Corbett National Park is the oldest sanctuary in India. Lying only a day’s journey away from Delhi in the foothills of the Himalayas, it’s also one of the most popular. The name derives from that of the legendary British hunter-turned-conservationist who killed 33 man-eating tigers in the area – a tally that earned him great respect and gratitude among the local villagers. Thankfully, enough survived to form the basis of a viable breeding population. Today’s tigers are somewhat elusive thanks to the dense undergrowth that is a feature of the park, but sightings are nonetheless frequent.

Huge herds of wild elephant, a couple of hundred strong, are a trademark of the park. The river is also teeming with crocodiles, and a staggering 586 species of bird have been recorded here.