WILDLIFE
INDIA COMMENDATIONS
 Dear
Manoj,
Now that we have returned home, I thought I should send heartfelt
thanks and some detailed comments about our recent trip to India.
As you know, I initially had qualms about booking with an unknown
agency in a foreign country, and about sending money in advance to
an unbonded operator. However I was convinced by the quality of your
website, by the previous testimonials you had received, by speaking
to Peter Phillips (your photographer from England), and by the courtesy
and promptness of your replies to my questions. In the end, I need
have had no worries. There is no doubt that you operate a highly professional
business with absolute integrity.
We asked you to design a custom built trip which would maximise our
wildlife viewing opportunities. The success of this can be judged
from the sightings we had - 13 tigers, 4 leopards, jungle cat, jackal,
wild dog, sloth bear, wild elephant, wild boar, gaur, nilgai, barasingha,
hog deer, barking deer, sambar, spotted deer (by the hundred), mongoose,
rhesus macaque, common langur, marsh crocodile, gharial, python, plus
innumerable species of birds.
We visited 5 tiger reserves (Pench, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Ranthambhore
and Corbett) and the bird sanctuary at Keoladeo (Bharatpur). Each
of these has its own qualities. Pench was a good way to start - small,
quiet, still unspoilt, good for viewing although in the end no tigers
but 2 leopards. Kanha and Bandhavgarh were great - more spectacular
scenery, fabulous sightings, but still with much more freedom than
Ranthambhore. Ranthambhore was beautiful, but the organisation by
the park authorities made sightings much more of a lottery than being
down to the skills of the guide and driver. By chance, we had great
tiger viewings, but many people saw nothing. Corbett had phenomenal
scenery which in itself would make it worth the visit. Recent rains
meant our sightings were limited, but at least we saw elephant, crocodile
and gharial for the first time. Keoladeo would be a paradise for birders,
but the lack of water meant fewer migratory birds and no boat trips.
All in all, what we saw far exceeded our expectations.
All of the accommodation was first rate, but I would specifically
mentionTuli Tiger at Kanha, Nature Heritage Resort at Banghavgarh
and Quality Inn at Corbett as being of particularly high standard.
The staff everywhere were excellent. We were treated like VIPs, due
in no small part I am sure to your reputation. This tended to mean
that we got the best drivers, the best guides, and had managers everywhere
concerned to know that we were satisfied. To single one person out,
Deepak in Bandhavgarh was superb. We spent 3 days with him. His knowledge
of wildlife was immense, but thanks to the quality of his English,
we also learnt much about India, its history, culture, traditions
and religions from him. All in all, Bandhavgarh was probably the highlight
of the trip, although Kanha for its sightings and Corbett for its
scenery push it hard.
Your organisation for bookings and transfers went virtually without
a hitch. Firstly we were impressed that you should meet us at Delhi
airport at 5 o'clock in the morning, and stay with us to explain all
of our itinerary. Then it was most gratifying to know that you stayed
in contact with our resorts each day to confirm what we had seen and
that we had no problems. I congratulate you on the care and interest
you take in your clients.
We have been on many safari holidays in the past, particularly in
South and East Africa. But the sightings of tigers in the wild will
remain with us as one of our most memorable experiences. It was a
pleasure to meet you, and to enjoy so thoroughly the holiday you arranged
for us.
If anyone is thinking of holidaying in India, they could not do better
than to let you make the arrangements for them. And if anyone would
like further reassurance, please let them contact me at rupert.fisher@birstwith.net
With our very best wishes,
Rupert Fisher (Harrogate, England) & John Woodward (Barcelona,
Spain)
February/March 2007
|
|
Home
| About Us | Contact
Us | Commendations
| Booking |
Email us 
