Welcome to the Jungle

Now is the time to go on a subcontinental safari. The monsoons are gone, the danger of flooding has passed and the air begins to cool. Tigers are just one of the many delights that await nature lovers in India: elephants, wild boars, cobras and bears also abound. The best way to catch the country's extraordinary fauna is to plan a two- or three-day trip to one of India's numerous national parks, where jeep and elephant-back safaris will take you deep into the forest. Four of the best national parks are listed below; a few days spent in any one of them can open a window into a secret world, where golden-faced storks hover over the morning mist in ghostly congress, monkeys hold parliament on the branches of dead trees, and peacocks fight stately, formal duels while circling around watering holes.

If you want to maximize your wildlife sightings, safaris as late as April or May can be considered. As pools and rivulets dry up in the heat, tigers and other animals leave their deep-jungle haunts and venture out in search of water, giving you abundant subjects for your camera. But be warned: you will have the stifling temperatures to contend with. Most wildlife parks close in June or July for the wet season, and remain shut until October or November.

Corbett: The earliest and best-known of Indian wildlife reserves, Corbett encompasses more than 190 square miles (500 sq km) and is named after a British big-game hunter who shot several man-eating tigers in the vicinity before turning conservationist. Visitors pour into Corbett for the fauna, which includes tigers, elephants and sloth bears, and also for the picturesque beauty of the mountainous region of Kumaon, where the park is located. There are several accommodation choices available, from traditional jungle lodges to modern villas. www.corbett-national-park.com

Bandhavgarh: Visitors who want to see tigers are often disappointed at other reserves — where the big cats are spread over a vast area — but never at Bandhavgarh, a rugged forest in the center of the country. The park's modest size means that it is likely to have the highest density of tigers of any Indian park (the population is estimated at around 50), and it buzzes every morning and evening with tourist jeeps racing toward the spot where the latest tiger sighting has been made. There's not a lot of other wildlife to see in Bandhavgarh, but stay there for a couple of days and spotting a tiger, as it lounges in a bamboo knoll or makes its way toward a family of deer, is a near certainty. www.bandhavgarhnationalpark.com

Kaziranga: This World Heritage Site and park in the northeastern state of Assam is home to one of the subcontinent's rarest animals. Visitors to Kaziranga ride on elephant-back to catch a glimpse of the one-horned Indian rhino, an animal once nearly hunted into extinction but now making a comeback; afterward, they head off in search of Kaziranga's other attractions, which include bison and wild boar. Three on-site resorts offer accommodation in the form of tent camps, rooms or cottages. www.kaziranganationalpark.com

Kanha: Many wildlife lovers consider Kanha, a sprawling sanctuary in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, to be the great Indian forest. Said to be the place that inspired Rudyard Kipling to write The Jungle Book, Kanha's bamboo and sal groves are home to tigers, deer, bison, snakes, herons, jackal foxes and many other species of animal and bird. Located away from airports and major train stations, Kanha isn't easy to get to, but few visitors regret making the journey. www.kanhanationalpark.com