Hello everybody and happy new year 2006 full of travels for all the members of the Forum,
Back of two months of travel in India where we visited 5 parks : Kaziranga (Assam), Corbett (Uttaranchal), Keoladeo (Rajasthan), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) and Bandhavgardh (Madhya Pradesh).
Here thus the describe of our tour in this magical country on the tracks of Kipling and Jim Corbett.
First Me and my wife really wants to thank Mr. Raju to help us to make this dream travel. If any one want to get any help regarding North India travel you can contact with
www.realindiatours.com
So I was telling you about:-
KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK - ASSAM
Traditional arrival in India from Europe: Paris - Mumbay - Delhi (to recover a large heap of Vouchers there) - Calcutta
It seems that nothing moves nor does not change in Calcutta, always as many ricksaws, auto-ricksaws, bikes, cars, trucks and buses that the past leaves. I like this city where one sees the print of monsoon on the walls. 2 days to walk in between Bengalis always also friendly.
22 hours of train and 6 hours of bus later we are in Kaziranga N.P. classified as world heritance of UNESCO. We place in a lodge state : Haranya LODGE, clean and sympathetic place.
We are there for 6 days of morning and evening safaris in the three parts of the park. It is the beginning of the tourist season and there is not lot of people, we prefers because the Indian animals are even more shy than their African cousins.
Fauna presents in the park:
about 1500 Rhinos
1200 Elephants
1000 wild Buffaloes
86 Tigers
about 100 Leopards
Hyenas
Jackals
Chital dear
Sambar dear
Munjac dear
Rhesus macaque
Commun Langur
Pythons
Cobras
about 350 birds
1st day Western part in the afternoon: Rhinos, Elephants, Munjacs, Langurs, Macaques
5 Minutes after our first entry in the park our two first Rhinos, that starts well, like often one of the major animals of the park welcome us : a female and its carf. The "elephant grass" in this season is very high, approximately 2,5 meters. Thus just some pictures for the startup of my Canon 20 D in bush condition.
A part only of the park is accesssible in this period of the year, they rebuilt the tracks after the monsoon, which was abundant this year.In each part of the park 25% of the tracks are open. It is nevertheless largely sufficient to see a lot of animals.
we will see about fifteen Rhinos today, a heard of Elephants, twice Buffaloes, Munjac dears several times and once Langurs and Macaques.
In all + of 250 Photographs : it will be necessary from day to day to note what it is on the CompactFlash cards.
This park is the most professional one, on the level of Rangers, of all India.The best success of animal protection in India with safeguard extinction of indian Rhino. It is the centenary year of the creation of the park, new uniforms and rifles for the guards. This park is not include in the Project Tiger whether 86 Tigers are listed.It is the only park where we see the anti-poaching patrols at work every days, but also the head cheaf of the park inspecting it.
2nd day: Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, Sambar, Chital, Munjac, Langur, Eagles and Water birds in all kind.
Today East part in the morning and Western part in the afternoon.
A good score of Rhinos (only two in picture!!), twice a heard of Elephants being refreshed at the river, three times Buffaloes, a female Sambar, a heard of Munjacs and one small heard of Chital, Langurs, two Indian Fish-eagles and a lot of migrating water-birds of which a colony of pelicans. No Tigers, no Leopards.
3rd day same as 2nd day : Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, Sambars, Chitals, Munjacs, Langurs and Macaques, Indian Monitor Lizard, Eagles and Water-birds of all kind.
East part in the morning and Central part in the afternoon. Finally beautiful pictures of Rhinos with the good light, a heard of Elephants being refreshed at the river, three times Buffaloes in the mud, th three type of dears by far, both type of monkeys and birds by far.We met and discussed with the head cheaf of the park which authorizes us to earlier enter the park on the following morning, a very very big privilege, still thank you.
4th day: Rhinos, Elephants, Chital, Munjac, Langur, Eagles and Water birds in all kind.
Central part in the morning and Western in the afternoon.
Thanks to our early entry, 06H00 instead of 07H30, we could see from very very near a large male Rhino and an awaking young one. What a great show in a fogy morning to see these prehistorical monsters grazing 3 metters from us. But also a young Indian Monitor Lizard taking the first sunbeams.The afternoon we will still see other Rhinos but not from very near and Elephants bathing.
5th day : Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, Sambars, Chitals, Munjacs, Langurs and Macaques, Eagles and Water-birds of all kind.
East part in the Morning and central part in the afternoon.
Like the days before full of Rhinos by more or less far, Elephants twice at the river, Buffaloes in water and mud, the three type of dears, both type of Monkeys and lot of birds.
6th and last day: Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, the print of a Tiger, Chitals, Munjacs, Langurs and Water-birds of all kind.
Already the last safari in Kaziranga, central part in the morning.
Some Rhinos of which one very near, our last Elephants and Buffaloes, Chital and Munjac dears grazing quietly, a heard of langur and a lot of migratory birds. Yesterday we mist in the afternoon a male tiger whose pugmarks could be seen in the tracks of our jeep. The rangers say to us that a large male passed yesterday on the track 15 Minutes after us. And it is already the exit of the park with a beautiful Rhino near the gate which seems to say to us : Bye and see you soon.
Thus again 06H00 of bus + 23H00 of train to join Varanasi our favorite city.
VARANASI - my favorite city in India
Therefore after 06H00 of bus and 23H00 of train us here with Varanasi with a concern : in the night during the crossing of Bihar the backpack of my wife hung under her with chains and lock was stolen. All her clothing, shoes, Large bag of Medecines for an hospital and large bag of toys to give to one poor family volitilized. Sometime, it can be also that India.
We remained 8 days in this city that, I say one more time, we love. We stayed in two different places, initially 3 nights in Maruti Guest House in Assi Ghat then 4 nights in Gampati Guest House in Meer Ghat.
Which happiness to find itself in this city full with contrast and so alive. Which pleasure of walking evrey morning on the Ghats to take picture of these nice Indian people.
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