Classic India Tiger Safari

A short flight will bring you to Jabalpur, a popular gateway to central India’s otherwise remote wildlife reserves. On arrival, you will be transferred to your chosen wildlife lodge. Check-in on arrival. Later this afternoon, once you have settled in, meet your naturalist for the duration of your stay at Bandhavgarh National Park for a safari briefing.

Initially, the private reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa, Bandhavgarh was declared a National Park in 1968 and is considered to have the highest concentration of wild tiger anywhere in India. Set amidst the picturesque Vindhya and Satpura ranges, Bandhavgarh’s dramatic landscape features steep rocky hills covered with Sal trees and stretches of bamboo with flat grasslands in the valleys below. Your early morning and late afternoon jeep safaris (shared basis) are designed to offer you the chance to track that elusive tiger and other mammals, including leopard, sloth bear, wild boar, hyena, sambar deer and wild dog.

Meet your naturalist and other safari companions at the central lounge as the sun rises over the picturesque Bandhavgarh National Park. Hot beverages and a light snack are available. Next, the early morning game drive follows. Then, an afternoon’s drive through the thriving small towns of central India will bring you to Kanha. On arrival, check in at your chosen wildlife lodge. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

One of India’s largest wildlife reserves, the stunningly beautiful Kanha National Park, with its dense sal and bamboo forests, verdant grasslands and meandering rivers, is spread over an area of 940 sq. km and provides shelter to nearly 30 species of mammals and over 200 species of birds. During your early morning and late afternoon jeep safaris (shared basis), some of the more frequently spotted wildlife includes gaur (Indian Bison), the rare hardground Barasingha (swamp deer), black buck and jackal, although the park is also home to a healthy population of tiger and hence continue tracking for this elusive ‘lord of the jungle’.

Enjoy early morning and late afternoon jeep safaris (shared basis). Between your safaris, you can join the naturalist and embark on a nature walk through the buffer zone of Kanha National Park or borrow bicycles and explore the surrounding villages.

Return to Kanha National Park for one last jeep safari (shared basis), before journeying to Pench, which inspired Rudyard Kipling’s classic ‘Jungle Book’. Check-in on arrival at your chosen lodge. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Nestling in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura Hills, this wildlife reserve is named after the meandering Pench River that flows through it and has several seasonal streams. The vegetation is a mix of southern tropical moist deciduous forest and tropical dry deciduous teak with other species of shrubs, while the dense undergrowth contributes towards a high prey concentration when compared with Kanha and Bandhavgarh. Enjoy early morning and late afternoon jeep safaris (shared basis) and come face to face with Kipling’s Jungle Book characters. Look out for Shere Khan and Baloo, as well as wild dogs and other wildlife.

Set off on an early morning jeep safari (shared basis) for one last time before driving to Nagpur for your evening flight to Mumbai. On arrival in Mumbai, you will be met and transferred to the International Terminal for your onward flight.