Day 1 : Arrive Delhi
Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
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Day 2 : Delhi
Morning at leisure to recuperate from long international flight. Late morning proceed on a combined city tour of Old and New Delhi - visiting Qutab Minar one of the tallest tower of it’s time, Humayun Tomb one of the forerunner of the Taj Mahal, drive past India Gate and President House and other government buildings, Red Fort symbol of mighty Mughal empire, Jama Masjid one of the biggest mosque in India, Chandni Chowk and Raj Ghat (Mahatma Gandhi Memorial). Overnight at hotel.
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Day 3: Delhi to Nagpur to Pench
Early morning transfer to airport to board the flight for Nagpur – IC 869 – 0550/ 0845 Hrs. Arrive Nagpur and drive to Pench (90 km). Arrive Pench and check in at jungle camp. Afternoon proceed on evening game viewing drive in Pench National Park.Pench National Park, nestling in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura hills is named after Pench river which flows from north to south through the Pench National Park. It is located on the southern boundary of Madhya Pradesh. Recently in 1992, Pench has been included under the umbrella of "Project Tiger" as the 19th Project Tiger Reserve. It is blessed with forests spread in all the direction. As per the physiognomy, the forest type is southern tropical dry deciduous teak and southern tropical mixed deciduous forest with other species of shrubs, trees and climbers. Teak and its associates moyan, mahua, mokha, skiras, tendu, bija, achar, garari, aonla, ghont, baranga, amaltas, kihamali, khair, palas. Bamboo occurs sparsely, restricted to some valley.
The Pench National Park is very rich in fauna and a number of endangered species have made it their habitat. There are 25 tigers under this umbrella of the Park. 39 species of mammals, 13 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians and over 170 varieties of birds have already been listed. Apart from mammals and other land-based wildlife, the park is also rich in bird life. According to an estimation of the wildlife authorities, the bird population in the park counts to be over 210 species like barbets, bulbul, minivets orioles, wagtails, munias, mynas, waterfowls and blue kingfishers. Overnight in Jungle camp.
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Day 04 –Pench
Morning and evening game viewing drive/ elephant ride in Pench. Overnight in Camp.
Day 05–Pench to Kanha
Morning depart Pench for Kanha (160 km). Arrive Kanha and check in at jungle resort. Afternoon proceed on evening game viewing drive in Kanha National Park. Tucked away in the Eastern part of the Central-Indian Saputara Range, Kanha is one of the oldest and best-known parks of India. Legendary for its wilderness and
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tiger sightings, the reserve was immortalized by Rudyard Kipling, who set the Jungle Book adventure of Mowgli (the Wolf Boy) in these very forests. Immensely rich in game, Kanha has the distinction of harbouring the last of the highly endangered Hard Ground Barasingha. This reserve offers an excellent opportunity to see tigers, dhole (Asiatic Wild Dog) and gaur (Indian Bison). |
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The vegetation comprises of dry woodland on hill tops interspersed with dense forests and grassy expanses at lower elevations. Sal (shorea robusta) is the dominant tree in the meadows and bamboo is more common in the higher slopes and on the hills. The predators here are the Tiger, Leopard, Wolf, Striped Hyena and the Indian Wild Dog. The lesser predators include the Indian Fox, Common Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet, Jackal, Common and Ruddy Mongoose. The prey species also include Sambar, Chital, Blackbuck, Nilgai, Chousingha and Barking Deer. Indian Bison, Blue Bull and wild pig may also be sighted. Primates include the Common Langur and Rhesus Macaque. Other mammals found here are the Sloth Bear, Common Giant Flying Squirrel, Indian Flying Fox, Fulvous Fruit Bat, Jungle Cat, Crested Porcupine and Pangolin. The bird count is equally impressive, with over 300 species including the Pheasant-tailed Jacana, White-eyed Buzzard, Long-billed Vulture, Pied Harrier, Laggar Falcon, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Greater Coucal, Brown-Capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Eurasian Thick-knee, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Red Avadavat, Paradise Flycatcher, Spot-Bellied Eagle Owl, Indian Pitta and the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo. Overnight at jungle lodge. |
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Day 06- Kanha
Morning and evening game viewing in Kanha National Park. Overnight at jungle lodge.
Day 07- Kanha to Bandhavgarh
Morning depart Kanha for Bandhavgarh (315 km) by surface. Arrive Bandhavgarh and check in at Jungle lodge. Overnight at jungle lodge.
Day 08- Bandhavgarh
Morning and evening game viewing drive in Bandhavgarh National Park. |
Prior to becoming a National Park in 1968, Bandhavgarh was maintained as a Shikargah (game preserve) of the Maharajas of Rewa. Situated in Central India, the park is spread over ridges and valleys of the northern flank of the Vindhya Range. Its forested hills and lush low-lying meadows are dominated by a large, high rock plateau, which forms a natural fortress. According to local legend, the ancient fort atop its highest peak was gifted by Lord Rama to his younger brother Lakshmana, hence the name Bandhavgarh – (bandhav-brother, garh-fort). Spread over an area of 437-sq. km, the park is also known as White Tiger Territory. It's believed that Bandhavgarh has the highest density of tigers in the world and the park is indeed a good one for viewing the tiger. The Bandhavgarh forest has a complex tapestry of habitats dominated by typically tropical moist deciduous Sal (Shorea Robusta) and bamboo, interspersed with marshes and meadows. Other predators you might be lucky to see include the Leopard, Wolf and Wild Dog. The lesser predators in the park include the Jungle Cat, Indian Fox, Jackal, Ratel, Palm Civet and Mongoose. Together, they prey on the park's abundant population of Chital, Sambar, Barking Deer, Nilgai, Indian Gazelle, Wild Boar and Four-Horned Antelope. Other mammals found here are the Sloth Bear, Pangolin, Porcupine and a variety of bats. Primates here are the Common Langur and Rhesus Macaque. You will find over 250 bird species - Northern Goshawks, Bonelli's Eagle and Eurasian Sparrowhawk are some of the raptors found here. Other birds found here are the Wood Sandpiper, Grey Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Blue Bearded Bee-eater, Ashy-Crowned Sparrow Lark, Gold-fronted Leafbird, Blacked Naped Monarch, Long Billed Pipit, Orange Headed Thrush and the Forest Wagtail. Overnight at jungle lodge. |
Day 09- Bandhavgarh to Agra
Morning and evening game viewing drive in Bandavgarh National Park. Late evening transfer to Umaria railway station to board overnight train (Kaliga Utkal – 1st Class Sleeper) for Agra. Overnight onboard the train.
Day 10 - Agra
Late morning arrive Agra and transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit the Agra Fort from where four of the mighty ruler from Mughal dynasty ruled their vast empire and the most beautiful monument of love the Taj Mahal (closed on Friday), which is flawless to its conception and execution. Stay on the view the monument in the soft light of the setting sun. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11 - Agra to Jaipur
Morning depart Agra by surface for Jaipur (232 km approx.) stopping en route to visit the deserted capital of Fatehpur, which is in an amazing state of preservation. Arrive Jaipur and check in at hotel with rest of the day at leisure or free for optional activities. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 13 – Jaipur
Morning visit Amber Fort, which guarded one of the important defile from the invading enemies. Climb atop fort’s rampart on elephants back. Later, visit City Palace and museum that houses artifacts, weapons, manuscripts and royal garments. Also, visit 17th century astronomical observatory ‘Jantar Mantar’ that works quite accurately till date. Overnight at hotel.
Day 14 – Jaipur to Ranthambhore
Morning drive Jaipur to Ranthambhore (180 km). Arrive Ranthambhore and check in at hotel. Evening game viewing drive in Ranthambhore National Park. |
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Ranthambhore National Park set against the backdrop of the historic 1000-year-old Ranthambhore Fort, lies in the area where the ancient ranges of the Vindhyas' flat-topped hills merge with the sharp ridges of the Aravalis. The park's uniqueness lies in its man-made lakes and ancient reservoirs, which have merged into the natural system as vital sources of water. Ranthambhore also has a large populaton of panthers, the second largest predators of the forest. Marsh Crocodiles abound in the lakes and Gharial can be spotted close by in the Chambal River, which also harbours the Gangetic Dolphin. An open jeep safari also affords a glimpse of the spectacular ruins of mosques, tombs, watchtowers and palaces scattered within the park. The vegetation is typically dry deciduous forest and moderate to scanty undergrowth in flat valleys. The reserve has a rich faunal assemblage and the scanty undergrowth allows opportunities for good game viewing. Undoubtedly the best place to observe tigers in the wild, the park also has a host of other predators such as the Caracal, Leopard, Sloth Bear and Jungle Cat. The prey species include Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara and the Wild Boar. The protected Blackbuck can be seen in fields close to the reserve. Scavengers like Striped Hyena, Jackal, Mongoose and the Common Fox are also seen here. The Common Langur surely lives up to its name. Of the 300 species of birds reported at Ranthambhore, the prominent ones are Variable Wheatear, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Rufus-tailed Shrike, Sirkeer Malkhoa, Painted Spurfowl, Blue-breasted Quail and Rain Quail. Raptors include Lesser Spotted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle and owls such as the Brown Fish Owl and Collared Scops Owl. In the areas adjoining the park, one can spot the Greater Flamingo, Demoiselle Crane, Kentish Plover, Yellow Wattled Lapwing, Brown-headed Gull, Ruff and the Indian Courser. Overnight at hotel. |
Day 15 – Ranthambhore
Morning and evening game viewing drive in Ranthambhore National Park. Overnight at hotel.
Day 16 – Ranthambhore to Delhi and Depart
Early morning board train Sawai Madhopur/ Delhi (Shatabdi Express – A/c Chair Car). Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel. Late evening transfer to international airport to board the flight for onward destination. |
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