj to Nahargarh to basic bnb's. We had reservations at the Ranthambore Forest Resort which from it's website and numerous TripAdvisor ratings looked pretty decent, plus the name spoke to us! But, in my opinion, this hotel was strictly okay - the rooms were comfortable, but in serious need of renovation; the food was good and the restaurant was quite accommodating to our hours and needs; though at the end of the vacation, it was difficult to justify the cost of a hotel in such dire need of an upgrade. When this was raised to the manager at our exit, we were told that they were shutting down once the season ended to do major renovation works - so hopefully, the hotel may be in better shape now from when we visited.
Anyways, after a round of beer and some lunch...it was time...for our first afternoon safari. For me, there was apprehension and excitement all mixed in with sweltering 42C heat! This was it! My very first jungle safari and I had no idea what to expect. I had heard all about it...but these were jungle enthusiasts. They loved the jungle - every aspect of it.
The boys were chattering about various zones and how a tigress has had cubs and it would be so cool if we got the zone in which she and her cubs have been sighted. And here I was...wondering...zones?? I knew of 3 - normal, buffer, and restricted!
While we waited for our jeep to arrive, my apprehension and excitement grew with every passing moment...it's too hot! Would I be okay? Will the heat get to me? What if I can't handle it in the middle of the safari? There's no way to come back - I'll have to go thru the entire thing. I kept a calm facade while there were a thousand things running thru my mind - the boys on the other hand were getting irritated by the minute as jeeps of other tourists arrived and departed and ours was no where in sight. It was only recently when I checked the Ranthambore National Forest website that I realised that the afternoon safaris at the the time of year we visited do not start till 3:30pm; so, getting anxious at 2:45pm when the jeep had not arrived may have been an overkill - though, I have to say, we had 4 safari's booked and our jeep was ALWAYS the last ones to arrive!
Our jeep finally arrived and we made our way into the forest - we had zone 3 assigned, and though this was not the zone in which the tigress with her cubs were spotted, the excitement, nonetheless, was uncontrollable.
The one thing that I did discover in the first hour was how gratifying it was to be in the jungle. It is surreal to just stare into the woods and find peace of mind. You're in a jeep with seven other people but nobody talks and when they do its in hushed tones and there's no compulsion to be part of a conversation....and in that moment with oneself...I discovered that you're at your most peaceful. Was it love at first sight...perhaps? But, I knew there was no going back. The apprehension that I had felt earlier was overtaken by excitement and excitement alone.
All your senses are heightened...you see better....your sense of smell is better...you smell the earthiness of the dry soil and feel the dust on your face...you hear better....a chirp here....a call there...and then....anticipation! Was that a call? Did you hear it? There's another call! It's moving! Are we going the right way? And then, you see it...and you're spellbound!
We did see another tiger in this safari near the lake but from quite some distance and to be honest we couldn't really clearly see it from across the lake without the camera lens. Though, we could make out that unlike Arrowhead who was a 2.5 year old female, this other tiger lounging at the lakeside, possibly strategising on how best to get to the spotted deers nearby, was a mighty male. We waited to see if there would be any movement, but alas, there was none and soon it was time to head out as all jeeps were required to exit the park by 7pm. |
Our three other safaris were also quite nice. The next morning, we had a momentary glimpse of a sloth bear as it disappeared over a hill. As we moved ahead, we technically saw 2 tigers sitting in a submerged watering hole, but I don't think I saw any thru the foliage. They were camouflaged so well, that my eyes just could not make out where they were sitting.
Well, Lady Luck stuck by me for another safari. In our third safari we witnessed a very pregnant tigress (believe, Laila) protecting her kill...and what a sight it was. One moment she was in an agitated sleep (tossing and turning on her back) and the next moment, in a flash, she was near the water and really not happy.
What did I fall in love with the most? It wasn't the majestic tiger or the anticipation or excitement....no, these are all different parts of the bigger picture. There's so much more to it - there's a strange romance surrounding these jungle trips. It's a little difficult to explain, but it inculcates not just the excitement of the safaris but time spent in between each...drinking...discussing the tour...sharing stories from this and previous trips....talking about each others passions...And, what I loved the most was the romance between oneself and nature. Its the calmness...this peace of mind...that nature provides in this ever changing world, not asking for much in return but only to be treated with respect.
I truly loved my first jungle trip and I thank everyone who was part of it for making it such a memorable one. A special thanks to Aditya Jadhav for his beautiful photographs, without which this post would have been incomplete.
I can't wait for my next trip to the jungles - Ranthambore was very kind to me and I would surely go back again (and again and again), but there are so many more jungles to discover in India that Ranthambore would have to wait. Till next time!
For now, Pench 2017! I hope Lady Luck sticks by me again. But, it's okay....I plan to dream big...and have no expectation except to have that peace of mind....and I know...the jungle...would never disappoint!