7 Best Tiger Reserves, Safari & Jungle Resorts in India

There are only a few tigers are remaining on the earth and this is the only major reason why people are showing their interest by visiting different types of Tiger Safaris and National Parks. India is the second country which has the highest density of tigers it has so many tiger reserves and national parks to prevent these species. For outdoor travelers, one of the biggest factors in deciding where to go on vacation is whether the destination offers the chance to see rare and exotic wildlife. But it's also really nice to stay in hotels where you don't have to drive a full hour to get to national parks and wildlife areas.

So what happens when you combine the two? Well, you get amazing hotels where you can see wildlife directly from your room or while eating breakfast.

Tiger sightseeing in India is one of the most entertaining and joyful activities for tourists all over the world. Tiger reserves in India are known for the glimpse of majestic and ferocious tigers. If you need more reasons to travel for tiger safari in India then this article will give you all the reasons to make you convinced.

In this article we will try to provide you with the entry fees, hotel booking charges, guide fees, vehicle cost, and the charges need to be paid at some popular tiger safaris in India. We have listed down the best Tiger Reserve and the cost of amenities to those places for your reference, so that you can accordingly plan your tiger safari.



Here are the best places for tiger safari in India:

1. Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu

Popular Tiger reserve in southern India with very high chances of tiger spotting is the perfect holiday to spend with family in the month of December, January, February.

Big City nearby: Coimbatore, Pollachi (Rs 70 bus ticket from Pollachi to Annamalai Tiger safari per person or hire a cab for Rs 3000)

Resorts in Anamalai Tiger Reserve: Coco Lagoon by Great Mount, SR Jungle Resort within 20 km (Rs 1500 - Rs 6000) with food and Hornbill Hideaway Jungle Resort.

Guide cost: Rs 150 per vehicles
Vehicle cost: Rs 100 for light vehicle and Rs 200 for heavy vehicles
Entry charges: Rs 30 per person
Value for money: Good
Other activities: Trekking (Rs 6000 for 5 people) and Elephant ride: Rs 2400 for 5 people

2. Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka

Popular Tiger reserve in southern India with very high chances of tiger spotting is the perfect holiday to spend with family in the month of October, November, March, April.

Big City nearby: Mysore (Reach Nagarhole National park in 1000 Rs by Taxi)

Resorts in Nagarhole National Park: Jungle Inn (Rs 6000), The Bison (Rs 10000), Waterwoods Lodge (Rs 15000) per day

Guide cost: Rs 350- Rs 500
Vehicle cost: Rs 1500 for the complete vehicle
Entry charges: Rs 1500 per person
Value for money: Expensive
Other activities: sightseeing (entry free)

3. Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Popular Tiger reserve in central India with very high chances of tiger spotting is the perfect holiday to spend with family in the month of March, June, November, February. The cost increases by 10% every year.

Big City nearby: Jabalpur (Reach National park for Rs 1000 by taxi)

Resorts in Bandhavgarh National Park: Tiger's Den Resort (Rs 5000), Aranyak Resort, Mogli Jungle Resort and Syna Resort (Rs 11500)

Guide cost: Rs 360
Vehicle cost: Rs 2500 for 5 seater vehicle with 5
Entry charges: Rs 1500
Value for money: Moderate
Other activities: sightseeing at Ancient caves (entry free), Khajuraho temple (entry fee of Rs 600)

4. Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

Popular Tiger reserve in Central India with very high chances of tiger spotting is the perfect holiday to spend with family in the months of February to April. Famous for its tiger reserve, this park owes its name to the river Pench. This park is admired and visited by many wildlife lovers!

Big City nearby: Nagpur (Reach national park for Rs 1000 by taxi) or Jabalpur (Reach national park for Rs 2000 by taxi)

Resorts in Pench Tiger Reserve: Pench Jungle Camp (Rs 6500) and Tiger and Wood Resort (Rs 3200)

Guide cost: Rs 300
Vehicle cost: Re 2000 for gypsy
Entry charges: Rs 150
Value for money: Good
Other activities: trekking and sightseeing at Pench lake (entry free)

5. Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Popular Tiger reserve in Northern India with very high chances of tiger spotting is the perfect holiday to spend with family in the month of November, April, February.

Big City nearby: Jaipur to Ranthambore by bus or train (Rs 300), by taxi (Rs 1000)

Resorts in Ranthambore National Park: Ranthambore Tiger Resort (Rs 1700) and Ranthambore Haveli (Rs 2000)

Guide cost: Rs 550
Vehicle cost: Rs 500
Entry charges: Rs 800
Value for money: Very Good
Other activities: sightseeing of Ranthambore Fort (entry fee Rs 15)

6. Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan

Also try stopping by the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary to find out if you are lucky enough to spot some tiger stripes in the thick wilderness. Picture this: jeep safaris, exploring a haunted fort, and sunsets with snacks in the company of a squad of amazing wildlife lovers! There’s an adventure just waiting to happen in Sariska! Book your spot in a road trip and sleep under the stars, wake with the birds, and live in the lap of comfort.

This popular Tiger reserve in Northern India provides very low chances of tiger spotting, but the sightseeing is the perfect way to spend time with family in the month of October and November. You can also visit the nearby Siliserh lake. It is around 30 Kms from the park and will take an hour. There’s an RTDC hotel and boating place. You can spend around an hour at the lake. Other sites in Alwar city are far from the reserve.

There are two gates to the reserve- Sariska and Tehla. Sariska gate is the main gate and the one near to RTDC hotel. While doing online booking, you also get an option to select zones. You can select any of the zones because at the time of entry, zones are randomly assigned to the gypsy/ canter. It is said that there is no difference in terms of the experience in the three routes.

You have an option to book a gypsy or a canter. The seating capacity of a gypsy is six and of canter is 20. It is advisable to book the accommodation also in advance. Weekends receive a large number of tourists. You will have to reach the safari booking counter at least half an hour in advance to the safari start timing.

The booking place falls on your left side while coming to RTDC hotel and is around 200 meters before the hotel; opposite to Sariska Palace hotel. You will have to show your online booking receipt at the counter and you will be assigned a gypsy or canter as per your booking, the zone and the guide. Canter will depart when it has received 20 tourists. So, you may have to wait till the canter is full to its capacity.

Similarly, unless you have booked the full gypsy, you may have to wait for all 6 tourists to occupy the gypsy. Gypsies/canters depart from the booking place itself. There is also a current booking counter to book safari if you have not done advance booking. You may get current booking depending on the availability, as there are only a limited number of gypsies and canters.

There’s a hanuman temple inside the park. You can visit the park in your vehicle on Tuesday and Saturday after paying the entry fees. On other days, you can hire gypsy/canter. This temple is 21 Kms inside the Sariska National park. The temple closes at 6.00 PM. The road is bumpy but manageable.

Big City nearby: Jaipur - Sariska (Rs 2000 by cab), Alwar - Sariska (Rs 1500 by cab), New Delhi - Sariska (Rs 2500 by cab)

Resorts in Sariska Tiger Reserve: Alwar Bagh (Rs 4000) and Ram Bihari Palace (Rs 6000 - Rs 11000)

Guide cost: Rs 300
Vehicle cost: Rs 2100 for gypsy
Entry charges: Rs 450
Value for money: Moderate
Other activities: Buffer sightseeing in monsoon (included in cost)

7. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger reserve, Assam

Popular Tiger reserve in eastern India with very low chances of tiger spotting but will surely spot Rhinos. It is the perfect holiday spot to spend with family and kids from the months of November to April.

Kaziranga national park is one of the best tiger reserves in India and it is known for its great one-horned Rhinos. The national park has the world's 60% population of great Rhinoceroses. Travel for tiger safari in India is the only way to spot one horned Rhinos in India. You can also get a chance to see Asian elephants, Swamp Deers, Asian Water Buffalo, and even tigers in Kaziranga national park.

Big City nearby: Tezpur - Kaziranga (Rs 1000 as taxi fare) or Guwahati - Kaziranga (Rs 2000)

Resorts in Kaziranga National Park: Jupuri Ghar (Rs 2000) and Landmark Woods (Rs 3600)

Guide cost: Rs 300
Vehicle cost: Rs 2500 per jeep
Entry charges: Rs 650
Value for money: Expensive
Other activities: Viewing Rhinoceroses on Elephant Safari (Rs 2000 per person)

The Tiger safari in India is best in the month of November to April and are often crowded during the season. It is good to practice to do advance booking of the resorts and safari to avoid the unexpected rush and unavailability. The cost of one meal is included in the cost of the resort.

Money is the tool, to take you where you wish to be. Every penny spent on safari is the cost you learn from nature, a wonderful creation of a mighty god.

Following are a few reasons why you should go for a tiger safari in India.


1. Tiger Safaris are operated by Naturalists experts

Doing a tiger safari tour alone is very difficult and risky as well so you always need Naturalists experts to know more about tiger safari in India. When you will visit tiger safaris in India you will be taken in a jeep by Naturalists experts. They will provide you all the information about the whole national park and about the park's inhabitants. They will also let you know where to find tigers in the park.


2. If you get lucky, you will see a tiger

According to statistics, India has the world's 70% of the tiger population and recently it has increased by 30% in the last few years. Even with these positive numbers, there are least chances to spot tigers in some tiger safaris in India but if you get lucky then you can see more than one tiger together especially in Ranthambore National Park and Bandhavgarh national park or even in national parks in Karnataka.

The Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Warangal region in Telangana, is a dry forest of deciduous teak, bamboo. The Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Warangal region, is also a place where tigers, panthers, gaurs, birds of passage live. Other important reserves are Kinnerasani, Papikonda, Coringa, Kolleru, Krishna, Pocharam, Manjiri with camping in Medak.


3. Visit tiger reserves freely

Tiger reserves in India are separated into different zones to prevent you from overcrowding. You can explore any zone freely or you can take a guide with you to know everything about the national park. More adventurous types can book a hike along one of the paths to see the views from above.


4. You can see other animals as well

India is home to a diverse range of stunning landscapes. You can see mountains, meadows, forests, jungles. This country has it all. To make the most of it, visit a national park and arrange for a jeep safari. Not only will you benefit from the knowledge of a local guide, but you will also be able to spot all the wildlife in their natural environment, including tigers, leopards, and bears.

Tigers are not only the wild animal to see, but there are also thousands of other species too to spot in tiger reserves of India. You can see other animals and bird species like parakeet, thrush, barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Myna, Alexandrine parakeet, grey hornbill, and Rock-pigeon, Leopards, Striped Hyenas, Sambar deer, Chital, Nilgai, Bee Eaters, Cuckoos, Parakeets, Swift, Owl, Nightjars, Pigeon, Dove, Crakes, langurs, Macaques, Jackals, Sloth bears, Black bucks, Rufous-tailed Hare, Indian foxes, and Indian Mongoose.


5. Experience Birdwatching in India

Birdwatching is one of the great experiences while you are exploring wildlife in India. There are more than 1300 species of birds in India including, grey hornbill, parakeet, barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Myna, Rock-pigeon, thrush, and Alexandrine parakeet. You can also take a bird watching itinerary as per your interest in India.


6. See different species of Monkeys and Deers

If you are traveling for tiger safari in India then there 100% chances you will see monkeys in every national park. Rhesus Macaques is one of the different species of monkeys which is most common you found in Delhi. While visiting tiger safari of Ranthambore you will find black-faced long-tailed monkeys. Wherever you go on a tiger safari tour in India you can also see some Sambar Deers which can weight to more than 500 kg.


7. Tiger Safari can be tailored to your interest

India has more than 100 national parks including tiger safaris and a huge amount of wildlife to see. There are more famous animals can be seen here which is not included yet like sloth bears, hyenas, wild boar, Indian bison, black bears, Asian antelope, and honey badgers.

Tiger safari in India also has some specific types of animals like spider safaris, snake safaris so, you can choose as per whatever your interest is.

8. What do you expect when you plan safari?

The adventure streak in humans shouts out for Tiger safari to explore the impetuous wildlife in the natural habitat. The urge to flee away from city chaos to some serene natural escape also oversee to plan tiger safari. When we plan a trip we expect a safe voyage to the jungle and have an amazing experience. The stay becomes more pleasant and comfortable if we share the trip with the best amenities provided. We expect

• A knowledgeable and experienced guide
• A comfortable and safe vehicle or carrier
• A luxurious and reasonable Hotel or resort
• Delicious and Healthy Food
• And Other activity to enjoy our trip

But all these facilities are for cost and it is sagacious to acknowledge the total cost of safari and plan the trip accordingly. Moving further we would also like to mention that Tiger safari in India is cheaper as compared to other places in the world. The world-class infrastructure, the natural habitat make it unique from the rest of the world. The reason why tiger safari in India is cheap is that.

Indians are naturally very passionate towards the animals and take it as their pride in serving for them. Tigers are associated with many proud and religious moments in India. Hence the people are impulsively committed towards Tigers welfare and development. Thus the cost is kept low because of the passion involved in their preserve.

Rupee is cheaper than the dollar, hence the paying capacity is more for the tourist coming from the USA, Australia, and UK.

Tiger safaris are regulated and managed by the local State Governments. The Government of India aggressively spends to promote tourism in the country due to which the cost of tiger safari in India is kept quite alluring for the tourist.

In India, all the safaris are viable and located around the major cities so that they can be easily accessible by road, air, and rail transport. The transportation cost to reach the Reserve and Parks is cheap from the cities nearby so that you save a lot of money on your visit to India for tiger safari. Viable location makes transportation cheaper.

So these are best reasons to travel for tiger safari in India that will help you to know better about Indian wildlife.

It is natural for you to have some fears, but you need to overcome them at any cost. And when the cost is paid to encounter nature in the most exciting, enduring, safe and comfortable environment then the amount paid is just dirt cheap.

If you know more about tiger safaris in India which are not mentioned in this article then tell us in the comment section below.