Indian
Wildlife Tours
Extensive Tiger
Tour of North India Duration
: 16 Nights & 17 Days
Destination Covered : Delhi - Corbett - Delhi
- Ranthambore - Bharatpur - Agra - Umaria - Bandavgarh - Kanha - Nagpur -
Delhi 
Day
01 : Delhi Company representatives will receive you on arrival at
the international airport in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer
to your hotel.Relax.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and
empires is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past
and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an
ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India.
Proceed to explore OLD DELHI.
OLD DELHI - A sightseeing
tour of Old Delhi would entail visiting the Raj Ghat - the memorial site
where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India
and the Red Fort - once the most opulent fort and palace of the Moghul
Empire.
Enjoy the CYCLE RICKSHAW RIDE in the streets of Old
Delhi. Retire early for the day.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 02 : Delhi - Corbett National Park By Road
: 250 km in 6 hr Breakfast will be at hotel.
Drive to
CORBETT National Park.
JIM CORBETT National Park - One
of the greatest National Parks of Asia. Corbett is five hundred and twenty
acres of forests, hills and grasslands, fed by a frisky river - A
bio-diversity that is rich, rare and precious. This Park is the perfect
habitat for the tiger, elephant, hog deer, birds and other wildlife species
that is fast vanishing from the earth.
JIM CORBETT t made his
mark in his early life as a soldier and a hunter but subsequently, dedicated
him to the preservation of life - human and wild. Whenever a man-eater
threatened a village, Carpet Sahib' was summoned. Moving on foot for
days and weeks, often on steep winding trails, Corbett became the savior of
the simple hill folk of Kumaon and Garhwal.

Jim Corbett could read the jungle signs like an open book. He could decipher
a ripple in the dust of a dry streambed. A blade of grass caught in the act
of springing back from a crushed position. When stalking, he could use the
wind like predators do, to either conceal or reveal his presence. He could
freeze stock-still in mid stride for any amount of time, just like an
animal. He could easily read the sounds of the animals and could imitate
them to perfection. Even the call of a tiger! With no assistance apart from
his vocal chords, he could lure the animal to a face to face meeting. Two
man-eaters shot by him were cornered using this awesome ability. Jim
Corbett, the eighth child of a postmaster, gave up on academics early,
proved his prowess at the gun at the age of 8. He worked as storekeeper,
labor contractor, Captain in World War I, member of municipal board, and
trained soldiers in jungle warfare for World War II, was awarded the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel. He shot with his camera and chronicled his experiences
in 8 gripping books.
Check in at the resort and relax. Proceed
for an afternoon jungle safari for game viewing.
Relax in the
evening at the resort restaurant. Overnight will be at resort.
Day 03 : Corbett National Park Enjoy a full day game viewing
inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Overnight will be at the
resort.
Day 04 : Corbett - Delhi By Road : 250
km in 6 hr Breakfast will be at hotel.
Proceed for a
morning game-drive into the forest.
Drive to Delhi in the
afternoon. Reach and relax.
Spend night at Delhi.
Day 05 : Delhi - Ranthambore By Train : 400 km in 6 hr
Transfer to the station for train to SAWAI MADHOPUR after breakfast.
Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and
you can relax or watch some slides on the tiger.
Ranthambhore
Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas, is a unique
example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in
the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers
from Sawai Madhopur. Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the
heart of the jungle. Ranthambhore <the_town.html> - perhaps the best
place in the world to sight a tiger in the wild. The Ranthambhore National
Park <the_sanctuary.html> has had more Tiger sightings than any other
National Park in the country. It has come to be known as "The land of
the Tiger", where most of the documented footage of this majestic beast
has been recorded.
It spreads over a highly undulating
topography varying from gentle to steep slopes; from flat topped hills of
the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks and sharp ridges of the Aravalis, from
wide and flat valleys to narrow rocky gorges. An important geological
feature the Great Boundary Fault where the Vindhya plateaus meet
the Aravali hill ranges, meanders through the Reserve. The National Park is
bound by the rivers Chambal in the south and Banas in the north.

Ranthambhore forest is of tropical dry deciduous type, further classified as
Dhok climax forest because of the predominance of Dhok (Anogeissus pendulla)
found nearly everywhere. Dhok is an extremely hardy tree, capable of
withstanding prolonged droughts. The leaves of this tree are good fodder and
they are browsed by herbivores, and form a significant part of their diet.
Even the dry, fallen leaves, eaten by them, are rich source of nutrition.
Palas or Cheela or the Flame of the Forest (Butea monosperms)
blooms magnificently around mid-April. During the period, Kachida and
Anatpura provide an amazing view, like a forest on fire. Around Kamaldhar
massive Gum trees (Sterculia urens) with smooth white trunk stand out
conspicuously. Similarly, Gurjan (Lannea coromandelica) with greyish trunks
at the banks of the lakes and soft wood Salar (Boswellia serrata) dotted
atop hills are noticeable.
The lakes abound with aquatic
vegetation including duck weeds, lilies and lotus. A haven for a multitude
of wild animals, the Park boasts of playing host to tigers, leopards, the
elusive caracals, hyenas, sloth bears, wild boars, crocodiles and so on.
Besides, there are over 300 species of birds, from the majestic Crested
Serpent Eagle to the exotic Golden Oriole.
Tiger, at the apex of
the food chain, lord over the kingdom in a subtle way. Solitary by nature,
it operates in stealth. Therefore tiger sightings, frequent as they are, are
always a matter of chance. However, even evidences of tiger's activities are
very exciting.
The other kinds of cats found in Ranthambhore are
Leopard (Panthera pardus), Caracal (Felis caracal), Leopard Cat (Felis
bengalensis), Fishing Cat (Felis viverrina) and the Jungle Cat (Felis
chaus). Besides the big cats, the other large predators found in
Ranthambhore include Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena, Wolf, Wild dog (or Dhole),
Jackal, Indian Fox, Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet, Common Indian Mongoose,
Small Indian Mongoose, Ratel (or Honey Badger), Marsh Crocodile and the
Indian Python.
Overnight will be at resort.
Day
06 : Ranthambore Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle.
(Two safaris) Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 07 :
Ranthambore Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris) Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 08 : Ranthambore - Bharatpur
Keoladeo Ghana National
Park By Road : 400 km in 6 hr Proceed to Bharatpur
after the early morning game drive and breakfast.
Just 176 km
from Delhi is a very special wilderness - the Keoladeo Ghana National Park,
one of the finest water-bird sanctuaries in the world. The Maharaja of
Bharatpur artificially created the lake and wetland in the 19th century. By
building small dykes and dams and diverting water from an irrigation canal,
he converted this low-lying area into a fine wild fowl shooting preserve. In
a few years, the new wetland surrounded by marginal forests was able to
support thousands of water birds.
Commonly referred to as
Bharatpur, the Park is a delight for bird watchers. Over 375 species of
birds are found here and raised paths, camouflaged by babul trees and
undergrowth make viewing easy. A quiet ride by boat in the early hours of
the morning is also unforgettable experience. The cacophony is unbelievable
as painted storks, open bills, spoonbills, egrets, cormorants, white ibis
and multitudes of others, tend their young. Jacanas with their iridescent
colors and elegant tail feathers and purple moorhen can be seen delicately
treading over the floating vegetation.
Every year Bharatpur
waits with bated breath for the arrival of the Siberian cranes. There are
only two wintering places for this rare species one in Iran and the other
Bharatpur and these beautiful birds with their distinctive red beaks and
facial patches, fly over 6400 km from their summer retreats.
Colorful kingfishers, graceful pelicans rare Siberian cranes and Trans-
continental fliers - the migratory water - fowl are amongst the 375 species
of birds found in the Keoladeo National Park. The most spectacular nesting
is that of the egrets, storks, herons and cormorants, which make over 10,000
nests every year. This makes outstanding bird havens of the world. The park
covers an area of 28.73km.
The story of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
is incomplete without an account of the migratory waterfowl. The most
prominent waterfowl coming to this park are bareheaded and greyleg geese.
Ducks also create a lot of fluttering in the lakes. The ducks usually found
here are pintail, widgeon, common shelduck, shoveler, garganey, teal, etc.
Attracted by the influx of the waterfowl the predatory
birds-tawny eagles, spotted eagles short-toed eagles imperial eagles and
fishing eagle also arrive. They all form the apex of the biological pyramid
of the sanctuary and complete the avian food chain of the ecosystem. There
are large herds of the nilgai, chital, wild boar and fear cows in addition
to a few herds of sambar.
Reach and check in at the hotel.
Proceed on RICKSHAW for viewing the birds. RICKSHAW PULLERS have been
trained by the forest department in bird watching and are knowledgeable.
Return to the lodge in the evening and relax. Overnight will be
at Bharatpur.
Day 09 : Bharatpur - Agra By Road
: 55 km in 1 hr Breakfast will be at the hotel. Enjoy the
early morning RICKSHAW RIDE at the Bird Park.
Drive to
Agra.
Reach Fatehpur Sikri after a light lunch break. The
deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and
palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating experience. It a
veritable fairytale city and its "ruins" are in pristine condition
... it's not hard to imagine what the court life must have been like in the
days of its grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the largest gateway in
the world.
Continue towards Agra and reach by evening. Check in
at hotel.
AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed
the little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal
Empire - giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a
visitor to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red
sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that
irresistible charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It
is not surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most
conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of the city will
introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.
Overnight stay will be at Agra.
Day 10 : Agra - Umaria
(Bandavgarh) By Overnight train at 1800 hr
Proceed to
visit Taj after breakfast. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.
TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder
which is always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra.
Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful
wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was
designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its
stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted
particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of
the best inlay work ever seen.
Proceed for sightseeing to the
AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the
fort is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture
perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction.
Visit
Itmadullahs Tomb built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her
father (The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj).
Proceed to station for train to UMARIA. Overnight will be on train.
Day 11 : Bandavgarh Arrive in the morning at
0600 hr
Reach Umaria early in the morning. Drive to
Bandavgarh. Enjoy breakfast at the resort and relax during the morning as
the train journey is tiring.
Bandavgarh is a new National Park
with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh with
an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety of habitats and
a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers. This is also the
White tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for Many
years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This white
Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of
Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh had
long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of
Rewa. The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the
wildlife was well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of
Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111
Tigers by 1914.

There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort
at its center. The forts cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000
feet (300 meters) above the surrounding countryside.
Bandavgarh
has been a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000 years, and
there are references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch Ratra and
the Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, hero of the Hindu epic, the
Ramayana, stopped at Bandavgarh on his way back to his homeland after
defeating the demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two monkey architects, who had
engineered a bridge between the isle of Lanka and the mainland, are said to
have built Bandavgarhs Fort. Later Rama handed it over to his brother
Lakshmana who became known as Bandavdhish The Lord of the Fort.
Lakshmana is the particular God of the fort and is regularly worshipped in a
temple there.
The oldest sign of habitation in the park are
caves dug into the sandstone to the north of the fort. Several contain
Brahmi inscriptions dating from the 1st century BC. Various dynasties have
ruled the fort, for example, the Maghas from the 1st century AD, the
Vakatakas from the 3rd century AD, From that time onwards Bandavgarh was
ruled by a succession of dynasties including the Chandela Kings of
Bundelkhand who built the famous temples at Khajuraho. The Baghel Kings, the
direct ancestors of the present Royal family of Rewa, established their
dynasty at Bandavgarh in the 12th century. It remained their capital till
1617 when the center of court life moved to Rewa, 75 miles (120Kms) to the
north. Without royal patronage Bandavgarh became more and more deserted
until forest overran the area and it became the royal hunting reserve. This
helped to preserve the forest and its wildlife, although the Maharajas made
full use of their rights. Each set out to kill the auspicious number of 109
Tigers.
In the afternoon proceed for a GAME SAFARI into the
park. Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 12 : Bandavgarh
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris)

Trip to the Bandavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be
more than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The
charm of this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle,
unspoiled and unexplored. Some of the statues lie off the main path and so
it is best to take a guide. Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are
three small temples of around the 12th century. These temples are deserted
but the fort is still used as a place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated
16th century saint, once lived and preached here. The natural ramparts of
the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. The fort
still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permission is required to visit
it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandhavgarh is
complete without making an effort to climb up the fort. The staff of the
resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the trek to the
fort.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day
13 : Bandavgarh Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the
jungle. (Two safaris) Overnight will be at the resort.
Day
14 : Bandavgarh - Kanha
By Road : 255 km in 6 hr Enjoy
the morning safari in the park.
After breakfast drive to Kanha.
This is the place that has been described by RUDYARD KIPLING in
his great book "The Jungle Book". Located in the Mandla district
of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park is a tiger reserve that extends over
an area of over 940 square km. A horseshoe shaped valley bounded by the
spurs of the Mekal presents an interesting topography. Steep rocky
escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking views of the valley.
Realizing the danger on the Tiger population in the country, the Government
started the "Project Tiger" at Kanha and in 1974 the area was
declared a Tiger reserve. The park is also the habitat of the high ground
Barasingha.
In 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two
sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar of 250kms to 300kms each. Though one of
these was subsequently disbanded .The area remained a protected one until
1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the year that followed led to the
area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952.
Patient watching
should reward the visitor, with a sight of Indian Fox, Sloth bear, Striped
hyena, Jungle cut, Lepord, Mouse Deer, Chausingha or four horned antelope,
Nilgai, Ratel and Porcupine Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers
should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests
harbour many species and in the grassy forest clearings. Water birds can be
seen near the parks many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is
frequented by water birds and the area in front of the museum.
Excursion to Kawardha just east of the Maikala Range (up to 1100m) to the
south east of Kanha National Park, Kawardha is a small town in Chhattisgarh
(34 forts) region of M.P. In this remote area Maharaja Viswaraj Singh has
recently opened his palace to visitors. It provides a delightfully quite
unspoiled contrast with Indias big cities and with the much busier
tourist circuit of Rajasthans palace circuit. This town is
in the center of the Baiga tribe, who live in forest surrounding the town,
and these are several eleventh century temples in the immediate region.
Reach in the afternoon and relax at the resort.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 15 : Kanha

Enjoy
a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 16 : Kanha - Nagpur
By Road : 255 km in 6 hr Proceed for the morning safari
into forest.
Start for Nagpur after lunch. Reach and check in at
hotel. Dinner will be served in the hotel.
Overnight will be in
the hotel.
Day 17 : Nagpur - Delhi Arrive at Delhi
in the morning.
Check in at hotel, relax and then start NEW
DELHI sightseeing after lunch.
NEW DELHI - A sightseeing
tour of New Delhi would include a visit to the Humayuns Tomb, the
Qutub Minar, a drive along the ceremonial avenue - Rajpath, past the
imposing India Gate, Parliament House and the Presidents Residence and
would end with a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave.
Proceed
to the airport for flight home as per timing.