Kabini in May is the absolute year-peak for the Kabini elephant congregations — the wildlife setpiece that defines the property. Daytime 29-35C, nights 20-22C, humidity 75 percent, rainfall under 100mm in the first fortnight with SW monsoon advance squalls hitting the last 10 days. The Kabini reservoir foreshore is at year-extreme exposure as water levels reach their lowest, and Asiatic Elephant herds aggregate from across the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (800-1,000 strong population, India's largest single contiguous Asiatic Elephant population) to the receding waterline. May regularly delivers super-herds of 200-500+ elephants at the morning and evening waterhole sessions; the documented year-peak gatherings exceeding 800+ have been photographed in years with extreme reservoir drawdown. This is the wildlife visual that draws international wildlife photographers — Steve Winter, Sandesh Kadur, Shaaz Jung, others — to Kabini specifically. Bengal Tiger sighting odds 1-in-12 safaris (year-best). Black Panther — Kabini's famous Saaya — sighting odds 1-in-20. Indian Gaur, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Dog (dhole) packs, Sloth Bear, Leopard at peak.

Why May scores 10.0/10