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Golden Triangle India Holidays Delhi Taj Mahal Jaipur Rajasthan Tigers

Tiger Safari in India Holiday: Bandhavgarh + Panna + Taj Mahal + Jaipur + Khajuraho

India: Golden Triangle + Bandhavgarh + Panna + Khajuraho
Tiger Safari In India Holiday Bandhavgarh Panna Taj Mahal Jaipur Khajuraho
14 NIGHTS FROM:
$3,642
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights quoted separately
IPL14D
• India Holiday
• Delhi
• Taj Mahal, Agra
• Sloth Bear Reserve
• Amber Fort, Jaipur
• Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
• Jeep Safaris
• Panna National Park
• Khajuraho Temples
• Tiger Safari In India

This tiger safari in India & cultural holiday is ideal for wildlife & photography, as it combines the key sights of the Golden Triangle with two of India's famous tiger reserves - Bandhavgarh and Panna. On this holiday you will also visit the magnificent Taj Mahal, Old & New Delhi, the 'pink city' of Jaipur & the amazing tantric temples at Khajuraho. English speaking city guides, private jeep safaris & sightseeing included.

Day 1
You will be met at Delhi Airport and transferred to your hotel in this ancient capital of kingdoms and empires that is now a sprawling metropolis.
 
Delhi's strategic location was one of the main reasons why successive dynasties chose it as their seat of power and today it is a conglomerate of seven cities. The division between the old walled city and New Delhi marks a division in lifestyles, with the old city retaining its past traditions whilst New Delhi strives to match the pace of the 21st century.
Day 2
Today enjoy a full day private tour of modern New Delhi and the 17th century walled city of Old Delhi, which came to prominence when Shah Jahan moved his capital here from Agra.
 
In Old Delhi enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through 300-year old Chandni Chowk market, a maze of lanes crowded with noisy shops selling an extraordinary variety of items and foods, and past the Jama Masjid (or Friday Mosque), the largest in India, and drive past the imposing walls & battlements of the Red Fort, once the most opulent palace in the Mughal Empire. We continue to the Raj Ghat - the simple but moving memorial on the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated.
 
In the afternoon our tour of New Delhi starts with a visit to the Qutub Minar, an ancient victory tower built of red sandstone and marble in 1199 and still the tallest minaret in India. With its imposing cylindrical towers and surrounding ruins, it is today a World Heritage Site. Our next stop is Humayun's Tomb, the beautiful mausoleum of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, that inspired the Taj Mahal.
 
We drive along the Rajpath - the capital's broadest avenue - where you will see the imposing arch of the India Gate war memorial, Parliament House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential residence built for the Viceroy of India, and the government buildings on Raisina Hill.
 
Note: The Red Fort is closed on Mondays.
Days 3 To 4
This morning we drive 3.5-hours from Delhi to the ancient city of Agra, set along the banks of the Yamuna River and originally the capital of the Mughal Empire.
 
Along the way we visit the Agra Bear Rescue Centre. This facility provides sanctuary to over 200 orphaned and distressed sloth bears, including many rescued dancing circus bears.
 
Afterwards we continue to Agra, which is world renowned as the home of the Taj Mahal - that great symbol of love built by emperor Shah Jahan in the 16th century as a memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal.
 
In the late afternoon, visit the Mehtab Bagh Gardens that are located across the river from the Taj Mahal, to enjoys your first views of this magnificent edifice at sunset.
Day 5
This morning we leave Agra and travel 1-hour to the magnificent red sandstone royal city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by the emperor Mohammad Akbar as the capital of the Mughal Empire. The city was abandoned due to water shortage, when the capital was moved north to Delhi, and in more recent years the fort has provided a dramatic backdrop to several famous films.
 
We then drive 4-hours to Jaipur which is the capital of Rajasthan. Check into your hotel in this chaotic and colourful "Pink City" that is home to over 3 million people.
 
Note: At Fatehpur Sikri there is a short transfer from the car park in a local bus, that will be very full and will not be air-conditioned.
Day 6
Today enjoy a full day tour of the city of Jaipur, which has been declared a World Heritage Site due to its cultural heritage.
 
Our first stop is to view the magnificent Hawa Mahal (the "Palace of the Winds") designed in the form of the crown of the Hindu god Krishna. This five-storey frontage looks like a bee's honeycomb with 953 small windows, each decorated with intricate latticework so that the court ladies living in secluded purdah could watch royal processions, without being seen themselves. Built of red and pink sandstone, it is particularly striking early in the morning when lit by the sunrise.
 
We continue to the imposing Amber Fort - another World Heritage Site. This magnificent royal palace was built from pale yellow & pink sandstone and white marble and is divided into four main sections, each with its own courtyard. You will enter via the main courtyard (Jaleb Chowk), where returning armies would display their war booty and women could view them from the veiled windows of the palace. Once inside explore the amazing Palace of Mirrors and Hall of Public Audience.
 
After lunch (own account) we visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory, the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world and also a World Heritage Site. It is the best preserved of five observatories built by Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur. It has 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition.
 
Our day finishes with a visit to the nearby City Palace, the former Royal Residence part of which is now a museum. One of the major attractions here is the armoury with its impressive array of pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and daggers used by the Maharajas of Jaipur. The Textile and Costume Museum on the first floor is another fine display, with items from all over India.
Day 7
This morning you have the opportunity to enjoy an Elephant Interaction, spending 2 to 3-hours up close and personal with Asian elephants cared for by a mahout family.
 
You can touch and help feed them and learn about elephant decoration, medicines and treatments, before taking a walk with the elephants into the village. During the summer you can also see them being washed.
 
The balance of your day is free to explore Jaipur with your guide.
 
In the evening enjoy the unique experience of dining with a local family, where you will taste spicy Rajasthan food and gain insight into their lifestyle, with different generations living under the same roof.
 
Note: If you would like to take a gift for your hosts, we suggest flowers. Avoid edible items, because of varying religious and dietary restrictions.
Day 8
At leisure to explore more of the city of Jaipur with your driver providing your transport. You can walk through the old walled city, explore its many bazaars and shop for textiles.
 
Alternatively enjoy an optional Market Tour with a cooking demonstration by a local chef, or an optional elephant interaction.
 
You can also take an optional morning or afternoon jeep safari in Jhalana Wildlife Sanctuary, which is known for its leopards, or visit the town of Sanganer known for its textiles and paper prints (pay entrance fees locally).
Day 9
Transfer to Jaipur Airport to your flight to Delhi and connecting flight to Jabalpur.
 
Here you will be met and transferred 4-hours to Bandhavgarh National Park - once the hunting reserve of the royal family of Rewa and today one of the most famous tiger reserves in the world. Covering 168 sq miles (437 sq km) of bamboo, grassland and deciduous forests in the Vindhya Hills of Madhya Pradesh, this reserve is where the amazing white tigers were discovered.
 
On arrival check into your lodge situated near this famous wildlife sanctuary.
Days 10 To 11
This morning is devoted to the wildlife of Bandhavgarh National Park on a private jeep safari.
 
Early morning is the best time to track tigers and other wildlife, but be aware that it is extremely difficult to find tigers in the jungle and sightings are never guaranteed. Best viewings are generally at the end of the dry season (March to May, although it is extremely hot from April onwards), when the tigers search out the waterholes - but you need to take at least 4 game drives for a good chance of a sighting.
 
In the afternoon return to the park for another private jeep safari before dinner. There are many bird species as well as mammals such as sloth bears, langur monkeys, wild boars, wild dogs, mongoose and three types of deer - chital, sambar and barking.
 
Note: You will need to take a copy of your passport with you to enter the national park. Please note that we have no control over the driver and vehicle allocated to you, as this is done by the local park authorities according to a rota. In the winter months wear warm clothes, including woolly hats and gloves to protect you from the wind chill in your open vehicle.
 
This tiger reserve is closed every Wednesday afternoon, when only a morning game drive is offered. The park is also closed during the Holi & Diwali festivals, as well as during the monsoon season (July to early October).
Day 12
Rise early this morning for a private jeep safari in Panna National Park.
 
In the Indian epic, Mahabharata, it is said that Pandava brothers visited the waterfalls near the forest that is now Panna National Park, upon being exiled. The Pandav Falls and Caves remain a beautiful spot where the pristine white-foam water flows towards the nearby Ken River.
 
The park’s fauna include tigers, leopard, nilgai, sambar, sloth bears and more than 200 different species of birds including the king vulture, blossom-headed parakeet, peregrine falcon and peacocks. On a boat ride down the Ken River you may see ferocious crocodiles basking in the sun.
 
Early morning is the best time to track tigers and other wildlife, but be aware that it is extremely difficult to find tigers in the jungle and sightings are never guaranteed. Best viewings are generally at the end of the dry season (March to May, although it is extremely hot from April onwards), when the tigers search out the waterholes - but you need to take at least 4 game drives for a good chance of a sighting.
  
In the afternoon return to the park for more private wildlife viewing before dinner.
 
Note: You will need to take a copy of your passport with you to enter the national park. Please note that we have no control over the driver and vehicle allocated to you, as this is done by the local park authorities according to a rota. In the winter months wear warm clothes, including woolly hats and gloves to protect you from the wind chill in your open vehicle.
 
This tiger reserve is closed every Wednesday afternoon, when only a morning game drive is offered. The park is also closed during the Holi & Diwali festivals, as well as during the monsoon season (July to early October).
Day 13
Rise early this morning for another shared jeep safari in Panna National Park.
 
Afterwards transfer 1-hour to Khajuraho for a half day private tour of its magnificent ancient hand-carved temples, built between 950 and 1050 AD and whose murals depict the life and times of the Chandela Rajputs.
 
We start with the Western Group of temples, which contain the largest and loveliest temples of the area. Of this group, the Kandariya Mahadev temple dedicated to Shiva is the most perfect. With its elaborate spire and bands of beautiful carvings, it represents Chandela art at its best. It shares a high terrrace with the older and simpler Devi Jagadamba temple.
 
Next we tour the Eastern Group of Hindu and Jain temples. These divine sculptures are a tribute to life, embodying the sublime and spontaneous whilst also celebrating erotic life.
 
Note: You will need to take a copy of your passport with you to enter the national park. Please note that we have no control over the driver and vehicle allocated to you, as this is done by the local park authorities according to a rota. In the winter months wear warm clothes, including woolly hats and gloves to protect you from the wind chill in your open vehicle.
 
This tiger reserve is closed every Wednesday afternoon, when only a morning game drive is offered. The park is also closed during the Holi & Diwali festivals, as well as during the monsoon season (July to early October).
Day 14
Today transfer 5-hours to Jabalpur Airport for your flight to Delhi.
 
You will be met at Delhi Airport and transferred to your hotel situated near the airport.
Day 15
Transfer to Delhi Airport for your flight home.