India is renowned throughout the world for its exceptional wildlife and this itinerary covers a selection of what are widely considered the country’s finest nature reserves.
The national parks of Panna, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and Satpura are all located in central India and are home to a staggering and diverse array of animal and birdlife including leopard, jackal, sloth bear, sambar, chital, barking deer, gaur, nilgai and wild boar. These reserves also have some of the largest concentrations of large mammals in India including, most significantly, tiger. Although sightings of this majestic animal cannot be guaranteed, your safaris will be in the company of expert naturalists which will significantly increase your chances. This journey commences and ends in India’s grand capital, Delhi.
Delhi – Panna – Bandhavgarh – Kanha – Pench – Satpura – Delhi
Trip Highlights
- Pench National Park supports a huge range of animals, birds and reptiles
- The grasslands of Kanha are one of the best places in India to see tiger in the wild
- Aside from tiger and leopard, Panna is also home to over 200 species of bird
- Bandhavgarh boasts high densities of tiger, leopard, sloth bear, sambar, chital and gaur
- The thick forests of Satpura National Park provide an excellent environment for tiger
- The reserves of central India, with their varied habitats, offer fabulous birdwatching
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart the UK
Today depart the UK on a non-stop flight to Delhi.
Please note that all national parks in Madhya Pradesh are closed on Wednesday afternoons to provide respite for the wildlife.
Day 2
Arrive Delhi
Arrive in Delhi and transfer to your hotel for a two-night stay. Delhi is India's capital and a city of two halves. Old Delhi, the heart of Muslim India between the 17th and 19th centuries, is an historic district of grand mosques, majestic forts and crumbling monuments. In contrast New Delhi, with its large government buildings, wide tree-lined avenues and pretty white-washed bungalows was purpose-built in the 1930s by the British as a colonial capital and remains the epicentre of Indian political power.
The Claridges New Delhi
The Imperial
Day 3
Delhi
After breakfast commence a morning tour of Old Delhi with your guide to explore the area’s dense network of bustling alleyways, homes, bazaars and mosques visiting famous Chandni Chowk market, the beautiful Jama Masjid, the Red Fort and Rajghat. In the afternoon continue to New Delhi which was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and is today home to Rashtrapati Bhawan, the official residence of the Indian President, Rajpath and the imposing India Gate.
- Breakfast
The Claridges New Delhi
The Imperial
Day 4
Delhi to Khajuraho – by air / Khajuraho to Panna – 30kms
This morning return to Delhi Airport and fly to Khajuraho. Once in Khajuraho you will be met and transferred the short distance to Panna National Park where you will stay for the next two nights. Set along the Ken River, Panna is a reserve and one of great biodiversity. Predominately consisting of dense deciduous forest, the river is the lifeblood of the sanctuary with the park also designated a Project Tiger Reserve. This afternoon take a safari with a naturalist.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
The Sarai at Toria
Day 5
Panna National Park
Today enter Panna National Park with a trained naturalist. Panna is one of the best places in India to see gharial crocodile and it is also home to over 200 different bird species including buzzard, vulture and eagle. In addition, the forests and meadows support healthy populations of chinkara, sambar, chital and nilgai as well as sloth bear and tiger, although sightings of the latter are rare.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
The Sarai at Toria
Day 6
Panna to Bandhavgarh – 245kms
This morning leave Panna and continue by road to Bandhavgarh National Park. Bandhavgarh is a picturesque reserve situated in the heart of the Vindhyachal mountain range. Predominately sal and mixed forest, there are also areas of grassland as well as numerous small streams that flow through the park.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Kings Lodge
Tree House Hideaway
Day 7-8
Bandhavgarh National Park
Spend the next two days exploring this impressive reserve in the company of an expert naturalist. The park has one of the highest densities of tiger, leopard, sloth bear, sambar, chital, barking deer, gaur and nilgai in India and is also home to rich and varied birdlife with hornbill, crested serpent eagle, partridge, variable hawk eagle and parakeet among the many different species it is possible to see.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Kings Lodge
Tree House Hideaway
Day 9
Bandhavgarh to Kanha – 280kms
Leaving Bandhavgarh drive through Kipling country to Kanha National Park. Known as one of India’s most picturesque reserves, Kanha’s landscape is characterised by bamboo, deciduous hardwood forest and is home to an array of wonderful wildlife.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Shergarh Tented Camp
Kanha Earth Lodge
Bagh Villas
Day 10-11
Kanha National Park
Spend the next two days exploring Kanha National Park. Home to tiger, leopard, bison, jackal, wild boar, sambar and Indian swamp deer, explore the park's excellent wildlife on morning and evening safaris. There have also been over 230 different species of bird recorded.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Shergarh Tented Camp
Kanha Earth Lodge
Bagh Villas
Day 12
Kanha to Pench – 200kms
After breakfast leave Kanha and drive Pench National Park. Similarly to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, Pench is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Occupying a beautiful setting at the foot of the Satpura Range, Pench has a habitat of dense teak forest, meandering rivers and open grassland.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Pench Tree Lodge
Jamtara Wilderness
Day 13-14
Pench National Park
At Pench there is an impressive variety of flora and fauna and over the next two days explore the reserve with your naturalist. Aside from tiger, the park is also home to leopard, jackal and the Indian wild dog. Chital, sambar and nilgai are commonly seen as are gaur and the forest dwelling sloth bear. The birdwatching at Pench is also excellent with over 250 different species recorded.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Pench Tree Lodge
Jamtara Wilderness
Day 15
Pench to Satpura (Bori) – 265kms
Leave Pench and drive north to Satpura National Park. Your visit to Satpura will be spread over two different locations so as to allow you the opportunity to experience both the southern and northern areas of the reserve. The next two nights will be spent at the charming Bori Safari Lodge.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Bori Safari Lodge
Day 16
Satpura National Park
Today visit Satpura. With a back drop of plateaus and hills which form the highest part of the Deccan, the huge Tawa reservoir protects the entire northern flank of Satpura National Park and affords the perfect habitat for a plethora of bird species which the area is home to. The thick forests of this unspoiled reserve also provide some of the finest tiger habitat in the subcontinent and, although these wonderful animals are present in good numbers, Satpura is also home to a host of other rare species including sloth bear and leopard.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Bori Safari Lodge
Day 17
Satpura (Bori) to Satpura (Reni Pani) – 110kms
After breakfast follow the western boundary of Satpura National Park to Reni Pani Jungle Lodge where you will stay for two nights. This afternoon you will be at leisure at the lodge. The birdwatching at the lodge is excellent and the resident naturalist will be happy to show you the best viewing spots.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Reni Pani Jungle Lodge
Day 18
Satpura National Park
In the company of an expert naturalist undertake one final day’s safari inside Satpura National Park.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Reni Pani Jungle Lodge
Day 19
Satpura to Bhopal – 140kms / Bhopal to Delhi – by air
Today leave the lodge and drive to Bhopal Airport in good time to catch your flight to Delhi. On arrival you will be met and taken to an airport hotel where you will stay overnight.
- Breakfast
Andaz Delhi
JW Marriott Aerocity
Day 20
Delhi to the UK
Today transfer back to Delhi Airport for the non-stop flight to the UK.
- Breakfast
Extending your stay...
Include a visit to India’s oldest wildlife reserve, Corbett National Park is reached by road from Delhi. Set on the threshold of the Himalayan foothills, Corbett’s habitat is very different to the parks of central India. Birdwatch and search for tiger, leopard, elephant and bear.
Isolated Dudhwa National Park is one of India’s little-known gems. Bordering Nepal, it can be linked to Corbett with an overnight in Bareilly. The mixed forest and open grassland harbours tiger, elephant, leopard, barasingha deer and excellent birdwatching.
Keoladeo National Park, close to Delhi, was once a royal hunting reserve and today is one of the world’s leading bird sanctuaries. UNESCO protected, the reserve is famed for its diversity with the wetlands hosting over 360 bird species, some resident and some migratory.
Incorporate a stay in Khajuraho before continuing to Panna National Park. One of the subcontinent’s finest collections of temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the elaborate carvings and sculpture are dedicated to various deities and depict life and love.
Guide to Price
20 days from £5320 per person
What's Included
- International flights
- Private car with English speaking driver
- Sightseeing with local English speaking guides
- Wildlife viewing with local naturalist
- Hotel accommodation and taxes
What's Not Included
- Cost of visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
from £5320
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Virgin Atlantic have daily flights to Delhi and Vistara fly direct to Delhi. Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also have excellent connections via their respected hubs to Kolkata, Kochi, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Goa, Jaipur and Lucknow and fly from airports all over the UK.
Flying Times From UK
Direct flights from the UK take between 8 and 10 hours depending on the destination. Flights with stops en-route take between 12 and 14 hours.
Time Zone
India is +5½ hours ahead of GMT.
Visa Requirements
Holders of British Citizen passports are able to apply for an e-Tourist Visa (eTV). There are three different eTVs - a one month eTV (valid for 30 days), a one year eTV (valid for 365 days) and a five year eTV (valid for 5 years). Applications for the one month eTV can only be made within 30 days of travel to India. Applications for the one year eTV and five year eTV can only be made within 120 days of travel to India.
Please note that the very latest an Indian eTV application can be made is 4 days prior to travel to India. The eTV becomes active from the date of entry into India. It is not valid for Protected or Restricted areas.
All international passengers arriving in India are required to complete an e-Arrival Card up to 72 hours prior to arrival India. This applies to all nationalities and must be submitted online via the official portal https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival
Do’s & Don’ts
Smoking and drinking in public places is prohibited in India – with smoking this includes public areas in hotels, restaurants and bars.
E-cigarettes and related products are banned in India. You will be unable to buy e-cigarettes or bring them into the country.
Always ask permission before entering a temple and remember to remove your shoes and any leather objects such as bags, belts or wallets. It is fine to wear socks.
When in a Buddhist temple you should always walk in a clockwise direction with the main building to your right.
Modest, loose-fitting clothing is preferable and is essential when visiting religious places. When visiting a Sikh Gurudwara the head needs to be covered.
Permission should always be asked before taking a person’s picture.
When eating, only the right hand should be used. Indian culture considers the left hand to be unclean.
Money
The currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR) and comes in notes and coins. Exchanging money is easy and can be done at international airports, most hotels or banks and it is always a good idea to ask for some small denomination Rupee notes. ATMs are now common and reliable in all main cities and credit cards are widely accepted by most hotels, shops and restaurants. In rural areas or wildlife reserves ATMs and money exchange facilities are limited so having cash is essential.
Please note that there are restrictions on bringing Indian rupees into India. Visitors, including tourists, are not permitted to bring any amount of Indian currency into the country. Pounds sterling and other foreign currencies are allowed to be brought into India. For more information please visit the FCO’s Foreign Travel Advice for India.
Tipping
This is left to your discretion, however, tipping for good service in India is part of everyday life. In restaurants and for room service a 10% tip is appreciated and at smaller hotels and homestays a communal ‘tip box’ is common.
For drivers and guides, hotel staff and at national parks, the following amounts should act as a guideline. Please note that these figures are based on two people travelling together:
Tour driver: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Tour guide: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Naturalist (national parks): INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Jeep Driver (national parks): INR 500 per day & per safari (not per person)
Hotels (communal tip for all staff): INR 1000 to INR 1500 per day (not per person)
Food & Drink
India is known the world over for its food and especially its vegetarian cuisine. Spice plays an important role in dishes throughout the country as do breads, rice, pickles and chutneys. Although nearly every region has its own speciality, there is a divide between the cuisine of northern India and southern India – the north with its meat dishes influenced by the Mughals and the lighter, fruitier, coconut based dishes of the south. Desserts are common in India with kulfi ice cream and gulab jamun two of the best known and most popular. Nearly all tend to be very sweet, milk based or fried.
The most common drink in India is chai tea which can be bought on nearly every street corner. The yoghurt drink lassi – whether sweet, salty or fruity – is also easy to find. The popularity of coffee has spread from the south whilst Indian beer is well-respected. There is also a fledgling wine industry centred on Nashik in Maharashtra.
Accommodation
There is a huge breadth of accommodation in India with styles varying across the country. India is famed for its heritage properties, the majority of which tend to be found in the north of India. These come in all shapes and sizes from beautifully restored buildings and luxury palaces operated by distinguished hotel groups to small privately owned forts and ancestral homes.
Homestays are also very popular and found throughout the country. Whether a grand and luxurious family residence, heritage property or simple abode, they offer a high level of service and a unique glimpse into everyday Indian life. Please let us know if you would like to include a homestay into your itinerary. In more remote regions, hotels are likely to be clean and simple whilst wildlife accommodation is generally either in jungle lodges or comfortable tented camps. For those looking to relax there are many excellent beachside hotels and an increasing number of retreats specialising in both Ayurveda and yoga.
Shopping
With wholesale markets and bazaars, innumerable shops and stores, India is a shopper’s paradise. The country is best known for carpets and dhurries with Rajasthan, Kashmir and Leh best for these. There is also a bewildering range of clothing, fabric and leatherwear found not only in the smallest of villages but also the largest cities. Gems, silver and jewellery (valuable or costume) are popular throughout the country but especially in Jaipur and Hyderabad whilst Kochi is noted for its antiques. Spices can be bought all over India but purchased straight from plantations in the south. Darjeeling, Assam and the Western Ghats in south India are all known for tea.
Suggested Reading
For India travel advice, Footprint, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and Bradt have excellent guide books whilst Nelles Maps have comprehensive and up to date maps of the Indian subcontinent. There is also a wide range of literature including from famed authors such as RK Narayan, Vikram Seth, Paul Scott, VS Naipaul, Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie. Vivek Shanbhag's more recently translated book 'Ghachar Ghochar' also comes highly recommended. Other good books on India include:
‘India: A History’ by John Keay
‘The Great Arc’ by John Keay
‘No Full Stops in India’ by Mark Tully
‘India in Slow Motion’ by Mark Tully and Gillian Wright
‘City of Djinns’ by William Dalrymple
‘White Mughals’ by William Dalrymple
‘Chasing the Monsoon’ by Alexander Frater
‘The Tears of the Rajas’ by Ferdinand Mount
‘Plain Tales from the Raj’ by Charles Allen
‘Mughal Architecture and Gardens’ by George Michell
'Tea, Love and War: Searching for English Roots in Assam' by David Mitchell
Health
Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Diphtheria. Yellow Fever is compulsory, but only if you have visited an affected Yellow Fever area within 5 days prior to your arrival. In some instances anti-malarial tablets may also be needed. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Travel Advice
For current information on India the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
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Our Reviews
What our clients say
We truly had the holiday of a lifetime
CM - India - March 2024
We truly had the holiday of a lifetime thanks to the exceptional guides and drivers we met along our trip in Northern India. The itinerary had the perfect balance of tours, travel days and rest days for us and was meticulously planned and executed. We'd love to use Pettitts Travel again in the future and will absolutely be returning to India.
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