Tailormade Holidays in India

Tour Code: TIND

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Sample Itineraries

Allow our experts to craft a private holiday with an itinerary and dates to suit you! Search for Tiger in your own private vehicle, immerse yourself in culture in Agra or enjoy the wealth of birds and flowers in the rhododendron forests of the Himalaya – the possibilities are endless. Choose your ideal holiday and we'll make all the arrangements for you! Click one to scroll down and view more info.

Tiger Country

9 Days

More Info

When to Go

Good Time to Go

January to June, September to December

Best Time to Go

January to April, October to December

Speak to a India expert

Rajan Jolly

Operations Manager

Email Call 1-844-433-9473

Where to Go

Bandhavgarh National Park
Kanha National Park
Pench National Park
Satpura National Park
+15 more

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Summary

India’s wildlife is as diverse and colourful as the landscape, people and history of this remarkable country. Searching for Tigers in one of central India’s parks is such an exciting experience and is, unsurprisingly, at the top of most Indian natural history ‘wish-lists’! India supports a vast range of magnificent wildlife in many varied and beautiful habitats. From the Himalayan foothills of Kaziranga National Park, with its Tigers and Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, to central India’s Tiger Reserves of Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and Tadoba, and all the way to the bird-rich moist tropical reserves of Periyar and Nagarhole, India has something for everyone. India, of course, also has some of the world’s most incredible cultural destinations including the Taj Mahal in Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Varanasi and Khajuraho to name a few. The Naturetrek team has travelled the length and breadth of India and we will happily dovetail the best cultural sites with India’s wonderful wildlife reserves to craft a balanced and unique holiday in this enchanting country.

Our Locations

Bandhavgarh is a compact yet attractive park, where Tigers are concentrated and sightings of them are as good as anywhere. Lying in the Vindhya Hills, a 2-hour drive from the nearest railway station at Katni, the predominant Sal and bamboo forest is interspersed with open grassland areas, with vegetation becoming mixed towards the upper reaches of the park’s hills. Bandhavgarh is explored primarily by jeep via a series of interconnecting tracks revealing pools and streams, features that are vital for the park’s wildlife. A large population of Spotted Deer (with smaller numbers of Sambar and Muntjac) serve as the main prey item of the park’s Tigers, while Leopard, Sloth Bear and Gaur (the huge Asiatic Bison) are among other large mammals that may be seen alongside a supporting cast of Wild Boar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Rhesus Macaque and Common Langurs, and mongoose and squirrel species. Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and Asian Paradise Flycatcher are among the 300 or so bird species recorded in the park.

Accommodation in Bandhavgarh National Park

Khajuraho is a complex of 21 exquisitely carved Hindu and Jain temples that depict life, death, the heavens and, perhaps most famously, erotic scenes from the Chandella period of the 10th and 11th centuries. Since the central parks of Panna and Bandhavgarh are a long way from Delhi, Khajuraho is a good way to break the journey and take in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Varanasi, India shutterstock_1402206599.jpg

Varanasi is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world with a bewildering network of narrow streets and alleyways near the ‘ghats’ (the steps leading to the water’s edge) of the River Ganges. Taking an early morning boat ride to see ritualistic bathing is a unique experience and the city as a whole is perhaps one of the most thought-provoking and intriguing places in India. It’s best visited in combination with Khajuraho, either before or after visiting India’s central national parks of Panna, Bandhavgarh and Kanha.

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, India shutterstock_1690047220.jpg

Commonly referred to as the Pink City due to the terracotta pigment used to wash its walled centre, Jaipur forms part of the famed ‘Golden Triangle’ with Delhi and Agra. The city will certainly delight travellers looking to experience the hubbub of a major Indian centre and its highlights, which include the City Palace, the Observatory and the Amber Fort, are most impressive and offer a wonderful insight into the region’s princely past. The vibrancy and colour of its markets and bazaars are another great, if somewhat chaotic, pleasure of this historic Indian city. Jaipur works well in combination with Ranthambore National Park, the National Chambal Sanctuary and Agra.

Taj Mahal, India shutterstock_1084058807.jpg

For first time visitors to India, a stop to view the Taj Mahal is quite rightly a must. The Taj Mahal represents the pinnacle of Muslim art and architecture in India and is best visited at sunrise, when crowd numbers are low and the early morning light creates a rich glow on the monument’s marble walls.

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi, India shutterstock_1347742127.jpg

India’s capital has two distinct faces. Old Delhi is a bustling network of noisy bazaars and alleyways crammed with street traders, rickshaws and all other facets of humanity. There, a visit to Chandi Chowk, Shah Jehan’s Red Fort and the 17th century Masjid Mosque is a chaotic but memorable experience. In contrast, the tree-lined avenues of New Delhi radiate out from the central Connaught Place, now a modern shopping spot. Here Humayun’s Tomb, one of the earliest examples of Mughal architecture in India, is most impressive. New Delhi offers a wonderful selection of hotels to choose from, including The Imperial Hotel, the city’s iconic colonial retreat.

Malabar Pied Hornbill shutterstock_1299978739.jpg

Nagarhole covers 640 square kilometres of the Western Ghats, the lengthy chain of mountains running right down the western side of southern India. Jeeps form the main mode of exploration of the grasslands and Teak and Mathi forests, although the lakes and rivers, which are a prominent feature here, can also be experienced from boats and even coracles. There is a healthy population of Asian Elephants and Gaur in Nagarhole, both of which are relatively easy to see. There is also a chance of sighting Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, or even a pack of Dhole. A number of classic Indian, and south Indian, bird specialities are found in Nagarhole, amongst them Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Brown Fish Owl, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-backed Woodpecker and Malabar Crested Lark.

In contrast to India’s dry deciduous central parks, Periyar is covered in lush and verdant tropical vegetation. Its 770 square kilometres provide a haven for a wide range of mammals including Tiger, Asian Elephant, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Leopard, Dhole and Nilgiri Langur. The park also holds a rich and varied avifauna including a wealth of south Indian specialities, amongst them Grey Junglefowl, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Parakeet, White-cheeked Barbet, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Rufous Babbler, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Ruby-throated Bulbul and White-bellied Treepie. Periyar is an excellent park to visit if you are planning to include some of Kerala’s or Tamil Nadu’s cultural destinations.

Only a 2-hour drive from Agra, the National Chambal Sanctuary stretches along the Chambal River and offers a crucial aquatic haven for several critically endangered species including the fish-eating Gharial crocodile, Red-crowned Roof Turtle and Ganges River Dolphin. The area’s mudflats, sandbanks and surrounding farmland also attract a wealth of birdlife including River and Black-bellied Terns, Pallas’s Gull and the intriguing Indian Skimmer. Other attractions include exquisite Small Pratincoles, Greater Thick-knees and many other waterbirds such as Lesser Whistling-duck, Bar-headed Goose, Comb Duck, Spot-billed Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Osprey, Black-winged Stilt, River and Red-wattled Lapwings, and a host of more familiar overwintering waders from the northern hemisphere. Chambal is always a delight for birders!

Sarus Crane, Bharatpur, India Shutterstock 1072358633

Formerly a shooting preserve of the Rajput Maharajahs of Bharatpur, this reserve occupies only 29 square kilometres but holds a remarkable diversity of habitats. Its wetlands, marshes and flooded ‘jheels’ are contained within acacia-lined embankments and irrigated by a system of canals and sluices. Around them lies semi-arid scrub and grasslands and some excellent broadleaved Kadum woods. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded in the sanctuary and even just a 2 or 3-hour visit should reveal at least 50 of these. Among them will be an array of wetland species as well as several vultures, eagles, falcons and owls, plus numerous small land birds. Several mammal species are also found here including Nilgai (Blue Bull), Sambar and Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Golden Jackal and two species of mongoose. This is also one of the few places in India where the rare Fishing Cat may be seen. A stop or extended stay at Bharatpur adds great diversity to any Indian wildlife holiday.

Grey Langur, Ranthambore Fort, Ranthambore National Park, India shutterstock_206567290.jpg

Ranthambore is India’s best known national park due to its proximity to the trio of ‘Golden Triangle’ locations, namely Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Once a private hunting estate of the Maharajah of Jaipur, this beautiful park in the Aravali Hills comprises a series of high forested escarpments, several lakes and extensive dry woodland. A number of old forts and temples, now reclaimed by the forest, lie scattered within the park’s boundaries creating a unique and evocative atmosphere. The park is accessed in the morning and afternoon in jeeps or larger vehicles (canters) that follow set routes and, as with all the popular parks in India, early booking is recommended so we can confirm permits for access to the core zones. A stay here works particularly well when combining one or all of the cultural ‘Golden Triangle’ locations or with additional birding in the Chambal Sanctuary and Bharatpur (Keoladeo) National Park. Ranthambore is also a firm favourite with families who want to search for a Tiger in the wild.

One-horned Rhino, Kaziranga Shutterstock 783021385

Kaziranga is one of the world’s most beautiful national parks; it also protects an incredible diversity of wildlife amongst its broad tracts of tall elephant grass, evergreen forests, shallow lakes and reedbeds. It lies on the south bank of the great Brahmaputra River and is one of the last haunts of the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros. Today Kaziranga holds a healthy population of around 1,100 rhinos, a figure that represents over 70% of the world’s total. The park is also home to the Asian Elephant, wild Water Buffalo, Swamp Deer and the endangered freshwater Ganges River Dolphin as well as a good number of Tigers. Its birdlife is exceptional (with well over 500 species recorded), making it a birder’s paradise! Kaziranga can be combined with the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and any of the other national parks of the region, amongst them Manas, Namdapha and Nameri, while an extension to the Sunderbans (the world’s largest mangrove environment) is definitely well worth considering.

Accommodation in Kaziranga National Park

Diphlu River Lodge

Details

Leopard, India shutterstock_1235950798.jpg

Tadoba-Andhari is relatively little visited but is currently the best place in India to see Tigers, as well as such other sought-after mammals as Leopard, Sloth Bear, Gaur and Dhole. Its 625 square kilometres lie in the Chandrapur District of Maharashtra and protect a habitat of tropical dry deciduous forest, largely made up of Teak and bamboo, bisected by the Andhari River. It is reputed to support a population of up to 40 Tigers and, as well as abundant prey species such as Common Langur, Sambar and Spotted Deer, such animals as Jungle Cat and Chousingha (the Four-horned Antelope) may also be seen, as well as an abundant birdlife. Tadoba-Andhari is only two hours by car from Nagpur and works well in combination with Pench, Satpura and Kanha National Parks.

Accommodation in Tadoba-Andhari National Park

Svasara Lodge

Details

Mottled Wood Owl (juv.), India shutterstock_746331352.jpg

Satpura National Park is the most spectacular and peaceful of central India’s Tiger Reserves and a Naturetrek favourite. Though classic ‘Tiger country’, the Tigers here are not habituated to people due to the lack of tourism and are consequently shy and difficult to see. This tranquil reserve, set in the heart of rural India, is serviced by two of the best wildlife lodges in the country, both providing a quality wildlife experience unmatched elsewhere. While a Tiger sighting would be a real bonus, other special mammals such as Leopard, Dhole, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Indian Giant Squirrel and even Blackbuck are frequently encountered. Best of all, in Satpura you are not limited to jeep safaris for your exploration of the park’s diverse habitats. Jungle walks with an expert naturalist guide (not permitted in any other Tiger Reserve in India) are a particular highlight, while exploration of the area’s bird-rich wetlands by canoe or motorboat is a must for keen birders, allowing exceptional views of Indian Skimmers, Bar-headed Geese and a wealth of terns, waders and wildfowl. The traditional jeep safari is still the best way to see Satpura’s larger mammals, and such special forest birds as Grey Junglefowl, Red and Painted Spurfowl, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Blue-bearded Bee-eater and Tawny-bellied Babbler. Also night-drives in the buffer zone are another treat – the rare Rusty-spotted Cat, Jungle Cat, Common Palm and Indian Civets, Eagle Owl and Mottled Wood Owl are among the target species.

Accommodation in Satpura National Park

Reni Pani Lodge

Details

Lying towards the southern end of the Satpura Hills and cloaked in extensive tracts of southern moist deciduous forest and extensive, dry deciduous teak woodland, Pench is a rugged and beautiful park thought to have been the inspiration for Kipling’s ‘Jungle Book’. Designated a Tiger Reserve in 1992 as part of the ‘Project Tiger’ initiative and covering 758 square kilometres, Pench is just a 2-hour drive from Nagpur airport and is a handy starting point for any wildlife tour of central India. Tiger sightings are a little harder to come by in Pench, but if Tigers aren’t the only reason for your visit, you’ll enjoy the introduction to the country’s wildlife that Pench provides. The southern boundary of the park, around the Pench River dam, is a great spot for waterbirds and also such mammals as Sambar and Spotted Deer, Gaur, Nilgai and Golden Jackal. Mammal species that require more luck and patience to see include Dhole, Sloth Bear and Leopard. Tigers are best viewed here during the hot summer months between March and May when the forest vegetation is at its least dense and mammals are concentrated around limited pools of water.

Sloth Bear, India shutterstock_1225872823.jpg

Set on a plateau in the Maikal range and encompassing 1,945 square kilometres, Kanha is one of India’s largest and finest national parks. It offers a wide variety of habitats, including Sal and mixed deciduous forest as well as large tracts of bamboo, but it is the park’s grassland meadows that allow for such excellent viewing of its wildlife and, in particular, its Tigers. Small pools and a perennial lake provide drinking sources year-round for the animals, of which the resident population of the hard-ground race of Swamp Deer is particularly noteworthy as it occurs nowhere else in the world. While Tiger sightings remain the main draw, a wide variety of other interesting mammals may be seen here including Gaur, Wild Boar, Golden Jackal and, with luck, Leopard and Dhole (Indian Wild Dog). Sloth Bear and two of India’s lowland antelopes – Chousingha and the beautiful Blackbuck – also occur here and may be seen with a slice of good fortune. Raptor sightings are good and will likely include Black-shouldered Kite, Crested Serpent Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Shikra and a variety of vultures. The park is accessed by jeep from either the Kisli or Mukhi gates, with accommodation available at either. Nagpur is the main access hub and it’s easy to combine time here with other Tiger Reserves – Bandhavgarh to the north, Pench and Satpura to the west and Tadoba to the south.

Accommodation in Kanha National Park

Shergarh Camp

Details

Green tea plantations, Munnar, Kerala, India Shutterstock 360721544

In contrast to the north of India the south is tropical and humid. The state of Kerala, or ‘God’s own country’ as it’s often known, is particularly inviting and, while it doesn’t have the palaces and forts of the north, its friendly people, cultural heritage of Cochin, spice gardens, tea plantations in Munnar and coconut-lined canals are a relaxed addition to any Indian wildlife adventure. Kerala is also one of the Indian destinations best suited to families. It is a great place to enjoy a few days on the beach if relaxation is part of your holiday plans.

View Map

View key locations on the map.

Sample Itineraries

This itinerary takes you straight to the heart of Tiger country. A perfect itinerary for the nature lover.

Day

Depart UK

Days

2 - 3

Pench Tiger Reserve

Days

4 - 7

Kanha National Park

Day

Nagpur

Day

Depart Mumbai

9 Days (Flight Inclusive)

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Optionally Extend Your Holiday:

Option 1 – spend time in the scenic and beautiful Kaziranga National Park

Day

Kolkata

Days

9 - 12

Kaziranga National Park

Day

Kolkata

Day

Depart Kolkata; arrive UK

Option 2 – we can arrange Kerala extensions based on your requirements, so you might like to spend a few days in Fort Cochin and a few days relaxing at Marari Beach, or you might prefer to head to Munnar for walks and birding in this refreshing tea-growing region.

The Essentials

Wildlife Guides

Good local naturalists are available at all our selected lodges and wildlife camps. However, should you require an expert naturalist or ornithologist guide to accompany you throughout your holiday, we will be happy to arrange this.

When to Visit

India’s central parks open in mid-October and remain open until late June. The monsoon rains mainly occur in July and August (though trans-Himalayan areas such as Ladakh remain dry). The best time to visit in terms of Tiger sightings is between February and April, when the vegetation is less dense and all mammals are found within the vicinity of more limited drinking pools. The months of May and June are also extremely good for Tiger sightings, but temperatures are particularly high. The period from November to January is rewarding (especially for cultural excursions), but not quite so good for mammal sightings; however, it offers clear air and the best weather conditions, and the parks are lush and at their scenic best at this time.

Why Naturetrek Tailormade?

A Naturetrek Tailormade holiday allows you, with the benefit of our wildlife travel expertise and destination experience, to enjoy the perfect private wildlife holiday – one that truly matches your requirements, expectations and ambitions. We will ensure the most competitive prices, superb naturalist guides and seamless ground services.

Some of the benefits of Naturetrek Tailormade travel include:
• A bespoke itinerary which is crafted by experts and designed specifically for you
• Private guiding by the very best local naturalists
• Travel with people you know, at your own pace
• Incorporate as much culture, history or relaxation time as you wish
• Choose dates to suit you
• Select your preferred style of accommodation
• Travel with families and children of any age

Furthermore, our Tailormade team are always on hand to help and guide you along the way, with friendly advice, first-hand knowledge and inside information specific to your destination of choice. So if you have any queries about your holiday, we will be delighted to answer them. Please just give us a call!