Led by award-winning wildlife photographer Bret Charman throughout, venture to Nagarhole National Park where we focus on capturing images of the park’s wonderful and varied array of wildlife including the iconic tiger.
Among India's tiger parks, Nagarhole, in the southern state of Karnataka, is a jewel. Unlike the parks on Central India's beaten track, Nagarhole has a very strict limit on the number of vehicles entering each day, meaning sightings of tigers, leopards and wild dogs are never crowded making it the perfect destination for a photographic safari.
This peaceful park is full of chital, with jungle mynas perched on their rumps and antlers. Lustrous Indian giant squirrels chatter in the trees, handsome stripe-necked mongooses trot through the leaf-litter and elephant tuskers stand placidly at the edge of the forest. Tigers, leopards and Asian wild dogs are seen almost daily. In such cat country, sloth bears are less commonly seen but are here nonetheless. Nagarhole is a haven to such a variety and quantity of Indian wildlife, it is an excellent place to add a number of species to your portfolio over the course of this trip whilst also receiving tuition from an award-winning wildlife photographer throughout your stay.
We limit the group size of our Nagarhole departures to just six participants, which is the optimal number to have as it means that everyone is guaranteed a 'window' seat in the vehicle helping to improve the photographic possibilities.
Unlike many safaris, our wildlife photography tour to Nagarhole spends a whole week in one comfortable lodge, with good food, large bird-filled gardens, good vehicles and excellent naturalist guides. In this way we combine twice-daily excursions into the park in search of wildlife and photographic opportunities with plenty of time in between to review images and receive tuition on any subject that may be of interest to you, such as composition, editing or camera settings. All in all, Nagarhole is one of India's undiscovered wildlife treasures and a perfect location for a wildlife photography tour.
In addition to this dedicated photo safari we also have our Nagarhole’s Tigers, Wild Dogs & Leopards trip which is perfect for those who would prefer less emphasis on photography.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
Today, we depart the UK on an overnight flight to Bengaluru.
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Day 2:
Arrive Bengaluru & transfer to Nagarhole National Park
From Bengaluru International Airport, we transfer south-west to Nagarhole National Park, travelling by comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. This drive takes five to six hours, so we should arrive in time for a late lunch and, in the afternoon, be able to enjoy our first safari in the national park and our first chance to photograph some of the wildlife before returning at sunset.
Accommodation: Kabini River Lodge, 7-nights
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Days 3-8
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Morning & afternoon safaris in Nagarhole National Park for photography
We have six full days to explore Nagarhole National Park and capture images of numerous species that reside in this wildlife haven, typically following a programme of morning and afternoon game drives. Using four-wheel-drive safari vehicles, these drives usually last between three and four hours, allowing us time in the middle of the day to relax back at the lodge, review our imagery and receive photographic tuition from Bret.
Traditionally regarded as nocturnal, in protected areas away from human activity, tigers and leopards can be observed hunting during the day, and are often at their most active in the late afternoon and early morning. It is at this time that we are most likely to experience the drama of hearing the forest come alive with alarm calls and - with luck - encounter one of these magnificent animals and being able to spend time photographing in the golden light of early morning and late afternoon.
With a seven-night stay and up to 14 drives, we inevitably cover the same ground on several occasions. Such repetition only increases our chances of seeing and photographing the tigers, leopards and wild dogs for which the park is rightly famous, and even its gorgeous black panther. In recent years the black panther has been seen on average a couple of times a week, so seeing him will require effort and luck.
Asian elephant, tiger, leopard and Asian wild dog are seen in the park on most days, as are stripe-necked and ruddy mongooses, Indian giant squirrel, sambar and a host of birds. Even if we do not see or photograph the black panther we cannot fail to be enchanted by the landscape and wildlife of this lovely park, or by its calm, unhurried feel. This is one of India's finest - and most unspoiled - parks for watching all wildlife. With our base at a charming lodge, with plenty of time for photography and tuition, we love visiting Nagarhole and enjoying the whole range of spectacular wildlife it has to offer.
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Day 9:
Return to Bengaluru
This morning we have one final drive and chance for some photography in the national park, before returning to the lodge for brunch. In the afternoon we drive back to Bengaluru for our final night in southern India.
Accommodation: Taj Yeshwantpur, 1-night
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Day 10:
Departure & arrive UK
We transfer to the international airport in Bengaluru in time to check-in for our return international flight back to UK arriving the same day.
