Luxury India Tiger Safari

Welcome to Delhi, India's capital and a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis, which successfully combines in its folds - the ancient with the modern. Amidst the fast spiraling skyscrapers the remnants of a bygone time in the form of its many monuments stand as silent reminders to the region's ancient legacy. The first impressions for any visitor traveling in from the airport are of a specious, garden city, tree-lined with a number of beautiful parks.

Upon arrival you will be met and escorted to your hotel.

Your morning exploration of Old Delhi begins with a visit to the Red Fort, a symbol of Shah Jehan's Mughal power and elegance, also known as the greatest wonder of all the cities of Delhi.

India's history has been closely linked with this fort. It was from here that the British deposed the last Mughal ruler - Bhadur Shah Zafar, marking the end of a three - century long Mughal rule. It was also from its ramparts that the first prime. Minister of India, Pandit Jawharlal Nehru, announced to the nation that India was free from colonial rule. Your tour continues with a visit to India's largest mosque Jama Masjid, originally known as 'Masjid-I-Jahan-Numa', meaning 'The mosque with a commanding view of the world'. This mosque was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan and was completed in 1656.

Continue onto Raj Ghat, a simple square platform of black marble found on the banks of the Yamuna, at the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated following his assassination on 31st January 1948. The memorial has the epitaph He Ram, (literally translated as 'O' Ram', but also translated to 'O God'), believed to be the last words uttered by Mahatma Gandhi.

This afternoon you will explore 'Lutyens' Delhi or New Delhi. Drive through the city viewing the government buildings, President's House and Parliament House. Also Visit India Gate and drive past the government buildings. Built as an imperial capital by the British, all the main buildings, designed in the 1920's by the British architects Lutyens and Baker, remain today.

At one end of the avenue known as the Rajpath (literally the 'King's Way') is the War Memorial Arch, better known as India Gate, a memorial to the 90,000 Indians who gave their lives in World War I. As you drive along the majestic Rajpath - the broadest avenue of Delhi - our first views encompass the enormous Secretariat buildings with their 1,000 rooms and miles of corridors, and the Parliament House, a huge circular building in red and grey sandstone with an open colonnade extending around its circumference. At the other end stands the Rashtrapati Bhavan, one of the largest and most grandiose of the Raj constructions, built originally for the British Viceroy and now the official residence of the President of India.

Continue to Humayun's Tomb. Emperor Humayun, the father of Emperor Akbar, lies buried in this magnificent monument built in red sandstone. Haji Begum, Humayun's first wife and mother of Emperor Akbar designed and supervised the entire construction. Her design was way ahead of the times and is the basis for the design of the famous Taj Mahal, built almost a hundred years later!

Your tour ends with a visit to Qutab Minar, India's tallest stone tower. At a height of 234 feet, the 'Tower of Victory' is considered by some to be the world's most perfect specimen of tower architecture. A mathematical marvel, this building has remained standing for eight centuries. Another important monument within the complex is the Quwwat ul-Islam Mosque, literally translated as 'The Might of Islam'. Though today the mosque is in ruins, it is believed that twenty-seven Jain temples were destroyed and their materials reused to construct the monuments of the complex.

This morning transfer to Delhi airport for your flight to Jabalpur. Upon arrival you will proceed to Bandhavgarh National Park. Situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh National Park is a 448 km2 renowned tiger reserve. Nestled among the picturesque Vindhya and Satpura ranges, this is one of India's most beautiful national parks. The dramatic landscape features tropical forests and woodlands, and steep rocky hills with flat grasslands in the valleys below. An ancient 2,000 year old fort, 10th century statue of Lord Vishnu, and the dense Sal jungle combined with the grasslands make Bandhavgarh one of the most extraordinary parks in India.

Bandhavgarh supports one of the highest densities of tigers on the Subcontinent. Its hilly open terrain includes many large grassland meadows that offer good chances of sightings. The density of its big cat population has made Bandhavgarh world famous. The Park is also home to a large variety of mammals: leopard, chital (spotted deer), Sambar deer, nilgai, wild boar, chinkara, sloth bear, rhesus macaque, grey langur, jungle cat, hyena, porcupine, jackal, fox, and wild dog.

Enjoy pre-booked game drives at the reserve.

A great day to discover the beautiful jungle of Bandhavgarh National Park and enjoy pre-booked game drives at the reserve.

This morning proceed by land transportation to Kanha National Park. The magnificent forest tract of Kanha National Park straddles the two districts of Mandla and Balaghat in the Central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. These areas have enjoyed protection since 1879 as a reserve forest, subsequently being declared a National park in 1955 and a Tiger Reserve in 1973. This region used to be a part of 'Gondwana', or land of the Gond tribe which still inhabit the region. The Baiga are the other prominent tribe living here. Located on the Maikal Hills of the Satpura range; Kanha constitutes the classic landscape of the Central Indian highlands with gently sloping hills, misty dense forests and river valleys. Kanha National Park is one of the largest parks in the country spreading over 2000 square kms. These jungles are prime tiger habitat and are a conservation success story for Barasingha or the hard ground swamp deer. From about 60 individuals or so in the 1960's to over 750 deer in the recent census, the Barasingha are back from the brink of extinction.

Sunlight dappling through towering sal trees and grasslands filled with limpid pools, Kanha brings to mind the raw wilderness of the African veldt. India’s most famous and handsome jungle can be found deep inside Madhya Pradesh, in the heart of tiger territory.

Enjoy pre-booked game drives at the reserve.

After breakfast, depart from Kanha National Park.