Sawai Madhopur Things to Do

After gracing us with her presence for one minute and 45 seconds, she jumps off the wall and disappears back into the jungle from where she came. We were incredibly blessed with such a wonderful sighting, reasonably close and for a comparatively long time. Now we can go home happy – this is what we came to see. Sigh.

Still on the wall, she stops and turns after a few seconds to face us, as if to say “OK, now take your photographs and let me carry on with my business as normal”. Such a perfect pose! Such a magnificent animal!

Like a cat on a garden fence, she promenades along the top of the dam wall, as if she doesn’t have a care in the world. Perhaps she doesn’t. It is as if time has stopped for me as I watch her graceful feline movements. She is one stunning cat!

Holding my breath for fear of missing just a second of this amazing spectacle, I gasp as she suddenly and with the ease of an agile domestic cat jumps up on the wall of the dam. The incredulity of the swiftness and surprise of the leap has left us all in awe. This really is the ultimate in tiger spotting!

She carries on for a couple of seconds towards the lake, before she turns away from us and continues walking in apparent determination, as if she is oblivious to a Cantor full of very thrilled tourists with cameras clicking. What a majestic animal she is!

Out of the long grass and into the open, we now have an excellent view of this striking cat in all her glory. She has such vivid markings and such wonderful poise of elegance – how can such a large animal look so dainty?

It seems like an eternity before she appears from behind the trees, and although she is out of the forest, now the long grass almost obscures her, despite her great size. Oh, what a beauty she is! I can hardly contain my enthusiasm and I can feel my heart rate increasing as I watch her saunter down towards the lake.

On the second morning, as we are admiring the birds congregating by Malik Lake, the naturalist gets very excited. “Tiger!” he shouts in a whisper. We can all feel the adrenalin rising and the excitement mounting as we look in the direction he is pointing. There, in amongst the forest, is a huge tigress, strolling along as if she doesn’t have a care in the world. Partly concealed by the trees, it is as if she is ‘burning bright’ as in the poem. She appears to be glowing intensely and beautifully – no camouflage here!