Indian Wildlife Focused

ITINERARY

• DAY 1

  Welcome to Delhi, India!

  Arrive at Delhi’s Airport. Welcome to India!
  
  Upon arrival at the airport meet our agent ambassador who will escort you to your hotel.
  
  Delhi stands as the capital of Modern India. Here you can see the mingling of the Old and New India, the ancient and the modern. Delhi is made up of seven ancient cities, spanning the period from the 11th to the 20th centuries. Delhi has seen the rise and fall of many emperors, which has left behind a plethora of monuments that commemorate the grandeur and glory of bygone ages. Very few cities in the world can express such a profusion of architectural styles.
  
  Overnight stay at the hotel in Delhi

  What's included?

  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 2

  Bandhavgarh - Lodge at Formerly a Royal Hunting Reserve Bandhavgarh National Park

  After breakfast at the hotel transfer to the airport to board a flight to Jabalpur.
  
  Upon arrival, you will drive to your lodge in Bandhavgarh National Park. The driving distance is approximately 100 miles and will take approximately 4 hours to reach. On arrival check in at your hotel.
  
  Bandhavgarh National Park was formerly a royal hunting reserve of the princely state of Rewe where the first white tiger in the wild was ever found. The Park is situated in 450 square km of mixed forest in a remote part of Madhya Pradesh in central India. The park is famous for its tiger population but many other mammals are found here including chital, sambar, muntjac, nilgai, chinkara, chowsingha (four-horned antelope), wild boar, leopard, and dhole. Birdlife also abounds with over 275 species of bird including hornbills, orioles, parakeets, peacocks, and eagles. Wildlife viewing is on elephant back and by jeep. The official 2006 park census puts the tiger population at 63. Bandhavgarh is closed during the breeding season, which coincides with the monsoon (July – mid-October).

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 3

  Bandhavgarh National Park

  Your exploration of Bandhavgarh National Park will continue this day.
  
  We begin the day with early morning safaris and later after a relaxed lunch at the lodge. when we head into the wilderness once more till dusk. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Tour
• DAY 4

  Bandhavgarh National Park - Game Drive by Jeep

  Early morning game drive by Jeep in Bandhavgarh National Park. Return to your hotel after the Game Drive. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
  
  The rest of the day at leisure as par remains closed every Wednesday afternoon.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 5

  Bandhavgarh National Park - Early morning Safaris

  Another day for exploration of Bandhavgarh National Park will continue this day.
  
  We begin the day with early morning safaris and later after a relaxed lunch at the lodge. when we head into the wilderness once more till dusk.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 6

  Lodging in Panna National Park

  Early morning once again, enjoy a game drive at Bandhavgarh National Park. Return to your lodge after the safari.
  
  Post breakfast drive to Panna National Park. Upon arrival check in at your lodge in Panna.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 7

  Panna National Park - The Twenty-Second Tiger Reserve of India

  After breakfast, drive to Panna National Park. Upon arrival check in at your lodge.
  
  Panna National Park is a national park located in the Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh in India. It has an area of 209.53 sq. miles. It was declared in 1994 as the twenty-second Tiger reserve of India and the fifth in Madhya Pradesh, Panna was given the Award of Excellence in 2007 as the best maintained national park of India by the Ministry of Tourism of India. It is notable that by 2009, the entire tiger population had been eliminated by poaching with the collusion of forest department officials. It was designated as Biosphere Reserve on 25 August 2011. Sal, crocodile bark, Arjun, Jamun, etc. are trees present here.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 8

  Ken - Visit Khajuraho is The Temple City of Central India

  Today is the day to explore the River Ken that the peace and serenity of afloat on the river Ken at dawn is un-surpassed-“A Zen Experience”. The tranquil pedal down this “river garden” is also rewarding for the birdwatchers as kingfishers, storks, ducks and even an eagle owl are all part of the landscape.
  
  Later in the afternoon, proceed to Khajuraho which is about 30 minutes drive from the hotel to explore the famous temples. Khajuraho, the temple city of central India, is famous throughout the world for its exquisitely carved temples in stone. Thousands of visitors and tourists from all over the world flock together to envisage this immortal saga of Hindu art and culture engraved in stone by sharpies (stone craftsmen) a millennia ago. Today, apart from the temples, Khajuraho is a small village but a thousand years ago it was a large city of the Chandelas, medieval Rajput kings who ruled over Central India. Khajuraho is 595 km (370 miles) southeast of Delhi and can be visited by air, rail, or road. An overnight train journey from Delhi takes the visitor to Jhansi, from where another morning train takes him to Harpalpur 85 km (53 miles) to the east.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 9

  Gwalior - Explore one of The Finest Examples of a Traditional City Turned Modern

  After breakfast transfer to Khajuraho Railway station for train to Gwalior.
  
  Meeting assistance on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Evening at leisure. Gwalior is a city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It's known for its palaces and temples, including the Sas Bahu Ka Mandir intricately carved Hindu temple.
  
  Ancient Gwalior Fort occupies a sandstone plateau overlooking the city and is accessed via a winding road lined with sacred Jain statues. Within the fort’s high walls is the 15th-century Gujari Mahal Palace, now an archaeological museum.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
  • Train
• DAY 10

  Gwalior Fort and museum & The Chambal Valley

  Post breakfast, proceed to visit the Gwalior Fort and museum.
  
  After the visit drive to Chambal. With a rich heritage stretching back many millennia the Chambal Valley has much to offer from its stunning landscapes & magnificent wildlife, formidable fortresses & crumbling ruins, tranquil temples & flamboyant fairs, colorful history & compelling mythology, a proud resilient people & their legendary exploits. The Chambal Safari helps visitors discover the many facets of this ancient land. Accompanied by experienced local guides and naturalists, guests may explore the Chambal Valley at their own pace: on boats, jeeps, the confluence is dominated by the ruins horses, bicycles, or on foot. In the afternoon, proceed to visit the Bateshwar temples and Yamuna river. Mingle around 100 temples as you watch the sunset in this birder's heaven.
  
  Bateshwar temples: The ancient settlement of Bateshwaris situated on a crescent bend of the river Yamuna, 7 miles –20 minutes drive from the Chambal Safari Lodge. More than 40 temples dedicated to the glory of Shiva glisten pearly white along the ghats of the river. A multitude of architectural styles, periods, and historical events are reflected in these simple shrines. The ghats are evocative of Varanasi and the temples of Pushkar. A timeless landscape, an unhurried pace, and the calm, positive vibe of heartfelt prayer.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 11

  Ater Fort & Jeep Safari in The Chambal River

  Early morning River Safari and visit to Ater fort. Afternoon, start the Jeep Safari.
  
  The calm and gentle waters of the Chambal River are best explored on boats and the River Safari provides spectacular opportunities to view the wildlife. The Chambal Safari boatmen are exceptionally skilled at cutting the boat engines, and maneuvering as close to the birds and animals as possible without disturbing them. Trained naturalists accompany visitors and provide expert information on Chambal wildlife.
  
  Camels remain an important mode of transport for man and goods alike. They are also an ideal means for exploring the ravines of the NCS and searching for the wildlife that has made these ravines their home. Be transported back in time as you amble along long-forgotten trails and pathways on these haughty beasts, with their snootily upturned noses and disdainfully curled lips. One may take a Camel Safari along the river banks, into the ravines, through villages, and up to Fort Ater.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
  • Cruise/Boat
• DAY 12

  Enjoy Jeep Safari – The Sarus Trails

  After breakfast at the hotel enjoy Jeep Safari; the Sarus trails.
  
  The Sarus Crane Conservation Reserve starts around 30 km (18 miles) from the Chambal Safari Lodge, extending to about 100 km. It is a widespread wetland area, interspersed by cultivated fields, where large numbers of the Sarus Cranes breed. Although not a protected area, since 1999 the Supreme Court of India, recognizing its importance as a habitat has designated the area a reserve with restrictions on development. Several species of wetland birds and raptors are also found along the course of this safari.
  
  In the afternoon, proceed for a jeep safari for blackbuck. The Blackbuck jeep safari heads southwest towards the countryside between the Chambal and Yamuna ravines, for excellent sightings of Blackbuck deer and numerous dry land birds including the Indian Courser. It is also a fascinating journey through remote hamlets and habitations; a world that is strangely as connected as it appears removed from modern India.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 13

  Visit Agra - Former Capital of The Grand Mughal Empire

  After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Agra and check in to the hotel.
  
  Agra - At the time of the Mughals, in the 16th & 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of the grand Mughal Empire. During this period the city became a leading center of art, science, commerce, and culture. Akbar the Great made Agra great. The city's origins are dim but Akbar's grandfather Babur is credited with Agra's founding. The short golden age of Agra came to an end with the seventeenth-century reign of Shah Jehan, the mastermind of the unforgettable Taj Mahal.
  
  Next, we will visit Mehtab Bagh which gives you a truly unique perspective as this is one of the very few spots where the Taj Mahal, the Mosque and the Guest House can all be seen from one point. Emperor Shahjahan transformed a 25-acre patch into a magnificent four-quartered garden that blended perfectly with the sanctified complex of the Taj. This pleasure garden was called Mehtab Bagh or moonlit garden, profuse with white plaster pathways, breezy pavilions, pools, and fountains. An octagonal pool situated strategically showed the reflection of the Taj on a full moon night.
  
  - Later in the afternoon continue to visit the impressive Agra Fort, where you are taken through the chambers of this royal residence. As you drive through the city, witness the local life and bazaars (markets) and the hustle-bustle of everyday India.
  
  Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India. The fort is also known as Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its much more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled palatial city. It is the most important fort in India. The great Mughals Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb lived here, and the country was governed from here. It contained the largest state treasury and mint. It was visited by foreign ambassadors, travelers, and the highest dignitaries who participated in the making of history in India.
  
  Creative Included Experience: Visit Mother Teresa Orphanage
  Mother Teresa’s Charity home in Agra is a home to quench the thirst for love, care, protection, and guide the poor children for a bright future. Children who have been hitherto remained unloved, uncared, unwanted, and abandoned are given parental care in this home. They are motivated to overcome the apathy and understand the feel of Love
  
  Creative Included Experience: Taste a local sweet - Petha
  
  Petha is a centuries-old sweet made from ash gourd, also called white pumpkin or squash, cooked in sugar syrup, and it comes in many varieties: plain (white); Kesar (saffron); with nuts; in colorful shades of pineapple, coconut, mango; in small balls or rectangular hunks; served dry or in some syrup.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 14

  Taj Mahal - City Tour of Agra visiting The Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

  Early morning, proceed for the exquisite visit of the Taj Mahal which was built by an emperor in memory of his beloved queen. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1631 and is believed to have taken 18 years to complete, with over 20,000 craftsmen working around the clock.
  
  The design and construction are said to be that of the legendary architect, Ustad Ahamad Lahori. Legend has it that once construction was completed, Shah Jehan had Lahori's hands cut off, and blinded, so he would never be able to duplicate the structure. What makes the Taj Mahal unique is its perfect proportions, distinct femininity, the medium of construction, and ornamentation. Its marble exterior reflects rose and golden tints at sunrise and sunset, while it is dazzling white during the day.
  
  It is impossible to visualize the Taj Mahal in any surrounding others than its paradoxical garden. Paradise, in Islam, is visualized as a lush garden where running streams flow. When the Mughals brought this concept to India they elevated it to the heights of incomparable history.
  
  Later return to the hotel for breakfast and proceed to visit Fatehpur Sikri.
  
  Fatehpur Sikri-The imperial city of the Mughal dynasty between 1571 and 1584, Fatehpur Sikri was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar. The architectural grandeur of this deserted city cannot be described in words and one can only experience the aura of its magnificent edifices by seeing them. Fatehpur Sikri is the most popular day excursion from Agra, the city of Taj, and the capital of invincible Mughals for a long time. Today, as one enters Sikri from the Agra Gate, one of the nine gateways on the way to the palace complex, Diwan-I-Aam, or the hall of public audience appears first. It is a huge rectangular walled-in courtyard where petitions were heard, proclamations made, ambassadors received and entertainment programmers held. Ponder the mysterious desertion of this capital city that was dramatically abandoned a few years after it was built. It was a veritable fairy tale city and its 'ruins' are still in a pristine condition. It is not hard to imagine what the court life must have been like in the days of its grandeur.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 15

  Transfer to Delhi from Agra

  After breakfast at the hotel drive to Delhi. It will be approximately a 4-hour drive.
  
  On arrival check-in at your hotel for overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 16

  Departure to The Airport Back Home

  Today is the last day in our journey. After breakfast, early morning transfer to Airport for flight back home.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Transfer