Central India Temples & Tigers

Arrive in Mumbai. On arrival at Mumbai airport, we provide assistance and transfer you to your hotel. Later, we set out on a guided city tour of one of the world’s great cities – a hub of Bollywood and finance with vibrant nightlife, excellent dining, modern malls and striking architecture.

We visit the Gateway of India, built to commemorate the visit of King George V in 1911, and the excellent Prince of Wales Museum. From here, we stroll through the historic Colaba district to admire its impressive Gothic Victorian architecture, then continue to Malabar Hill for far reaching views over the city. We end the day at the colourful Dhobi ghats, where traditional laundrymen collect, wash and return the city’s linen. Overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to the airport for the flight to Nagpur. On arrival, meet your driver and continue by road to Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve (about 100 km – 2 hours) for a stay of two nights.

This is the largest national park in Maharashtra, a landscape of dense sal and mango forest interspersed with bamboo thickets. Set in the Moharli Hills, it also features rich wetland habitats, with Tadoba Lake at the heart of the reserve. You can spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the resort.

Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve. After breakfast at the resort, we set out on a morning jeep safari. Less visited than its better–known neighbours, the reserve teems with life and is home to tiger, panther, leopard and jackal, alongside chital, antelope, nilgai and sloth bear.

Wetland areas support a sizeable crocodile population, and more than 195 bird species and 74 butterfly species have been recorded here. Later, we venture back into the park on an evening jeep safari to experience the forest as it shifts towards dusk. Lunch, dinner and overnight at the resort.

Tadoba – Pench (210 km – approx. 4 hours). After breakfast at the resort, we set out on a morning jeep safari in Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve.

After lunch, we drive to Pench Tiger Reserve, a landscape of teak forest, meandering rivers and open grassland at the foot of the Satpura Range. On arrival, we check in at the resort for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast at the resort, we explore Pench Tiger Reserve with a knowledgeable naturalist, taking in its extraordinary variety of vegetation and wildlife.

Alongside tiger, the park is home to leopard, jackal and Indian wild dog, while chital, sambar and nilgai are commonly seen, as are gaur and the forest dwelling sloth bear. Birdlife is a highlight – more than 250 species have been recorded. Lunch and dinner are included at the resort, where you stay overnight.

Breakfast at the resort, then we head out on a morning jeep safari in Pench. After lunch, we drive 200 kilometres – approximately 4 hours – to Kanha and check in at the resort. The reserve is characterised by bamboo, rolling grasslands and dense forest. Dinner and overnight at the resort.

Kanha National Park. After breakfast at the resort, we explore the park on morning and evening safaris to appreciate Kanha’s landscapes, set within a section of the Satpura Range.

Wildlife here includes tiger, bison, leopard, jackal, wild boar, sambar, Indian swamp deer and blackbuck, with rich birdlife—over 230 species have been recorded. Lunch and dinner are at the resort—overnight at the resort.

After breakfast we head out on a morning jeep safari in Kanha. After lunch we drive to Bandhavgarh – about 280 kilometres and approximately 6 hours by road – and check in at the resort.

The reserve is characterised by open meadows and grasslands threaded with small streams, with extensive sal and mixed forest. We have dinner at the resort and stay overnight.

After breakfast at the resort, we explore Bandhavgarh National Park with an expert naturalist. Renowned for one of India’s highest tiger densities, the park also shelters leopard, sloth bear, sambar, chital, barking deer, gaur and nilgai.

Birdlife is rich – look for hornbill, crested serpent eagle, partridge, variable hawk eagle and parakeet among many species. Lunch and dinner are included at the resort, where we stay overnight.

After breakfast at the resort, we head out on a morning jeep safari in Bandhavgarh. After lunch, we drive to Khajuraho – roughly 230 kilometres, around five hours – and on arrival we check in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast we spend the morning at Khajuraho’s UNESCO World Heritage temples, exploring the intricately carved shrines created by the Chandela dynasty in the 11th–12th centuries, including their renowned erotic sculpture.

Later we transfer to Khajuraho Airport for the flight to Varanasi. On arrival in Varanasi we are met and driven to the hotel. In the evening we visit the ghats and nearby temples and attend the Holy Ganga Aarti – a daily ceremony on the river. Overnight at the hotel.

We begin before dawn with a serene boat ride along the Ganges, passing the ghats as devotees bathe and pray. After breakfast at the hotel, we set out on a guided city tour to visit Banaras Hindu University, Ramnagar Fort Palace and selected temples.

In the afternoon we drive to Sarnath – one of Buddhism’s holiest sites – where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. We explore the temples here, which represent different Buddhist traditions, before returning to Varanasi for the evening. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for the flight to Delhi. On arrival, we meet you and drive to the hotel. Later, we explore Old Delhi with a guide, navigating its network of lanes, homes, bazaars and mosques, and visiting Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, the Red Fort and Raj Ghat – a memorably, beautifully chaotic part of the city.

In the afternoon we continue into New Delhi, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, to see Rashtrapati Bhawan, Rajpath and India Gate, and we also visit Qutab Minar and Humayun’s Tomb. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we arrange your transfer to Delhi airport in line with your flight schedule – you then board your onward flight.