When my cousins suggested a three-day trip to Corbett National Park, I jumped at the idea of landing straight into the lap of nature. We let our imagination run riot as we conjured up images of coming face-to-face with a roaring tiger! In no time, the 8-hour journey took us to one of the most beautiful forest covers we could have ever imagined.

A thick cover of sal trees, unabated growth of flowering bushes and dense long grass - nowhere does life sit as precariously as it does here. There are patches, which even daylight cannot penetrate, the vision is minimal, and one has to rely on instincts alone. All it takes to lose oneself in this awesome jungle is one slip of toe, a single faulty step or one bad judgement. But then you need to be daring enough to experience the wilderness of the Corbett.

What added to this special experience was our overnight stay at the Hideaway River Lodge inside the Park. Thanks to the trained guides that we were provided with for our jeep safari, we didn’t have to be too adventurous on our own. When others were busy finding the pugmarks of a tiger, we got to catch the glimpse of a leopard perched licking his paws atop a tree. It was a moment that we could cherish forever.