Rhinos, tigers and kebabs

What a treat it was again in India, a country bursting with contradictions where you can just lose your heart without realizing it. It happens to me every time…. I travel to Lucknow, a place I had never been before but had heard a lot about. I was curious but wouldn’t get to know it until later. Upon arrival, I travel straight to the vicinity of Dudhwa N.P. where I stay for three nights at the Jaagir Lodge. Experiencing nature is on the program, always on my mind. So I am looking forward to it. The road route takes about five hours and the roads are fine. It is apparently harvest time for sugar cane. There are long lines of trucks and tractors waiting with their loads at the factories. Watermelons are also sold in many places along the way.

After a rather tiring journey, the arrival at Jaagir Lodge is a breath of fresh air. I am the only guest apparently, so get all the service and attention. I let it wash over me in this lovely place. In the afternoon I make a plan for the coming days with the nature guide. Although nature does not let itself be guided I hope to spot many animals and birds, of course. We will see. What is certain is that these will be intensive days with getting up early, so after a short but delicious dinner I go to bed, because at half past three I am woken up. At the stroke of half past three there is a knock on the door. Personal butler Chaidresh is there with a pot of tea and wishes me a good morning. In the open jeep I travel with the nature guide in the dark to Dudhwa N.P., where we must be as early as possible to be assured of a spot on one of the elephants. The route to the park passes through many villages and I am surprised at how many people are already out and about, after all, it is only 5 a.m.! The guide explains that at this very hot time of year people don’t go for a walk during the day, but in the early morning, often before breakfast. It is still a very strange sight whole families on the road at night but I do understand it, during the day it is impractical at these high temperatures.

Upon arrival at Dudhwa, we are registered and when the park opens we drive in toward the place where the elephants are saddled. Together with the nature guide, I take a seat behind the mahout. Seeing the rhino is currently possible in Dudhwa N.P. only on the back of an elephant. The rhino project started in 1984. Rhinos were brought to this park from Kaziranga N.P. and Nepal’s Chitwan N.P., a reintroduction. The beginning was disappointing with rhinos from Kaziranga in particular having difficulty with food and some died. More rhinos were then brought from Nepal and the population is now growing steadily and now stands at about 25.

Still a special sight, this huge animal. Even after seeing quite a few in Chitwan N.P. in Nepal last year. The ride on the back of an elephant takes about 1-1.5 hours and then we enjoy the breakfast we brought. Then a trip by jeep through the park, mainly in search of wild elephants. We have no luck. Just before we arrive they have moved into the bush and do not show themselves again. However, nature is beautiful and we see many birds including the impressive greater hornbill.

Back to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon on my way to the Kishanpur game reserve which is about an hour’s drive from the lodge. The entrance to the park is near a village and here I transfer to the safari vehicle, someone from wildlife management also travels with me. Kishanpur is relatively small, namely 225 square kilometers. The nature guide had told me earlier that many tigers had been spotted in the past few days, that is, two tigers, a mother and her daughter. We drive into the park and after two minutes we see some vehicles. We drive up to them and yes: on a small hill near a so-called “waterhole” a tigress is apparently recovering from the heat and in a good spot to keep an eye on everything and everyone. How special it is and remains to see this endangered animal and then also with so few people around it. It is not my first time seeing tigers. In several parks in Maddhya Pradesh and even in Ranthambore N.P. I have been able to spot tigers but it is and always will be an unforgettable moment.

Nature experiences are also on the program for the next day. We set off very early to Katharniaghat N.P., a drive of about 3 hours from the lodge. We are lucky because we can take a boat trip on the Girva River. Due to work on the dam this was not possible the last few days. We frequently spot the gavial, a crocodile with a very specific snout. We also see several storks including the painted stork. Years ago I saw hundreds of them in Kheoladeo Ghana N.P. near Agra where they breed in large numbers. Unfortunately, I do not see a river dolphin during the trip. Those are already very rare and also extremely difficult to spot. After the boat ride, we transfer to the vehicle with which we drive a route through the national park. This park is very different from other parks, it seems more like driving partly through connected meadows, also tree plantations. The nice thing is that you have a very good view of the wildlife which for us is limited to many axisher deer and wild pigs. On our way out we suddenly hear the alarm call of a monkey. The guide points to the left and yep in the water swimming across to the other side a tiger. We are all overwhelmed by this sight, even the nature guide who tells us that this is really very special. The visit was already special, with this nature experience all the more so. So it is with pain in my heart that I travel to Lucknow the next day and leave the parks behind. However, a new adventure awaits me in Lucknow.

Lucknow is the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh. This state includes Agra which is just a four-hour drive from Lucknow. Prime Minister Modi of India has ensured that the cities can now be combined via a perfect highway. As beautiful as the Taj Mahal in Agra is, I am not traveling there this time. I will stay in Lucknow itself and explore the city with a guide. Despite the scorching heat (43 degrees), I get a good idea of the city and its interesting history of nawabs, the former rulers of this part of India. The city looks neat and you can see that the state parliament is located here. Great ring road, good airport, metro under construction, relatively clean and many new modern buildings…. Lucknow exudes a positive vibe. The fact remains that for us the historical aspect of Lucknow is the most interesting. The Bara Imambara is beautiful. Also interesting is the story of the British who were surrounded for a long time in their so-called Residency. Some ruins still stand now, but you can almost feel the story of all the suffering that took place there as you walk through it.

In the afternoon, I participate in the so-called heritage walk, a walk through the old part of town consisting of narrow streets with many stores and eateries. After this tour, I meet the guide who introduces me to the renowned Lucknow cuisine in different restaurants. I taste dishes like kebabs, biryani and kulcha (kind of naan). I enjoy it, both the food and the authentic and lively atmosphere in which everything takes place. India in all its glory. In the spice store, I buy some more kebab mixes for culinary trips home. I enjoyed Lucknow which is strategically easy to visit in combination with Agra and Varanasi. As a bonus the opportunity to do nature experiences. Why on earth do so few tourists come here?

From Lucknow, I travel back to Delhi. I have been to this metropolis many times and yet it manages to surprise me every time. This time I go on a bicycle tour with DelhiByCycle. In the newspaper I see that Prime Minister Mark Rutte did the same tour two days before. The organization DelhiByCycle was set up by a Dutchman, the bikes are orange and the bicycle basket blue, sponsored by KLM I suspect. Early out of bed I leave for the starting point of the bicycle tour. After a brief explanation, we leave through the often narrow streets. The city wakes up, it is not overcrowded yet, sometimes a cow has to be dodged. It is quite special that you can ride a bicycle in such a busy city. After a delicious Indian chai (tea) break, we move on. We stop at the spice market and we go all the way up the roof. This gives you a great view of the trade going on there. The tour ends with breakfast at a local restaurant; it’s a good taste!

The rest of my time in Delhi I inspect several more hotels including Oberoi Delhi which reopened early this year after nearly two years of renovation. I saw it years ago in its “old” state and am amazed at the difference. What a magnificent modern hotel where every facet has been meticulously thought out. Very beautiful.

Another top hotel I visit is the Leela Palace. Perhaps over the top for some travelers but who wouldn’t want to stay in a hotel that looks like a museum with its thousands of pieces of art? You even get a guided tour of all that beauty here. Bling bling but in superlatives I call it. Even a hotel can be breathtakingly beautiful I realize here.

With all these travel experiences, I board the plane home. Jet Airways takes me back to Amsterdam safely and right on time.