[Bala_R]

Thank you very much Animesh for bringing back the lovely memories & your account of 20 years of Ranthambore. You have got some beautiful pictures with the point & shoot camera.

Ranthambore has a special place in my heart, since after starting my photography hobby, Ranthambore is the first wildlife sanctuary I visited to photograph the tigers. I had been to Ranthambore in March 2019. Ranthambore wears a very dry look during summers. Those who have been to Jim Corbett or the wildlife sanctuaries in South India will definitely feel the difference.

I had booked 5 safaris. One safari was a total disappointment, since couldn't spot any tiger, but enjoyed it. During one safari, I could spot 3 tigers, however they were very far & even with my 500m lens & 1.4TC, I couldn't get a proper picture.

Tiger by Bala13, on Flickr

During one safari, I could spot Arrowhead along with her two cubs, but they were behind bushes, so could only get below on snap. You can see part of Arrowhead to the left.

Arrowhead Cub by Bala13, on Flickr

My third safari & the last safari were the most fruitful from photographic perspective. We spotted Jay & Veeru resting near the waterhole & they gave plenty of opportunity to photograph them.

Veeru
Veeru by Bala13, on Flickr


Veeru by Bala13, on Flickr

Veeru by Bala13, on Flickr

Jay
Jay by Bala13, on Flickr
During my last safari, I could get the photo that I wanted badly. Thanks to my guide, who had anticipated Sultana's movement & positioned our jeep right in front of her. We kept on reversing our jeep as she walked towards us.

Sultana on her majestic stroll
Sultana by Bala13, on Flickr

My Camera Gear used for this trip
Nikon D4S (Loaned from a friend)
Nikon D850
Nikon 500mm f/4E FL with 1.4 TC
Nikon 70-200m F/2.8

These are indeed majestic animals. Only when we see them in their natural habitat, we feel how helpless we can be when we face them.

Happy International Tiger Day

[Torque123]

Originally Posted by animeshc

A few final post credit statements:[*]For the hardcore enthusiasts, now there are full day safaris too which don’t have a fixed zone but are significantly more expensive. [*]All these photos are from a point and shoot camera. A question for the experts out there, any recommendations for the right camera and lens combination if I want to graduate to a DSLR now.[/list]

Great thread with a good write up & images. I have done 3 trips (all full days or half day safaris) to Ranthambhore till date & due to do one more in Nov'21 (as Arrowhead now has a new litter ) if the pandemic situation allows. More than the Tigers it is the terrain that has got me hooked. I just love this park than any other park. To your above point kindly correct me if I am wrong, I think currently for full day safari's the time after the morning safari ends & before the start of the afternoon safari can be used only to explore zone 6 to 10 & zone 1-5 are out of bounds during this time. All my 3 trips were done prior to when this stupid rule got implemented & majority of my Tiger sightings were during non regular safari hours. I think this rule has not yet changed. This rule kind of kept me away from visiting Ranthambhore as it does not justify the huge premium we pay for full day safaris.

Regarding your point for camera equipment, it all depends on your requirement, budget & comfort levels. Photography is a bug which once bites you the itch to upgrade is quite irresistible. Plus it is not just the investment in equipment, we also need to factor in the cost of trips involved to be able to use the gear. If you are going to visit forests regularly, follow wildlife extensively & are serious about this as a hobby then I would advise doing a few trips by renting & exploring quality full frame bodies & telephoto lenses. Then go for the one which suit your requirement & budget. It is better to invest in good quality gear initially than losing money by upgrading multiple times later. Low light performance is very crucial in wildlife photography as majority of the sightings happen during dawn & dusk. This would be my perspective. Happy camera equipment hunting

[animeshc]

The trend of our annual pilgrimage to Ranthambore stays alive and we did a quick trip this weekend and though it was not the peak summer we normally prefer, we were lucky enough to spot 3 tigers across the 2 safaris we did. Sharing some pics here:

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by animeshc

...it is how we have spent every summer for the last 20 years!

Thank you for this lovely writeup, Animesh. A query - as you mentioned, there is a provision for online booking of jungle safaris in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. A quick search on Google results in multiple "authorized" websites for the same. Could you please help me with the genuine one(s)? Thanks in advance.

[animeshc]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Thank you for this lovely writeup, Animesh. A query - as you mentioned, there is a provision for online booking of jungle safaris in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. A quick search on Google results in multiple "authorized" websites for the same. Could you please help me with the genuine one(s)? Thanks in advance.

Thanks, yes its hard to find the booking site via Google. I use https://fmdss.forest.rajasthan.gov.in/, needs you to signup before doing the bookings (not sure if there is anything simpler).