Ranthambhore National Park

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October 15th 2007

Published: January 21st 2008

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Adventure India

Tent

Our Tent.

After our delayed departure we arrived on the train in relatively good spirits. The train car we were situated in were not exactly the “first class” options we were looking for…but it was relatively clean and - as long as the train started to move in the right direction we were happy! Still recovering from illness I crashed on the top bunk for a few hours. The rest of the crew looked out the window/read travel books and consulted the map. We were interrupted quiet frequently with men walking up and down the isles offering Chi and other food goodies. My theory is that they just couldn’t get enough of the western family traveling on their train. So despite saying no to every one of their offerings, they continued to come back time and time again.

Once we arrived my nerves began to kick in. I was after all the planner for this trip….and we did book a tent to stay in at the resort. While I was assured this was a luxury safari tent…I was still nervous until we arrived at the gates of Khem Villas. What an oasis in the middle of nothing! We arrived through the gates,

Relaxing

Dad relaxing with a drink after arrival.

passed the farm where most of our organic veg food was to be grown and pulled up to the front gate. After being welcomed with a blessing we were shown our tents. Everything was perfect, everything was beautiful. I knew in an instant this would be a wonderful excursion.

We relaxed that night at the campfire looking at the stars and watching bull frogs cross from the pond to the prairie. And that night we all drifted off to sleep to the sounds of nature.

With everyone up early the next morning (about 6am) we piled into our jeep (we shared a jeep with a couple from the UK) with hot water bottles, wool blankets and a snack for the road. The excitement began.

Our guide and driver were fantastic and through their patients and knowledge about the park and its animals we tracked and saw 4 tigers in the preserve. The ride was filled with minutes of anxious silence, as we waited for the samba deer to make their warning call…that was followed by a mad dash up and around different paths in the forest to finally find what we were so desperately looking for. A

Bedroom

The interior of the tent

mother Tigress and her 3 grown male cubs. Words can not describe what it is like to see such a large and powerful beast come out of the jungle and sashay its large mass down the path. And to see 4 in one spot….what luck! Everyone on the jeep was beaming ear to ear as they dropped us back off at the Villas for our breakfast…and to share stories with the excited owners of Khem Villas.

That afternoon we went on another Safari and although we didn’t spot any tigers we did explore an entirely different terrain in the park and saw our fill of local deer/monkies and other wildlife creatures. After another night of watching the stars and enjoying the fabulous food we hit the sack early and started on our journey home.

Additional photos below

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