So, we finally did it. After years of talking about taking the kids to see tigers, we packed our bags in Ahmedabad and headed to Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, would the kids get bored? Would we see any animals? Turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

The drive from Ahmedabad was long, but the moment we entered the forest area, everything changed. My 8-year-old daughter kept pointing at every butterfly, asking if it was “rare.” My son was convinced he could hear tigers roaring (spoiler alert: it was probably a truck). But their excitement was contagious.

After breathing Ahmedabad’s air for years, Kanha felt like stepping into an air purifier. The kids were running around, pointing at birds they’d never seen before we even went on our first safari.

Here’s what nobody tells you about, book safaris way in advance. We almost missed out on the good zones. Thankfully, we got into the main Kanha zone, which a staff member from Sterling Kanha suggested was best for tiger spotting.

Our first morning drive was at 6 AM (yes, getting the kids up that early was painful). But within an hour, our guide was showing us fresh tiger paw prints in the mud. My son’s eyes went wide and it felt like this wasn’t a nature documentary anymore.

Over the next few days, we saw deer everywhere, beautiful swamp deer that apparently live only in places like Kanha, and monkeys that seemed way too comfortable around our jeep. The kids loved the monkeys, obviously.

But the tiger moment, that was something else. On our third safari, we were driving through tall grass when suddenly everyone went quiet. There it was, maybe 30 meters away, just walking like it owned the place (which it does). My daughter grabbed my arm so tight I probably have bruises, but none of us made a sound. The tiger looked right at us before disappearing. We sat there grinning for ten minutes.

If you’re thinking about doing this with your family:

Book early morning slots if you can handle getting up early. Animals are active then, unlike afternoons when everything’s napping. Get a good guide who knows the forest. Our guide could identify animals just by looking at tracks.

Bring binoculars if you have them. Be ready to wait as sometimes we’d sit for 20 minutes because the guide heard something. The kids got restless, but that’s when we saw the most interesting stuff.

When we weren’t in jeeps, we visited a small museum with stuffed animals and park information. Sounds boring, but the kids loved it. There’s also Bamni Dadar viewpoint where we watched sunset where the whole forest lights up orange and gold.

We went to a nearby village where they showed us handmade crafts. My daughter came back determined to learn pottery, which lasted about three days at home.

Sterling Kanha was perfect for what we needed. After bouncing around in jeeps, the kids could spread out in the room, and there was a nice area for evening relaxation. The food was good mix of local dishes and things the kids would eat. Staff was super helpful with the children.

Kanha during monsoon is beautiful and everything’s green and alive there. Yes, it’s muddy and humid, but there’s something magical about being in such a lush forest. For us city folks, it was exactly the break we needed.

If you’ve been thinking about a wildlife trip with your family, just do it. Book the tickets, pack comfortable clothes, and prepare to be amazed. Six months later, we’re still talking about “that time we saw the tiger.” Trust me, it’s worth it.