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India, a land of vibrant cultures and breathtaking landscapes, also harbors a treasure trove of wildlife sanctuaries that are a photographer's dream. From the elusive tiger to the majestic elephant, these parks offer unparalleled opportunities to capture nature's wonders in their rawest form.

Here are 10 of the best wildlife photography destinations in India, highlighting the prime photographic opportunities:

Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan:  Ranthambore's forte is tiger photography. The dry deciduous forests make spotting tigers easier, and the backdrop of ancient ruins adds drama. Focus on capturing tigers against the fort walls, near the lakes (Rajbagh, Padam), or stalking prey.

Kaziranga National Park, Assam: Kaziranga is rhino country.  Elephant safaris offer unique perspectives for close-up rhino portraits. Jeep safaris allow you to cover more ground and capture herds of swamp deer, elephants, and if you're lucky, tigers. Bird photography is also exceptional here.

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand: Corbett offers diverse photography options. Focus on capturing tigers in the diverse terrain – from riverbeds to dense forests. Elephant back safaris offer unique angles. Bird photography along the Ramganga river is rewarding.

Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh:  Bandhavgarh is another tiger-centric park. The high tiger density makes it ideal for capturing dramatic action shots. The rocky terrain and dense forests create stunning backdrops.

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh:  Kanha's vast meadows and Sal forests offer beautiful settings for wildlife photography. Focus on capturing barasingha (swamp deer) in the meadows, and tigers in the Sal forests. The park’s scenic beauty itself is a subject worth capturing.

Gir National Park, Gujarat: Gir is the last bastion of the Asiatic lion. Focus on capturing lions in their natural habitat, often against the backdrop of the dry teak forests. The Devalia Safari Park offers controlled opportunities for close-up lion portraits.

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra: Tadoba is a rising star for tiger photography. The compact size and good tiger density make it easier to get sightings. The beautiful lakes within the park provide excellent reflection shots of tigers and other India safari holiday.

Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan: Formerly Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, this park is a bird photography paradise. Focus on capturing migratory birds, both waders and waterfowl.  Use long lenses to capture detailed portraits and action shots of birds in flight.

Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal: The Sundarbans offer unique photography opportunities. Focus on capturing tigers swimming or navigating the mangrove channels. Boat safaris are the primary mode of transport, offering unique perspectives for photography. Crocodiles, dolphins, and diverse birdlife are other subjects.

Eravikulam National Park, Kerala: Eravikulam's rolling hills are home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr. Focus on capturing these animals against the backdrop of the scenic grasslands and high-altitude landscapes. The mist-covered hills add a mystical touch to your photos.

Essential Tips for Wildlife Photography in India

Permits and Bookings: Secure necessary permits and book accommodations/safaris well in advance, especially during peak season.

Gear: Invest in a good quality camera and lenses suitable for wildlife photography.

Guides: Hire experienced local guides who are knowledgeable about animal behavior and park regulations.

Respect: Maintain a safe distance from wildlife and minimize disturbance to their natural habitat.

Patience: Wildlife photography requires patience and persistence. Be prepared to spend long hours in the field.

Ethics: Prioritize animal welfare over getting the perfect shot. Avoid causing stress or disturbance to wildlife.

Plan your adventurer India safari holiday now and explore these incredible photography havens! 

India’s most popular beach destination, Goa earns its spot on the popular destinations of the world at the Trip Advisor's Travellers' Choice Award 2020. India’s tropical paradise gets the 11th rank on the elite list. Goa is synonymous with its wonderful beaches, therefore undoubtedly it is India’s favourite beach getaway. Set along the cerulean spread of the Arabian Sea, Goa is the land of sun, sand and sea. The tropical haven is the most-preferred holiday destination in the country. Be it a family vacation, romantic honeymoon, fun-time with friends or any kind of vacation, Goa tours suit all!

Under the rule of the Portuguese till 1961, Goa still retains its colonial past. The Indo-Portuguese character of the culture of Goa is very visible amongst its architecture as well as its people. Churches in Goa are elegant specimens of architecture that has been named among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. On a walk through Old Goa, come across the beautiful churches. Also, a part of the glorious past are the forts of Goa. These defensive structures now serve at beautiful lookouts that still retain the charms of the olden days.

The major tourist attractions of Goa are its sparkling blue of the waters and the sky in contrast of the golden sands, green paddy fields, swaying coconut trees and not to forget the lively spirit of the people. Goans make you feel at home, every moment spent here is nothing like you have experienced before. In the smallest state of India, there are quite a number of big surprises. Cruises that you cherish forever, casinos to try your luck, nightlife that keeps you up till the early hours of the day, food that combines the delicious flavours of the sea and the very different culinary style are some highlights of your holiday in Goa.

Beyond the stretch of the golden coastline that comprise of more than 50 beaches, Goa has much to offer. Watersports add to the pleasure of your dream beach holiday. The lush Western Ghats are close by, where there is much to explore. There are scenic waterfalls, especially the Dudhsagar Falls that is unmissable. The wildlife sanctuaries are blessed with rare flora and fauna, it is also a rare bird watcher’s heaven. If the unexplored backwaters, beautiful villages and best of all history that is fascinating. So, be it relaxation, sightseeing, adventure or whatever your heart desires, Goa has it all.

The allure of Goa is that it remains quite different from the rest of India. While it is small enough to be explored in a way that other Indian states are not, it still has so much to provide you a wonderful vacation. Undoubtedly, Goa's tourism byline of "Goa - 365 days on Holiday" is absolutely true.
 

Having seen Tigers so closely (it was so pulse racing, that I felt like my heart in my mouth) in Kanha and Bandhavgarh last year, my interest in seeing more wildlife in its natural habitat, made me book a trip to Gujarat, which is the only home of the Asiatic Lion in India --- I along with two of my colleagues, Himanshu and Krishna did a recent trip to Gujarat and Diu. The other thing that perhaps played a role in our selection of Gujarat as a destination, was the wonderful advertising campaign that Gujarat Tourism has been running for the last couple of years, where, Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood’s biggest star, has been promoting tourism to Gujarat. The campaign from Gujarat tourism seems to be yielding excellent results, and the number of tourists travelling to Gujarat is on the rise. 

Our trip began in Ahmedabad, where just after a few hours of sleep, we visited the Gandhi Ashram, where the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi spent a few years of his life. It is now converted to a museum depicting the Mahatma’s life. Our next stop was Diu, a Union Territory, and a beach destination, bordering the state of Gujarat. 

The next morning, we moved on to Sasan Gir (of course the main reason for our trip), en route visiting Somnath – one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The resort, Gir Birding Lodge was very well located (just next to the entry gate of the National Park), and during the 3 safaris we did into the park, we were lucky to spot the King of Jungle a couple of times, also it was a good birding experience as we spotted many birds – Magpie Robin, Black-headed Oriole, Nightjar, Eurasian Thicknee – just to name a few. We were lucky to spot Leopard as well, which is quite rare.

Our last destination was the Little Rann of Kutch – an unending expanse of salt marsh desert, also very famous, for the reason that it is the only home of the Asiatic Wild Ass. It was indeed a unique experience to see large herd of Wild Asses, the other animals I was able to capture in my camera were the Desert Fox, Blue Bulls, etc.. The area is also well known to have about 300 species of Indian and migratory birds, but they were all gone in March, so we missed them!

While currently, very few tourists from the western world visit Gujarat, this is truly a destination with great potential, and there is a lot to see and do for tourists in Gujarat. Also very impressive, is the infrastructure development, which seems to be way ahead of several other states in India – Gujarat has a good road infrastructure, availability of clean drinking water and no power shortages.

The trip gave me and my colleagues a very good insight into the potential of tourism in Gujarat, and this is a destination that we would certainly be recommended, if not to first-timers, at least to second-time visitors to India.

The writer, Atul Shrivastava is the Asstt. Manager of Trans India Holidays in New Delhi, India.

I just wanted to share something interesting that I and my Golfing buddies did last weekend. Well, it wasn't officially a long weekend, but we decided to take Friday off and do a three-day golfing trip to ...Guess where... Srinagar, Kashmir.

With a lot of apprehensions and skepticism, we froze on Srinigar as our destination .... and believe me, we were glad we did. The valley was just as beautiful as I had expected and remembered it to be (from my last trip 26 years ago), and the Golf far exceeded our expectations. The Royal Springs Golf Course (just off the Boulevard road and just a mile from the Lalit Grand Palace) was a delight, to say the least. Perfectly manicured and lush green fairways, punishing roughs, fast but true Greens ----- the Royal Springs Course is actually one of the best I've played on, and believe me, I've played on quite a few courses around the world. For a course of this standard, Green Fees are pegged at an acceptable level of about Usd 40 for 18 holes. Carts and Caddies are also available.

In addition to falling in love with the Golf Course there, the other important thing was, the feeling of complete safety and security while travelling in Kashmir. Fingers crossed, but the Omar Abdullah Government seems to have got its act together on security issues, and while one did see a significant amount of security forces present, we felt pretty safe and comfortable.

In addition to the roundtrips between the Hotel and the Golf Course, we did travel around a fair bit -- did the usual touristy thing of a Shikara(Kashmiri Gondola) Ride on the Dal Lake, visited the Mughal Gardens , and also did a trip to Gulmarg, including taking the Cable car ride up to about 3800 mtrs above sea level. The Gulmarg Golf Course, at an altitude of about 2600 mtrs, is said to be the highest green Golf course in the world. Currently being upgraded, it is supposed to reopen in the next month or two. There are of course a few telltale signs of the state has gone through hard times, but, other than that --- what the Mughal Emperor Jehangir said about Kashmir "If there is paradise anywhere on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here." seemed so true. It is breathtakingly beautiful!!!

Accommodation wise, Srinagar now as 3 good options, The Lalit Grand Palace , a wonderful 5 star Heritage Palace Hotel overlooking the Dal Lake, then there is the new 5 star Vivanta by Taj Dal View, set on a hilltop overlooking the Lake , and then, there are of course the famous Deluxe Houseboats on the Dal and Nagin Lakes. The Houseboats, while called Deluxe, are about a 3-star standard only, but are very cost-effective accommodation for those wanting to experience Kashmir on a limited budget.

Flights to and from Srinagar, were surprisingly inexpensive, with roundtrip fares (restricted advance purchase) being available as low as Usd 100 per person. Since it was just a three-day trip, we couldn't visit Pahalgam, the third point in Kashmir's golden triangle of Srinigar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam, but friends in the local tourism industry told us, that if we liked the Golf in Srinigar, we would love the Pahalgam Golf Course. Pahalgam, about 2 hours away from Srinigar by road, and also, an extremely scenic quaint little resort town, now has an 18 hole Championship course, which I understand is wonderful too !! On the flight back, our four balls took the unanimous decision--- that, our next golf outing would be Kashmir again !! (we all need to work for a few weeks in between though !). The attached images will give you an idea of why !!!!

The author, Kapil Goswamy is the Managing Director/CEO of Trans India Holidays , based in New Delhi,India.