India’s Tiger Lands

Arrive in Delhi this evening, where you are met by your private A&K representative and transferred to your hotel.

The Oberoi Gurgaon

Take to the skies for Jabalpur, where you’ll pause for a delicious local lunch before continuing overland into the jungles of Kanha National Park — India’s most famous tiger reserve and the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. With over 200 bird species, Kanha is also an ornithologist’s paradise. Settle into your tented suite where wide glass doors offer a panorama of the wilderness beyond. Relax on the deck, with stunning views of the Banjaar River.

Banjaar Tola | Meals: BLD

For the next two days Banjaar Tola will be your base as you set out on early morning and afternoon 4WD safari drives (or walks) with your expert naturalist. Among the sal and bamboo forests and grassy plains, you’ll search for the elusive Bengal tiger as your guide unravels mysteries of the jungle. You’ll see plenty of langurs, the odd gaur (Indian bison) and may also encounter chital, blackbucks, leopards, hyenas, sloth bears, barasingha, wild boar, and a lonesome jackal or two.

Banjaar Tola | Meals: BLD

After another morning safari in Kanha and an early lunch, continue overland to Bandhavgarh, nestled among the tropical forests, woodlands, rocky hills and flat grasslands of the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. Settle into your luxury cottage amid 45 acres of private forest on the edge of the national park. Keep a look out for monkeys that play and dart around the serene property, as you get ready for two days ahead exploring Bandhavgarh National Park.

Mahua Kothi | Meals: BLD

Enjoy two whole days exploring this stunning paradise with your expert naturalist. While renowned as a Bengal tiger reserve, Bandhavgarh National Park also harbours dense populations of gaurs, leopards, wild boars, Indian gazelles, common langurs, rhesus monkeys and sloth bears.

Enjoy thrilling morning and afternoon 4WD safaris, looking out for the Bengal tiger, and keep an eye on the canopy above, as your guide discusses the diversity and behaviours of exotic bird life.

Mahua Kothi | Meals: BLD

Today you’ll enjoy morning and evening game drives. For those wanting the next level of adventure, gear up for a stunning aerial perspective. A hot air balloon safari offers a completely unique experience, with even greater odds of seeing game in its natural habitat. Experience a tapestry of greens and catch wildlife unawares, while also floating over densely hidden temples from the sky (additional cost).

Mahua Kothi | Meals: BLD

Travel overland to Panna National Park, a haven to a great variety of wildlife species, such as the Bengal tiger, leopard and chinkara, and other exotic animals like chital, nilgai, sloth bear and sambar. The stunning biosphere is also home to more than 200 species of birds including the king vulture, Indian vulture and bar-headed goose. Check into your wilderness lodge, home for the next three nights, before embarking on a water safari down the gushing waters of the Ken River — lifeblood of the forest. Glimpse rare wildlife along the water banks, as you cruise the crocodile-infested waters from the safety of your boat, an adventurous yet serene way to experience the wild.

Alternatively, spend your afternoon on an A&K-exclusive meeting with a member of the nomadic Pardhi community. Learn about their incredible project to repopulate Panna National Park with the majestic Bengal tiger.

Pashan Garh | Meals: BLD

Rise early this morning for a 4WD safari into the park spotting crocodiles and keeping your eyes peeled for the elusive Bengal tiger. Learn how a successful conservation program has grown the park’s tiger population, before returning to the lodge to savour a Chef ’s Table experience. Enjoy an Indian cooking demonstration, as your lodge’s chef prepares local delicacies for lunch. This afternoon set out into the wild for another stunning afternoon safari. Tonight, perhaps take to the decking for some incredible star gazing.

Pashan Garh | Meals: BLD

Continue overland to Khajuraho, home to some of the finest temple art in the world. See Hindu stories of joy, love, divinity and war depicted across every inch of its 85 Hindu and Jain temples. This afternoon, take to the clouds again for sacred Varanasi, a city of more than a thousand temples.

Settle into your intimate palace hotel and prepare yourself for the experience of a lifetime.

At dusk, be enveloped in the unforgettable spiritual immersion of an aarti, a prayer led by saffron-robed gurus on the banks of the holy River Ganges. Hear the prayerful hymns and rhythmic drumming, smell the incense and watch hundreds of flowers and candles float downstream, as disciples sway, and lantern-bearing priests bid the gods and goddesses a restful slumber.

Nadesar Palace | Meals: B

Awaken early for a magical dawn boat-ride on the Ganges to watch devotees at prayer as the sun slowly rises. Then, set out to explore the city with your expert A&K guide, taking in its more than a thousand temples and shrines. Wander through the old town with its narrow lanes, bustling markets and vibrant temples. Step inside a traditional Akhara, a gymnasium where men of all ages practise a traditional form of wrestling known as Kushti or Pehlwani.

After time to relax, journey to the Sarnath to see where Lord Buddha is said to have preached his first sermon. Then, discover Buddhist art treasures in the Archaeological Museum before watching the talented handloom weavers creating exquisite silk Banarasi saris at a local weavers’ colony.

Nadesar Palace | Meals: B

Today your Indian wildlife adventure comes to an end. Enjoy a private A&K transfer for your onward flight.

Meals: B