Tourist vehicle gets stuck in mud 20 feet from tiger, Rajasthan halts safari at Nahargarh Biological Park

The decision came after a vehicle carrying about 25 tourists, including seven children, got stuck in a muddy pit during a tiger safari on Sunday. As the vehicle struggled to move, a tiger appeared from nowhere and sat on a rock around 20 feet away, observing the tourists for nearly quite some time triggering panic among them. Forest officials reached the spot after 30 minutes and transferred them to another vehicle.

Conservator of Forests T Mohan Rai said, “The rain is still continuing in Jaipur, and the safari tracks have become extremely slippery. Tourist safety is our top priority, so it has been decided to close the tiger and lion safaris until further notice.”

Rai noted that although a forest department vehicle had once been stuck during routine work last year, this is the first time a tourist vehicle has faced such a situation in the park.

Officials added that several portions of the track are flooded, uneven, and caved in, making safari operations unsafe. Work to repair, level, and strengthen the tracks will begin once the rain stops. The safaris will reopen only after the situation normalizes and the routes are declared safe.

Safaris are generally closed in Rajasthan parks for the monsoon, from July 1 to September 30.