Taj Temple and Tiger Tours

Meet and greet on arrival at New Delhi airport by our representative who will transfer you to the hotel, assist you in check-in at the hotel, hand over and explain all travel-related documents. Overnight stay at the Hotel.

After breakfast proceeds for the half day city tour of Old Delhi. In the old city visit Red Fort built by Emperor Shah Jahan; Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India; Raj Ghat- the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi and enjoy a walking tour in Chandni Chowk- the silver street of Delhi bustling with activity.

Post Lunch drive to Jaipur 275kms / 5hrs drive. Check in at the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

This morning you will drive 11 km to the outskirts of the city to visit Amber Fort, the ancient capital of the State until 1728. Visit the Temple of Kali, the Hall of Victory, or Jai Mahal and Jagmandir.

In the afternoon visit the Observatory, the Palace of Winds, and the City Palace and Museum. The museum has an interesting textile section, which contains dresses and costumes of the former Maharajas and Maharanis of Jaipur. Jaipur is well known for its beautiful carpets, enameled ornaments, precious and semi-precious stones, brass ornaments, and many other arts and crafts. Spend time in crowded lanes & by lanes of the pink city, haggling, and souvenir-hunting in the evening.

Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

After breakfast drive to Ranthambhore. On arrival check-in at the Hotel. Lunch at the lodge. Afternoon exclusive jeep safari to the National Park in an open vehicle. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in the Indian state of Rajasthan comprises distinct areas with varied conservation history and virtually separated geographically, with mere narrow corridors linking them to the core, Ranthambhore National Park. These are mainly, the Ranthambhore [Tiger, Ranthambhore National Park] National Park, Keladevi Sanctuary, and Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary.

Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Morning & evening exclusive jeep safari in the park. Meals at the lodge. Overnight at the lodge in Ranthambhore.

Ranthambhore is also rich in birdlife with around 300 species of birds. In fact, for a keen bird watcher, Ranthambhore and the surrounding area is a paradise. Some interesting resident species of birds are large Cormorant, Painted Spurfowl, Sarus Crane, Bronzed winged Jacana, Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Nightjar, Painted Sandgrouse, Great horned owl and many more regular winter migrants which come from their nesting ground north of Himalayas to Ranthambhore and surrounding areas.

Ranthambhore with an area of 400 sq. km encompassing rocky hill crests which descend to open valleys between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges, dotted with water pools and fruit trees, this park gets its name from the thousand-year-old fortress, which looms above the forest. Well known for the diurnal activity of tigers, Ranthambhore is a very special and unusual area where a natural present meets a historical past. Sambar, Cheetal, chinkara, nilgai, and languor. The elusive leopard and tigers are found in this reserve with tourists standing a very good chance of seeing tigers during the safaris. Dotted across the landscape are the crumbling ruins of its past glory, be it Chatris or cupolas, like palaces or old guard posts, all of which reinforce the magical and ethereal quality of this great wilderness.

Morning exclusive jeep safari to the national park and after breakfast drive to Agra 265kms / 5-hour drive. En route stop at Fatehpur Sikri, the ancient abandoned Moghul capital. This 16th century capital of Moghul emperor Akbar is a complex of forts, palaces, and mosques built in sandstone. The city had to be deserted because of a lack of water. The white marble Tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, Akbar’s spiritual adviser, is now observed as a Muslim pilgrimage spot here.

Overnight at the hotel in Agra.

After breakfast, proceed to visit the famous white marble mausoleum, The Taj Mahal, which was built in the middle of the 17th century by the Moghul emperor Shah Jehan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Completed in 1652, skilled craftsmen from Persia, Turkey, France, and Italy and some 20,000 laborers worked for 17 years to build this edifice. Later proceed to visit the red sandstone AGRA FORT which stands like a crescent on the banks of Yamuna River enclosed by forbidding 20-meter high walls, with a 12- meter moat between them. Three successive Mughal emperors – Akbar, Jehangir, and Shah Jehan – helped create this massive structure which contains Hindu and Muslim architecture. [The Taj is closed on Friday]. Check out from the hotel.

Later drive to New Delhi 220kms/4 hours drive. Overnight stay at the hotel in New Delhi.

Packed breakfast would be arranged at 0400 hrs. transfer to the domestic terminal to board the flight to Raipur at 0645 hrs. On arrival 0835 hrs. you will be met at the Raipur airport by our representative and drive to Kanha National Park 215kms / 5-hour drive. On arrival check into the Lodge. After lunch goes for an afternoon jeep safari to the national park. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Wake up at 0500hrs, have tea coffee with biscuits, and proceed for the morning safari to the National park.

Kanha’s sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands, and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendor which forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare hardground Barasingha (Cervus Duvaceli Branderi).

This is the original Kipling country of which he wrote so vividly in his Jungle Book. Packed breakfast which comes from the Lodge is served at a designated spot and spread on the bonnet of the Safari vehicle. Enjoy your breakfast in the wilderness of Kanha. The sheer beauty of this park along with the rich bio-diversity make this a must-visit in your India program.

Continue your search for the elusive Tiger if you have not yet seen the same, and soak in the fresh, and energizing environment. Return from Safari around 1130hrs. Freshen up, and Lunch is served.

Depart for evening jeep safari Kanha National Park. Return at 6 pm from safari. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Wake up, and get ready for another day of adventure in the National park. The forests of the Banjar valley and Halon valley, respectively forming Kanha’s western and eastern halves. By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a string of stringent conservation programs has been launched, for the overall protection of the park’s fauna and flora. Kanha boasts about 38 species of mammals.

Some of the inhabitants of this park are the gaur, the largest of the world’s cattle; the sambar, the largest Indian deer; and the Chausingha, the only four-horned antelope in the world. Other frequent visitors include the Nilgai antelope, the sloth bear, the dhole, or Indian wild dog, and an occasional Leopard. Some 300 species of birds inhabit the park, that includes the storks, egrets, black ibis, raptors, owls, and the Red-wattled lapwings.

Depart for evening jeep safari Kanha National Park. Return at 6 pm from safari. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Morning breakfast and depart for Bandhavgarh, 280kms, 6 hours drive. On arrival check into the Lodge. Lunch, afternoon safari. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning and afternoon jeep drives in the park. Overnight at the lodge.

Bandhavgarh: The national park is mainly known for the density of its tiger population. The other wild attractions in the park include Leopards, Blue Bulls, Indian Gaur (Bison) Chausingha (Four Horned Antelopes), Spotted Deers, Sambar Deer, Wild Boar, Sloth Bears Fox, Jackals, Wild Dogs, etc. There are at least 22 mammal species and about 250 bird species in the Park. The other animals found in Bandhavgarh are Ratel, Porcupine, Small Indian Civet, Palm Squirrel, Lesser Bandicoot rat, the Jungle Cat, and the shy Hyenas. The reptile population in the park includes Cobras, Kraits, Vipers, Ratsnakes, Pythons, Monitor Lizards, and turtles. The two primate species – the rhesus macaque and the Hanuman langur – inhabit Bandhavgarh.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning & afternoon Jeep drives in the park.

Bandhavgarh has been a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000 years, and there are references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch Ratra and the Shiva Purana. The oldest sign of habitation in the park are caves dug into the sandstone to the north of the fort. Several contain Brahmi inscriptions dating from the 1st century B.C. Various dynasties have ruled the fort, for example, the Magha’s from the 1st century A.D., the Vakatakas from the 3rd century A.D. From that time onwards Bandhavgarh was ruled by a succession of dynasties including the Chandela Kings.

Bandhavgarh became more and more deserted until forest overran the area band it became the royal hunting reserve. At independence, Bandhavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja until he gave it to the state for the formation of the National Park in 1968. After the park was created poaching and hunting were brought under control and the number of animals rose dramatically. The Tigers in particular prospered and the 1986 extension provided much-needed forest to accommodate them.

Overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast drive to Khajuraho 280 kms/6 hrs drive. On arrival check into the hotel. Later city tour of Khajuraho.

Khajuraho, discovered by chance, is India’s second-biggest single tourist attraction. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval temples that are adorned with numerous sculptures of extraordinary grace and delicacy celebrating the stylized and refined courtly accomplishments of beauty, love, and creative arts. Once the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs, the temples of the city date from 950-1050 AD. A wall with eight gates encloses the entire area and two golden palm trees flank each of them. Originally, there were over 80 temples, of which only 22 are now remarkably preserved.
The set of temples at Khajuraho celebrating Hindu religious thought in its mystifying variety of scope and inclusion stands distinguished from the rest of the Hindu temples. The temples highlight the existential ethos in religion that venerates ‘Yoga’ and ‘Bhoga’. ‘Yoga’ is the union of the self with the Almighty, while ‘Bhoga’ is the path to God through physical pleasure. The temples at Khajuraho, dedicated to physical love and pleasure are a testimony to this philosophy. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1986, Khajuraho is a prominent, must-see destination and its temples are India’s unique gift to the world as they capture life in every form and mood in stone. Evening Sound and Light show at Khajuraho. Overnight at the hotel in Khajuraho.

The morning after breakfast visit the Eastern and Southern group of temples. The Parasvanath temple of the Eastern group is the group’s largest Jain temple. The themes depict, in charming detail, everyday activity. Also, visit the Kandariya Mahadev temple dedicated to Shiva and the Chaturbhuj temple of the Southern group.

Afternoon transfer to the airport to board the flight for Varanasi. Leave Khajuraho for Varanasi by AI 405 (1405 / 1505 hrs.) Meeting and assistance on arrival at Varanasi airport and transfer to the hotel.
Varanasi is one of India’s most important pilgrimage sites and the holiest of holy cities for Hindus. Known also as Kashi and Benaras, Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest living cities and has been a center of learning and culture for well over 2000 years.

Evening: Visit the “Ghats” or bank of the Ganga River. This is a fascinating walk as you can experience the cultural ethos that guides the life of the pious. See the rituals that take place to the setting sun and the ablutions that are performed in the river. As boats float down-stream, some carrying goods, fruits, and vegetables, you will see others carrying the pious who perform
ceremonies along the river.

On the banks or “ghats”, you can see some absorbed in prayer and the chanting of hymns, and others engaged in commerce and yet others performing functions like hair-cutting, massaging, and even cleaning ears! Walk across to the Manikarnika Ghat, where you can see cremation, performed with intense ritual – the process of sending the departed soul to the heavens. Hindus believe that the gateway to the Heavens and for the Re-incarnation of the Soul `in a better state’, is possible when life’s last journey is from Varanasi. Overnight in Varanasi.

Early morning: Take a boat ride at dawn down India’s most sacred river, The Ganges. Sunrise at the holy river is a truly tranquil and breathtaking sight with pilgrims standing waist-deep in water, praying to the rising Sun. See the famous Vishwanath temple with its spires covered with gold, dedicated to Shiva, the presiding deity of the city. Return to the hotel for Breakfast

Also visit Sarnath a city located 13 kilometers northeast of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Gomati rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Singhpur, a village approximately one km away from the site, was the birthplace of Shreyansanath, the eleventh Tirthankara of Jainism, and a temple dedicated to him. Overnight in Varanasi.

Morning at your leisure to unwind and pack. Later transfer to airport at 0800 hrs. to board a flight to New Delhi at 1050 hrs. Arrive in New Delhi at 1150 hrs. Met at the airport and transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel in New Delhi

Morning free for leisure activities and later transfer to International airport to board a flight back home or onward destination