India : Best of North India with Tigers

Delhi - the vibrant capital of India attracts tourists from all over the world due to its phenomenal atmosphere, fascinating history and rich culture. The 1000 year old city boasts an array of magnificent monuments and temples which are some of the finest sights in India. Any visit to the city will go incomplete without a visit to its bustling markets which are perfect for picking up exotic gifts and bargains.

When you arrive at the airport in New Delhi you will be received by a representative who will then take you to the luxurious hotel you will be staying in.

Overnight stay in New Delhi.

After breakfast drive to Jaipur, 260kms, 5 hours drive, on arrival check into hotel.

Jaipur is the pink city of Rajasthan. Broad avenues and fairytale palaces of sun bleached pink stone spread out beneath the imposing silhouette of the Amber Fort.

Overnight stay in Jaipur.

In the morning you will experience an unforgettable elephant excursion to the Amber Fort, which perches on a hill. On this journey you will drive past the Hawa Mahal - a facade built for the ladies of the royal household in the 19th century which is known popularly as the Palace of Winds.

The awe-inspiring Amber Fort was the capital of the former State of Jaipur until 1728. The fort boasts halls of Public and Private Audience, a Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) and various marble palaces which are marvelous examples of ancient Rajput architecture. The Temple of Amba (Mother Goddess), the patron deity of the Royal family is at the entrance to the palace. You will have an unforgettable journey on your elephant ride which ascends the hill on which the majestic fort is situated.

In the afternoon you will return to the town visiting the City Palace en route. The breathtaking former royal residence is built in a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal styles and houses a museum - which has a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes and armoury of the Mughals and Rajputs, including swords of different shapes and sizes with ornate handles. It also boasts an art gallery which has an excellent collection of miniature paintings, carpets, royal paraphernalia and rare astronomical works in Arabic, Persian, Latin and Sanskrit. Also visit the Jantar Mantar - an astrological and astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th century, which is extremely remarkable for its accuracy - even in the present times.

Overnight stay in Jaipur.

Morning. Drive to Ranthambhore National Park which is one of the best places to see wild tigers in the world. The crumbling ruins of the park’s past glory are spread throughout its landscape and the old fort dominates the horizon. Once inside the forest with an English speaking naturalist it is clear that despite man’s attempts to master the landscape the true rulers of Ranthambhore are the tigers.

Dinner and overnight stay at resort

Morning & Evening drives in the park with breakfast, lunch, dinner and an overnight stay in the resort. During the day you can visit the famous Ranthambhore Fort (12 kms. from the Resort) which is unique because it is the only fort not visible from a long distance. The fort is a massive enclave and is quite high.Mughal Emperor Shah Alam gifted it to Sawai Madho Singh I of Jaipur in 1754 AD, and since then it was maintained as the private hunting preserve. Much later Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh were part of the Royal Hunting, who stayed here too before the Archaeological Department took over the fort in 1964.  It is a truly spectacular and unique Rajput Fort.

The majestic fort is 1578 ft from the sea level and 750ft from ground, the total area of it is about 7 miles and there are three big artificial lakes at the front. There is no drive way up to the fort, just the stairs.

Overnight stay at the Tiger Den Resort.

Morning : Visit the Bharatpur Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary by cycle rickshaws (who are very capable naturalists and drive from the wilderness of the forests to the places of historic significance ). Our next visit is to Fatehpur Sikri - An exquisite city built in red sandstone by Akbar the Great in 1569, its forts, palaces and mosques were abandoned 14 years after its creation due to political reasons. There are many sights to see in the city including: The Diwan-i-am - a vast courtyard where the emperor gave daily public audience; Diwan-i-khas - a large quadrangle which held all the major functions of the palace, the Pachisi Court and the emperors private living quarter. Jodha Bhai’s Palace, Mariam’s Palace, Birbal’s Palace, Hawa Mahal and Panch Mahal are also some of the important buildings of this residential complex. The Friday Mosque and the exquisite tomb of Sheik Salim Chisti are in the religious grounds which are set aside, in a separate enclosure adjacent to the secular buildings.

After visiting Fatehpur Sikri you will continue to drive to Agra (49 kms). On arrival you check into another luxurious hotel. Agra is famous as the home to the Taj Mahal -one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces in Agra is a vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary Mughal Empire. Agra was their capital for nearly a hundred years from 1564. Agra is a pleasant town with a comparatively easy pace and well known for its superb inlay work on marble and soapstone, by artisans who are hereditary crafts persons. The city is also famous for its carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather shoes.

Overnight stay in Agra.

In the morning after breakfast you will explore the city Agra on a tour. Visit the Agra Fort which is a masterpiece of design and construction that was built by three Mughal Emperors starting from Akbar the Great in 1565 AD. Within the fort are a number of exquisite buildings including the Moti Masjid, Jahangir’s Palace, Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Diwane-i-Am, Diwane-i-Khas and Musamman Burj - where the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan died a prisoner.

Later we visit the iconic Taj Mahal. Built in honour of Queen Mumtaz Mahal the Taj is widely recognised as one of the seven wonders of the modern world and is one of the most magnificent, and expensive buildings ever made.The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.

Evening: take a 1st Class A/C Sleeper class overnight train to Katni (Bandhavgarh National Park) at 1850 hrs. We will organise your packed dinner for the overnight train journey. You reach the railway station at 1830hrs. Our representative will be with you when the train arrives at 1850hrs and then assist you by taking care of the porterage and making you comfortable in the train. Bedding is provided by the Indian Railways on the overnight train.

Arrival in Katni and then a drive to the Bandhavgarh National Park for a morning and afternoon game drive. Meals and overnight stay at the resort.

Morning and afternoon game drives, meals and overnight Jungle Lodge Bandhavgarh - The national park is mainly known for its tiger population and is the place where famous White Tigers of Rewa were discovered. The best way to tour the Bandhavgarh National Park is on an elephant back, which increases the chances of spotting a tiger. The other wild attractions in the park include Nilgai, Chausingha, Chital, Chinkara, Wild Boar, a Fox and a Jackal. There are at least 22 mammal species and about 250 bird species in the park. The grasslands in the park consist of chinkara (Indian gazelle), nilgai (blue bull) and chausingha (four-horned antelope) and wild boar. The dense forests contain sambhar (Indian stag), the muntjac (barking deer) and the herds of chital (spotted deer).

The other animals found in Bandhavgarh are ratel, porcupine, small Indian civet, palm squirrel, lesser bandicoot rat, the jungle cat, hyena and jackal, sloth bear, and the elusive Leopard. The reptile population in the park includes cobras, karaits, vipers, ratsnakes, pythons, lizards and turtles. The two primate species - the rhesus macaque and the Hanuman langur - inhabit the Bandhavgarh Park.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning & Evening jeep drive in the park. Overnight stay in Bandhavgarh.

Bandhavgarh has been a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000 years, there are references to it in the ancient books the Narad-Panch Ratra and the Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, the hero of the Hindu epic the Ramayana, stopped at Bandhavgarh on his way back to his homeland after defeating the demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two architects, who engineered a bridge between the isles of Lanka and the mainland are said to have built Bandhavgarh's fort. Later Rama handed it over to his brother Lakshmana who became known as Bandhavdhish "The Lord of the Fort". Lakshmana is the particular God of the fort and is regularly worshipped in a temple there.

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 Maghas 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 of Bundelkhand, who built the famous temples at Khajuraho. The Baghel Kings, the direct ancestors of the present Royal family of Rewa, established their dynasty at Bandhavgarh in the 12th century. It remained their capital till 1617 when the center of court life moved to Rewa, 75 miles (120Kms) to the north. Without royal patronage Bandhavgarh became more and more deserted until forest overran the area band it became the royal hunting reserve. This helped to preserve the forest and its wildlife, although the Maharajas made full use of their rights.

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 was brought under control and the number of animals rose dramatically. Small dams and water holes were built to solve the problem of water shortage. Grazing by local cattle was stopped and the village within the park boundaries was relocated. The tigers in particular prospered and the 1986 extension provided much needed forest to accommodate them.

Bandhavgarh is justifiably famous for its tigers, but it has a wide range of other game. The undergrowth is not as dense as in some northern terai forests. The best time to see the park inhabitants is the summer months when water becomes scarcer and the undergrowth dies back.

There are two types of monkeys common in the park, the rhesus macaque and the black-faced langur. Drives can also reveal jungle cats, hyenas, porcupines, ratels, and a variety of other mammals. Bandhavgarh attracts many migratory birds in the winter months, including the birds of prey like the steppe eagle and a variety of wildfowl.

If the early morning safari is a thriller then the late afternoon rendezvous where you get another glimpse of the tiger, the chance to watch the shadows grow taller as dusk approaches and hear the cacophony of birds grows louder in the trees, is not to be missed experience.

Morning game drive to the National park and then a drive to Khajuraho (280km /6 hrs drive). The Khajuraho temples were at the heart of the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs. They highlight 'Yoga' and 'Bhoga', union of the self with the Almighty and the path to God through physical pleasure. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1986, Khajuraho is a must-see destination and the extraordinary sculptures of beauty, love and creative arts are India's unique gift to the world.

Evening sound and light show and overnight stay at Khajuraho.

Morning: visit the Eastern and Southern group of temples. The Parsvanath temple is the Eastern group’s largest Jain temple. The themes depict everyday activities in charming detail. Also visit the Duladeo temple which is dedicated to Shiva, and the Chaturbhuj temple of the Southern group.

Afternoon: transfer to the airport to board the flight for Varanasi. ( Internal flight not included, please contact our reservations team for the price ) Leave Khajuraho for Varanasi by (1405 / 1445 hrs), you will be met on arrival at the Varanasi airport and then transferred to your hotel. Varanasi is one of India’s most important pilgrimage sites and the holiest of holy cities for Hindus. Also known as Kashi and Benaras, Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest living cities, and has been a centre of learning and culture for well over 2000 years.

Evening: Visit the “Ghats” or bank of the Ganga River, on a fascinating walk you will discover the cultural ethos that guides the life of the pious. See the rituals that take place to the setting sum and the ablutions that are performed in the river. Boats float down-stream carrying goods, fruits and vegetables - you will see others carrying the pious who perform ceremonies along the river.

On the banks or “ghats”, you will see some people absorbed in prayer and the chanting of hymns, others engaged in commerce and 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 the Re-incarnation of the Soul `in a better state’, is possible when life’s last journey is from Varanasi.

Overnight stay 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. Past these bathing ghats, see the "burning ghats" where the Hindus cremate their dead. This is done with great religious fervour which makes for a moving experience. On your return walk through the streets of the old city. 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

Late morning : Visit the BenarasHinduUniversity founded in 1916 and its famous museum - Bharat Kala Bhavan which houses one of the finest collection of Mughal miniature paintings and brocade textiles. The Bharat Mata and DurgaTemple

Later transfer to airport to board a flight to New Delhi 1440 hrs. Arive New Delhi at 1600 hrs and overnight at New Delhi ( Internal flight not included, please contact a member of our reservations team for the price )