By
Lorraine Kelly.
07:16 EST, 24 March 2013
|
10:32 EST, 24 March 2013
Right up to the very last minute we weren’t sure if we would have the opportunity to even attempt to spot an elusive Bengal tiger in India.
Although tourists bring in much-needed cash to finance nature reserves and anti-poaching measures, the government fears visitors are also disturbing these shy animals and making them too jittery to breed.
Roaring success: A Bengal tiger in the Kanha National Park tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh
But just as we were boarding our flight from London to Mumbai, the welcome news came through that we would be allowed to visit the Kanha National Park tiger reserve in the Madhya Pradesh state.
After arriving, we stayed overnight in Mumbai’s famous Taj Mahal Palace hotel. Then it was a quick flight up to Nagpur followed by a six-hour drive to the reserve.
The roads in India can be rough, but looking out of the window is like watching a movie unfold in front of your eyes, and you really feel as though you are getting to know this astonishing part of the world.
At the reserve, the tents at the Taj Banjaar Tola camp deep in the jungle give you an illusion of being under canvas, but are luxurious with comfy beds, hot baths and showers and a balcony overlooking the Banjaar river.
The food was incredible. I’m a massive fan of Indian cuisine, but even the very best restaurant in the UK would be hard pushed to come up with better meals than we had during our trip.
Spotting the stripes: Lorraine Kelly is up early in the hope of seeing a Bengal tiger
To have the best chance of seeing a tiger, you have to rise very early at about 5am. Of course, for me that’s no problem as I’m used to a much earlier start, and it’s a joy to be woken up with a cup of freshly made masala tea and home-made biscuits.
It’s chilly and misty in the mornings and you need lots of layers and blankets to keep warm, and a scarf to protect your face from the dusty kicked up during the six-hour game drive.
We saw herds of gaur (wild Indian cattle), sambar and swamp deer, and ga elles. We also saw monkeys, wild pigs, a jackal, wild cat and Indian fox.
Sadly, there were no tigers that first morning, but on our evening game drive, just as we were running out of time before the park closed its gates at 6pm, a tiger cub popped his head out of the jungle and walked on to the track. We saw that flash of tangerine and black for only a few seconds, but it was ama ing.
Everyone in the Jeep, including our guide, was ecstatic. You can always tell the tourists in the park who have been lucky enough to spot a tiger. Their faces are lit up with joy and excitement and they all have big, wide cheesy grins.
Jungle fever: A baby grey langur monkey in Kanha
The next day we waited at the place we’d seen the cub, and after a few hours we were rewarded by the sight of the mother, a massive tigress, and another cub leaping out of the jungle right in front of us.
It was an unforgettable moment and we headed back to camp full of happiness to check our photos and talk over the day in front of a roaring outdoor fire with a gin and tonic in hand. Mission accomplished, we flew back to Mumbai for another overnight stay at the Taj Mahal, before starting part two of our trip.
This time we flew south to Mangalore and then it was another four-hour, bum-numbing road trip to reach the hill station town of Madikeri in Coorg – an area known as India’s Scotland due to the mist-covered green hills – and the Vivanta by Taj hotel.
It feels like the middle of nowhere, so it is a real surprise to come across the five-star hotel right in the heart of the rainforest. It’s designed to blend in with the scenery so all the 43 luxury villas, as well as the pools and restaurants, have fabulous views.
We were delighted to be offered a guided walk up the surrounding hills when we arrived. It was a chance to stretch our legs after the long journey and admire the lush orchids and exotic birds.
The hotel’s spa offers just about every treatment you could want, including pehlwan malish (an Indian oil massage), and you could spend hours sitting by the infinity pool reading or admiring the view.
An excellent discovery was the local wine. The Sula winery does a Dintori Reserve Shira that’s a lip-smacking robust drop that complements curries beautifully. After dragging ourselves away from the Vivanta, it was back for one more night at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world, but this has to be my all-time favourite hotel. It’s not just the comfortable rooms, gorgeous soft robes, top restaurants and massive swimming pool, it’s also the perfect service from the staff who are attentive without being fawning and who genuinely like working there.
Luxury under the stars: The Taj Banjaar Tola camp on the banks of the Banjaar
After the terrible atrocity of 2008 when terrorists went on a killing spree in Mumbai and targeted the hotel, it has emerged triumphant and even more glorious than before. It’s no wonder guests have such a fierce loyalty to this splendid institution and return again and again.
My brother Graham lives and works in this extraordinary city of 12.5million, and I understand why he has fallen in love with it.
It has poverty, slums, pollution and horrendous traffic jams, but also a vibrancy, and a sense that anything is possible if you work hard enough.
People have a work ethic that is humbling and a sense of community that puts us in the UK to shame.
Despite travelling many hundreds of miles over a couple of weeks, we barely scratched the surface of this astonishing country.
The images of the tigers, the rolling hills of ‘Indian Scotland’, the first early morning sip of masala tea, the bu of Mumbai and the incredibly welcoming people are seared into my memory.
I can’t wait to return.
Getting there
Western Oriental (020 7666 1234, westernoriental.com) offers a ten-night holiday including three nights at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, three on safari staying at Taj Banjaar Tola in Kanha National Park, and three nights at Vivanta by Taj in Coorg. It costs from £2,849pp, including return flights from Heathrow to Mumbai, internal flights, private transfers and full-board accommodation, as well as five game drives.
National parks in Central India close each year between July 1 and October 15.
Queens of New York: Lower hotel prices and industrial…
Island paradise: Holidaymakers will struggle to find fault…
English children don’t throw food… especially when they’re…
A ten-champagne bottle salute! River cruise company breaks…
Wild about India: Lorraine Kelly goes in search of the…
Share this article:
Holidays in India: Lorraine Kelly goes in search of the elusive Bengal tiger
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét