Jungle Safari Vehicles in India

In India, we have a wide variety of terrains and forests. The land is home to a number of innumerable species of animals including some of the rarest and most beautiful big cats and wild dogs among others. The number of wildlife enthusiasts in and out of the country is also growing. Whenever there is a chance, these enthusiasts pick up their cameras and make their way to a wildlife sanctuary / national park where they can watch and photograph or film their favourite animals.

Once they get to a sanctuary, there are special vehicles that will take them inside the forest. These vehicles are mostly open (with no roof) and have raised seats behind the driver so that the occupants' view is not obstructed. Here are some of the vehicles. Here are some of the vehicles that we get to see in wildlife sanctuaries.

For 6-8 passengers:

The most popular jungle safari car remains the good old Maruti Gypsy. It is small and rugged which makes it easy to maneuver on difficult terrain. It can negotiate steep climbs and descents without a problem. Being a small safari vehicle can take you into the dense forest, increasing the chances of seeing wildlife. The Gypsy's has a proven engine and is very dependable. Besides, it runs on petrol, which makes it less noisy than diesel SUVs. This means it is less of a disturbance to the wildlife. Jungle safari Gypsys are designed to carry 6 passengers. This works out best if you have a small group of people.



Image source



Image source

Some national parks use Mahindra Boleros & Getaways or Tata Sumos & Xenons. These can carry up to 8 passengers. These are not as popular as the Gypsy because of their relatively noisy diesel engines and larger size.





Image source





Image source





Image source

A recent addition to the list of jungle safari vehicles is the Mahindra e-Supro. This little van can be used for up to 100 km / 4 hours. Being an EV, it is almost silent and has no tailpipe emissions. It can accommodate six passengers.





Image sources 1, 2

For 12-20 passengers:

Generally based on an SML, Eicher Canter, there are open safari vans designed to carry from 12 to 20 passengers. You sit much higher in one of these compared to an SUV which makes it easy to see wildlife amidst the distant forest. It provides better views of the national park. This vehicle is recommended for large families or groups who want to travel together instead of taking multiple smaller vehicles. These vehicles are mostly referred to as Canter safari.



Image source



Image source

Some parks also offer closed and even air-conditioned buses. These are suitable for those who have problems with heat and dust.



Image source

Boats:

Some safaris, are best experienced by boat. Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam and Chhattisgarh are some of the states where you can travels through vast areas of forest using waterways. Motorboats of various sizes are used for these safaris.





Image source

I feel that over longer period of time, EVs are best suited to take over this responsibility due to following reasons.

Easy to install solar panels to charge.
Distance need to cover per day may not very high.
Very less noise and zero air pollution.

Need specialised vehicles and ideally one country may not have enough market.