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Indian Adventure 4

Wildfoot’s Simon spent his summer in India as part of a wildlife adventure holiday, and recorded his journey for you to peruse on the Wildfoot blog. Below, Simon explores the village of Bera that is packed with wildlife and has been ‘frozen in time’.

Part 4

This morning, we head out on a safari at 5.30am to establish where the leopard family has moved to during the night. We initially drive to a new area hoping to see a large leopard male, and we are hooked. We can’t wait to see more leopard action, perhaps in a different part of the National Park.

While we are here in the village of Bera, we are staying at a unique heritage home-stay style accommodation called Bera Castle. The Castle offers a distinct style of stay that is most unusual, with authentic surroundings in both the rooms and communal areas.

The dining room walls of the Castle carry fascinating antique images of the owner’s family history and that of the rulers with whom they were closely connected. Bera Castle was built in the late 1800s and is still owned by two brothers of the same family, one of which is Mr. Baljeet Singh, a champion of wildlife conservation and wildlife and birding enthusiast.

While the guest house is not everyone’s cup of tea, it gives us a true opportunity to experience life within a typical Rajasthan country village, which appears to have been frozen in time. In-between the leopard safaris, one early in the morning and one late afternoon, a friendly guide from the guest house takes us on several walks in and around the village, which allows us to get closer to the locals and experience what it would be like to live here.

A different accommodation option is the Bera Safari Lodge, which is equally comfortable, but more intimate. This lodge is in the countryside and consists of three independent cottages – leopards and wild dogs are often seen from the cottages themselves! It is a great alternative, especially for keen birders as well as those looking for leopards.

The village is rarely visited by outsiders because most visitors to Bera are in search of the rich but sometimes elusive wildlife, like the leopards, hyenas, birds and wolves, which are enough to encourage anybody to visit as part of a wildlife holiday in India.

The outskirts of the village welcome another kind of tourist during the nighttime. Leopards regularly make the most of the local cattle and even village dogs on an evening. Those who lose cattle this way are nominally compensated by the government for their loss, but it doesn’t make the event any easier. Monkeys, peacocks and other easy-picking wildlife are also at risk from the leopards, which makes spotting the beast during daylight hours all the more thrilling.

During my time in Bera, I see that the villagers seem to co-exist with the wildlife. However, as ever-curious wildlife enthusiasts continue to find out about the rich offerings in Bera, and indeed take advantage of the Indian wildlife adventure opportunities offered through Wildfoot, I hope that it will assist in the creation of a new National Park.

The protection of this unique area is essential and as we hear plans for a new hotel building project on the outskirts of the village, I hope that the local and national conservation crusaders don’t leave it too much longer.

Those visiting Bera cannot miss the village life experience which, right now, is authentic and a ‘must see’ part of India for any adventurous spirit or wildlife enthusiast.

In his next blog post, Simon continues his journey through Bera and enjoys a birding walk through the village. If you are interested in finding out more about how you can retrace the steps of Simon’s adventure, simply get in touch with Wildfoot’s travel experts today.

Indian Adventure 3

Wildfoot travel expert Simon enjoyed an Indian adventure this summer and recorded his journey for you to enjoy on our blog. Below, Simon travels to Ahmadabad and spots a family of leopards.

Part 3

After a seven hour drive to Ahmadabad, an overnight stay and then another five hour trip to Bera in the south of the state of Rajasthan, we arrive.

There are quicker ways to get to south-west Rajasthan, such as through a direct flight to Bombay and then a three-hour road transfer, but this is a wildlife holiday in India, so I appreciate the journey as it allows me to spot wildlife and take in the beautiful scenery.

The first safari of the day proves extremely promising, with sightings of a leopard mother and two small cubs in the late afternoon. Although they were a great distance away, we can clearly observe them. First, we see the mother on a light brown granite stone, moving at a slow pace for over an hour. While camouflaged in some cases by the various shrubs, other times she is completely in the open, which allows me to capture some great photographs.

Suddenly, out of the blue, we see two cubs next to her. It is clear that, where she has been carefully hiding and resting, she has been trying not to alert anyone to her precious offspring that are 400 metres away on the hillock. Watching the little cubs run and frolic is a special experience. As dusk comes and visibility is low, we head to our accommodation for the evening and reflect on an adventurous day.

In the next part of our Indian adventure series, Simon will explore the wildlife-laden village of Bera. If you would like to find out more about reliving Simon’s adventure yourself, please get in touch with Wildfoot, the luxury travel company, today.

Indian Adventure 2

Throughout the summer, WILDFOOT’s Simon enjoyed an Indian adventure and kept a diary of his travels for you to read. Today, Simon continues his trip to the Sasan Gir Forest National Park.

Part 2

After enjoying our morning safari, our guide takes us for a stroll outside Lion Safari Camp by the river. Amid overbearing midday heat, we enjoy a huge list of water birds and other species, spotting green bee-eater, pied kingfisher, black winged stilt and red wattled lapwing.

The afternoon could not be a better follow on from this morning’s wild fest, as we observe white spotted fantail, Indian nightjar (the same one as this morning), Tickell’s flycatcher, blossom-headed parakeet, crested serpent eagle, cattle egret and another 20 or so other species.

There are seven routes in the Sasan Gir Forest National Park, all of which are very different. The 30 or so jeeps that leave every safari are split into differing routes to keep congestion to a minimum. What we endeavour to do here at WILDFOOT is keep to the back of the group of jeeps, so that those travelling with us can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of not having other vehicles behind, which also allows for improved observations of the surrounding wildlife.

As the sun lowers, we are treated to the best sighting yet of a mother Lioness and two eight-month-old juveniles at one of the many manmade watering holes in the park. After a short wet, they settle down in the last of the warm lingering sunshine while we take all of the snaps we need. This light seems to be ideal for the purpose and lends a certain character that you just don’t find at any other time.

The Asiatic lion used to exist in south-west and north Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. By the 19th century, it had been eradicated from Turkey and even up to 1944, the last corpse of a lion was found on the bank of the River Karun in Iran.

In 1963, the last Persian pride were ruthlessly hunted and killed in Iran. At the time, the local press praised this event as a success, which seems absolutely shocking today knowing that the Asiatic lion is now endangered and survives in Sasan Gir Forest National Park.

You will be pleased to know that these remarkable creatures are now flourishing quite nicely along with the Indian leopard, due to the major understanding of the government with influences from a handful of conservationists who have fought exceptionally hard for this day, even with their near loss of life in some cases.

We leave this park and region with a huge respect for the hard working guides and rangers of the region. We have got to know the very experienced guides in the first couple of days of our Indian wildlife holiday, and their sincere love of the region and its wildlife, not to mention birding, is very evident.

Next time, Simon will travel to Bera village in south-west Rajasthan in search of Indian leopards. If you are interested in discovering more about the Indian experience offered by WILDFOOT, get in touch with the wildlife travel experts today.

Forest Adventure Brazil 12

On the final day of Sara’s Brazil wildlife holiday, she spots an anteater and bids a fond farewell to the country she’s called home for the last 12 days. Read her final journal entry right here on the Wildfoot travel blog.

Day 12

Shock horror: it’s another early start! We head out for a morning drive at 5.30 am before breakfast, and spot some playful coatis and a troupe of capuchin monkeys, but unfortunately, the giant anteater escapes us once again.

On returning to the lodge for a last hearty Brazilian breakfast, we spot a pair of great rufous woodpeckers scratching around in a huge pile of dung with their long bills.

It seems a shame to sit inside to eat, so I opt for a bit of alfresco dining on the veranda, determined not to miss out on any action, and I’m rewarded with dozens of hyacinth macaws and blue-fronted parrots joining us.

Without the cool river breeze, I soon notice the ever increasing temperature – it’s up to 38 degrees Celsius now – but refuse to be deterred, so suggest to Jose that we take a short hike on one of the many trails around the lodge.

However, it seems that the heat of the day is also taking its toll on the wildlife, with very little to see or hear apart from a couple of black tegu lizards seeking shelter in a fallen tree trunk.

We admit defeat and return to the lodge for a very-much-needed cold drink, and decide to enjoy our surroundings from the shade of the veranda like our fellow guests. After lunch, we head off to visit a nearby lodge called Pousada Rio Claro, in search of the black-headed parakeet for which it is famous.

The access road to the lodge is great for birding, passing alongside a small stream and through several sections of deciduous forest, where we were able to spot tiger herons, wattled jacanas, rusty-backed antwren and roseate spoonbills among many others.

As we park our car at the reception, a flock of screeching black headed parakeets pass us overhead, as if on cue. Although my mission had been accomplished, it seemed too rude to turn around without speaking to the owner and accepting their kind offer of a cold drink.

The owner seemed thrilled to have a captive audience that he could tell about the anaconda and jaguar that were seen on the grounds of the lodge only the day before by a group of Japanese tourists, but unfortunately, neither could show themselves again during my visit.

Feeling refreshed, we head back to Pousa Alegre to pack, as I leave tonight for Cuiaba, ready for the early morning flight back to the UK. Once again, dinner is delicious and only bettered by the warmth and humour of the owner.

We finally load up the car and make a start on our three-hour journey back to the city when, all of a sudden, Jose slams on the brakes and shouts the infamous word “anteater”! I cannot believe it!

Right in front of us, a giant anteater crosses the road, as though waving us a fond farewell. My trip is complete!

I came with such high expectations in terms of wildlife, but they have been exceeded. I just cannot wait to return!

Forest Adventure Brazil 11

Wildfoot’s Sara spent time on a wildlife viewing Brazilian adventure last summer and kept a journal throughout her trip. On this blog, we’re documenting her journey day-by-day. Today, Sara spots an armadillo.

Day 11

As I open my bedroom door, I am greeted by a sea of birds. Each morning, the staff throw some rice flour down in the courtyard that attracts all sorts of birdlife, including choco chachalacs, bare faced curassows, yellow-billed and red-crested cardinals, baywings, purplish jays and even a stunning orange-backed troupial, so this place really is a birder’s paradise!

I head back into my room and grab my camera, and although I would never describe myself as a hardcore birder, you cannot fail to be impressed by this dazzling display and it’s not long before I fill yet another memory card!

I am finally dragged away with the threat of missing breakfast as our boat driver is already waiting. A jaguar was spotted late last night on the bank not far from the lodge and the driver thinks it might still be in close proximity, so we decide to go and take a look.

We scour the banks for a couple of hours, but it’s not meant to be and none of my favourite big pussy cats are to be seen or heard today, so we call it a day and head back out onto the Transpantaneira and make our way to Pousa Alegre, which is home for our last couple of days.

Despite feeling more like an active cattle ranch than a tourist lodge, Pousa Alegre features on most wildlife itineraries of the Pantanal, because it has a reputation for great tapir and giant anteater sightings.

Although there is no forest or river immediately accessible from the lodge, there is still lots of bird and mammal life to see and on arrival, I am encouraged to head out to a hide on one of its small watering holes as plenty has been spotted here in the last couple of days.

Despite being incredibly warm, we settle in at the hide and bide our time. As always with wildlife, a little bit of patience goes a long way, and we start to notice a steady stream of creatures coming to the water’s edge to quench their thirst, including agoutis, coatimund, peccaries and deer, all unperturbed by our presence.

However, once again it is the bird life that really steals the show with some lovely sightings of a pair of chestnut-bellied guans, a little group of sunbitterns, a chestnut-eared aracari and a greater antistrike among many more.

At sundown, we finally make it to the lodge itself and check in, although my stay here is brief, and no sooner have we finished dinner than we get back into our open-sided safari vehicle for one last night drive.

Although in my heart I am a little bit disappointed that the giant anteater once again eludes me, this is made up threefold by good sightings of two tapirs, several crab eating foxes and unbelievably, an armadillo, which is undoubtedly the most prehistoric creature I’ve ever seen.

I begin to realise how lucky I am when Jose, who has guided in the Pantanal for almost two decades, declares this is also the first armadillo he has ever seen, and unlike the puma earlier in the trip, it allowed me enough time to get some photos of it.

All in all, it was a very successful night drive, and I can’t wait to see what is in store for me tomorrow!

Forest Adventure Brazil 10

Last summer, Sara from Wildfoot spent time on a wildlife viewing holiday in Brazil. As part of the Wildfoot blog, Sara has been documenting her journey for all to read. Today, she ticks off yet another rare species from her wish list and spends time with a family of friendly otters.

Day 10

This morning could almost be described as a lie-in, as I eat my breakfast at 6am before starting my activities an hour later.

I embark on a gentle horse ride that is very relaxing, and while navigating the long grass, I catch a glimpse of a red brocket deer and agoutis, which is a large rodent. Another option here is fishing for piranha from small kayaks.

We enjoy a fabulous lunch and have a leisurely boat ride in the afternoon, spending some time with a friendly family of giant river otters, as well as a small troupe of capuchin monkeys, which are busy feasting on fruit high up in the trees.

At sundown, the river comes alive with hundreds of roosting egrets and cormorants lining the banks, while a constant stream of noisy parrots flies overhead.

After yet another superb dinner, I force myself to stay awake and head out for a night time safari drive. With lots of good sightings being made the night before by other guests at my accommodation, I am feeling hopeful!

It’s not long before we get our first sight of a tapir, one of Brazil’s ‘Big Five’. It’s certainly a peculiar looking creature!

We also spot a couple of crab-eating foxes frolicking in the undergrowth and a family of white-nosed coatimundi, so I can go to bed with the knowledge that I have ticked off a couple more species on my wish list today!

Forest Adventure Brazil 9

After spending last summer on a wildlife viewing Brazilian adventure, Sara from Wildfoot is documenting her experiences on our blog. Today, Sara travels to Pantanal and spots a young ocelot.

Day 9

Today we’re on the move again, and this time, our destination is one of the most renowned eco lodges in the Pantanal, situated approximately halfway between Porto Jofre and Cuiaba.

However, there is still time for two more jaguar sightings in the morning, as a 20-minute boat transfer to dock quickly becomes three hours of jaguar viewing!

We meet two female jaguars named Patricia and Iris. Patricia we had seen previously, but Iris is a new one for the tally and is beautifully positioned in an open area. She seems completely at ease despite there being almost 20 boats jostling for a good view and allows each and every one of us to fill our memory cards with photos before finally retreating into the undergrowth, a great sighting to end with.

Once more, we are on our way to the dock where I am met by Bronco, who is going to take me on the next leg of the journey, which is a three-hour drive along the Transpantaneira to Southwild Pantanal Lodge.

The eco lodge was once a traditional cattle ranch comprising 3,500 hectares of flooded lands at the end of the Pixaim River, but today it is regarded as giving one of the best wildlife experiences anywhere in Brazil.

On arrival, I quickly notice it has not lost its original, rustic ranch charm, whether in terms of the physical building structure or its staff, with all of the guys donning cowboy hats. Before arriving, I had heard rumours that the food was some of the best to be found anywhere in the region, and lunch certainly doesn’t disappoint.

In the afternoon, I opt for a bit of a walking safari, which was perhaps in a bid to ease the guilt of having second helpings at lunch! We start with a visit to the observation tower, which has been carefully positioned next to a jabiru stork nest that has been used for the past decade. On reaching the top, it becomes clear that there are five very small chicks in it. It’s really interesting to see the interaction between the two parents and their chicks at close quarters, watching them take it in turn to gather food for the waiting hungry mouths.

Although I could sit and watch this family of storks all day I drag myself away to go on a night walk, which proves to be a very good decision as we strike lucky spotting a beautiful young female ocelot. Although I came to Brazil with high expectations of seeing jaguars, not for one moment did I expect to see one of these highly elusive nocturnal small cats, so it is a real bonus!

Pleased by this unexpected success, we return for a delicious dinner. The food at Santa Tereza is really some of the very best the Pantanal has to offer!

Forest Adventure Brazil 8

Sara from Wildfoot spent last summer taking part in a wildlife viewing Brazilian adventure and logged her activities throughout the trip. For your enjoyment, we’ve been serialising her progress on the Wildfoot blog. Today, Sara moves to a floating hotel, spots yet another jaguar and spends time with local fishermen.

Day 8

This morning, I am transferring from Porte Jofre to Southwild Flotel, so I say goodbye to Nelson and Wilson and thank them for their great hospitality before heading off by boat.

After a short ride, I am met by Layra and Jose, who are going to look after me for the next five days, and head out for a morning boat ride.

Layra is busy telling me how wonderful the area is and how regular sightings have become when, lo and behold, we get a call over radio to say another jaguar has been spotted. I am beginning to understand why this region has been aptly nicknamed the Jaguar Zone!

Luckily for me Selema, as she’s been named by researchers, is not camera shy, and she walks along the bank for 40 minutes, giving me my best sighting and photos of the trip so far. Combined with the haunting cry of howler monkeys in the distance, I am in wildlife heaven!

After the excitement has subsided, we head back to the Flotel to check in and have some lunch. The Flotel is made up of a couple of floating buildings, one containing 12 suites and the other with 10 rooms, a restaurant and a presentation room, all of which are finished to a very high standard.

After a tasty bite to eat, we head back out on the water in the opposite direction to visit a local fishing lodge that is known for its great birdlife and frequently visiting Brazilian tapir. The birdlife is plain to see on arrival, with wonderful sights of hyacinth macaws, a chestnut mandibled toucan and a short-eared owl within the first few minutes of arriving.

The fishermen kindly invite us to join them for dinner, which is of course the Catch of the Day. Nothing quite beats freshly caught fish cooked on an open wood fire!

They use this time to tell us of their adventures on the river from days gone by, with one even laying claim to seeing the extremely rare black jaguar only a day or so ago while out fishing. We bide our time listening and hoping, but in vain on this occasion, as wildlife will never be predictable. Finally, we take the boat back to the Flotel at 11pm, well past my bed time!

Forest Adventure Brazil 7

Last summer, Sara from Wildfoot took part in an incredible wildlife-spotting trip to Brazil, recording every step of her journey for you to read. We have been sharing her daily journal entries on the Wildfoot blog. Today, Sara spots a jaguar and some giant river otters.

Day 7

Inspired by yesterday’s action, this morning I’m waiting for the boat, ready to leave not long after 5:30 am. It’s much to Wilson’s amazement, but I know that the morning is our best chance of spotting an elusive cat while it’s still cool, and I don’t want to waste a minute.

We’ve been on the water for a couple of hours, without seeing anything of real note, when Wilson suddenly grinds to a halt. There is nothing obvious to be seen, but I nonetheless raise my binoculars and scour the banks for movement – I am a true explorer, now!

After around 10 minutes of seeing nothing, Wilson retreats to his seat and starts the engine, but suddenly out of the corner of my eye I spot a movement, and find a jaguar!

It’s one of those moments when you think you are hallucinating, and from nowhere a beautiful female jaguar was standing only a few metres away from our boat, looking directly at us… it was absolutely mesmerising!

This is the first time I get a chance to really appreciate the true prowess and beauty of these incredible creatures, and I quickly realise I am witnessing something very special.

We spend around half an hour watching this graceful feline walk along the river bank, dipping out of view now and again to navigate the dense jungle, before it finally makes a turn and dissolves into the undergrowth.

This is a moment I will treasure forever, and it was made even better by the fact I didn’t have to share it with a sea of other people… in fact, only two other boats were close by before the jaguar called time on her private showing. We have another sighting a short while later, but just like yesterday, this cat has settled in for the day and is barely in view.

Without spotting another jaguar during the afternoon, we decide to spend some quality time with a family of giant river otters that are known to be nurturing some very small pups. The family is in a playful mood and seems very inquisitive as to our presence. They’re anything but camera shy and seem to be happy for me to snap away at them for well over an hour.

Inevitably, my evening is spent trying to sort through the several hundred photographs I have taken today, which will serve as reminders of my fantastic Brazilian trip.

Forest Adventure Brazil 6

Last summer, Wildfoot’s Sara embarked on an incredible wildlife-spotting trip to Brazil, recording the highlights of her holiday for your enjoyment. We have been sharing her daily journal entries on the Wildfoot blog. Today, Sara goes jaguar spotting, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Day 6

Today is serious! We have a fast speed boat for the whole day and a local guide named Wilson. And we have one thing in common – jaguar spotting!

The Pantanal, which means swamp or marsh in Portuguese, is the largest continental wetland in the world and is simply beautiful. I can think of nothing I’d rather be doing than cruising its maze of channels, under a perfect blue sky, in search of one of the most charismatic creatures to grace the New World.

In the wet season, 80% of the Pantanal floods, with water levels rising as high as three metres, but we are visiting in the dry season when water levels are significantly lower, causing the wildlife to congregate on the river edge and making sightings much more likely.

Lodge researchers have documented many jaguars to be living in close vicinity of Porto Jofre and are so confident that we will strike lucky, that some of the lodges have started offering a ‘money back guarantee’ if we don’t see one, which gives me great hope for the days ahead.

Luckily we do not have to wait too long before Wilson gets a call on the radio and, despite the linguistic challenge, we know immediately a jaguar has been spotted. It turns out to be a mother with an elderly cub!

I can’t believe my luck! We have been on the water no more than a couple of hours, and we don’t have one, but two of these beautiful creatures in front of us!

We spend some time with them before they decide to settle down behind some dense foliage for the day, somewhat obstructing our view, so we decide to try our luck by venturing downstream a bit further.

The wildlife is everywhere, caiman at every turn, heron and kingfishers bombing the water, capybara looking nervous in and out of the water. We even catch sight of a troupe of black howler monkeys and a very timid red brocket, a not-so-common deer species.

Just as we’re going to call it lunch, we get a message over the radio that another jaguar has been spotted. Once again, the jaguar has decided to seek shade from the blistering midday sun in some long grass so the view isn’t great, but I’m not ungrateful after seeing three in the same morning.

We spend the rest of the afternoon flipping between the two sightings in case either has decided to spring into action, but it’s not to be. We finally call it a day as the sun sets around us and head back to the lodge for a few Caipirinhas to celebrate. What a day!

Tag: adventure

WILDFOOT Wildlife & Adventure Specialist