[robimahanta]

Venturing into the hidden gem of India’s wilderness, the Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, felt like stepping into a serene haven tucked away from the chaos of city life. Despite its modest size, spanning a mere 30 odd sq kms, the park’s allure lies not in its expanse but in its intimacy with nature.

Merely 3 hours away from Ahmedabad, I found myself immersed in a world where time seemed to slow down, allowing for a truly immersive experience.

Unlike its more renowned counterparts, Velavadar retained an air of tranquility even on weekends, offering solitude seekers like myself the luxury of communing with nature undisturbed.

While the majestic black bucks gracefully roamed the grasslands, it was the elusive wolves and hyenas that added an element of thrill.

Without further ado, lets start with some phone images

Entrance to the park


The main species


The landscape




I stayed in a basic homestay with some awesome local food. There are a few luxury resorts like the Black Buck Lodge and a lot more are coming up in the near future.

Home cooked food


Gypsy is the standard safari vehicle. It was nice to see a Jimny next to it.


You can even drive around in your own car (even sedans) with a local guide

[robimahanta]

Velavadar at this time of the year is mostly about a few specific mammals. These include the Indian Wolf, Striped Hyena, Jungle cat and the abundant Black Buck (the park is named after it).

Black Buck

Drongo perch


Sunrise Minimalism


Three to tango


Alert Quartet


Solo portraits






The jump




Group run with het haze, fleeing from prey


One of the many kills we came across

[robimahanta]

Indian Wolf

Close up


Play of light


Standing Tall


Vertical Portrait


Lovely light


Looking for its mate


Posing in front of a Nilgai


Dust




The gaze


Annoyed by flies


Vantage point


Sizing up some black bucks


Stalking


With the black buck kill








Magical Sunrise

[robimahanta]

Striped Hyenas and Jungle Cat

Hyena Cubs






Side profile


Grimace


Trying to intimidate a wolf with black bucks in the background


A black buck keeping an eye


Didn't come across many Jungle Cat photo opportunities

A portrait


Camouflaged


Wild piglets (They are increasing in number and scavenging on kills like crazy, hopefully it does not become a pest in the park)


Boars scavenging a kill


Stonechat perch


Greater Spotted Eagle with a Steppe Eagle in the background


Mobile image of a Steppe Eagle. Even though optical zoom has improved in phones, there is still a long way to go before it can replace proper cameras especially in wildlife


The same Steppe with the camera and a 600mm


A wolf guarding its kill. I carried only a 600mm tele lens as I wanted to travel light. Missed out on a few wide angle photo oppotunities where the phone seemed inadequate like this image



Thanks for your time. Cheers!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[zalaps]

Great travelogue! Velavadar is not a priority for many & do not have big cats. This actually works for it as you can easily get peaceful retreat to wilderness away from holiday crowd.

Excellent photographs! Steppe with the camera and a 600mm is gem.

[Kkumar]

A nice travelogue with excellent photographs. Thanks for bringing out such hidden gems.

[justwheels]

Amazing pics @robimahanta, as always. It's great to see coverage of a national park without the big cats. It gives you another perspective of the animal kingdom, which often gets overshadowed by the big cats (especially during summers).

Your pics bring out the beautiful ecosystem of the BlackBuck National Park, with the Prey and the Preyed well represented. Loved those kill pics especially. The Hyenas and the Wolves make up for a formidable carnivore presence and the dry landscape adds to the allure.

Thanks for sharing and look forward to many more from your quick trips. You are an expert in making up for any limited time available to you. Kudos to your energy!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by robimahanta

Close up

The first image a killer one! Amazing snaps Robi!

[thirugata]

Good photos in your travelogue has become as common as India winning test matches. Nothing more need to be said I guess.

Thank you for sharing.

[W.S.T.R.]

Great captures.

Wasn't aware about this national park, will definitely make it a point to visit, next time I am in Ahmedabad.

Keep travelling.