Unforgettable moments with Wild Angle Safaris

Today was the day I had been eagerly anticipating for so long. I was filled with hope and excitement, eager to finally catch a glimpse of a majestic tiger. I was determined to try my luck once again.

At 4:30 AM, the sound of my alarm clock jolted me awake. I quickly got out of bed, as did the rest of my group. We had been instructed to reach the entrance to the forest by 5:30 AM, so we needed to make sure we were on time. The timing for safari tours changes throughout the year, depending on the sunrise and sunset. On this particular day, the tour was scheduled to start at 7 AM.

From left to right, myself (Pranay), Swapnil and Deep, waiting at Kanha gate for the gate opening and start of the safari. We spotted the female tigress - Neelam, during the same safari.

To increase our chances of getting a good view of the tigers, it was important that we arrived early at the gate, ideally an hour or two ahead of the tour start time. This would ensure that our safari vehicle would be among the first to enter the forest and secure a prime viewing spot. The queue to enter the forest was only open to vehicles that had tourists onboard.

My group, consisting of Deep, Swapnil, Shirish Sir, and I, arrived at the forest entrance by 5:45 AM. The darkness of the early morning was only broken by the dim light of the stars and the moon. Deep swiftly located our driver and guide, who had been assigned to us by the forest department on a random basis. To book a safari tour, we had to provide a copy of our government-issued identification document, which we handed over to our driver before the start of the tour. He then took the documents and stood in line at the forest office to get them verified. Once that was done, our vehicle was cleared to enter the forest as soon as the gates opened.

While we waited for our driver to complete the necessary procedures, I took in my surroundings and noticed around 20 to 30 other safari vehicles, all filled with tourists who were dressed warmly to combat the chilly temperature. Street vendors and shops along the road were selling breakfast and tea, and one man was offering to rent binoculars to the tourists.

As our driver returned with our verified documents, we all took our seats in the safari vehicle, eager to embark on the adventure ahead. The anticipation was palpable as we waited for the forest gate to open, surrounded by the bustling energy of other safari vehicles on one side, and the peaceful stillness of the forest on the other.

While we waited, Deep spotted a group of owls perched high up on a tree. Despite his efforts to point them out to me, I was unable to see them. But as Deep began to mimic their call with a soft whistle, the owls suddenly took flight, descending to a lower branch where I finally had the chance to catch a glimpse of these elusive creatures. Although it was still too dark to capture their beauty in a photo, the moment was unforgettable.

Pranay Meher, Photographer Nagpur