<p>It’s during the dry season or on particularly warm days that your chances of spotting animals in the wild peak. Armed with cameras and binoculars, perched surreptitiously on a safari jeep, onlookers wait for them to emerge and be enthralled by their majestic appearances. To be in that action-packed moment, amidst unmatched beauty is overwhelming. I can still feel that spine-tingling moment, the ecstasy and the bursts of joy inside me as I recall a recent safari experience inside Satpura National Park. Simply put, the bar has been set incredibly high this time.</p>.<p>Eerie silence serenaded the dawn. The moon and the stars were still hovering in the sky. The air felt cold as the gypsy was heading to the Madhai gate for the morning safari. In our hearts, we were thankful for this temporary solace from the heat that was to follow in a few hours. The wildlife enthusiast in me couldn’t resist asking, “How often do we get to see leopards and sloth bears in Satpura?”</p>.Raising Gen Alpha: Parenting in hyper-digital world.<p>“The jungles of Satpura are gorgeous and the excitement never ends here. I trust today will bring surprises too,” said my accompanying naturalist Franklin Dolder. He subtly conveyed to us that being on a safari is all about being patient and appreciating the pristine beauty of the jungle. The sightings were cherry on the cake.</p>.<p>Soon, we reached the entrance of Madhai zone and crossed the Denwa river by boat to reach the starting point of the safari. Revati, one of the female forest guides joined us. We entered the forest with the first rays of the sun. Hundreds of sal, teak, mahua, tendu trees smiled back at us. The deer and the langurs lurked around. The chirping of the birds and chattering of the monkeys became prominent. Despite being dry, the forest was full of life. The uneven terrain, the picturesque grasslands and the sparkling rivulets spoke highly of the dramatic landscape of Satpura, which means seven mountains. </p>.<p><strong>Spotting the sloth bear</strong></p>.<p>Hardly twenty minutes into the safari, Franklin signalled the driver to stop at an intersecting path and asked us to look towards our left. I could only see black stones in the thick foliage. Next second, a huge stone moved. Did it? As my eyes pierced through the woods, the elusive sloth bear became visible. The Indian bear with long, shaggy fur emerged, stomping on everything that came on its way, giving us moments of pure delight.</p>.<p>On Revati’s suggestion, the driver made headway towards the patch where tiger had been a day before. We waited but in vain. Thankfully, our group was not fixated on tigers and we chose to wander around glorious landscapes and other strategic viewing points. This also gave us time to learn about the biodiversity of the jungle. En route, we spotted gaur, wild dog, spotted deer, woolly-necked storks, painted storks, and owlets.</p>.<p>Soon, Revati heard a call and we all caught a glimpse of the big cat sitting by the water body. We were on the other side with only the lake between us. We stayed, we watched, and we gasped as the leopard enthralled us with its cat walk. Regardless of no tiger sighting, we were jubilant.</p>.<p><strong>In anticipation of a sighting</strong></p>.<p>Some of the vehicles did spot a tiger too. There was no iota of disappointment as I was soon distracted by the anticipation of the afternoon safari. Parsapani and Jamanidev are the buffer zones (near Madhai) of Satpura and post lunch, when we reached Jamanidev gate, most of the vehicles sped to reach the strategic viewing point around the water hole. A tiger and a tigress were regulars there. We also waited for half an hour but soon left to explore the undulating landscape, rolling grasslands and the other animals. The buffer area had many rough patches and bumpy rides, turning out to be a fun ride. It was evident that Satpura was a mysterious forest and a true biodiversity hotspot, adorned with Pachmarhi hills. Just when we were thinking of backtracking, another jeep driver informed us of a tigress ahead. Voila!</p>.<p>This was the moment we had been waiting for. It is no hidden fact that in the safari lovers, tigers enjoy a different kind of adulation. First we saw her stripes. Soon the striking figure crossed the pathway with elan. While we stood stunned, her growl sent a chill through our bones. She was bothered as her cubs were far behind. None of the vehicles moved to let the cubs join her.</p>.<p>The drivers began to calculate her movement and lined up at a strategic point. We chose to skip the commotion and went ahead. Lady luck was smiling on us — the tigress chose the same route and emerged from the woods. This time, she gave us a power look, sat down on the middle of the road, waited for each of her cubs to cross. Satpura had just given me a lasting bouquet of memories.</p>.<p><strong>DID YOU KNOW?</strong></p>.<p>• Nanhi, the Indian Giant Squirrel, is the official mascot of Satpura. The park has a large squirrel population.</p>.<p>• Satpura tiger reserve was dotted with several villages and has seen one of the most successful village relocation exercises to enable wildlife to thrive.</p>.<p>• Only 30 safari vehicles are permitted every day, ensuring a low volume but high-quality wildlife experience.</p>
<p>It’s during the dry season or on particularly warm days that your chances of spotting animals in the wild peak. Armed with cameras and binoculars, perched surreptitiously on a safari jeep, onlookers wait for them to emerge and be enthralled by their majestic appearances. To be in that action-packed moment, amidst unmatched beauty is overwhelming. I can still feel that spine-tingling moment, the ecstasy and the bursts of joy inside me as I recall a recent safari experience inside Satpura National Park. Simply put, the bar has been set incredibly high this time.</p>.<p>Eerie silence serenaded the dawn. The moon and the stars were still hovering in the sky. The air felt cold as the gypsy was heading to the Madhai gate for the morning safari. In our hearts, we were thankful for this temporary solace from the heat that was to follow in a few hours. The wildlife enthusiast in me couldn’t resist asking, “How often do we get to see leopards and sloth bears in Satpura?”</p>.Raising Gen Alpha: Parenting in hyper-digital world.<p>“The jungles of Satpura are gorgeous and the excitement never ends here. I trust today will bring surprises too,” said my accompanying naturalist Franklin Dolder. He subtly conveyed to us that being on a safari is all about being patient and appreciating the pristine beauty of the jungle. The sightings were cherry on the cake.</p>.<p>Soon, we reached the entrance of Madhai zone and crossed the Denwa river by boat to reach the starting point of the safari. Revati, one of the female forest guides joined us. We entered the forest with the first rays of the sun. Hundreds of sal, teak, mahua, tendu trees smiled back at us. The deer and the langurs lurked around. The chirping of the birds and chattering of the monkeys became prominent. Despite being dry, the forest was full of life. The uneven terrain, the picturesque grasslands and the sparkling rivulets spoke highly of the dramatic landscape of Satpura, which means seven mountains. </p>.<p><strong>Spotting the sloth bear</strong></p>.<p>Hardly twenty minutes into the safari, Franklin signalled the driver to stop at an intersecting path and asked us to look towards our left. I could only see black stones in the thick foliage. Next second, a huge stone moved. Did it? As my eyes pierced through the woods, the elusive sloth bear became visible. The Indian bear with long, shaggy fur emerged, stomping on everything that came on its way, giving us moments of pure delight.</p>.<p>On Revati’s suggestion, the driver made headway towards the patch where tiger had been a day before. We waited but in vain. Thankfully, our group was not fixated on tigers and we chose to wander around glorious landscapes and other strategic viewing points. This also gave us time to learn about the biodiversity of the jungle. En route, we spotted gaur, wild dog, spotted deer, woolly-necked storks, painted storks, and owlets.</p>.<p>Soon, Revati heard a call and we all caught a glimpse of the big cat sitting by the water body. We were on the other side with only the lake between us. We stayed, we watched, and we gasped as the leopard enthralled us with its cat walk. Regardless of no tiger sighting, we were jubilant.</p>.<p><strong>In anticipation of a sighting</strong></p>.<p>Some of the vehicles did spot a tiger too. There was no iota of disappointment as I was soon distracted by the anticipation of the afternoon safari. Parsapani and Jamanidev are the buffer zones (near Madhai) of Satpura and post lunch, when we reached Jamanidev gate, most of the vehicles sped to reach the strategic viewing point around the water hole. A tiger and a tigress were regulars there. We also waited for half an hour but soon left to explore the undulating landscape, rolling grasslands and the other animals. The buffer area had many rough patches and bumpy rides, turning out to be a fun ride. It was evident that Satpura was a mysterious forest and a true biodiversity hotspot, adorned with Pachmarhi hills. Just when we were thinking of backtracking, another jeep driver informed us of a tigress ahead. Voila!</p>.<p>This was the moment we had been waiting for. It is no hidden fact that in the safari lovers, tigers enjoy a different kind of adulation. First we saw her stripes. Soon the striking figure crossed the pathway with elan. While we stood stunned, her growl sent a chill through our bones. She was bothered as her cubs were far behind. None of the vehicles moved to let the cubs join her.</p>.<p>The drivers began to calculate her movement and lined up at a strategic point. We chose to skip the commotion and went ahead. Lady luck was smiling on us — the tigress chose the same route and emerged from the woods. This time, she gave us a power look, sat down on the middle of the road, waited for each of her cubs to cross. Satpura had just given me a lasting bouquet of memories.</p>.<p><strong>DID YOU KNOW?</strong></p>.<p>• Nanhi, the Indian Giant Squirrel, is the official mascot of Satpura. The park has a large squirrel population.</p>.<p>• Satpura tiger reserve was dotted with several villages and has seen one of the most successful village relocation exercises to enable wildlife to thrive.</p>.<p>• Only 30 safari vehicles are permitted every day, ensuring a low volume but high-quality wildlife experience.</p>