Tigers and Travels in India - India

Day 1: Arrive in Delhi

Arrive at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Once the capital of the Moghul Empire, today Delhi is a sprawling metropolis - a fascinating blend of past and the present- which is an apt introduction to the composite culture of the entire subcontinent.

Accommodations: The Claridges

Day 2: Explore Old and New Delhi

Your expert guide weaves you in and out of Old and New Delhi. Catch a rickshaw into the old walled city and walk through the bustling market of Chandni Chowk to the Friday Mosque. Stop at Raj Ghat and the Qutab Minar, an impressive 237-foot tall brick minaret built in the 11th Century. Enjoy a welcome dinner.

Accommodations: The Claridges

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Delhi - Agra

Depart early for your drive to Agra. Visit Agra Fort. After lunch , you are guided through the Taj Mahal, one of the most famous buildings on earth and unquestionably the most beautiful. You will have as much time as you wish until closing to wander and photograph the Taj Mahal in the glow of the afternoon setting sun.

Accommodations: ITC Mughal: Luxury Collection

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: Dawn at the Taj Mahal - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur

Rise at dawn and make your way to the Taj Mahal for its opening to contemplate the beauty at your leisure in the early light. Depart later for Jaipur en-route visiting the ancient site of Fatehpur Sikri. The entire city was deserted a few years after construction due to a dearth of water – posterity’s gain, as the entire city has thus been preserved.

Accommodations: Samode Haveli

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Amber Fort - Jaipur City

Visit Amber Fort, a classic Rajasthani palace then explore Jaipur, the “Pink City,” painted pink to honor a British Viceregal visit in the late 19th century . Visit the Hawa Mahal, the City Palace, a delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture, and the Jantar Mantar, a large and impressive outdoor astronomy observatory.

Accommodations: Samode Haveli

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Jaipur - Jodhpur

Drive to the “Blue City” of Jodhpur and in the afternoon walk the narrow, cobblestone streets of the old town with opportunities to interact with merchants and shoppers in the Sardar market.

Accommodations: Hari Mahal Vivanta

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Bishnoi Community - Family Lunch - Mehrangarh Fort

This morning visit Bishnoi villagers who dedicate themselves to conservation and living a life in harmony with nature. From several families you learn about their lifestyle, traditions and artistic talents in pottery and weaving. Enjoy lunch in a family home. In the afternoon walk into Jodhpur’s iconic Mehrangarh Fort which dominates the city skyline and houses some of the most intricately adorned palace buildings in Rajasthan .

Accommodations: Hari Mahal Vivanta

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Jodhpur – Ranakpur – Udaipur

Drive to Udaipur stopping en-route to visit the impressive 12^th century Jain Temple of Ranakpur, a cluster of temples made of intricately sculpted white marble. Continue to Udaipur, "The Venice of the East". Udaipur is surrounded by the Aravalli mountain ranges and situated on the edge of three lakes. An evening boat ride on the lake reveals the serenity of the place .

Accommodations: LaLit Laxmi Vilas Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9: Udaipur

Your guide takes you into the Udaipur City Palace, the largest palace in Rajasthan. From here head out into the main streets of Udaipur where you visit the Jagdish Hindu temple and walk among the shops and cafes. Enjoy free time in the afternoon. Dinner is on a sunset terrace overlooking the lake.

Accommodations: LaLit Laxmi Vilas Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Udaipur - Mumbai

The day is at leisure to wander in the town until mid-afternoon when you transfer to the airport for your flight to Mumbai where you are met and taken to your hotel.

Accommodations: The LaLit Mumbai

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 11: Drive Kahna National Park

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Raipur where you are met and driven to Kanha National Park, one of the largest and most scenic national parks in India with an ideal habitat for both tigers and their prey. You will stay at one of the first lodges in the area established by the founder of Project Tiger, a leading tiger conservation organization. Together in association with TOFT (Tour Operators for Tigers) Wildland Adventures has sponsored a member of the community in guide training and he will be assigned to your trip if possible. After check in, stretch your legs on a nature walk with the resident naturalist in the Banjar buffer zone full of alluring birds and butterflies.

Accommodations: Kanha Jungle Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 12-13: Kahna Tiger Safaris

During your days in Kanha National Park you arise early to travel in 4x4 open jeeps accompanied by a resident naturalist and community forest park guide acting as your scout. Early morning is the best time for tracking the Bengal tiger and other wildlife as you look for tracks and follow the language of the forest. After resting and eating lunch in the lodge, you depart for an afternoon wildlife safari. By participating on this trip you help save tigers, in part by supporting the local communities around the parks so they benefit from ecotourism. In the video below, meet Mr. Vinod Ayam who was sponsored by Wildland Adventures and our travelers to participate in a local guide training program. Vinod will likely be your spotter when you are in Kanha National Park.

Accommodations: Kanha Jungle Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14: Drive Bandhavgarh - Rural Village Visits

Depart this morning for Bandhavgarh National Park stopping en-route as to visit villages or for any community events which are often encountered in this productive agricultural region of India. Set in mixed environment of bamboo, grassland, and deciduous forests, Bandhavgarh National Park has one of the highest concentrations of Bengal tigers on earth.

Accommodations: Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 15-16: Bandhavgarh Wildlife Safaris

During your visit in Bandhavgarh you have the opportunity to go on three jeep safaris and one possible elephant safari (if not taken in Kanha). Depart as dawn breaks in jeeps accompanied by a resident naturalist and community forest park guide acting as your scout. After lunch at the lodge return for your afternoon safari by 4x4 open jeep. In the evening back at the lodge chat with your naturalist about the game sightings of the day.

Accommodations: Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17: Khajuraho Temples

Drive to Khajuraho to tour the magnificent Jain and Hindu temples with intricate stone sculptures. Known as the erotic temples, the craftsmanship exhibits images of gods and goddesses, celestial maidens and dancers, animals and musicians, all frozen in stone, many in the act of love.

Accommodations: Taj Chandela Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 18: Varanasi

Enjoy an optional morning excursion into the western temples for photography in the early light of day. Transfer to Khajuraho airport for flight to Varanasi. One of the oldest living cities in the world, Varanasi is also one of the most important pilgrimage destinations today located on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. In late afternoon, ride bicycle rickshaws in town and walk amidst the crowded local market of Beniabagh . Then board a small row boat on the Ganges to watch a glittering “Aarti” ceremony: huge lamps are set ablaze amid a multitude of chants and hymns. Finish with a farewell dinner.

Accommodations: Gateway Ganges

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 19: Sunrise on the Ganges - Sarnath - Delhi - Departure

Early in the morning venture by rickshaw and on foot back to Dashaswamedh Ghat. Push off your private boat into the slow current on the Ganges River passing by smoldering cremation Ghats. As dawn breaks the rising sun imparts a glow to the city, unveiling its buildings, temples, and courtyards. . Step out onto the streets again to the unfurling of bazaars passing by the Kashi Vishwanath Temple on return to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit Sarnath where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. Transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, an Eaton Airport Transit Hotel representative will meet you at your arrival gate and escort you to the transit hotel. After you relax, a representative will escort you to the appropriate ticket counter for your international departure.

Accommodations: Eaton Smart Airport Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast