Country: Continent: Asia

Bera Leopard Safari: A mini Yala in untouched Rajasthan

by

It was way back in 2004 that I first heard about the wild leopards of Bera, Rajasthan. I had been visiting many of India’s best wildlife sanctuaries since 1997 and I had enjoyed plenty of luck when it came to seeing tigers in the wild, but a sighting of the elusive Asian Leopard had eluded me. This in part can be explained by the obvious fact that leopards are very cautious around tigers, so a sighting inside the best tiger parks, such as Ranthambhore or Bandhavgarh would be very lucky indeed. In addition, leopards are much more nocturnal in their behaviour – when compared to tigers – so the reality is you are leaving the national parks, just when leopards are starting to be more active

Walking in the Footsteps of Jim Corbett

by

There are probably fewer iconic parks in India than Corbett; named after the legendary English hunter – turned photographer and conservationist – Jim Corbett. One of the first national parks in India to be given Project Tiger status and a place with so much wildlife and human history wrapped up in its origins, that a visit here just to hear about Jim Corbett; let alone see the wildlife tigers he helped conserve, is both enriching and fascinating at the same time.

Best Time to see Leopards in Sri Lanka

by

Like the majority of big cats around the world, leopard sightings tend to increase in the hotter, drier months when only a few remaining water sources are available for the resident leopards. Not only does this allow wildlife photographers and guides to predict more accurately the daily movements of the leopards, but it also presents the rare opportunity to witness a leopard kill; as prey species such a grey langurs and spotted deer become slightly less cautious due to their need to visit the water bodies on a regular basis

Is Sri Lanka the Perfect Destination for a Beach and Wildlife Holiday?

by

Even full on Sri Lanka wildlife enthusiasts like to ‘build in’ a bit of chill out time at the end of their Sri Lanka safari and there are not many better places in Asia to make this type of holiday happen. Sri Lanka is a compact country, with a reasonable road network and some really excellent and friendly local drivers – who are also infact superb guides.

The Big 5 of Sri Lanka. What They are and Where to See Them.

by

In the mid-2000’s Sri Lanka tourism was trying to re-position to country to help it tap into the rapidly growing wildlife safari market. Up until then, Sri Lanka had been mainly known for its beach holidays; with charter aircraft full of holidaymakers looking to enjoy beautiful beaches, friendly locals and the chance to top up their tans with some winter sunshine. However wildlife entrepreneurs such as the famous author of bird book, Mr Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, had realised that the potential for wildlife safaris in Sri Lanka was much greater than the industry had realised and set about promoting this in publications such as the BBC Wildlife Magazine.

Sri Lanka Leopard Safari – 3 things I wish I had known before booking

by

We live in an age where we can simply click on a button and book a Sri Lanka safari to see Leopards within minutes – but what have we actually booked? Have we asked the right questions of the travel agents to ensure that our trip of a lifetime will live up to expectations? We have been organising leopard safaris in Sri Lanka since 2002 and have seen the popularity of the country explode in the last 9 years since the terrible civil war ended.

Best Places in India to See Tigers – Our top picks from 28 years of visiting

by

Best place in India to see Tigers – Top 5 Tiger Reserves in India.

India is blessed to be in a ‘golden period’ of tiger safari tourism; with more and more tiger reserves being run in a more professional manner and the number of tiger sightings increasing year on year. Here at Wildlife Trails we are lovers of all wildlife and like to encourage you to visit some of the Indian national parks which are ‘off the beaten track’.

Leopard Safari in India or Sri Lanka – Best Parks to Visit?

by

Sadly when we first visited Sri Lanka back in 2002, the civil war that had torn the country apart for decades was still very much ongoing and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the North of the island were very much off-limits. While travelling around Sri Lanka I spoke directly with naturalists and leopard researchers who told be about the ‘golden days’ of Wilpattu national park; when it was the ‘go to’ place for seeing the biggest leopards in Asia.

Snow Leopard Tours in Ladakh

by

It’s minus 20 degrees Celsius outside and I slip on my fleece lined North Face slippers and venture out. I am greeted by a Tolkienesque type scene outside our simple Ladakh homestay. A half-circle of mountains surrounds us and snow envelopes the hill sides like newly washed linen.

Sri Lanka Leopard Safari – Should All Vehicles in Yala Have Speed Limiters Fitted?

by

Blog about a Leopard Safari in Yala and the problems with excessive vehicle speed in Yala National Park. Can we continue to allow jeeps to travel at excessive speeds in Yala National Park, while their occupants ‘chase’ Leopards without showing any respect for the wildlife they are visiting? Is this type of Sri Lanka Leopard Safari good for visitors or wildlife?