Day 9 Kanha

---

Day 9 - Bandhavgarh - Kanha

Another 4.30am start for the unlucky bus on another optional safari but after seeing the photo's and some video of tigers last night from the rest of our group we set of again determined to change our luck, By then we felt like we had seen all of the 12,000 spotted deer in the park. We also saw some wild boar and more huge spiders. We headed to the half way point as the tigers proved to be just as elusive as the previous day and our eyes had started playing tricks on us, so much so that Kathryn had spotted the rare less well known wood tiger when she cried out for the jeep to stop and in turn three other jeeps skidded to a halt only to find on closer inspection through the binoculers it was a tree stump that to be fair if you stood on one leg with one eye open went "here kitty kitty" it did look a little like a tiger.

At the half way point we were a little less depressed about our luck to find no one that morning had seen a tiger, and we were begining to wonder if they actually had 70 tigers in the park or it was the same tiger that they just kept counting every time someone saw it. We waited to set off again with our fingers and toes crossed when Russ was looking at the picture of the wood tiger and realised we unintentially had snapped a photo of the even rarer sight the "long necked Zippy". We were all rolling around laughing and spent most of the rest of the mornings game drive chuckling away to ourselves, but once again no tigers.

Back at the hotel, we packed up our bags and tried to remain upbeat with another park still to visit. We opted not to get a packed lunch from the hotel, given the quality of the packed breakfast, and bought crisps and borbon biscuits from a shop on the way out of the park.

The drive to Kanha was around seven hours, along more dreadful roads where half the tarmac is missing or it's just gravel. The park was Rudyard Kipling's inspiration for the Jungle Book, so we were sure that we must see a tiger here. We arrived late afternoon at the Mogli Resort hotel, which we were all a little worried about, as it is owned by the same people as the previous hotel. We were pleased to see there was a pool, and as we arrived they were filling it with clean water. We dropped our baqs off and Puja organised a bonfire to sit round to discuss the programme for the next day. There was some confusion as the the wording and meaning of elephant safari and tiger show in the trip notes. Neither were how we imagined. There is neither a pure safari on an elephant or a show where they have captive tigers to see. It actually means that the elephant set off in the morning searching for a tiger, and if they locate one, then tourists can be taken to them on the elephants, and you get a few minutes to take photos.

We went into dinner, which promised much as the soup was so nice, Kathryn had two bowls. There was much more choice even though it was still buffet style, and was good, and served with cold beer. Puja had showed the Manager the photos of the previous resort, and the staff tried their best to compensate and be attentive.


Yet another 4.30am start tomorrow.

---

Photos

Wood Tiger
(just about to be attacked by the long necked Zippy)