Ratnabh - Wild-in-Soul

Early in the afternoon we saw the tigress disappear into a tall clump of grass lining the lake’s edge. When she didn’t re-emerge even after 20 minutes, we deduced that, she is planning to hunt. The deers come to the bank of the lake to drink water in the late afternoon and it would present a perfect opportunity for the tigress to stalk and hunt. Excited, with the prospect of watching the hunt from close, we selected a spot diagonally opposite to the patch of grass and started a vigil . Intermittently, we could spot her in the grass, when she would raise her head to check the movement of the deers. After a wait of nearly 1.5 hrs, with the dusk approaching, appeared the pesky peacocks. One of them soon spotted the tigress and immediately started a alarm call, initially in a low volume which kept climbing higher and higher with the other two joining in a chorus, alerting the deers nearby. With her cover blown and prospect of a meal disappearing, eventually the tigress came out of hiding, ...

Very few trips can rival a vacation amidst the mountains. The Himalayas in the North and North-East and the Niligiris in the south are ideal places to relax and unwind or enjoy an activity filled holiday. Wake up to bird songs, fresh air and breathtaking sights of the mountains, observe the simple life of the mountain villages, spend days hiking and birdwatching and in the evenings curl up with a mug of tea or coffee. There is no better way to re-charge your batteries. I have highlighted here a few amazing mountain lodges from different regions in India. These are not the usual lodges / resorts dotting the popular mountain destinations. Each of these are situated in gorgeous locations and offer beautiful mountain views. Some are rustic & earthy while some offer luxurious comfort, each distinct in its own character & style.  I hope you will find something interesting & please feel free to get in touch for more options.  😊 Shyok River Lodge (Ladakh) Shyok is an rel...

  From the high altitude terrains of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh to the Sunderban delta near the Bay of Bengal, from the dry scrublands of Gujrat to the lush hills of Kerala, from luxury abodes to simple lodges, we list some of our favourite wildlife stay recommendations for your next wildlife holiday. We have selected only those, where your experience is likely to be extraordinary and immersive. These are not the usual lodges / resorts dotting around the popular national parks. Each of these are situated in gorgeous locations and offer experiential wildlife stays where location, ambience, food, activities and wildlife encounters converge to create a magical time. Some of these lodges are spartan in nature, but that helps to keep the wildlife areas clean and conserve nature.  You will have an unfolding of wildlife ‘magic’ every minute of the day. Nomad's Cottage in Himachal Pradesh The Nomad's Cottage is located approximately 140 kms from Manali, in the untouched wild beauty of ...

  Always wanted a photograph of a group of wild boars crossing a forest track…. and never got one till this day in Tadoba. This was perfect… the light … the time… and the number of them and the various sizes.  The Indian wild boars (Sus scrofa) doesn’t draw much attention from the visitors to the forests but … they look gorgeous with their firm dorsal crest. It may be interesting to note that until the Turko-Afghan invasions of North India in the 12th century, the wild boar was greatly admired due its association with Varaha. A number of temples dedicated to Varaha still exist today across India. The boar was also the royal symbol of dynasties of the Guptas in the North and the Cholas and Vijayanagar in the South. These are fierce and powerful animals and present a formidable challenge even to predators like the tiger and leopard. There has been many incidents of boars fatally wounding tigers. They are prolific breeders and breed throughout the year. Females start breeding a...