Just Tigers!

Firstly, I must say the holiday was wonderful. Having visited India eight times in the past, the country never ceases to amaze me with its exciting way of life. From beautiful colourful saris to very interesting railway journeys, seeing it all from the train window as you pass by. The Indian people are very friendly and delightful. Our leaders, Narendra Sharma and Saravana Kumar, were excellent - kind, considerate and fun; also knowledgeable on birds, butterflies, fauna and wildlife. They worked well together as a team, then later Narendra on his own with our extension part of the holiday in Chambal and Bharatpur. They both made it a memorable holiday for my friend and me. The tigers that we saw in Kanha were magnificent cats, with coats like velvet; I felt I wanted to hug them. Even though I had seen tigers before in India, it is still a magical and spiritual moment to see one. We saw so many lovely birds and animals in the parks, but the Tiger is the king. Our hotel in Delhi, The Trident Hilton Gurgaon, was superb, almost as good as The Imperial Hotel in New Delhi but in a different way. In The Royal Tiger Resort, Kanha the accommodation was good, the staff polite, attentive, helpful and very kind. Chambal Safari Lodge was lovely. The boat trip on the Chambal River was very enjoyable - quiet, simple but beautiful place. The accommodation and food were very good; the staff were attentive and helpful. The gardens have lots of birds but not enough time to enjoy it all. Overall, we both had a marvellous time. Hope to go back to India with Naturetrek again.

B.G. West Glamorgan

The holiday was absolutely wonderful - the leaders so helpful and knowledgeable, the hotels excellent, the organisation faultless. Actually, I shouldn’t describe it as a holiday, it was an adventure and everyone should have one!

J.H. Gloucestershire

Overall, I had the holiday of a lifetime! The knowledge and enthusiasm of the leaders was outstanding - I have learnt so much about nature, birds and mammals. As for tiger sightings at close range - it was a dream come true! I will be reliving the thrills and excitement in my mind forever! The whole experience was amazing - thank you for making it possible for me!

A.K. Kent

Everything from the pre-departure information to the tour itself was perfect. I had heard great things about Naturetrek from other travellers prior to booking and you certainly lived up to my high expectations. The tiger safari with Naturetrek offered me the most rewarding wildlife encounters I have ever had. To sum it up - I'm very happy with my Just Tigers! trip with Naturetrek!

J.C. Sweden

Thanks for a wonderful holiday, I am still walking on air.

S.B. Essex

The tour leader, Harsha, was a very personable and knowledgeable leader, not only about the birds and mammals we saw, but about the Indian subcontinent in general. We were able to discuss tribes, customs, food, spices, cooking and religion. We had some good fun as well as the serious business of tiger spotting.

P.B. Middlesex

The wildlife content was excellent: good tiger sightings - 6 days out of 7; good leopard sightings and excellent birds, all expertly interpreted by the tour leaders. The train journeys were fun and added to the overall experience. The limited time for sightseeing was made up for by an excellent private extension you arranged for us at a modest cost.

Mr & Mrs W. Gwent

We felt that this was an incredible holiday. The wildlife seen was beyond our expectations, we had tiger sightings virtually every trip! We would also like to comment that our leader Nick (Acheson) was exceptional. His knowledge of all wildlife seen was amazing, plus his knowledge of Indian life and culture added to the holiday.

Mr & Mrs E. Norfolk

This was our first visit to India - we were looked after from the start by our 2 excellent Naturetrek guides in India. All transport arrangements including taxis and buses and trains were excellent and food was superb. Accommodation was clean and comfortable. The essence of the tour - to watch wildlife, especially tigers, was fulfilled and certainly met and indeed exceeded our expectations. Our guides Yusuf and Rachit were excellent in all areas and especially when it mattered the most - working with the Kanha vehicle drivers and guides to deliver such wonderful encounters with Tigers and all other wildlife in Kanha as well as at a delightful nature reserve outside Delhi. They also put us at ease during the long overnight train journeys and made the holiday very enjoyable. I was especially impressed at arranging such exciting historic/scenic tours of major monuments/world heritage centres in Delhi and Agra as well as the wonderful wildlife watching.

R.D. Hampshire

We had a great time in Kanha National Park and had good sightings of tigers, as well as a variety of other birds and wildlife. All park staff were friendly and efficient. Food at our accommodation was excellent. Our transport ranged from overnight train (an adventure) to very comfortable taxis and small buses. Our local guides in Delhi and Agra were of a high standard and very enthusiastic. We did an extension trip to Chambal and Bharatpur and would highly recommend these, especially for bird lovers.

A.O. Oxfordshire

I would like to make a special comment in regards to our leader; Nick. He made the trip something special with his warm and enthusiastic nature, his seamless ability to give his time to make all the links work perfectly, and his pure love of people and animals was inspiring. Thanks to all the people at the office, and specially Rajan for his patience and help, and also all the people behind the scenes in India that made it so special. Best trip by far.

S.P. West Midlands

Nick (Acheson) was not only a first class naturalist, his love and passion for India and its wildlife was inspiring and humbling in equal measure. He is also, really importantly, a really nice guy! Though we would have had a great holiday, Nick was no doubt the difference between great and amazing!

A.P. West Midlands

I had a truly remarkable experience which, for me, beat the Great Barrier Reef hands down! It was not only the sightings of tigers, but the anticipation. It was the thrill of the chase through stunningly beautiful scenery. An experience of a lifetime!

K.S. Berkshire

I had a wonderful holiday - one which will stay in my memory forever. It was fantastic to see the tigers and other animals in the wild where they should be.

C.A. Essex

Pradeep made the trip extra special. He is an excellent guide and a wonderful host. His knowledge of the flora and fauna at Kanha is second-to-none and his observational skills legendary. He stopped the jeep a number of times having caught a glimpse of a bird high up in the canopy. His organisational skills are also really good, negotiating with fellow travellers to get all the group together on the overnight train journeys and advising on the intricacies of tipping.

S.C. Gloucestershire

To see tigers on our first three game drives was a great start to the holiday. Then to see a leopard draped over a branch posing for us, what more could you want. Chambal Safari Lodge, had a lovely relaxed atmosphere and faultless service. The trip on the river was great, plenty of wildlife, believe we were lucky to see the skimmers, and good sightings of gharials, a first for me. Bharatpur - amazing sight of trees full of painted stork and young, ibis and spoonbills. Good views of two sarus cranes and close up of a python. The extension was excellent and one which I enjoyed very much. Pradeep and Rachit - great at spotting wildlife, well organised with a good sense of fun and always aware of everyone's well being. Another great holiday.

E.L. Merseryside

Pradeep and Rachit Singh were excellent. They could not have been better. They were knowledgeable, informative, fun to be with, helpful, attentive to our needs and interests, and very kind. They took away any worries so that we were able to relax and just enjoy the whole experience.

Y.M. Derbyshire

Both leaders were good but Kaustubh Mulay was the best leader I think I have ever travelled with. Both guides were professional, knowledgeable and keen to share their knowledge with all the tour members and very caring and concerned that everyone on the trip got the most out of the holiday. But what made them exceptional was that Yousef and Kaustubh were caring, concerned where necessary, approachable and inclusive, without dominating the group and with a good sense of humour they made the trip wonderful.

B.A. Lancashire

Both local tour guides were excellent and made the holiday what it was. The travel arrangements couldn't have been smoother and we were very well looked after the whole time. The food at Kanha was superb. The ambience at the Tuli Lodge was also excellent. We saw Tigers although some more than others, but there goes your luck! The other birds and mammals were a bonus.

C.H. Hampshire

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip - it surpassed our expectations and offered us not only great Tiger sightings but a wonderful experience of Indian wildlife and birds. Would not hesitate to recommend Naturetrek to others. The opportunities to experience the diversity of wildlife, particularly at Kanha and Bharatpur, which was greatly enhanced by the knowledge and experience of the tour leaders. The accommodation at Tuli Tiger Resort and the Birders Inn - both attractive in their settings, clean and comfortable. The staff at Tuli in particular were all delightful and seemed to take a great pride in their work and thoroughly enjoy their employment. A group of 10 seemed ideal and we enjoyed our shared wildlife interests. The holiday was very well organised and all the expectations raised by your promotion material were more than lived up to in our experience of the trip. The information was also comprehensive, accurate and helpfully covered everything we needed to know.

A.R. London