Land of the Tiger - The Wildlife Parks of India

Land of the Tiger - A Journey through the Wildlife Parks of India

16 days from £5320 per person

Route: Mumbai – Pench – Kanha – Bandhavgarh – Panna – Delhi

India is renowned throughout the world for its exceptional wildlife and this itinerary covers four of the country’s finest nature reserves. The national parks of Pench, Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Panna 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 central Indian reserves also have some of the largest concentrations of large mammals in India. Commencing with a day of sightseeing in cosmopolitan Mumbai and ending in the regal capital Delhi, this is the ultimate wildlife journey.

Day 1 Depart UK

Today depart the UK on the British Airways flight to Mumbai. (N)

Day 2 Mumbai

Arrive into Mumbai this morning. One of the world’s great cities, later today explore the city with your guide. Close to the hotel is the Gateway of India built to commemorate the visit of King George V in 1911 and the excellent Prince of Wales Museum. Next take a walk through the historic Colaba district to admire the beautiful Gothic Victorian architecture before continuing to Malabar Hill for great views over the city. Finish your tour at the colourful Dhobi ghats where local laundryman collect, wash and return the city’s linen. (N)
Accommodation in Mumbai: Abode Mumbai (or similar)
Alternative upgrade option: Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel

Day 3 Mumbai to Nagpur – by air / Nagpur to Pench – 120kms

This morning leave Mumbai and fly to Nagpur. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Pench Tiger Reserve across the border in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Both hotels are located in the buffer zone of the national park. Pench occupies a beautiful habitat of teak forest, meandering rivers and open grassland in an area of undulating terrain at the foot of the Satpura Range. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Pench: Pench Tree Lodge
Upgrade option: Taj Baghvan

Days 4 & 5 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 birding at Pench is also excellent and there are over 250 different species. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Pench: Pench Tree Lodge
Upgrade option: Taj Baghvan

Day 6 Pench to Kanha – 200kms

Leaving Pench drive east 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 and birdlife. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Kanha: Shergarh
Upgrade option: Taj Banjaar Tola

Days 7 & 8 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 birdlife recorded. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Kanha: Shergarh
Upgrade option: Taj Banjaar Tola

Day 9 Kanha to Bandhavgarh – 280kms

This morning leave Kanha 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. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Bandhavgarh: Kings Lodge
Upgrade option: Tree House Hideaway
Alternative upgrade option: Taj Mahua Kothi

Days 10 & 11 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. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Bandhavgarh: Kings Lodge
Upgrade option: Tree House Hideaway
Alternative upgrade option: Taj Mahua Kothi

Day 12 Bandhavgarh to Panna – 250kms

This morning depart Bandhavgarh and drive to Panna National Park. Set along the Ken River close to the town of Khajuraho, Panna is an attractive national park and one of great biodiversity. Predominately dense deciduous forest, the river is the lifeblood of the sanctuary and Panna is also a Project Tiger Reserve. This afternoon take a safari with a naturalist. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Panna: Ken River Lodge

Day 13 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 is also home to over 200 different bird species including buzzard, vulture and eagle. The forest and meadows also support healthy populations of chinkara, sambar, chital and nilgai as well as sloth bear and tiger, although sighting of the latter are rare. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Panna: Ken River Lodge

Day 14 Panna to Khajuraho – 30kms / Khajuraho to Delhi – by air

Today drive to Khajuraho Airport and take the flight to Delhi which stops once en-route in Varanasi. 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. (B)
Accommodation in Delhi: Claridges Hotel
Upgrade option: Imperial Hotel

Day 15 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. (B)
Accommodation in Delhi: Claridges Hotel
Upgrade option: Imperial Hotel

Day 16 Depart Delhi

Today transfer back to Delhi Airport to catch the British Airways flight non-stop to the UK.

Land of the Tiger - A Journey through the Wildlife Parks of India

16 days from £5320 per person

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Itinerary: Land of the Tiger - A Journey through the Wildlife Parks of India

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