50 years of Project Tiger: 10 places to spot the majestic animals

Project Tiger was started in 1973 in India to promote conservation of the animal in the country. 2023 marks 50 years of this endeavour. It was started by the then PM Indira Gandhi in the face of rapidly dwindling tiger population; so much so that the species was listed as 'Endangered' back then.

The initiative was launched at Uttarakhand's Jim Corbett National Park. Here, we list 10 places that you can visit to spot the majestic cat in India.

Read more: World’s best destinations to spot the Big Cats!

Jim Corbett National Park is the birthplace of Project Tiger and is rightfully home to India's biggest tiger population. The national park sits in the Shivaliks and makes for the perfect habitat for tigers as well as other animals, including elephants, bears and even the elusive leopard cats. A stunning variety of birds also await you here. Of course, the jungles of Corbett are a stunner.

Read more: Best wildlife resorts in and around Jim Corbett

Ranthambore in Rajasthan is a jewel for wildlife lovers. It's famed for tiger sightings that could be anywhere in the jungle or around the ramparts of the majestic Ranthambore Fort too! So much so that tigers have been spotted roaming in the fort gardens. This place will also woo you with its quintessentially Rajasthani warmth and hospitality.

Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is one of the most beautiful and vast forests in the country. This is also the forest that inspired Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, so you can very well imagine the charm here. Its vast grasslands have many a tales to tell, including a lot many with tigers' majestic roars! The reserve has also done a very commendable job in protecting barasingha.

Read more: Madhya Pradesh national parks that are a must for all wildlife enthusiasts

Manas National Park in Assam is just the place to spot tigers if you are looking for something offbeat for your next jungle adventure. It is spread over 500 sq km, and is home to the once endangered Bengal tigers in a good number. Elephants are also one of the many famous residents of this place.

Madhya Pradesh's Satpura also lures wildlife photographers from far and wide and is home to a number of majestic cats. The dramatic landscape here adds more to the thrill of waiting for tiger sightings here. Plus, do watch out for leopards too!

This reserve in Maharashtra boasts of a very healthy population of tigers and you can hope for easy sightings here. Its dry deciduous forest is home to some of India's most famous beasts. At an easy distance of around 150 km from Nagpur, the tiger reserve is a great place to start your journey into the wild.

Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve is more of a secret treasure and is one of the least talked about places in wildlife tourism. Yet, it is home to more than 40 tigers (and so many other species), offers some stunning landscapes, and is neighboured by Nepal's very famous Chitwan National Park. Choose this one to enjoy jungle safaris sans the crowd and for some splendid sighting options. Of course, the park is home to rhinoceros, black bear, Indian gaur, leopards and more.

This park is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Karnataka and is hailed as one of the most beautiful national parks in the country. It sits by the Mysuru-Ooty Highway and boasts of the second highest tiger population in India, right after Uttarakhand's Jim Corbett National Park. It was established as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1973.

Dudhwa National Park sits in the terai region of Uttar Pradesh and is home to some of the biggest tigers in the country! It is home to more than 100 tigers and is spread over 493 sq km. Leopards, rhinoceros, barasingha, and more than 350 species of birds await you here.

Bandhavgarh National Park sprawls in the Vindhyas in Madhya Pradesh and is a huge hit with international tourists as well. It is famous as a home to one of the largest population of tigers in the country. White tigers also roam the grounds of Bandhavgarh. Its tropical forests are also a big lure for wildlife lovers.