Among the many trip wildlife highlights will be our exciting jeep and elephant back rides in “ Project Tiger ” wildlife reserves at world famous Ranthambore National Park. Here, as a result of the World Wildlife Fund’s conservation efforts, there has been a significant increase in the population of this once endangered animal and there are regular sightings. We will also visit Keoladeo, one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world where some 300 species may be seen wintering among the flooded fields of the sanctuary. We will also visit the tiger reserves at Bandhavgarh and Kanha National Parks, home to numerous animal species including Sambar, Chital, Langur, Sloth Bear, Wild Boar, Bison and Leopard.
Itinerary
(Breakfast - B, Lunch - L, Dinner - D)
Day 1
Depart North America
We will depart North America in the evening for the overnight flight to Delhi.
Day 2
Arrive Delhi
We will arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in the late evening and, after going through Customs and collecting our baggage, we will be transferred to our hotel.
o/n Radisson Hotel, Delhi
Days 3
Tour of Delhi
After a relaxed breakfast, we’ll have an orientation meeting, and then set out to tour the ancient city. Many experts believe that Delhi (the “heart”) was settled as early as 1400 BC. Defensive walls, still breached by 7 gates, were constructed between 1638 and 1650 during the rule of Mughal leader Shah Jahan.
Humayun’s Tomb is a massive octagonal edifice, built by Haji Begum, Humayun’s senior widow in honour of her husband the second Mughal Emperor. Her design, which offers a superb example of early Mughal architecture, would have a great influence on Shah Jehan, who later designed and built the Taj Mahal. The approach to the tomb is through a succession of formal gardens, which are in the process of being restored in the classic Persian style.
We will also visit Qutb Minar, an impressive red sandstone tower inscribed with Islamic writings. It was built to commemorate the defeat of local rulers of Delhi by the Muslim general Qutb-ud-din-Aibak, at the end of the twelfth century. We will then drive to Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque). This, the largest mosque in India is a notable example of Delhi’s distinctive Indo-Islamic architecture. Another highlight of our day will be a bicycle-rickshaw ride from this great mosque through the bustling and colourful market lanes of Chandri Chowk, to the Red Fort.
We’ll explore other parts of Old Delhi, as well as the formal government buildings of “new” Delhi, constructed by the British in the 1920s. Nearby, in the parkland of Raj Ghat we’ll have time to visit the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi and to look at some of the local bird life. We should find Hoopoe, Common Mynah, House Crow and Rose-collared Parrot as well as egrets and other waders in ponds.
There should be time for an optional visit to one of the craft emporiums, where we will have a chance to learn about the rug-weaving techniques of Kashmir, as well as other local handicrafts.
o/n Radisson Hotel, Delhi (B, L, D)
Day 4
Train from Delhi to Ranthambore
After an early breakfast, we will depart by train for Ranthambore Sanctuary. This four- hour train journey through the semi-arid countryside, will give us a first hand experience of India beyond the cities. Acacia trees and desert scrub are being irrigated and transformed into farmland, and camels pull their rickety loads along the highway unconcerned with the honking truck traffic. The colourful turbans and costumes change from region to region and from village to village, and the brightly coloured saris stand out against the dry landscape. The irrigation ditches of this dry region not only supply water for the farmers but also provide suitable habitat for kingfishers, storks and herons.
Ranthambore, on the fringes of the Vindhya Hills in Eastern Rajasthan, protects 400 square kilometres of rocky hill and plateau country in dry deciduous jungle. A formidable fortress high above the plains provides a dramatic backdrop for viewing game and a glimpse into Rajasthan’s valorous past. Although it is one of the smallest reserves in India, Ranthambore is famous as the foremost tiger sanctuary in the country. In addition to Bengal Tiger, we hope to see an impressive array of wildlife including Langur, Sambar, Nilgai, Chital, Wild Boar, Jackal, Fox, and Sloth Bear. We will also be looking for local avian specialities, among the 300 species of birds in the park. Our lodging for the night is a former hunting lodge set in extensive grounds. We’ll have an afternoon walk around the grounds and perhaps the local village.
o/n Dev Vilas Resort (B, L, D)
Day 5
Ranthambore National Park
We will start out before dawn, in an open vehicle, for our game drive in the nearby National Park. Here, where maharajahs formerly had their hunting preserves, we’ll watch for tigers in addition to their plentiful prey. Small lakes with stone pavilions and gazebos provide habitat for waders, ducks, storks and crocodiles. After returning to our lodge for a late breakfast and lunch, we’ll set out again until dark for another game drive around the varied terrain of the park.
o/n Dev Vilas Resort (B, L, D)
Day 6
Ranthambore to Jaipur
This morning we will set out in our air-conditioned bus for Jaipur, the “Pink City”. Our first stop, just outside Ranthambore, will be at a large wetland for our first good look at waders and waterfowl. As we travel along, we’ll see the wetter habitat give way to desert scrub. On the wires we should see bee-eaters, kingfishers and Indian Rollers.
We should arrive in the early afternoon, and activities may vary with the interests of the group. Before dark we’ll check out the lake across from the hotel for birds and other wildlife.
o/n Trident Hilton, Jaipur (B, L, D)
Day 7
Jaipur / Amber Fort
We’ll start out before breakfast with a walk along a causeway into the man-made lake, across from our hotel, which provides a beautiful setting for one of the abandoned royal summer palaces. We should see Red-wattled Lapwings, Pond Herons, Ruff, and maybe river terns in the water hyacinths. Elephants and Water Buffalo pass on the roadway.
Jaipur itself is, without doubt, one of India's most fascinating cities and our two-day stay here will be a highlight of our tour. Just outside the city is the Amber Fort, a spectacular fortress-palace protecting a complex of palaces and temples. To get to the top of the ramparts, we’ll travel on elephants. The view from the top is quite breathtaking, with surrounding walls and fortresses along the mountain ridges. The original fort is said to have been constructed in the 10th C.
In the city itself we’ll take a brief look at Jantar Mantar, the giant stone astronomical instruments designed by Sawai Jai Singh the Second, a great classical astronomer. Built in 1716, they are extraordinarily precise and can still be used to measure local time, the sun’s declination and those of fixed stars and planets. Overlooking the gardens is the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, designed so that the palace ladies could watch processions behind the stonework screens. We may have time to visit the City Museum (Rajasthani costumes and weaponry) in the palace, and some local craft industries in the afternoon.
In the evening we’ll have a special Rajasthani dinner in a local restaurant.
o/n Trident Hilton, Jaipur (B, L, D)
Day 8
Keoladeo National Park / Bharathpur
This morning we will leave Jaipur early for our drive to Keoladeo National Park. We will stop for lunch at Bharathpur and explore Keoladeo Ghana NP, a small but important bird sanctuary. Originally a duck-shooting preserve, the wetland is now a world-renowned birding destination. During the winter months migratory birds arrive in vast numbers to swell the large number of native species. We’ll walk or take a bicycle rickshaw along the narrow road to the open wetlands at the end. Common, Pied and White-fronted Kingfishers are plentiful. Painted Storks nest and roost in the trees while White-breasted Waterhens and Purple Swamphen stalk across the mats of water hyacinths. Woolly-necked and Black-necked Storks patrol the shallow water meadows. The crowning glory of this sanctuary is the bird of prey population - the sky is rarely empty of soaring raptors. The usual eagle species found here include Imperial and Steppe Eagles. Long-billed and Red-headed Vultures are also resident. We will keep a lookout for Wild Boar, as well as Spotted Mongoose, Sambar and Nilgai. Rock Pythons can also be seen sunning themselves on rock piles. We will most certainly see the huge Sarus Crane and, hopefully, Bar-headed Geese.
o/n Bagh Hotel (B, L, D)
Day 9
Keoladeo NP / Fatepur Sikri / Agra / Taj Mahal
Today we’ll have one last visit to Keoladeo National Park before heading on to Agra. On our way to Agra, we’ll visit the famous city of Fatepur Sikri. This extensive walled complex was built by Akbar to commemorate the birth of his son, but was abandoned by the court only 14 years after its completion. It is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We’ll also visit one of Agra’s marble emporiums, which will give us an appreciation of the marble inlay work we will see on our later visit to the Taj Mahal. We’ll visit the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon, when the colours of the sunset cause it to glow. Built by Emperor Shah Jehan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj is the world’s greatest monument to love. This immense tomb, which seems to float on its white marble plinth, took 22 years to build and was completed in 1653 AD. Designed to be perfectly symmetrical, it is surrounded by gardens and water features, and overlooks the Yamuna River.
o/n Jaypee Palace Hotel (B, L, D)
Day 10
Train to Jhansi / Orcha Temple / Khajuraho
We’ll also have a short tour of Agra Fort built by one of the great Mughal Emperors in 1565, and partially converted to a palace during Shah Jahan’s time.
After our visit to the Agra Fort, we’ll board our air-conditioned day train and travel to Jhansi. This train journey will save a long drive to Bandhavgarh, and will give us the chance to experience the unique rail system of the Indian subcontinent. On arrival at Jhansi, we’ll visit the magnificent Orcha Temple before driving on to Khajuraho where we will overnight.
o/n Radisson Hotel, Khajuraho (B, L, D)
Days 11 – 13
Bandhavgarh NP
We’ll drive from Khajuraho and arrive later this morning at Bandhavgarh National Park, and our lodge at the edge of the park. This relatively new park, established in 1968, is set in the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh and has an interesting variety of habitats. Caves in the park have Brahmi inscriptions dating from the first century B.C.
As we have three full days in this magnificent park, we should have time here for several game drives. We will travel in open jeeps in the morning and late afternoon. Chital (Spotted Deer) and Sambar Deer, Wild Boar, Peafowl and Langur Monkeys are everywhere. As we drive the many dusty roads, we’ll listen for the barking alarm call of the Sambar, indicating a tiger on the prowl. We will also watch for tiger pugmarks in the dust. If a tiger is spotted off the road, we’ll climb to the heights of a howdah, and travel off-road by elephant for a closer look at these magnificent cats.
We’ll also sample many of the park’s species of birds: the Blue-bearded Bee-eater, White-bellied Drongos, Tickell’s Flycatcher, and assorted kingfishers. Green Pigeons and Plum-headed Parakeets can be found on many of the fruiting trees in the park.
o/n Nature Heritage Resort (B, L, D)
Days 14 – 16
Kanha NP
This morning we will drive to Kanha National Park, a park that has sometimes been called the Ngorongoro of India. It is a reasonable comparison except that Kanha is greener and its hills more densely wooded. It is located in the eastern end of the Central Indian Himalayas and covers an area of 940 sq. km. This park was long the private hunting preserves of the British Viceroy and was declared a national park in 1955. Of particular interest during our stay will be mammal sightings. The magnificent Gaur, the strikingly beautiful Bluebull, the Barasingha or Swamp Deer and the ubiquitous Langur Monkeys are all here. Sloth Bear sightings are common and we’ll also hope to see tiger. In all, some 22 species of large mammals are regularly found within the park and the bird life is equally impressive. Marsh and Pied Harriers quarter the open grasslands flushing flocks of Bush Quail. Red Jungle Fowl are common in the mixed bamboo deciduous forests and Peafowl roam the area. Other birds that we hope to see, among the beautiful “flame of the forest” trees, are Indian Roller, Racket-tailed Drongo and Pied Malabar Hornbill. Here again, if tigers are spotted off the road in the jungle, we’ll mount elephants for a closer look.
o/n Tuli Tiger Resort (B, L, D)
Day 17
Drive to Nagpur / Flight to Mumbai
This morning we will have an early breakfast so as to get a good start for our drive to Nagpur. Our journey takes us through stands of hardwood forests known as “sal” that later give way to teak forests. The road itself, although paved, is narrow and winds its way through scenic, but sparsely populated, hill country. We will arrive in Nagpur in the late afternoon in time for the evening flight to Mumbai (Bombay).
o/n Taj Lands End, Mumbai (B, L, D)
Day 18
Mumbai
After breakfast, we’ll take a short tour of the city. There may be time for last minute shopping, or we might wish to just relax in preparation for the flight home. We will have a farewell dinner this evening before being transferred to the airport for our flights home. (B, L, D)
Day 19
Arrive North America
We’ll arrive in Amsterdam, early in the morning, to connect with our early afternoon flight to North America. (Airline Meals)
