Kabini in April is the start of the year's most photographed wildlife event — the Kabini elephant super-herd congregations. Daytime 28-35C, nights 19-21C, humidity past 70 percent in the last fortnight, pre-monsoon rainfall 80-130mm in the last 10 days. The Kabini reservoir foreshore is now at year-extreme exposure as water levels reach their pre-monsoon low, and Asiatic Elephant herds aggregate from across the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (800-1,000 strong population — the largest single contiguous Asiatic Elephant population in the world) to the receding waterline. April delivers super-herds of 100-300+ elephants at the morning and evening waterhole sessions, with occasional gatherings exceeding 500 documented in peak years. This is the wildlife setpiece that defines Kabini — there is no comparable Asiatic Elephant aggregation visible anywhere else in India. Bengal Tiger sighting odds 1-in-12 safaris (year-best). Black Panther — Kabini Saaya documentation continues — sighting odds 1-in-22. Indian Gaur, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Dog (dhole) pack sightings 1-in-8 safaris.

Why April scores 10.0/10