India Wildlife and Cultural Safari
India Wildlife and Cultural Safari - From £2,100 Per Person (Excluding International Flights)
Day 1
On arrival into Delhi International Airport you will be met by your private driver who will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax after your long flight.
Overnight: Radisson – Superior rooms
Day 2
This morning you will be escorted to the airport in time for your flight to Nagpur where you will be met and driven to Kanha National Park.
Kanha is one the largest and most beautiful Central India Park, extending over 1945 sq. km. of undulating country, which includes a core area of 940 sq km. Kanha has some 22 species of mammals; the most commonly spotted being the langur, jackal, wild boar, spotted deer, swamp deer and sambhar deer, all of which let you know as soon as a tiger is about. Driving through the jungle listening out for their warning calls is extremely exciting! Less commonly seen are the tiger, Indian wild dog, sloth bear, jungle cat, panther and wolf. As well as the mammals, Kanha has some 200 species of birds including the peafowl, crested serpent eagle, hawk eagle and the grey hornbill.
Overnight: Tuli Tiger Resort – Cottages – The resort offers 26 air-conditioned cottages with twin beds, internal and external sitting areas. The surrounding is covered with big green buffer zone of 22 acres and home to several species of birds. (B/L/D)
Day 3
Early this morning you will set off into the National Park in search of the resident wildlife. Kanha is a fantastic park and the tigers here are doing exceptionally well. As well as the tigers, there is a whole host of wildlife which you could spot. Jungle cat, leopard cat, striped hyenas, wild dog, sloth bear, and gaur are just some of the animals you may come across!
Breakfast will be taken in the park surrounded by the beautiful jungle. You will then continue with you morning safari before heading back to the camp around lunch time. The afternoon is yours to relax before heading out on your second game drive. Spending so much of your day in the park means you will come across a huge diversity of wildlife.
Overnight: Tuli Tiger Resort – Cottages (B/L/D)
Day 4
Following your final morning game drive in Kanha National Park you will be met and driven to Bandhavgarh National Park (approximately six hours).
Set amidst the Vindhyanchal ranges, the park covers an area of 437 sq. km. and has a series of ridges running through it. Stretches of bamboo and grasslands are found throughout the park and there are more than 22 species of mammals and 250 species of bird making for a very interesting safari. Depending on your time of arrival you may have the chance to head out on your first game drive in the park this evening.
Overnight: King's Lodge – The lodge has an eco-friendly construction with eco-sensitive waste disposal systems. The ten cottage rooms and eight stilt cottage rooms are en-suite and are designed to blend in with their surroundings. Cottage rooms have large, open verandas with great views overlooking forest and grasslands. Stilt cottage rooms have wooden lofted balconies, perfect for star gazing and sleeping under the stars. All rooms are well appointed with wooden furniture, crisp cotton linen and air conditioning. Facilities at Kings Lodge include a swimming pool with eco-friendly water filtration system, a well-stocked nature library and a watch tower. The lodge also offers a massage facility on request (B/L/D)
Day 5
Spend a full day exploring Bandhavgarh National Park. The guides and naturalists are very knowledgeable about the tiger movements and therefore, having a couple days here means you can track and follow the tigers over the course of your stay if you are lucky enough to spot them! Being able to do this is fascinating as you may catch a glimpse of them playing, hunting, sleeping and drinking.
Overnight: King's Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 6
Following your early morning game drive in search of the tiger you will head back to your lodge for breakfast. Later, after a relaxing lunch, you will head out on your final game drive in the National Park before being transferred to the train station for your overnight journey to Agra! Train journeys are one of the highlights of India as you are able to meet and interact with the locals and watch the interesting towns drift by.
Overnight: 2nd air-conditioned sleeper (B/L/D)
Day 7
On arrival into Agra you will be met by your driver who will transfer you to your hotel.
Later in the afternoon you will head out on a cultural tour of Agra city where you will visit the Agra Fort, Itmad-ud-Daula and the Taj Mahal at sunset. (Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays).
The Taj Mahal truly is one of the wonders of the world, and you'll see it at its best, at sunrise just when the light, playing on the marble of the tomb and the reflections in the stillness of the waters, presents this incredible building in all its beauty, majesty and splendour. The Taj Mahal is a monument of love built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. For twenty-two years, 20,000 men laboured day and night to build this masterpiece that has held the world awe struck ever since. Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th-century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5km long walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan as well as the audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas, and two very beautiful mosques.
Overnight: Taj View - Superior Taj Room – Comfortable, en-suit bedrooms overlooking the beautiful Taj Mahal (B)
Day 8
After breakfast you will be met and driven to Delhi (approx five hours) stopping at a variety of sites of interest along the way including the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri. On your journey you will also see the Jama Masjid, the Tomb of Salim Chishti, the Panch Mahal and the other palaces.
Overnight: The Claridges – Deluxe Room – Comfortable, spacious, en-suite bedrooms (B)
Day 9
Today you will be taken for a full day tour of Old and New Delhi. Pulsing with energy and colour, Old Delhi is laced by a maze of narrow lanes, which twist and turn between the tall, leaning buildings. You will witness the hustle and bustle of thronged bazaars where you will experience the full sights, sounds and aromas indicative of the Indian sub continent. In Old Delhi you will visit the famous Red Fort surrounded by shops and bazaars, the Jama Masjid with its tapering minarets and wonderful marble domes and Chandni Chowk. In Old Delhi you will also have an opportunity to experience a rickshaw ride.
As a complete contrast, New Delhi stands in formal splendour. It is a city of wide boulevards that offers ever changing perspectives of Lutyen's landscaped city. It is also a city known for its formal parks, magnificent Parliament Building, the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the official residence of the President of India in the 330 acres of land and designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and India Gate. In New Delhi you will also visit Qutab Minar, the 72.5 meter high tower dating back to the 13th century, as well as Humanyun's Tomb, which was built in the 16th century and architecturally considered the forerunner of the Taj Mahal.
Overnight: The Claridges in deluxe rooms (B)
Day 10
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport in time for your international flight back home. (B)
Notes: Why not combine this safari with a number of extensions including the beaches of Goa or Kerala?
