Great Indian Tiger Safari

Arrive in Delhi, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Delhi, India’s modern capital, is also an ancient city tracing its origin in legend. It is dotted with hundreds of landmarks and offers more than a millennium of history in stone. From here, various Hindu and Muslim dynasties, including the Moguls, ruled India. No fewer than seven cities stood on this site before the British rulers of India created their dream capital designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. 

Lodging: Oberoi Maidens Hotels

This morning you will board a flight to Nagpur to reach the Pench. This scenic reserve covered in prime teak forest and grassland nestles in the undulating terrain of the Satpura Range, drained by the Pench and Wainganga Rivers. Teeming with wildlife that includes gaur, sambar, chital, barking deer, nilgai, wild boar, wild dog, wolf, hyena, sloth bear, leopard and tiger, the Pench will also satisfy bird watchers with over 200 species of birds reported. These forests with their wild and varied scenery retain a flavor of days past when the jungle was dominant and human settlements hunkered down at the edge of the wilderness, wary of the creatures that dwelt just beyond the firelight.

Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 2 Dinners

Lodging: Pench Jungle Camp

This morning, drive to Kanha National Park. Time permitting, you might have your first safari to this wonderful wild habitat, and with a bit of luck, you might come across our first tiger today. The drive from Nagpur takes about six hours and the majority of time will be on the better roads.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Tuli Tiger Resort

Spread over a massive area of 480,620 acres, Kanha is in the heart of Kipling country, the setting of the Jungle Book. Tracts of Kanha have been a wildlife sanctuary since 1933. In 1955, 78,580 acres were declared a National Park and in 1973, 232,280 acres became one of the first nine Project Tiger Reserves. Kanha was expanded in 1976 and the National Park now has a core area of 232,280 acres and a buffer zone of 248,341 acres. A much bigger park than Bandhavgarh, Kanha offers more diversified viewing of wildlife, especially the Indian bison. You might also get the chance to spot a pack of Dholes, the Indian wild dog. They are known as the whistling hunters and for their perseverance in hunting down their quarry. Kanha is the last refuge of the Swamp Deer and only 400 or so survive in the park. You might also see the beautiful Black Buck antelope. The Tiger Reserve is considered one of Asia's finest protected areas and probably the best place in the world to see tigers in the wild. There are four main vegetation types: moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest, valley meadow, and dadar meadow. The moist deciduous forest, which covers 27% of the park area, is dominated by sal trees. The forest is broken up into grassy meadows, the result of early slash-and-burn cultivation by the Baiga tribes.

Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Lodging: Tuli Tiger Resort

After a buffet breakfast, drive about six hours from Kanha to Bandhavgarh. You should arrive in time for an afternoon game drive in the reserve. Enjoy a buffet dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Nature Heritage Resort

Enjoy morning and afternoon game-viewing safaris around the park. The reserve, named after the highest hill, Bandhavgarh (2,647 feet) in the center, falls between the Vindhyan hill range. Bandhavgarh is known for a high density of tigers. Considering the importance and potentiality of the national park, it was included in the Project Tiger Network in 1993. During these drives you stand a very good chance of seeing a tiger. Tigers were on the edge of extinction by 1970 after having numbered over 40,000 at the turn of the century. Bandhavgargh is one of the smallest tiger reserves with about fifty tigers. Set in rugged terrain with many hills, the forested area is interspersed with savanna like areas known as Chaurs. These support a rich variety of wildlife that includes leopard, gaur (Indian Bison), sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, chowsingha (four horned antelope), and wild boar. It also has rich bird life.

Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Lodging: Nature Heritage Resort

After a buffet breakfast, you will be driven from Bandhavgarh to Panna (6 hours) and check-in at your hotel. The drive to Panna is through remote villages. Stops will be made along the way to stretch your legs. Spread over 30 acres of pristine jungle, Ken River Lodge, popularly known as the Tree House, is a wildlifer’s paradise. It is situated on the banks of the Ken River, adjoining the 542 sq km (336 sq miles) Panna Tiger Reserve. Situated 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Ken River Lodge

Your explorations inside the reserve will take the form of a mixture of early morning and evening jeep drives. The focus in Panna is to try and see the Rusty Spotted Cat, hyena, wolf and the Sloth Bear. Your lodge manager will discuss the plan with you and then decide what will be the best approach for the same. Close to the camp is an area where a Rusty Spotted Cat has been seen. So you need to be ready for this one on one of the nights and try and photograph or film it.You may also be taken to an area looking for wolf outside the park. This will be dependant on local information about the movement of the wolf.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Ken River Lodge

Your morning is spent at your leisure. In the afternoon, drive to Jhansi railway station in time for your train departing for Agra. The train ride is approximately 4 hours, 30 minutes. Upon arrival in Agra, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Trident Hotel

Early this morning, you will proceed for a sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal in the mid 17th century, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world. Though the Taj appears to be amazingly perfect from almost any angle, it is the close-up marble inlay work that is really astounding. You will have ample time to view and be mesmerized by this outstanding piece of architecture. After breakfast you will be driven to Chambal (approximately 2 hours).
On arrival at the Chambal River, board the boat for the safari on the river. Look for the endemic Indian Skimmer. Other species of interest are Sand Lark, Crested Lark, Long Legged Buzzard, Red Crested Pochard, Indian Grey Hornbill, Brown Hawk Owl, Brown Crake, and Great Thicknee & Bonelli’s Eagle.
The reptiles here include the Marsh Crocodile and the fish eating Gharials. Chambal River Sanctuary is also home to the endangered and endemic Gangetic Dolphin and the boat ride may produce a glimpse of this badly endangered species.
After the boat safari enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the lodge with alfresco lunch.
This evening you may sight the Civet Cat which is primarily a nocturnal creature residing in tree holes. There is a possibility to see the Indian Fox as well.
Spend an overnight in Chambal at Hotel Chambal Safari Lodge. Your accommodation is in a standard room with en-suite facilities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Chambal Safari Lodge

Enjoy a second boat safari this morning. After lunch you will be driven to Agra to visit the SOS Bear Rescue Centre where the dancing bears – an eye sore on the roads of Agra – have been offered a peaceful resting ground with proper care. The centre is inside a sanctuary where you may see an Indian Rock Python. Later, drive to the station to board the Jan Shatabdi Express (8:20p.m.-10:30p.m.; 1st class air conditioned chair car) to Delhi. On arrival at the Delhi station you will be met and chauffeured to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Lodging: Oberoi Maidens Hotel

Today will be a full day is at your leisure. This evening you will be assisted with a transfer to the international airport to connect to your flight home or extend your stay in Nepal.

Meals: Breakfast