India Tiger Safari Guide for Photographers

[@PangolinWildlife]

Have you been on a Tiger safari i India? Will you be adding it to your photo safari wish list now?

[@amyridall8607]

I've been before and am on the list for 2026!

[@NachiketM]

Hi Charles, Do note that you can request the drivers/authorities beforehand to remove the middle seat so if you have say 2 photographers then there is more than enough space to stretch a bit and accommodate additional gear. They even arrange for a small mattress to put on the vehicle floor to make you comfortable. You have to tell them in advance though. Kanha-Kisli Tiger Reserve is best in Oct-Dec for enjoying nature and Feb-May for best animal sightings. Summers are very hot for people not used to Indian heat. 😊 Same with Bandhavgarh. In the northeast part of India you get to see the snow leopards too. Kuno Tiger Reserve now has cheetahs too. Kabini in Southern part of India has black panthers.

[@AnupamKatkar-mj4xp]

Wow! Glad to see you are expanding into India! Others have mentioned Tadoba, which is great for tigers, but I would highly recommend Satpura NP. Here's why: unlike the parks you covered, Satpura has evening / night safaris, walking safaris (much like Mana Pools), and even by boat when the conditions are right. They greatly restrict the number of vehicles so it's like you have the entire forest to yourself. It's also one of the best places to see sloth bears - we saw 6 bears in 5 drives, including cubs. We've also been fortunate to see the rusty-spotted cat on a night drive, and even a four-horned antelope (chowsingha). It isn't the best park for tigers (I saw 4, but was lucky), but it's close enough to Bandhavgarh, Kanha or Pench so that tiger sightings won't be a concern for a multi-park itinerary. It also has marsh crocodiles. You'd really be missing out if you overlook Satpura.

[@saptarishibasu1345]

Hi Charles, to increase space in the car and get lower shots, the middle row can be removed. Many people do opt for that. Thank you for the video. Wonderful as always.

[@loustravels5858]

I rode with the middle seat out and with it in. I actually preferred having the middle seat. With significant jeep movement whether racing to potential sighting or waiting for tiger I felt leaving the middle seat in provided more options for both parties in the jeep.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Great tip!

[@matrishva]

Hi, Charles...visit Tadoba once. It is a real land of Tigers. Kanha is Charismatic, Bandhavgarh is Beautiful but Tadoba is Tadoba. We have top class accommodation also available. If you need any further information please connect. I stay in Nagpur just 102 km from Tadoba Tiger Reserve.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks for the tips!

[@ecocarefoundation4314]

Excellent visual and video presentation,you made it look so easy to see all wildlife and take video but in realities,one has to spend lot of time on safari vto get lucky to see and get fortunate to take videos...Well done and thanks for sharing.Yash.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kayt4553]

Thanks ... very informative video and beautiful shots! Any advice on gear? Is there any particular consideration what to bring compared to an African safari?

[@subratseet6836]

Great to see you here in India. Bandhavgarh is my second home. Both Bandhavgarh and Kanha is beautiful.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Indeed they are.

[@daxatrivedi3437]

Welcome to India. you can also plan snowleopard trip at Ladakh.

[@PangolinWildlife]

On the list!

[@mywildlifestories3793]

Welcome to India. Hope you had wonderful trip. Kanha best experienced in winter.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks! 😃

[@KarlienDay]

Great video. Closer to home, I can highly recommend Tiger Canyons just outside Phillipolis in the Freestate.

[@ScrimshawPhotography]

I’m currently in Kanha at this very moment and just came from Bandhavgarh. How funny! Definitely echoing the use of a zoom over a big prime lens. So many times tigers are moving towards you and as all the vehicles jostle around for position you don’t have the luxury to get the perfect composition. The versatility of a zoom over a prime is very underrated, and I say that as someone who always uses a 400 2.8

[@PangolinWildlife]

thank you for the affirming comment. Well received

[@ericaceous1652]

In terms of zooms then, what sort of focal lengths would you consider most useful? I'll be visiting Kanha and Bandhavgahr next year. I took a m43 50-200 (100-400 eFOV) to South Africa last year, found it mostly ideal but I was in a private reserve where some off-roading was permitted. Wondering whether would need more reach in India, or whether sightings still tend to be close? Cheers, and wish you luck for your sightings in Kanha

[@zih5903]

@@ericaceous1652 Hello. I recently returned from a trip to India photographing tigers. I used a Fujifilm X-T5 (40mp APSc Sensor) and a 100-400 lens (FF equivalent 150-600mm). I found this combination more than adequate.

[@ericaceous1652]

@@zih5903 interesting, thanks very much. I'd perhaps need to look into a teleconverter to get out close to 600 eFOV with the 50-200 🤔 in any case, if you're up for sharing and have a link/social name, would like to see your India images!

[@zih5903]

@@ericaceous1652 Hi Eric. I'm happy for you to see my India photos. However, I have twice sent a link but they have both been deleted.

[@1mangeshnadkarni]

Nice to see Pangolin photography in India. Please visit Tadoba

[@PangolinWildlife]

We will!

[@TJSaw]

Is it any surprise Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write The Jungle Book after witnessing the magnificent wildlife of India?

[@sanjitsaha1932]

Welcome to India .

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks

[@rajeevganeshgarh]

Please visit in North East India for Clouded Leopard 🐆, Assam for Rhino 🦏 and Gujarat for the Asiatic lion 🦁

[@bricecanon]

If you go to Ranthambore try to get in touch with Nafees Mohamed, without a doubt the best one there. Also to visit Jawai with awesome leopards sightings!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks for the tip Brice.

[@bricecanon]

I've been traveling with him and will do again next December. He's really a boss for these places. Hope this may help you to enjoy the best of it. Can't wait to visit you again at the lodge. Miss you. Best regards to the team !

[@soumakbinduwildlife]

Excellent

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@qutub-ul-walikhan2459]

Only Tiger was the main impressive part in this area , the rest jungle was not as we see in africa.

[@loustravels5858]

I will be traveling with you in Africa next year. I hope to create a video this good. I did see the tigers of India and it was incredible. As @saptarishibasu1345 wrote you can increase space in jeep, but 2 guests per vehicle is better than 3.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Two plus a photo host!

[@loustravels5858]

@@PangolinWildlife We had two guest, one driver, and one guide per jeep. We had one photo guide for entire group. A National Geographic individual was out with a group in a larger jeep and more people to the jeep. There was one jeep that had two guests and a photo host. Yes, it was only a two person tour. I think they had a great time from our brief talk. Price plays an important role. I am just providing you with some feedback. I do know the tiger safari was far different than Africa safaris because all the jeeps are in the same place at the same time. The one thing I will say for your guest is that they will enjoy the trip.