Wildlife to look for
Look for Asian elephants, gaur, spotted deer and peafowl. Woodpeckers and crested hawk-eagles add subjects beyond the larger mammals. Tigers and leopards live here too, but an encounter is a possibility, never a promise.
THE BIG CAT CHAPTER
Bandipur.
Forest tracks.
Unscripted encounters.
At the foothills of the Nilgiris, Bandipur brings together tiger habitat, elephants, gaur and a wealth of birdlife. Look beyond the headline sighting: the light on a deer, a peafowl in the undergrowth, the forest around an animal.
Choose your journey ↓
WHY BANDIPUR
A complete
forest story.
Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Bandipur connects with a much larger protected landscape. Its deciduous woodland, scrub and grassy openings offer a chance to understand how big cats, elephants and their habitats fit together. It is a rewarding choice for anyone who wants to learn to photograph a whole forest, as well as its most recognisable animals.
Through the lens
For photographers, the mix of trees and open patches offers ways to practise animal portraits, backlit subjects and wider habitat compositions. An elephant feeding or a deer pausing in changing light can become a compelling frame. Learning to notice behaviour makes each sighting more useful than simply collecting species.
Your safari experience
The proposed Viceroy package centres on open-jeep drives. Returning to the forest across several mornings and afternoons gives time to practise, review photographs and try again with Chetan’s guidance. Drier months can draw animals towards water; winter brings additional birdwatching interest.
A visit with meaning.
Bandipur’s value extends beyond any single tiger sighting. Seeing animals within their habitat helps explain why connected forests matter. Photograph quietly, follow the naturalist’s directions and let wildlife choose its distance.
These are species and photographic possibilities to look for, not a sightings checklist. Weather, vegetation, animal movement and the allocated safari route shape every outing.
About the landscape: NTCA · Bandipur habitat ↗ · Karnataka Tourism · Bandipur ↗ · Jungle Lodges · Bandipur ↗
FROM CHETAN’S ARCHIVE
Where the forest begins to speak.
The photographic opportunity is often in the relationship between animal and space: an elephant’s gesture, the depth of a forest track, a subject emerging from shade. Chetan’s Bandipur elephant frame is a reminder to look closely even when the subject is familiar.
Read the story →Bring that curiosity into your own journey. Chetan’s guidance begins with the scene in front of the group: what is happening, where the light falls and how much of the habitat belongs in the frame.
SHORTER SINGLE-PARK STANDARD GROUP SAFARIS
A shorter escape.
Or a deeper stay.
India residents: 2 or 3 nights. International guests: 3 nights. Maximum five paying photographers, plus Chetan.
Download Standard Safari Itinerary · PDF ↓2 nights3 days4 jeep safarisPricing after your trip details
Arrive with curiosity.
Included at the lodge − / +
Stay, lunch, dinner, breakfast, forest entry charges and GST. Two jeep safaris per night under the proposed accommodation package. CK Safaris adds field guidance, image review, post-processing and a forest & wildlife session.
Indian & international transfers − / +
India residents: pickup and drop to/from Bandipur are excluded. International guests: the CK package includes Bangalore airport pickup, ground transfers to the lodge and return to Bangalore airport within the selected trip. Flights, visas, insurance and extra nights are separate.
Two-night stays are for India residents only. International guests can choose 3 nights ↗.
The final written offer confirms the stay and safari allocation. Compare inclusions · Booking & payment
Selected from Chetan’s wildlife archive. Open a photograph to read its story.
ANOTHER SIDE OF THE WILD