The Grand India Wildlife Adventure

As spring arrives in India, warming temperatures transform the landscape. Deer enter their annual rut, drawing the attention of both potential mates and hungry tigers. The mahua tree bursts into bloom, its fragrant flowers attracting wildlife, like sloth bears. And shrinking water sources concentrate wildlife activity, prompting exceptional animal sightings for safari-goers. Join Expedition Leader Aditya Panda as he shares what to expect on a spring safari in India, from vibrant birdlife to dramatic predator-prey encounters.

The barasingha—or swamp deer—is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Living exclusively in India and Nepal, these large, regal deer rely almost entirely on marsh grasses for sustenance, which poses a dire challenge as their habitats have shrunk due to human encroachment, climate change and other factors. Expedition Leader Yaju Upadhyaya introduces us to the barasingha, including its biology, behavior and the role it plays in its ecosystem. He also shares how conservation efforts brought this cervid back from the brink of extinction, and what’s being done to protect it today.

One of the highlights of our South Asia adventures is encountering the world's second-largest rhino: the greater one-horned rhinoceros. India and Nepal are famous for one-horned rhinos, which look distinctly different from their African cousins, but this wasn’t always the case. Just a few decades ago, they numbered fewer than 200 in India and around 100 in Nepal. Expedition Leader Arpita Dutta talks about the assaults (including poaching) that pushed these pachyderms to the brink of extinction and the conservation initiatives that have brought them back.