A hush fell over the group. “It’s a tiger paw print,” said our nature guide Manju as we trekked through the Nepalese jungle searching for the big cat. “Looks fresh – it came through here this morning,” she added crouched on her haunches pointing to a muddy outline the size of a boxer’s glove.
Just a little further down the trail Manju spotted a scat. The dense clump of faecal matter and brown fur, she went on to explain, was down to the tiger’s diet of forest deer.
For two hours, the group – now tightly bunched together and silent – tracked the tiger’s prints single file through overgrown forest trails, following whispered directions from Manju. Everyone attempted to step exactly where the person before had, lest a foot find a loud twig; at any moment, the patterned coat or amber eyes of a tiger might appear out of the gloom.
NATURE CALLS
At 7am every day 23-year-old guide Manju Mahatara picks up trekkers from their hotel before entering Bardia National Park. She rarely gets a day off in peak season, but relishes going into the jungle every day.
Manju’s first duty is to the safety of her guests, and the day always begins with a briefing: “Tigers are very shy animals, they don’t want to face humans. But if we do meet a tiger, we maintain eye contact and back away slowly. Most tigers strike from behind and, if we show them our back, they will attack.”
Denne historien er fra December 2019/January 2020-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019/January 2020-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
