On a Weeklong Trip to India, Tiger Spotting and Conservation Go Hand in Hand
A tented suite at Suján Sher Bagh, a throwback camp on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park
Hajra Ahmad
The decor at Suján Sher Bagh takes inspiration from the region's big cats.
Hajra Ahmad
For our final two nights, we traveled to Madhya Pradesh, where we checked in to Jamtara, a pared-down wilderness camp in the buffer zone—a government-mandated eco-sensitive borderland meant to mitigate human-wildlife conflict—around Pench National Park, a forested tiger reserve credited with inspiring The Jungle Book. The camp is low-key, with 10 simple tented rooms on a dry riverbed. Its founder is Amit Sankhala, the grandson of Kailash Sankhala, who was known as the Tiger Man of India and whose work as the first director of Project Tiger, a wildlife conservation program that began in 1973 to help increase the animals' population and restore their habitat, laid the foundation for tiger conservation in the country. Pench is dense with thick bush and towering teaks, making tiger spotting especially tricky. We had the reserve almost to ourselves and spent hours careening along the rutted roads, passing wispy foxtail-like grass and tall trees crawling with rhesus monkeys. We didn't see a tiger that day, but I'd been told one had visited Jamtara. Prints had been found pressed into the muddy path. Even though I didn't see a tiger this time, I had the sudden feeling one was watching me. It was enough of a thrill to know it was out there somewhere.
This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
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Suján Sher Bagh is a throwback camp on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park where the tents, set under peepal trees, have director's chairs, canvas-covered patios, and giant brass bathtubs. Its owners, Anjali and Jaisal Singh, have developed their own reputation as pioneers in the Indian luxury-meets-conservation space. On the first leg of our trip, we stayed at another of their properties, Suján Jawai, a tented camp about three hours south of Jodhpur that is surrounded by reforested farmland. Big cats, including active wild leopards, as well as antelopes and wild boars, have returned to the area. 'Suján's anti-poaching success and push toward sustainability are exactly the kinds of initiatives we want to support,' Larry said. A tented suite at Suján Sher Bagh, a throwback camp on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park Hajra Ahmad The decor at Suján Sher Bagh takes inspiration from the region's big cats. Hajra Ahmad For our final two nights, we traveled to Madhya Pradesh, where we checked in to Jamtara, a pared-down wilderness camp in the buffer zone—a government-mandated eco-sensitive borderland meant to mitigate human-wildlife conflict—around Pench National Park, a forested tiger reserve credited with inspiring The Jungle Book. The camp is low-key, with 10 simple tented rooms on a dry riverbed. Its founder is Amit Sankhala, the grandson of Kailash Sankhala, who was known as the Tiger Man of India and whose work as the first director of Project Tiger, a wildlife conservation program that began in 1973 to help increase the animals' population and restore their habitat, laid the foundation for tiger conservation in the country. Pench is dense with thick bush and towering teaks, making tiger spotting especially tricky. We had the reserve almost to ourselves and spent hours careening along the rutted roads, passing wispy foxtail-like grass and tall trees crawling with rhesus monkeys. We didn't see a tiger that day, but I'd been told one had visited Jamtara. Prints had been found pressed into the muddy path. Even though I didn't see a tiger this time, I had the sudden feeling one was watching me. It was enough of a thrill to know it was out there somewhere. This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
