Add these 5 under-the-radar safaris to your bucket list

Barry RodgersPublished on Jan 24, 2023

From the leopard country of India to a hamlet in Odisha that’s home to 4,000 blackbucks, these trails will ignite your love for the outdoors

A typical Indian safari is immersive. Unlike in other parts of the world where tourists are dropped into a private reserve, the experience here doesn’t skip the sights, sounds, and smells that make the country what it is. You’ll find children playing cricket in the area surrounding the reserve, honking auto rickshaws and morning prayers being aired over loudspeakers. Here, wildlife rubs shoulders with the population, letting safari-goers sample everyday life.

Boasting an impressive 104 national parks and more than 500 designated wildlife sanctuaries, your next great outdoor adventure awaits. But instead of spotlighting the more popular, tourist-heavy attractions, here are some lesser-known safari trails that deserve your attention. Owing to the intimate nature of these experiences, naturalists employed by the government or the local lodges are on hand to take you on walks along trails well-worn by local villagers. On foot, these naturalists can point out details one may miss by jeep, including spotting fresh leopard scat and claw marks in the dust.

Gandhi Sagar Wildlife SanctuaryWhere: North-western Madhya Pradesh, with one of its boundaries running along the border of Rajasthan. Why you should visit: This sanctuary shot back into the spotlight after being chosen as a favourable site for reintroducing cheetahs in India. One can spot herbivores like the Chinkara, Nilgai and Spotted Deer, and carnivores like the Indian Leopard, Striped Hyena and Jackal. The reservoir also has a sizeable crocodile, fish, otter and turtle population. The sanctuary has also been designated an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).Best time to visit: Winter is the best time to plan a trip here. The climate is pleasant, making it ideal for birdwatching.How to get there: The Indore airport is the nearest, approximately 275 km away. Stay: Madhya Pradesh Tourism runs a scenic property, the MPT Hinglaj Resort, overlooking the Gandhi Sagar backwaters. The forest rest house at Rampur Pathar is also another option. — **Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary**
**Where:** North-western Madhya Pradesh, with one of its boundaries running along the border of Rajasthan.
**Why you should visit:** This sanctuary shot back into the spotlight after being chosen as a favourable site for reintroducing cheetahs in India. One can spot herbivores like the Chinkara, Nilgai and Spotted Deer, and carnivores like the Indian Leopard, Striped Hyena and Jackal. The reservoir also has a sizeable crocodile, fish, otter and turtle population. The sanctuary has also been designated an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
**Best time to visit:** Winter is the best time to plan a trip here. The climate is pleasant, making it ideal for birdwatching.
**How to get there:** The Indore airport is the nearest, approximately 275 km away.
**Stay:** Madhya Pradesh Tourism runs a scenic property, the MPT Hinglaj Resort, overlooking the Gandhi Sagar backwaters. The forest rest house at Rampur Pathar is also another option.

Dehing PatkaiWhere: Digboi, AssamWhy you should visit: Located at the foothills of Patkai Hill Ranges, on the banks of River Dehing, and adjacent to the Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary, the forest is among the last-remaining lowland tropical rainforests in mainland India.Best time to visit: Till April, migratory birds visit the sanctuary. Peak bird activity is from 7 am to 11 am, and then from the afternoon until sundown. This is also the perfect time to spot the Blue-eared Barbet, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Common Hawk, Hodgson’s Hawk, and the highly sought-after Violet and Emerald Cuckoos.How to get there: Dibrugarh Airport is the nearest airport, about 103 km from Dehing Patkai National Park (a 2.5-hour drive via NH315 or about 3 hours via NH215 and Duliajan-Digboi Road). Regular flights to Dibrugarh operate from Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.Stay: The old, British-style Jeypore Guest House (or Inspection Bungalow) is located 2 km from the sanctuary entry gate. Alternatively, there are private stay options in Digboi, Duliajan, and Tinsukia. — **Dehing Patkai**
**Where:** Digboi, Assam
**Why you should visit:** Located at the foothills of Patkai Hill Ranges, on the banks of River Dehing, and adjacent to the Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary, the forest is among the last-remaining lowland tropical rainforests in mainland India.
**Best time to visit:** Till April, migratory birds visit the sanctuary. Peak bird activity is from 7 am to 11 am, and then from the afternoon until sundown. This is also the perfect time to spot the Blue-eared Barbet, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Common Hawk, Hodgson’s Hawk, and the highly sought-after Violet and Emerald Cuckoos.
**How to get there:** Dibrugarh Airport is the nearest airport, about 103 km from Dehing Patkai National Park (a 2.5-hour drive via NH315 or about 3 hours via NH215 and Duliajan-Digboi Road). Regular flights to Dibrugarh operate from Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.
**Stay:** The old, British-style Jeypore Guest House (or Inspection Bungalow) is located 2 km from the sanctuary entry gate. Alternatively, there are private stay options in Digboi, Duliajan, and Tinsukia.

VetnaiWhere: A quaint hamlet located in the Ganjam district of Odisha.Why you should visit: Located amid the blue-green hillocks of the Eastern Ghats, this region is home to 4,000 Blackbucks, making it the largest singular natural habitat for the species in eastern India. Best time to visit: Travelling in winter is suitable.How to get there: Bhubaneswar (160 km; almost 4 hours) is the nearest airport.Stay: The nearby town of Asika has a few low-budget to mid-range hotels. chinmayisk — **Vetnai**
**Where:** A quaint hamlet located in the Ganjam district of Odisha.
**Why you should visit:** Located amid the blue-green hillocks of the Eastern Ghats, this region is home to 4,000 Blackbucks, making it the largest singular natural habitat for the species in eastern India.
**Best time to visit:** Travelling in winter is suitable.
**How to get there:** Bhubaneswar (160 km; almost 4 hours) is the nearest airport.
**Stay:** The nearby town of Asika has a few low-budget to mid-range hotels.
chinmayisk

HampiWhere: Karnataka. Why you should visit: Apart from its stunning architecture, Hampi is home to bears, langurs, and jackals. Leopards are also commonly seen here.Best time to visit is October to March, when temperatures range between 15 and 30°C. The season is perfect for bird-watching too. How to get there: Belagavi (264 km; 6 hours) is the nearest airport. However, Bengaluru (360 km; 6.5 hours) and Mangaluru (438 km; 8 hours 40 minutes) offer better flight connectivity.Stay: The Jungle Lodges & Resorts’ (JLR) Hampi Heritage & Wilderness Resort is highly recommended, located at the edge of Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary. — **Hampi**
**Where:** Karnataka.
**Why you should visit:** Apart from its stunning architecture, Hampi is home to bears, langurs, and jackals. Leopards are also commonly seen here.
**Best time to visit is** October to March, when temperatures range between 15 and 30°C. The season is perfect for bird-watching too.
**How to get there:** Belagavi (264 km; 6 hours) is the nearest airport. However, Bengaluru (360 km; 6.5 hours) and Mangaluru (438 km; 8 hours 40 minutes) offer better flight connectivity.
**Stay:** The Jungle Lodges & Resorts’ (JLR) Hampi Heritage & Wilderness Resort is highly recommended, located at the edge of Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary.

Jawai-BeraWhere: Rajasthan.Why you should visit: Jawai Bandh was made a leopard conservation zone in 2003 and is widely regarded as the ‘leopard country of India.’ It epitomises the concept of co-existence in this era of conflict, where leopards and humans co-exist peacefully.Best time to visit: Early and later winters are most advisable, while monsoon is the least recommended.How to get there: Udaipur (145 km; almost 4 hours) is the nearest airport. One can also travel via Jodhpur (170 km).Stay: Bijapur Lodge Jawai is a newly constructed wildlife boutique property spread over five acres in the midst of nature. The eco-friendly resort boasts seven rooms and a large outdoor swathe that is visited by hyenas occasionally. — **Jawai-Bera**
**Where:** Rajasthan.
**Why you should visit:** Jawai Bandh was made a leopard conservation zone in 2003 and is widely regarded as the ‘leopard country of India.’ It epitomises the concept of co-existence in this era of conflict, where leopards and humans co-exist peacefully.
**Best time to visit:** Early and later winters are most advisable, while monsoon is the least recommended.
**How to get there:** Udaipur (145 km; almost 4 hours) is the nearest airport. One can also travel via Jodhpur (170 km).
**Stay:** Bijapur Lodge Jawai is a newly constructed wildlife boutique property spread over five acres in the midst of nature. The eco-friendly resort boasts seven rooms and a large outdoor swathe that is visited by hyenas occasionally.

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Add these 5 under-the-radar safaris to your bucket list

From the leopard country of India to a hamlet in Odisha that’s home to 4,000 blackbucks, these trails will ignite your love for the outdoors

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