On the trail of India’s wild lions at Sasan Gir National Park

Most tourists hoping to see big cats in India go looking for Bengal tigers – but in the Sasan Gir National Park, there’s an even rarer beast to spot. This sanctuary, surrounded by the “vast” teak forests and grasslands of Gujarat’s “wild west”, is the only place outside Africa where lions still roam in the wild, says Chris Caldicott in The Daily Telegraph. 

On game drives there, I saw plenty of the creatures, but if you don’t, there are other rewards. The park is a rare “natural wilderness” in a crowded country, rich in flora and fauna. It has excellent accommodation, and is popular with local tourists, creating a sense of “inclusivity” you are rather less likely to find on safaris in Africa.