Sariska National Park Safari - What To Expect, When To Go & Wildlife Encounters

Eight months without a trip + a brand-new car with just 212 km on the odometer = a man desperate to leave Delhi. My car was basically a showpiece for school runs and mall discounts. Time to put it on a real road and give it some dust, like a true SUV advertisement. 

(Best time to visit Sariska? October–February. Skip monsoons unless you like wading.)

5 AM Wake-Up Call – Alexa vs The Family

Alexa: “Good morning! Time to explore the wild.”

My wife (half asleep): “Alexa, snooze forever.”

My son: “I’m ready! Where’s my binoculars?”

Me (looking at the clock): “Why did I agree to this?”

We left at 6:15 AM. My new car sparkled like it was being filmed for a commercial. My wife was determined to nap. My son was determined to make sure she didn’t.

Prologue: We had a choice of three National Parks - Jim Corbett National Park, Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve. Jim Corbett is located in Uttrakhand while Ranthambore (Sawai Madhopur) and Sariska are in Rajashthan. Sariska being closest within 200 Kilometers range from Delhi, and availability of Jungle Safari on the weekend made it an obvious choice. If you're planning to visit any Tiger reserve or national park, make sure to do your research on availability of the best routes where chances are higher to spot the best wild life, flora and fauna, else you might be disappointed unless you're extremely lucky. Usually, best safari routes get booked weeks in advance. We were lucky to get the booking for Safari for our upcoming trip Sariska National Park, that too on a short notice.

Dhaba Pit Stop – The Real Safari

By 9 AM we were at a highway dhaba. The waiter came with a smile and parathas the size of steering wheels.

Me: “Three parathas.”

My son: “Five! And extra butter!”

My wife (rolling eyes): “We’re here to spot tigers, not cholesterol.”

Food Tip: Dhabas on NH-48 are carb wonderlands. Strong chai, yogurt thick enough to use as cement, and parathas the size of dinner plates.

 Enter the Wild – Dust, Deer & Drama

By 10:30 we reached our resort, took a power nap, then at 2 PM boarded the jeep after the lunch. The guide looked like he belonged on a National Geographic cover — calm, khaki-clad and with the patience of a monk.

Entry Gate of Sariska Tiger Reserve

Inside Sariska, the November light was golden. Peacocks strutted like Bollywood extras, Sambar deer stared like gym trainers judging your form, and crocodiles basked like retirees in Goa. My wife muttered about the dust ruining her hair. My son tried to name every animal he saw: “Look Papa! Wild cow! Blue horse!” (It was a Nilgai.)

We spotted:

Wild boar (our guide: “they’re harmless” / my wife: “they’re looking at me”)

Sambar deer (my son: “looks like Bambi with muscles”)

Nilgai striking runway poses

Crocodiles sunbathing like retirees in Goa

My wife (pointing at croc): “Is that real?”

Guide (calmly): “Yes.”

Me (looking at my son): “If it moves, run.”

Tiger Chase = Jungle Traffic Jam

At 4:30 PM, the guide’s radio crackled: “Tiger sighted.” The driver floored it. My son yelled, “Faster Papa faster!”

Me: “This isn’t Fast & Furious: Sariska Drift.”

We arrived at the spot to find 20 jeeps bumper-to-bumper like Sariska Mall Parking. Tourists craned necks, cameras out, some playing tiger growl sounds on their phones (don’t ask).

Finally, the tiger appeared — orange, majestic, and a pixel on my camera because I’d left it on manual focus. The shot looked like a burnt pancake.

My son: “Papa, even my drawing looks better.”

My wife: “We drove five hours and you clicked this?”

Me: “But think of the Instagram caption!”

Dinner & Dessert – Spice Level: Tiger

Back at the resort, we showered off layers of safari dust and sat down for Rajasthani dinner. Dal, baati, churma, and laal maas that could legally qualify as a fire hazard.

My wife: “This is spicy!”

My son (mouth on fire): “Waaater!”

Me: “This is how real explorers eat.”

We ended the evening with chai and pakoras on the lawn, the jungle hum all around, me wondering if the tiger was somewhere laughing at my photo skills.

Things to Do Around Sariska

• Morning & Evening Safari rides (book early; good routes go fast).
• Siliserh Lake for boating & moody selfies.
• Bhangarh Fort (40 km) if you like spooky forts with a side of ghost stories.
• Alwar City for Bala Quila and the legendary Alwar milk cake.

How to Reach

• By Car: 200 km from Delhi via NH-48 or Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (drive is bliss)
• By Train: Alwar Station, 37 km away.
• By Air: Jaipur Airport, 110 km away.

Food Recommendations

• Highway dhabas for parathas & giant lassi mugs.
• Resort kitchens for laal maas, gatte ki sabzi, dal-baati-churma.
• Evening chai + pakoras for full safari vibes.

Final Thoughts

Sariska gave us wildlife, dusty hair, a tiger cameo worthy of a Marvel post-credit scene, and a laal maas experience we’ll never forget. My car got its adventure stripes, my wife got her Instagram stories, and my son got a lifetime story for his school essay: “The Day We Saw a Tiger in Traffic.”

If you’re craving an adventure within five hours of Delhi, Sariska is your wild weekend fix.