Report By: Sudhir Sharma

“Carmine Costa, a photographer from the USA, reflects on his November 2023 trip to India. Here, we share his safari experiences in Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves.”

Tour Duration: 13 November to 17 November, 2023
Destinations: Kanha & Pench National Parks
Tour Guide: Sudhir Sharma
Kanha Guide: Rajendra Jharia
Pench Guide: Ramprasad Inwate

Sighting Summary: We took total 07 safaris in Kanha and Pench and able to see 04 different tigers 02 leopards and one sloth bear. All three Bigs were sighted and captured by Mr. Carmine Costa.

It was 23 September 23 that Mr. Carmine Costa, a photographer from USA, gave us mail regarding his short visit to India. He was about to come for two weeks for business travel. He wanted to spent 04 to 05 nights in Ranthambhore. We checked the Ranthambhore inventory for his travel date and found all prime zones like 02,03,04 were sold out due to faulty advance booking system of Ranthambhore. It was totally wrong decision made around 30 September 22 to open all year bookings. Some mischievous element took advantage of this & blocked all good zones for whole season. This led to hike in safari prices to three or four times. People used to book safaris in fake manes & cancel them to rebook for new clients.

Now this rule has been changed in May 24. Now booking will open 90 days prior to visit date which is a genuine time period. But as the old system was on till May 24, so good zones are blocked / sold out till Dec 24. Hope this situation will improve after Jan 25.

Giving a less important zones for photographer was not correct from any point of view.

Till then, Madhya Pradesh parks booking was not open for the month of November24. Based on 2022-23 sightings update we decided to Kanha & Pench. Bandhavgarh was not taken as he had to travel to Banglore after his trip. Pench is close to Nagpur from where you can get flights to every big city in India. Jabalpur airport has limited flight connectivity.

Mr. Carmine costa arrived in Jabalpur by flight from Mumbai. Initially he was supposed to fly directly Mumbai – Jabalpur but on last moment flight was made via Delhi. Now a days flights are moral less. Trains are much better than flights. In north India, in the month of January when it foggy trains get delay but do not misbehave like flights.

On 13 Nov, 23 Mr. Carmine costa Arrive around 04 pm at Jabalpur airport. We started driving to Kanha national park. Kanha national park is one the most beautiful park in India. It took almost 04 hrs. to reach up to our resort.

14 November 23 Morning: Kanha zone with foggy weather & cold.

Since last five years, we did not feel much cold in month of November but as we reached Kanha resort things were different. We felt the need of jacket. In the morning of 14 Nov 23, temperature dipped more then expected & there was fog inside the park. Guide Rajendra Jahria (16 years’ experience) was little worried about the climate. He started for first safari but the foggy weather did not allow to get any luck on the first drive in Kanha zone.

Sometime first drive goes without tiger sightings we know this & quite used to it. We were hoping some thing good in the evening safari.

14 November 23 Afternoon: Khisli zone with no sightings.

Rajendra is extremely hard-working guide in Kanha. He did not leave any stone unturned to spot the tiger. There were alarming calls of Monkeys, Sambhar deer’s & spotted deer’s but tigers did not come out. They were in the hidings. But we had a luck to see Sloth bear in khisli zone. This was little relaxing to us. Because sloth bears are not sighted very often in winters. Their average sightings is only once or twice a month for few vehicles/ jeep only

By the evening it became more colder the previous night.

This dipping of temperature was not good for tiger sightings as whenever climate changes tigers’ moments & their biological clock get effected. For tigers freely moment, bright Sunlight & clear sky are must.

This was very unexpected cold we observed in month of November 23 in Kanha. For last 05 years normally cold starts from December.

Anyway, our second safari also went without any tiger spotting.

15 November 23 Morning: Kanha zone without luck.

This was our last safari in Kanha Park. So, bit of pressure was there on guide & drivers. Started from the hotel around 05:00 am. Entered the park started searching for all very common tigers like Neelam & cubs etc.

During the whole safari time there were waring calls but tigers did not step out of the bushes. A few points we did listen tigers roaring sound. Luck did not favor even on last safari in Kanha.

15 November 23 Afternoon: Khursapar Zone (Pench Tiger Reserve) with Tigress Bindu & Baras.

I asked our Pench’s guide Ramprasad Inwate about Pench’s sightings. He told us that in Pench the cold was less and sightings were on.

Normally it takes about 04 hrs. to reach Pench from Kanha. I asked my car driver, how much he required to reach Pench at the earliest. He said 03 hrs. I took decision to reach Pench as quickly as possible and take additional safari in Pench.

We left Kanha around 01:00 pm and reached Pench by 03:30 pm. Ramprasad requested the Par authorities to give jeep safari at last moment and we were obliged by the Ranger.

We directly reached to the khursapar zone of Pench, made formalities at the gate. This extra safari proved to be lucky for us. Mr. Carmine Costa got his first sighting of tiger. Tigress Bindu and Baras were spotted. It was very dark so he was not able to take any good photograph but Bad luck was broken. After safaris Carmine’ s face was smiling. He was more then Happy & we too were relaxed. Tigress Bindu & Baras are mostly sighted in this zone.
Khursapar really proved to be lucky for us.

16 November 23 Morning: Khursapar zone with Tigress Durga with kill & cubs.

This day we started to focus on Bindu & Baras tigresses again for good photography as both are tourists friendly. We checked their territories but they were present. When returning back we came a cross with Tigress Durga. This day was great day from sighting point of view. Tigress Durga was seen around 08:30 am. The best sightings for photography. It lasted for about 45 minutes.

16 November 23 Afternoon: Touria zone with leopard.

We were in Touria zone of Pench which comes in Madhya Pradesh. Actually, Pench is on the border of Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra state. Pench, Panna & Ranthambhore all three have one characteristic common i.e.  the Vegetation is not thick. It is more like a thin forest where you can peep up to fifty meters. This makes sightings easy. While in lush green parks like Kanha, Bandhavgarh & Corbett it is difficult to see animals because of thick vegetation.

This afternoon in search to tigers we got a leopard sighting siting on the rock around 04:15pm.

17 November 23 Morning: Zone Touria A leopard for photography & Tigress Laxmi.

This last safari of the trip was very well compensated against the loss of Kanha’s sighting. The weather was clear & first we got see tigress Laxmi & then leopard. The leopard stayed for about 20 minutes which enabled to get some good clicks. Laxmi also obliged us with her good move. What a great finish of the trip.