DELHI - RANTHAMBORE - BHARATPUR - AGRA - BANDHAVGARH
- KANHA
Day 1: London - Delhi
Depart for Delhi flying direct with British
Airways (daily departures).
DAY 2: DELHI
Arrive Delhi. Met on arrival at the visitor's
lounge and transferred to your Hotel Oberoi Maidens/Taj
Palace for over-night stay.The Oberoi Maidens is
centrally air-conditioned hotel. Each air-conditioned
bedroom has a telephone, television, tea/coffee
maker and attached private facilities. Other amenities
include a swimming pool, tennis court, a bar and
multi-cuisine restaurant. Location: Airport - 24
kilometers : Railway Station - 4 kilometers : City
Centre - 8 kilometers.Government grading:Four-star
hotel, Our comments: First class period hotel -
a unit of prestigious Oberoi group of Hotels,Taj
Palace is centrally air-conditioned hotel. Each
air-conditioned room has the facility of telephone,
television, mini bar and attached private facilities.
Other amenities include a health club, swimming
pool, tennis and golf course, discotheque, bar and
three multi-cuisine restaurants.Location: Airport
- 14 kilometers : Railway Station - 12 kilometers.Government
grading:Five-star hotel, Our comments: Five-star
deluxe hotel - a unit of prestigious Taj Group of
Hotels, After freshening up we will proceed to look
for some semi-urban bird watching to Old Fort and
Delhi Zoo to get acquainted with the commoner birds
like the Indian Pond Heron, Yellow Footed Green
Pigeon, Indian Grey Hornbill, White Ibis, Laughing
Dove, Greater Coucal, Brown Headed Barbet and Alexandrine
Parakeet. You will also see some waders and water
birds at Yamuna.
DAY 3: DELHI - RANTHAMBORE
Morning met and transferred to the railway
station in time to board your train Golden Temple
Mail, air condition sleeper class (0800:1312) to
Sawaimadhopur. Met on arrival and transferred by
road to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve where we will
check-in to the Sher Bagh for two nights.
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
Ranthambore National Park is one of the prime examples
of Project Tiger's conservation efforts in Rajasthan.
The Park sprawls over an estimated area of 400 sq
kms. Steep crags embrace a network of lakes and
rivers, and a top one of these hills, is the impressive
Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th century. The
terrain fluctuates between impregnable forests and
open bush land. The forest is the typically dry
deciduous type, with dhok, being the most prominent
tree. The entry point to the For a relatively small
area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and
flora - species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic
plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles (including the marsh
crocodile) & amphibians and 30 mammals including
the tiger, leopard sloth bear, caracal, sambar,
nilgai, wild boar.
Sher-bagh
Owned and often frequented by Valmik Thapa of 'Land
of the Tiger' fame, Sher Bagh is situated at the
edge of Ranthambore National Park along its Northern
periphery. The camp, which is run by Valmik's nephew,
consists of 10 luxurious bedroom tents in a style
originally designed for HH the Marharaja of Jodhpur
at the turn of the century. Such tents were used
on hunting expeditions and also catered for an overspill
of guests at the palace, Viceregal and during Royal
Visits. Each tent has attached verandah and bathroom
with hot and cold running water and 24hr electricity.Meals
are served in the dining tent consisting of English
breakfasts, continental lunches and traditional
Rajasthani dinners. Much of the produce is organically
grown on their own farm.Safaris are by jeep only
in Ranthambore and you will be accompanied by one
of the camps trackers, always from local families
who have known the jungle and it's animals for generations
and has the necessary sharp eyes and ears. 10% of
all proceeds are donated to organisations working
to save Ranthambore.Afternoon we will go for the
first safari to the core area of the Ranthambore
National Park.
DAY 4: RANTHAMBORE
Morning and afternoon we will go for safaris to
the core area of the Ranthambore National Park in
open-topped jeeps. Overnight at the resort.
DAY 5: RANTHAMBORE-BHARATPUR
Early morning enjoy a safari to the core area of
Ranthambore National Park. Afternoon we will proceed
to the Sawaimadhopur railway station in time to
connect to our train Golden Temple Mail, air condition
sleeper class (1255:1530) to Bharatpur. On arrival
met and transferred to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
for an afternoon session of birdwatching. Keoladeo
Ghana National Park at Bharatpur is arguably the
finest bird sanctuary in the world. Formerly a shooting
preserve of the Rajput Maharajahs of Bharatpur,
it is just 29 square kilometres but holds a remarkable
diversity of habitats. The wetlands - marshes and
flooded 'jheels' - are contained within acacia-lined
'bunds', or embankments, and irrigated by a system
of canals and sluices. Around them lies semi-arid
grass and scrubland and some excellent broad-leaved
Kadam woodland. Over 350 species of birds have been
recorded in the park. Amongst these are an unequalled
array of wetland species, a great variety of vultures,
eagles, falcons and owls, plus numerous small landbirds.
Notable species amongst the throngs of nesting Painted
Storks, White Ibises, darters and spoonbills are
specialities such as the threatened Siberian Crane,
Pallas's Sea Eagle, Black-necked Stork, Comb Duck
and the elusive Spotted Creeper.As well as birds,
the park has an excellent variety of wild animals.
Nilgai (blue bull), Sambar and Spotted Deer, Blackbuck,
Jungle Cat, Wild Boar, Asiatic Jackal and Mongoose
are all common, and this is one of the few places
in India where the rare Fishing Cat may be seen.
Later we will check-in to Laxmi Vilas Palace/Bharatpur
Forest Lodge for two nights.
Laxmi Vilas Palace
The palace is an interesting combination of traditional
Rajput and Mughal style architecture as was prevalent
during those times. The sunny courtyards and enchanting
cupolas enthral the visitors. Spacious, airy rooms
which open into an inner courtyard are adorned with
colourful frescoes, period furniture and several
antiques and objects d'art which remind one of the
magnificent lifestyle of a bygone era.
DAY 6: Bharatpur
Morning enjoy a session in the Bird Sanctuary
to view the various species of birds. Later depart
by surface to Bund Baretha to see some more birds
like the Indian Skimmer, Great Crested Grebe, Comb
Duck, Orange-headed and Tickell's Thrush, Ruddy-breasted
Crake, Greater Painted Snipe, Dusky Crag Martin
and the rarer Crag Martin, Sulpher-bellied Warbler
and some other species. On our way back we will
try for Booted and Brooke's Leaf Warbler, Desert
Wheatear and Spanish Sparrow.
Day 7: Bharatpur - Agra
Morning we will go for the final session
of birdwatching to the Bird Sanctuary. Later we
will proceed to Agra visiting the Fatehpur Sikri
enroute. Upon arrival check into your Hotel Howard
Park Plaza/Mughal Sheraton for over-night stay.
Overnight at the hotel.
Fatehpur Sikri
Visit the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri
which was built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned
after fifteen years due to scarcity of water. See
the graceful buildings including the Jama Masjid,
the Tomb of Salim Chishti, the Panch Mahal &
the other palaces.
Howard Park Plaza
Approved as a first class hotel, it is situated
1.5 kms from the Taj. The hotel has the facility
of a swimming pool, health club with sauna and jacuzzi,
bar overlooking the pool, coffee shop and a restaurant.
Each air-conditioned bedroom has a private bathroom
with bath and/or shower and toilet and telephone
and a mini bar.
Mughal Sheraton
A Government approved five star deluxe property
is 12 kms. from the airport, 5 kms. from the Railway
Station and 4 kms. from the downtown area. Facilities
offered include Health Centre, Swimmimg Pool, Mini
Golf Course, Yoga Centre, Archery and Royal Horse
Carriage. Each air-conditioned bedroom has a private
bathroom with bath and/or shower and toilet and
telephone.
DAY 8: AGRA - BANDHAVGARH
Morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of the
city including the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal truly
is one of the wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal
is a monument of love built by the Mughal Emperor
Shah Jehan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to
enshrine her mortal remains. For twenty-two years
20,000 men laboured day and night to build this
masterpiece, which has held the world awe, struck
ever since. Shah Jehan was imprisoned by his son
in the magnificent fort at Agra. Here you'll see
the art and crafting of the white marble that has
made the area so famous, the Pearl Mosque, the halls
of Public and Private Audience, and finally the
tomb of Itmad-ud-daula built by the Empress Noorjehan
in the memory of her father.
Afternoon we will depart for the railway station
in time to board our train Kalinga Utkal Express
(1550:0627), air condition sleeper class for Umaria.
Overnight on the train.
DAY 9: ARRIVE UMARIA-BANDHAVGARH
Morning we will arrive Umaria station.
Met on arrival and transferred by road to our lodge
Churat Kothi in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve for two
nights.
Churhat Kothi is a camp set in twenty-four acres
of dense forest. There are 12 spacious safari tents,
each with a luxurious bathroom. The tents are raised
on a concrete platform and are custom made. The
attached bathrooms are permanent with running hot
and cold water. There is electricity at the camp,
which is confined to public areas only. The tents
are provided with kerosene lanterns. The camp has
a dining room serving Indian food, besides a sitting
lounge and a good collection of books on wildlife.
A bonfire is organized every evening in the winters
at the "Golghar" - a covered circular
sitting area among the trees. Afternoon enjoy the
first safari to the core area of Bandhavgarh National
Park in open-topped jeeps. Overnight at the hotel.Set
amidst the Vindhyan ranges and the eastern flank
of Satpura hill range Bandhavgarh National Park
is one of the best places to see and enjoy wildlife
in India. The Reserve is named after the highest
hill Bandhavgarh (807 m.) in the centre of the Reserve.
A chain of smaller hills, 32 in all, surrounds this
hill, forming a number of valleys and spurs in between.
Much of the park is covered in Sal forest, replaced
by mixed forests in the higher elevations of the
hills. Generally the forests have less undergrowth
here, thus offering better sightings of wildlife,
notably mammals, including the daylight sightings
of Tigers in the grassy 'maidans'. More than 25
Tigers are estimated for the park. Other mammals
include the Leopard, Gaur, Sambar, Barking Deer,
Chausinga and Wild boar. The area is also good for
birding from the car.
DAY 10: Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
Enjoy morning and afternoon safaris to
the core area of the Bandhavgarh National Park.
Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 11: Bandhavgarh - Kanha Tiger Reserve
Morning we will go for the final short
safari to Bandhavgarh National Park. Later we will
proceed to Kanha National Park. On arrival we will
check-in to the Tuli Tiger Resort for three nights.
Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight at the
resort.Tuli Tiger Resort is a Jungle resort with
standard facilities. The resort has air-conditioned
cottage type of accommodation and a multi cuisine
restaurant serving Indian, Continental and Chinese.
Other facilities include swimming pool, Park Safaris,
folk dances and campfires. Each air-conditioned
room has private bathroom with bath and/or shower
and toilet.
Kanha National Park
Kanha is Kipling country and the nearby forests
were the setting for the "Jungle Book"
by Rudyard Kipling. It's an outstanding national
park and wildlife reserve of Central India, noted
for its last remaining population of the hard-ground
race of the Swamp Deer (approximately 450). Spotting
wild animals is always a matter of luck, but Kanha
National Park is so rich in wildlife that the odds
are tilted in your favour. There are a healthy numbers
of the Tiger found over here, which may be seen
during the day, and is one of the best places left
to see them. Other mammals include the three-striped
palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, chital or
spotted deer, barasingha or swamp deer and blackbuck.
Less commonly seen are the tiger, Indian hare, dhole
or Indian wild dog and bison or gaur, Rarely sighted
are the Indian fox, sloth bear, striped hyena, panther,
mouse deer etc. There are over 200 species of birds,
which can be seen from the car.
DAY 12: Kanha
Enjoy morning and afternoon safaris to
the core area of the Kanha Tiger Reserve in open-topped
jeeps.
DAY 13: Kanha
Enjoy morning and afternoon safaris to
the core area of the Kanha Tiger Reserve in open-topped
jeeps.
DAY 14: Kanha - Delhi
Morning we will proceed from Kanha to Jabalpur
railway station in time to board our train Mahakoshal
Express (1435:1040), air condition sleeper class
for Delhi. Overnight on the train.
DAY 15: Delhi
Morning arrive Delhi. Met upon arrival
and transferred to your Hotel Oberoi Maidens /Taj
Palace for one night. (Optional tour of New Delhi
in the afternoon). Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 16: Delhi - London
Met and transferred to the airport in time
to connect your International flight for your onward
destination.
