Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Locking gazes with an apex predator in Karnataka’s tiger reserves - SilverKris

"An iconic protected forest in southern India where early-morning safaris often yield close tiger encounters — animals pacing along mud tracks, scent-marking trees and moving unbothered by jeeps — accompanied by exuberant birdlife and a twitchy understory. Sightings are the result of careful tracking by trained guides who watch for alarm calls, fresh pug marks and kill scents, and of relentless conservation efforts since the 1970s (including Project Tiger) that have helped revive the population. The reserve forms part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere landscape, hosts a rich assemblage of mammals (chital, gaur, dhole, sloth bear, mouse deer and large elephant populations) and over 250 bird species, and is best visited in the dry months (mid‑March to mid‑June) when sighting chances are highest; Bengaluru is the nearest major airport, about a five‑hour (~250 km) drive away." - Charukesi Ramadurai