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In 1973 the Indian Government launched Project Tiger, a tiger conservation project to control and supplement the dwindling population of the Royal Bengal tigers in India. Over the years the Project Tiger has become one of the most successful wildlife conservation efforts in India. While initially only nine tiger reserves were set up under the Project Tiger, today there are nearly 30 tiger reserves all over India. Although not all tiger reserves, wildlife and national parks in India offer equal chances of seeing a tiger in the wild, there are a few where one can take tiger safari tour and have a good opportunity to actually see the tiger.

Bandhavgarh, Kanha National Park and Pench National Parks are the finest wildlife reserves when it comes to chances of encountering the magnificent Bengal tiger in the wild. Located in the hills of the Vindhyan Range in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh National Park is considered to have one of the densest tiger populations of any wildlife reserves in India, though since 2006, when Kaziranga National Park in Assam of north-eastern India was too declared a tiger reserve, that crown is now claimed by Kaziranga. Considered one of the best parks in Asia, Kanha National Park is hailed as providing the best opportunity for seeing a tiger namely on account of having the largest number of tigers, said to contain over 400 of these predators.

Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and Panna National Parks can be included in your tour of the Khajuraho and Varanasi region. Pench and Kanha National Parks are best accessed from Nagpur, easily accessible by air from Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata.

Located in the foothills of the Himalayas is the majestic Corbett National Park, once a popular hunting ground of the British. Corbett NP became the first national park to be established in mainland Asia and the first sanctuary to come under Project Tiger. It is best visited as part of your Northern India itinerary, where it can be ideally tailored into your Rajasthan - Varanasi - Indian Himalayas itinerary.

Another option for visiting Corbett National Park is to combine it with a tour to the hill state of Uttarakhand, to Garhwal and Kumaon region. Here it is best added to your trip to Haridwar – Rishikesh - Almora – Nainital itinerary.

One of the premier parks of India and also established as one of the best for a chance of seeing a tiger has become Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. Typically visited as part of so called Temples, Tigers and Ganges itinerary that packs in the best of Varanasi and Khajuraho first and the tour visits Ranthambore en route from Agra to Jaipur.

Last but certainly not least recommended for seeing the tiger is Kaziranga National Park. Although relatively small, Kaziranga NP is among the best of India’s wildlife parks. As a result of a truly remarkable success story of conservation of the One Horned India Rhinoceros, Kaziranga National Park got the recognition of the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 1985. Kaziranga NP is best visited as part of Assam – Meghalaya itinerary, either by flying into Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Jorhat or Shillong.

Fitz Roy

How best to visit Argentina obviously depends on how much time you have available to travel. Most visitors will arrive in Buenos Aires and begin their trip from there. It seems although many profess wanting to tour Argentina one of the first places they wish to visit is Torres del Paine National Park. There is no question that Torres del Paine is a spectacular park, but the fact is it is in Chile and not Argentina.

Though to fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, in the heart of Argentine Patagonia, and overland from there, is geographically straight and shortest way to get to Torres del Paine, the transportation to the park is not exactly overabundant. There is public bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas one can catch and hop off it at the park’s entry, and private transfers are available as well though not plentiful nor cheap.

Hanging glaciers in Torres del Paine

Without a doubt the best access to Torres del Paine is from Punta Arenas, the focal point of Chilean Patagonia. Of course this poses a bit of a dilemma if starting from Buenos Aires. To get to Punta Arenas can be done either by flight via Santiago de Chile or by going to Bariloche in the heart of Argentine Andes first and from there overland across the Andes Lakes District to Puerto Montt and fly to Punta Arenas from there.

If going to Punta Arenas via Santiago may seem like a cumbersome detour, then add a stop and break up the trip by visiting Mendoza first. Mendoza is an easy flight from Buenos Aires and on the way to Santiago. In Mendoza you can tour the best wineries of the region, sample local dishes, lodge at some wonderful hotels, and after three or four days continue on to Santiago.

Another alternative is to forget Torres del Paine altogether, tailor it into your itinerary on a future trip focusing on Chile only, and instead proceed from El Calafate to El Chalten, a base town for treks into the wilds of the incredible Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. If you may be on a limited time, from El Chalten you can head back to El Calafate and return to Buenos Aires from there. With two weeks to spare you can visit both Fitz Roy and Torres del Paine and you can even add Southern Patagonia, Argentina’s legendary Tierra del Fuego.

Following are the very best three options for experiencing Best of Argentina on 15-days, starting from Buenos Aires.

Option one is to fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, overland to El Chaltén, then to Ushuaia and finish with Iguazu Falls. This Best of Argentina itinerary allows for tango in Buenos Aires, seeing the spectacular glaciers, hiking in Fitz Roy National Park, sailing the Beagle Channel, and in the end marvel at the impressive Iguazu Falls.

Another Best of Argentina itinerary on 15 days is a variation of the above with the inclusion of a visit to Mendoza, so in summary the itinerary packs in Tango, Wineries, Glaciers, Tierra del Fuego, Beagle Channel, and Iguazu Falls.

And one more Best of Argentina tour on 15 days can be designed to include Peninsula Valdes, in other words, Buenos Aires, Whales & Penguins, Glaciers, Ushuaia, and Iguazu Falls.

Some would argue I left out Salta and the northwest of Argentina but for logistical reasons best to leave that part for another trip.

Trekking in Torres del Paine

One of the highlights of the Rocky Mountain National Park is the Trail Ridge Road that traverses the park at elevations over 12,000 feet above sea level. Though most visitors to the park drive the road by car, for its spectacular scenery and great challenge, the 50-some mile Trail Ridge Road bike trip, however, constitutes a great experience on your own two-wheel power and draws cyclists from all over the world.

With over 350 miles of hiking trails Rocky Mountain National Park is a hiker’s paradise and offers trails for all abilities. The list of RMNP hiking trails includes the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which passes through some the park’s most stunning parts, as well as the legendary Longs Peak climb.

Certainly rich in wildlife, with siting of elk perhaps being the most common, aside the thin air, snow drifts and strong winds, the Rocky Mountain National Park always offers a profusion of wildflowers, at their best in late spring, and the spectacle promises to leave even the park casual visitor with a memorable visit.

The Rocky Mountain National Park is open year-round; entry is $20 per car, valid for seven consecutive days, including date of purchase; pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles pay $10 per person. This summer the park offers free entry on June 20-21; July 18-19, and August 22-23.