Big Five Safari Tour of India - 12 days
- Visit three premier Tiger parks in India
- Visit Kaziranga National Park – UNESCO world heritage site & home to one-horned rhino
- Elephant back safari is Kaziranga optional
- Search for tigers in 4WD vehicles with expert naturalist driver
- No shared game drive vehicles.
- Long distance travel private Vehicles with individual captain seats.
- Private Transfers
- Stay in boutique eco-friendly award winning lodges
Detailed Itinerary
Day by Day
ARRIVE DELHI – get amazed by diversity, culture, incredibility.
Get Amazed by Diversity, Culture, Incredibility
Meet and greet on your arrival in Delhi. You will be received by an airport staff at the aerobridge. He will then assist you through the immigration and baggage. You will then be greeted by our company representative, as you walk out of the airport. He will accompany you to the car and transfer to your hotel close to the airport.
Overnight at Roseate House – Deluxe Room
DELHI / JABALPUR / BANDHAVGARH –to top tiger reserve
To top Tiger reserve in India
After an early breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the domestic airport to board flight for Jabalpur.
Arrive at Jabalpur and drive about 4 hrs to Bandhavgarh National Park.
Bandhavgarh is a relatively small park 448 Square kilometres but is a vital stop for serious tiger safari. As it has the highest density of tigers nearly one for every 5 square kilometre in the area open to tourism. This forest has an ancient history, which is entwined with that of the kings of the Rewa dynasty. Steeped in legend, these forests gave the world the progenitors of all the white tigers alive today. Forests of Bandhavgarh is one of the most scenic in India. Rugged rocky hills, lush deciduous forests, marshes fed by perennial springs and vast grasslands.
Overnight at Kings Lodge – Cottage
BANDHAVGARH – Adventure Begins
Adventure begins!
Early morning assemble for tea / coffee and then set off for a game drive by open top 4WD exclusive vehicle accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist who sometimes is also the driver besides the local park guide.
Afternoon game drive by 4WD exclusive vehicle accompanied by lodge naturalist.
Overnight at the lodge.
BANDHAVGARH / KANHA – to Kanha the Ngorongoro of India.
To Kanha, the Ngorongoro of India!
Today you will drive about 5 hours to Kanha National Park.
Kanha National Park is one of Asia’s premier wildlife park. In 1973, it was included among the first park under Project Tiger. The Park’s spectacular sal and bamboo forests, interspersed with grasslands, ravines and hills, offer unparalleled opportunities to photograph Indian wildlife. This forest was once a popular hunting spot of viceroy of India. Now, it’s the last refuge of the rare hard ground Swamp Deer or Barasinga, the twelve horned deer.
Evening go on a guided nature walk through the lush greenery might throw up surprises, of birds and bird sounds you never experienced before.
Overnight at Kanha Earth Lodge – Bungalow
KANHA – On safari
On safari in Kanha
Early morning assemble for tea / coffee and then set off for a game drive by open top 4WD exclusive vehicle accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist who sometimes is also the driver besides the local park guide.
Afternoon game drive by 4WD exclusive vehicle accompanied by lodge naturalist.
Overnight at the lodge
KANHA / NAGPUR / KOLKATA – overnight in the ‘City of Joy’
Overnight in the city of joy – Kolkata
After a leisurely breakfast, drive to Nagpur airport(265 kms, 5.5 hours) to board flight for Kolkata.
Meeting and assistance on your arrival at Kolkata airport and transfer to the hotel close to the airport.
Overnight at The Westin Kolkata – Guest Room
KOLKATA / JORHAT / KAZIRANGA – to finest wildlife refuges in the world.
To one of the finest wildlife refuges in the world
After breakfast at the hotel, morning transfer to the airport to board flight for Jorhat.
Arrive at Jorhat airport and transfer to Kaziranga National Park (100 Kms, 2 hours).
Kaziranga National Park – This park is a UNESCO world heritage site. The history of Kaziranga as a protected area can be traced back to 1904, when Mary Victoria Leiter, the wife of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, visited the area. After failing to spot a rhinoceros, for which the area was renowned, she persuaded her husband to take urgent measures to protect the dwindling species. Kaziranga’s one-horned rhino at over a thousand, the largest concentration in the subcontinent are best seen from the back of an elephant, early in the mornings.
Overnight at Diphlu River Lodge – Cottage
KAZIRANGA – Home of the one horned Rhino
Home to one-horned Rhino
Morning at sunrise enjoy game viewing elephant back. There is an organized elephant safari by the park authorities for duration of an hour at sun rise.
Morning & afternoon game drive by 4WD jeep accompanied by local naturalist.
Kaziranga will add Rhino, Elephant & Wild Buffalo to the list of Big 5.
KAZIRANGA / GUWAHATI / DELHI / DEPARTURE – Until Next Time
Until next time
After breakfast, drive to Guwahati airport (220 Kms, 4- 4.5 hours) to board flight for Delhi.
Arrive at Delhi airport and transfer to the international airport to board flight for onward destination.
Inclusions
- Accommodation in a double share room in the hotels / lodges mentioned above
- Breakfast at the hotels in Delhi
- All meals at the jungle lodges in Bandhavgarh, Kanha & Kaziranga
- Arrival & departure transfers and inter-city drives in private chauffeur driven AC vehicles
- Game drives by 4WD vehicles on exclusive basis as mentioned in the itinerary
- One elephant safari in Kaziranga
- Bottled drinking water in the car during road journeys
- All presently applicable taxes
Exclusions
Domestic Airfares
International airfares, airport taxes
Visa Fee
Camera and videography fees at monuments
Room service charges (for meals, drinks etc.)
Other meals were not mentioned in the program
Drinks/beverages were not mentioned
All international airport taxes
Hotel early check-in / Late checkout
Any activity which has not been highlighted under inclusions
Overweight luggage (Free baggage limit for the internal flights is 15 kgs check-in baggage per person and 7 kg hand baggage per person)
Personal expenses – mineral water, telephone calls, laundry, etc
Travel and health insurance
Tips & gratuities
Supplement costs applicable for travel during peak periods like festivals, Christmas / New Year
Other services not listed in the inclusive column
On request – USD per person, based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to change. As itineraries are custom-designed for you, the final price will vary. Tour price is also based on the month of travel.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS TO PRE-BOOK GAME DRIVES IN NATIONAL PARK: Limited numbers of visitors are allowed inside the National Parks. Booking is done on first cum first serve basis. Therefore, we would request you please send us the following information at the earliest in order to enable us to book game drives or a scanned copy of the relevant pages of the passports.
Wednesdays – Bandhavgarh and Kanha National parks are closed for afternoon safari on Wednesdays. We can arrange alternate activities like a village visit, nature walks, cycling, visit a weekly tribal market in place of a safari on Wednesday afternoon.
July to September – National parks closed for rainy reasons.
Travel Insurance: Protect your travel booking – We recommend travel protection insurance. Between missed connections, lost or delayed luggage, or medical emergencies, you want some peace of mind that your travel investment is well protected. No matter who you buy from, please consider purchasing a travel protection plan before you travel.