Day 2, April 13th, Jim's Jungle Retreat, Walking Safari

One of the activities on offer at Jim's was a walking safari. Having read several newspaper reports this year of villagers being killed by tigers in the Corbett region we were a little uneasy about it. Trip advisor didn't help when we read about the tourists returning from a walking safari at dusk and seeing a tiger, they were clearly thrilled, I'd be a little less impressed.
Another visitor had been out the day before, just him and a guide, and they'd seen a herd of elephants, unfortunately even that didn't seem too enticing to me. This was feeling like a safari where I'd be pleased if I didn't see animals.
Anyway I decided that we might regret it if we didn't do it so off we set at 5pm, me, my teenage daughter, my mother and a very tiny guide carrying a bird book for protection!
We left the resort and walked into the adjoining eucalyptus forest. I was unsettled to realise that our guide, although charming and enthusiastic, spoke very little English. We were anxious as hell and a little relieved to exit the forest and walk out onto the broad dried up river bed.
We saw jungle fowl running into some shrubbery and realised that they were being chased by jackal. I felt that having seen animals we could turn back satisfied at that point but our guide had other ideas! We strolled further along the river and then he disappeared into deep undergrowth beckoning us to follow, by this point I was scared stiff but sheepishly followed. We came out into another forested area and the guide proudly took us to a tree to show us tiger scratch marks, that was enough excitement for me and we persuaded him that it looked very much like rain and we should be heading back. On our return we saw a large herd of blue bull and more jackals.

Later, lounging in the machan and drinking Baileys I reflected on what an absolutely brilliant experience it had been, fear and all, our hour walking in the jungle.