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Heart of India
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Our 'Heart of India' tour combines the thrill of exploring India's top reserves for Tiger with an optional extension to legendary Bharatpur and the marble splendour of the Taj Mahal. Join us for a birds and mammals special that's really hard to beat!For the wildlife enthusiast, few parts of the great Indian subcontinent can rival the remote national parks of Kanha and Bandhavgarh. Situated in Madyha Pradesh, together they enclose some 2000 sq kms of lush grassland and forest at the very heart of India. The setting for Kipling's classic The Jungle Book, this region also has a relatively low human population. All are factors which are important in maintaining the healthiest population of that most magnificent of all India's wild creatures: the Tiger! Currently, there is perhaps nowhere better than the fabulous setting of Bandhavgarh to see Tiger. With the aid of elephants, it is sometimes possible to get close enough to seemingly smell their breath - truly a spine-tingling moment in one's life! During our searches for Tiger we should also encounter a fine variety of other mammals, including herds of Chital and even Sloth Bear. Birds will be conspicuous too, roving the woodlands in mixed flocks at this time of year. After starting our birdwatching at Sultanpur near Delhi, we travel south to one of India's largest national parks: Kanha. In post-monsoon November there should be plenty of water about, with fresh growth of grasses for the deer and antelope - and good hunting for Tigers! Following four nights at Kanha, we transfer to Bandhavgarh National Park. Set amid the rocky hills of the Vindhya range, Bandhavgarh is barely one-third the size of Kanha - but is simply the most reliable place in all India to regularly see and experience close encounters with Tiger! An exciting optional extension then takes us to world famous Bharatpur, for some terrific wetland birding before concluding with a day sightseeing in Agra. Travel with us for a superb birding and wildlife tour, one that combines visits to India's top Tiger reserves with the magic of Bharatpur and the marble magnificence of the Taj Mahal. Accommodation: We stay at the better quality tourist hotels in Delhi and Agra, and use lodges at the quality end of the available accommodation at Kanha and Bandhavgargh Tiger Reserves, where lodgings are comfortable but more simple and rustic. All rooms have air-conditioning and private facilities (also, should they be needed, mosquito nets). Comfortable en suite accommodation on the Bharatpur extension at the Laxmi Vilas Palace, which was built in 1887 for Raja Raghunath Singh and converted into a hotel in 1994. Meals: All included in the price. Most meals are taken at the hotels and lodges with picnics on travelling days. As one would expect, food is generally Indian in style, though the lodges will endeavour to meet special requirements if given a little prior warning. Walking: Easy. Please note: owing to the presence of Tigers and other large mammals, away from the lodges and other designated areas, the majority of our bird and mammal-watching within India's Tiger Reserves must be done by jeep - or elephant back! - so little opportunity for any sustained walking exists. There are no such restrictions on the Bharatpur extension, with excursions here by bicycle-rickshaw or on foot (motorised vehicles are not permitted to enter the reserve). Leaders: Robin Chittenden & local guides Numbers: Max. 14 clients |
Prices:
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return scheduled flights London-Delhi; domestic return flight Delhi-Jabalpur-Delhi; all accommodation and meals; surface transport by coach and train, with 4WD vehicle and/or elephant-back in the National Parks (as outlined in the itinerary); entrance fees at the national parks and monuments; sightseeing excursions as per itinerary; porterage; tips and airport taxes; map; bird and mammal checklist; and services of the leader/s.
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Itinerary Please note: Kanha and Bandhavgarh are among the most remote of India's national parks and getting to them involves quite a journey, be it by air, road and/or rail. By using flights in and out of Jabalpur, our Heart of India tour is designed to cut travel time and inconvenience to the minimum possible.
Click here for a full, printable itinerary |
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