A wildlife safari at Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand took an unexpected turn for one tourist after a guide’s behaviour sparked outrage online. The visitor alleged that the guide slept through much of the safari, offered tobacco to tourists and even attempted to litter inside the protected forest area.
Sharing the experience on X (formerly Twitter), user Rattan Dhillon wrote, “Meet our guide for the day at Jim Corbett National Park and unfortunately, this is what he had to offer: tobacco. We even had to stop him from littering by throwing the packet on the ground.”
Dhillon said the guide dozed off for nearly an hour during the safari, and on waking up, remarked only that “deer meat tastes good.” There was no effort to share information about the park, wildlife or conservation, he claimed.
The post, which has crossed 2.4 million views, drew sharp reactions online. Many users expressed disappointment, calling the incident “symptomatic of India’s tourism problem,” while others defended their positive experiences with guides at Jim Corbett and other parks.
A user wrote, “Finding a real guide who can give us real insights is a rare find…. For example the guides at Taj Mahal really not worth even a 100 ₹, once with clients in 2012 hired a PhD person costed some 11k then but that was an eye opener, what amazing depth of knowledge and the passion with which he showed us was mastering.”
Another user wrote, “Jim Corbett is a scam. There is absolutely nothing there, not even normal wild animals. Drivers and guides are least interested in tourists. They will keep saying it is a dense forest that’s why you can’t see animals. Compare it to Ranthambore Tiger safari – professionalism at its best, the guide will try every thing possible for tiger sighting.”
“When compared to guides in other countries in Europe or , Indian guides stand no where. Indian guides exploit tourists very much. Sometimes their behavior is very rude,” the third user wrote.
Some also suggested filing a complaint against the guide, noting that most forest officials are strict about following rules, including bans on littering and carrying plastics inside national parks.
Responding to the viral post, Saket Badola, Field Director of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, confirmed that an inquiry had been initiated. “Thanks for bringing the matter to my attention. Such behaviour is not acceptable, if true. An inquiry has been instituted and the said nature guide banned till completion of the investigation. Due action will be taken based on the findings,” Badola said.
The incident has reignited debate about tourism standards and accountability in India’s protected wildlife reserves, where guides are often the first point of interaction for visitors seeking to understand conservation efforts.