Ranthambhore - Tiger Safari, India
 

8/9 April 2016
 

So my adventure to India and my visit to the famous Ranthambhore Nature Tiger Reserve starts with leaving Somerset at 1.30pm, travelling to London Heathrow Airport, for my over-night flight at 8.45pm, so after an uneventful journey top Heathrow, checking in, which was a nervy affair as my hold luggage went through OK, but my carry on bag was over 14KG, against the permitted 7KG, so after some quick talking and almost begging the young lady at the check out agreed to let me carry my rucksack through, as I explained was full of very valuable camera gear, which couldn't go into the hold, so into the departure lounge, a wait and then boarded for my over night flight in my pre-booked seat allocation, arriving at New Delhi Airport at approximately 9.45am local time, thus meeting up with 2 other photographers. So in India and now a 7 hour road trip to the Ranthambhore Regency Hotel, which would be my home base for the next 6 days, checking in, un-packing and then a quick meeting to discuss the forthcoming safari's and our daily events, then a early night for some well deserved sleep, after of course getting all the camera gear ready for the early morning start.
 

10 April 2016
 

My alarm woke me at 4.30am and after a quick shower, collecting all my camera gear, including Canon 1DX, Canon 1Dmk3, 70-200mm 2.8 lens, 300mm 2.8 lens, 24-105mm 4 lens, converters 1.4X,2X, various cleaning cloths, memory cards and various other bits and pieces all neatly packed into my trusty rucksack, made my way to reception for a early morning coffee and into our open top Gypsy Jeep for the 5.30am start, meeting our guide for the duration of my trip - Ash, who proved to be a wonderful guide and lovely person, who certainly knew his business in the reserve. on 6.00am sharp we entered the reserve going into Zone 4, making our way down through the very bumpy dirt track and after only some 10 minutes came across my very first wild tiger strolling along the track in front of us, Ash our guide recognised this magnificent animal as being T19 Krishna, who we followed and eventually got in front of with some wonderful pictures and perhaps more important just seeing this wonderful Tiger in the wild and at close quarters, so after what seemed like a lifetime, we moved on into the reserve, coming across T64 and T73, again at close range and many pictures taken, so what a wonderful start to my trip, 3 tigers and pictures a plenty, so  arriving back to the hotel at 9.45am, for breakfast and lunch, with again another afternoon safari at 3.00pm until approximately 6.30pm, back to the hotel, into dinner, downloading, checking etc a few cold beers and again preparing for the next day
 

11 April 2016   
 

So another early start, but this morning into Zone 3 and again within minutes another tiger was spotted under a ruined gate house arch, which turned out to be Arrowhead asleep on the track, again we drove around a very bumpy track, locating T64 on our afternoon game drive, with a sighting of a tiger called Lightening, so again a wonderful day's safari's, with pictures, great company and what a experience, so more pictures to download/edit and cold beer enjoyed by all.
 

12 April 2016
 

Day three saw us go again into Zone 4, locating T28 a tiger called Star Man and also Lightening in the morning and afternoon viewing of T41, so more editing and picture downloading, all with a few cold beers.
 

13 April 2016
 

So today we entered Zone 4 locating T19 Krishna and Lightening in the morning, with the afternoon drive seeing Arrowhead and Lightening, which completed another fabulous day's safari's.
 

14 April 2016
 

Today's safari's saw us travel into Zone 3 for both game drives photographing Pac Man, Arrowhead and Lightening, in great light and locations, which finished off another wonderful day out.
 

15 April 2016
 

Our Last morning game drive before the long trip home saw us go into Zone 2 looking for a pair of young tiger cubs, which we have previously visited this zone, but no cubs were found and thus ended my Tiger safari, but on a very high note, so back to the Regency Hotel, the trip back to New Delhi, staying over-night a City Park Hotel and then a morning flight back to Heathrow.
 

General
 

So the Tiger safari has come to a end, but still loads of pictures to edit/download and view, the animals included - Tigers, Spotted Deer, Red Deer, Antelope, Sloth Bears, Wild Boar, Peacocks, Crocodile, Cobra snake, Monitor lizards, many colourful birds, great scenery of the Ranthambhore Fort, Mountains, lakes and general goings on, The very colourful dressed local people, the road traffic was a incredible experience to see and travel through, my Hotels were wonderful, food was very good with a large selection of local foods and even some English dished available. The weather was on average between 35-40 degrees, with a very dry heat, but the cold water drinks and Kingfisher beer helped a lot. Ranthambhore is some 1334 square Km, has 60 different Tigers, some 80 leopards, many thousands of various deer, Antelope, Boar, and national birds the Peacock, so overall I can fully recommend this location, with the people very friendly, colourful and helpful to all.