Our trip has now taken us to Ranthambore National Park which known for tigers. We were told that if you see a tiger picture taken in India, it is probably from this park. At one time, it was the royal hunting grounds for the Jaipur maharajas. It is located next to Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan.

On our first afternoon, we arrived at our hotel Khem Villas. Unlike our other hotels, this is an eco lodge with only 12 rooms that was started by the son of the man who started Ranthambhore National Park.

The next day we started our game drives into the national park. The only disadvantage to our hotel is the 30 minute drive to catch the arranged jeep for the wildlife safari drive.

We had 3-4 hour drives in the morning & again in the afternoon.

The park is divided into 10 ea. different zones. The park service assigns the zone you see each day. We visited zones 10, 7, 8 & 6 (in that order.)

Each zone starts at a different gate into the park & has its own territory through which your assigned driver & guide take you.

Sometimes we drove through the town of Sawai Madhopur. Walls are decorated with tigers & the people are always interesting to watch in their daily life.

Once in the park, you share the trail with other tourist vehicles all hoping to see a tiger.

Seeing big cats is not easy in any national park regardless if you are in the Americas, Africa, or India. Just like going to Yellowstone National Park in America, you are more likely to see antelopes & birds.

We spotted tigers on 3 out of 4 game drives; but only once was a tiger close enough to get a good picture. The other times it was too far away. One time it was laying down sleeping about 50 meters away & the other time it was walking through the woods about 80 meters away with the dense bushes & trees causing the tiger to disappear & reappear in our line of sight.

To find the tigers in the late afternoon, the guides listen for the sambar deer to make a loud barking sound they use to warn each other that a tiger was spotted. Each time we were heard this warning call, we saw a tiger.

A few weeks ago, these articles were in the Times of India newspaper paper about tigers in Rathambore.

Last Posting for this Trip

Tomorrow we start our journey home. We drive back to Jaipur in the morning with an afternoon flight to Delhi before flying home. So this will be the final posting for India.

India always surpasses my expectations. It never disappoints. It is among the most colorful countries both literally & figuratively. It is one of the few places left where things have not become Westernized. Women still wear saris out of choice & traditional Indian food is still the main diet.

Mixed in with dirt & grime, you hear music playing from temples & can smell the incense burning in them. The people are extremely kind & warm. I have no idea how many times we were asked to pose in pictures. Some people even asked us into their homes.

Here is a quote I recently read that sums up my own thinking about India:

“Nothing is tucked under the carpet. The well-to-do and the poor are living side by side. It’s all in the open, and you can’t run away from it.” Artist Veena Bhargava

Some things need to be improved in India such as a better education for all, especially for girls. Trash is still a huge unsightly & unhealthy problem. But, if you can accept that this is India, it is impossible not to love the country. I’m sure we will come back here.