Rajaji Tiger Reserve: Unbelievable Leopard Encounters
Located just an hour’s drive from Dehradun, Rajaji Tiger Reserve ( ChillaPalli Range ) is a must-visit forest. If you’re looking to spot the elusive leopard, this is the place to be. Contrary to their usual behavior, the leopards here are incredibly bold, allowing for the creation of dream photo frames like Leopard crossing the dry riverbed full of white stones. The forest bears a striking resemblance to Corbett Tiger Reserve.
Along with Keyur Sheth, I visited Rajaji at the end of April 2024 without high expectations. Typically, leopards are known to be shy and elusive in other forests. We had no idea that we would witness completely different leopard behavior, which left us astonished. In Central India, where we frequently visit for tigers, it is rare to even videograph a leopard. Capturing a full-frame image of a leopard is considered very lucky.
Our first safari yielded no sightings. Some Gypsies had a fleeting glimpse of a leopard crossing the road, but this didn’t surprise us as it matched our usual experience.
The second safari, however, was full of shocks and surprises. We saw a total of three leopards in a single ride. One was walking ahead of our Gypsy, and another was walking behind. I was confused about which one to photograph, and this lasted for almost 30 minutes. A 30-minute leopard sighting, especially head-on, is unheard of. To add to the amazement, these were two male leopards walking in close proximity. We captured some incredible frames.
During the third safari, something unbelievable happened. A leopard was sitting on a fallen tree next to the safari track, completely unconcerned about the Gypsies' presence. It was grooming itself, yawning, sleeping, and walking on the fallen tree, all behaviors we didn’t expect in the presence of people. During this ride, we saw three different leopards.
The fourth safari was particularly special, with an iconic Rajaji frame of a leopard sitting on a horizontal tree branch, then climbing almost 40 feet up a Sal tree. We captured some amazing moments on camera.
The other two rides were also exceptional. In total, we sighted 11 different leopards.
I now consider Rajaji Tiger Reserve a place to visit at least once a year. It was truly a remarkable journey with unbelievably memorable moments captured during this tour.
Chalo Jungle