Where are the Tigers?

There is only one reason to endure the above 40°C temperatures in an open air jeep in India -- to get close to a tiger in Ranthambore National Park. A tiger safari in India is not at all like that in Africa. African safaris spoil you with the massive amount of game. Here, you're tracking one of the most endangered and elusive cats in the world. Whether you see a tiger depends on your luck. You'll see lots of peacocks, deers, and monkeys, but that's not what drew me here. It could be worse, you could be stuck in a "canter" (an open air truck carrying 25 locals) if you don't book your jeep ahead of time. I cannot stress this enough -- book a jeep online in advance or stay in a luxury hotel and they'll do it for you at a premium! Unfortunately, we had to endure one bumpy ride in a canter and it was hell -- uncomfortable, slow, and noisy. It didn't help that the locals probably scared the tigers away by smoking. Another frustrating aspect of the tiger safari is that there are five zones where a limited amount of jeeps and canters can enter. The zone you get stuck with is chosen at random and you can't request or pay extra to go to the zone where a tiger was recently spotted. I won't say that the tiger safari was a waste of time as we did see one tiger hiding in a cave (too far away to capture on camera) and the scenery and ruins were beautiful. Our hotel, Khem Villas, also made the trip worthwhile (although they were the ones that couldn't secure a jeep at the last minute). We'll have to revisit between October and April to test our luck again. Ranthambore National Park is open from October 1- June 30. To book a jeep: http://www.rajasthanwildlife.in/ To book a stay: http://www.khemvillas.com