The Great Wildlife Tour of India – 18 days / 17 nights

After clearing immigration and customs, our representative will meet you at the receiving area and escort you to your hotel. Thereafter, arrive at the hotel and check-in.

After breakfast, experience the combined charms of Old and New Delhi including a visit to the Raj Ghat. Drive past the Red Fort on the way to Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. A tour through the bazaars of Chandni Chowk is followed by a drive past the historical India Gate, the Rashtrapati Bhawan and the Parliament House. The day is concluded with a visit to the capital’s most striking monument; the 70 metre high Qutab Minar.

After breakfast, set forth for Jaipur. The evening will be spent in exploring the colorful markets of Jaipur only to end the day with a memorable dinner with a Noble family in Jaipur to “experience the living cultures of India”.

After breakfast, embark on a half-day excursion trip which will lead you to Amber Fort. En route make a photo stop at the palace of winds, the Hawa Mahal. A visit to the City Palace in the afternoon which now houses the Royal residence and museums with a collection of textiles and costumes, armory, manuscripts, paintings followed by visit to Jantar Mantar.

After breakfast, drive to Kalakho where you will be greeted at the Dera Village Retreat which has been specially created to "experience the Living Cultures of India". In the evening, camels will take you to a nearby village which belongs to the colorful Meena tribes. Finally, enjoy a traditional folk dance at the Retreat.

Advance to Bharatpur after breakfast to appreciate the splendid bird life on an exciting cycle rickshaw ride through one of the world’s finest bird parks, the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo Ghana National Park). Drive to Agra and en-route explore Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful sandstone city.

Early in the morning, behold the glorious sight of the sun casting its mellow rays on the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world and surely the greatest symbol of love and devotion. Return to the hotel for breakfast. In the afternoon visit Agra Fort which over the years has acquired all the elegance and lavishness of an imperial palace.

Leave for the railway station to board the Shatabdi Express to Jhansi. (Train: Bhopal Shtb ETD: 0817 ETA: 1043).

A stop will be made at Orchha a small charming town, on your way from Jhansi to Khajuraho. The Ram Raja Temple with its soaring spires and palatial architecture is sure to leave you spell bound. The magic will only grow stronger as you explore the Laxminarayan Temple, the interiors of which cover the most exquisite of Orchha’s wall paintings 

After an early morning breakfast, visit the famous Khajuraho temples (World Heritage site).These temples, which completed a thousand years of their existence in 1999 come to life with voluptuous sculptures that deceive one into believing that they are celestial and alive. Rest of the day explores this heritage city.

After breakfast, proceed to Bandhavgarh. Highly proclaimed, the Bandhavgarh National Park was the former hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa and is presently a famous natural hub for tigers.

The morning and afternoon will be spent on an intriguing jungle game drive in the National Park as you discover the mysteries of the wildlife. In the evening enjoy a Wildlife presentation in your hotel.

Another afternoon to explore the depths of the woods on a jungle safari will surely do justice to its vastness.

Also, enjoy a Village visit to the nearby tribal belt and listen to their interesting stories about the tigers.

An early morning jungle safari would bid farewell to Bandhavgarh and you will move on to drive to Kanha. One of India’s finest wildlife reserves, Kanha National Park safeguards a large number of spotted deer, sloth bears, languor monkeys and the unusual guar. Lunch at the resort is sure to boost you for more wildlife viewing at the park this afternoon.

A morning and afternoon jungle safari will reveal the distinguished features of the jungles of Kanha.

Watch the jungle greet a new day with an early morning jungle safari at the national park. From there on, drive to Kuwardha after breakfast which is a less explored destination, 100kms from Kanha. The lush green fields and forests in this region are rich in birdlife and provide a home for the gentle Baiga tribe, the beauty is further enhanced by the surrounding Maikal range. This region is known for its Bhoremdeo temples which are parallel to the Khajuraho temples. The remaining time would be spent in leisurely exploring the nearby tribal villages.

After breakfast, leave for the Raipur airport to board a flight to Mumbai. (Flight IC-269 ETD: 1235 ETA: 1615)

In Mumbai, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Spend the day on a “living cultures” tour of Mumbai visiting the Dubbawalla (hot-lunch delivery system for Mumbai office workers) & the Dhobi-ghat (manual laundry system).

The famous Dubbawallas supply home cooked box lunches to millions of working class people of Mumbai. Late morning, the lunch box is picked up from the houses by the courier men, delivered to the respective office and returned home before you reach there. The system is an almost fool proof system without errors and done by locals of Mumbai.

Later enjoy the historical sites like the Gateway of India and the Mani Bhawan and the drive past the Victoria Terminus. Also make an excursion to the scenic Malabar Hill area of Mumbai, where you will explore the lovely Hanging Gardens, which offer stunning views overlooking Mumbai and the Arabian Sea.

Explore the Crawford market later in the evening.

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey.