This fabulous 11 day Indian adventure visits a few incredibly special areas in the north and centre of the country where wildlife is abundant with mammals, birds and some impressive reptiles. In addition the architectonic jewel of the Taj Majal complements an exciting tour.
Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian Palm Civet, Jungle Cat, Nilgai (Blue Bull), Spotted Deer, Golden Jackal, Indian Grey Hornbill, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Painted Stork, Spot-billed Duck, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Changeable Hawk-eagle, Indian Courser, Little Pratincole, Indian Skimmer, Dusky Eagle Owl, Brown Hawk Owl, Long-tailed Nightjar, Brown-capped Woodpecker, Rufous Woodpecker, Coppersmith Barbet, Scarlet Minivet, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Gharial, Mugger Crocodile, Indian Python.
The Indian subcontinent embraces an enormous range of habitats extending from the spectacular peaks of the Himalayas in the north, through forests, lakes and deserts to the moist Nilgiri hills in the south of the country where the shoreline is lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
India is an exciting destination in other respects. The abundant archaeological reminders of the country’s extraordinary history and the fascination of becoming immersed into a completely unique and complex culture are reasons enough to visit India. However, for anyone interested in natural history the attractions of an India wildlife holiday are simply too great to resist.
India is known as the kingdom of the Tigers, with a significant amount of birding and other mammal watching too! We visit some of the most productive Tiger Reserves to maximise your experience, and include one internal flight as well as an overnight during a train trip to make travel easier. Josele J Saiz will be assisted by local naturalist guides. The holiday is timed for early October because Tigers are more active, though at this time vegetation is high, and the midday heat is less of a problem than earlier in the spring. It may be harder to spot tigers, but the scenery is fantastic, with flowers blooming and trees blossoming, this truly is a great time to visit. The birdlife during this time is second to none and if you are a keen birder, travelling at this time is a must! Sightseeing also includes the impressive Taj Majal.
Day 1:- Arrive Delhi in the morning. Time permitting we might be able to arrange a visit to the Sultanpur Jeel wetlands. These seasonal lakes can be fabulous for waterbirds and an excellent way to start our Indian adventure. Nilgai are regular here and can be seen at the side of the water along with a host of bird species which could include Tawny and Eastern Imperial Eagles, Painted and Black-necked Storks, Spot-billed Duck, Garganey, White-tailed Red-wattled Lapwings, Citrine Wagtail, Greater Flameback and Black Drongo, to name but a few. Around lunchtime we shall return to Delhi and check into our hotel. Night in Delhi.
Day 2: - After an early breakfast we will drive to Bharatpur, a journey of approximately five hours, you must know how chaotic Indian traffic can be. Check in at our hotel, after lunch we will visit the gardens of the hotel, which on previous visits has produced Brown Wood Owl, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Greater Painted Snipe and Barred Button-quail. Overnight in Bharatpur.
Days 3&4: - Most of these two days will be spent inside Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, also known as Keoladeo National Park. We shall walk the paths and trails that cut through this vast area and you should see Sarus Crane, Painted Stork, Open-billed Stork, Spot-billed Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck, Bronze-winged Jacana and many other species. At least three species of owl can be seen in scrub/forest areas and along the tracks; Dusky Eagle Owl, Spotted Owlet and Collared Scops Owl along with Long-tailed Nightjar, Black-rumped Flameback, Indian Golden Oriole and Orange-headed Thrush. The second day will first involve another visit to the National Park, this time to the drier areas on the north side. In these grassland you’ll look for Indian Silverbill, larks, pipits and hopefully see the flamed coloured Red Avadavat. Also expect to see some mammals too, including Nilgai, Spotted Deer and possibly Golden Jackal. In the afternoon we will head out of town to an area of agricultural fields where we hope to find the absolutely gorgeous Indian Courser amongst other dry land species such as Ashy-crowned Finch Lark, Indian Bushlark and Paddyfield Pipits.
Day 5:- After early breakfast we’ll leave with our guide and packed lunch for a morning boat trip along the River Chambal at Dholpur. Target species for us include the charismatic and very localised Indian Skimmer, Small Pratincole, Greater Stoneplover, Indian River Tern, Pallas’s Gull, Black Ibis, various larks, pipits and perhaps even a Crested Bunting. In addition you should get close views of Gharial (a scarce fish-eating crocodile) along with its more widespread cousin the Marsh Crocodile (Mugger) and if you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of the rare Ganges Fresh River Dolphin. Then after an early lunch you’ll be taken to the nearby historic city of Agra to visit the one of the world's most famous buildings - The Taj Mahal. Late afternoon we drive the short distance to Agra Train Station before boarding the overnight train to Jabalpur. You’ll be provided with all you need for a unique experience. Overnight on a 1st class air-conditioned sleeper train.
Day 6:- Arrive at Jabalpur station early morning and head to our hotel in Jabalpur for breakfast . After breakfast we will need few hours travel to Kanha. Check in at your safari lodge, have lunch and then enjoy an afternoon birding around the resort at Kanha NP where we expect to see Golden-fronted Leafbird, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Jungle Owlet, Indian Grey Hornbill, Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker and Common Langur Monkey to name just a few candidate species. Overnight in Kanha.
Days 7,8,9,10:- Enjoy the splendour of Kanha National Park on morning and afternoon safaris each day. Home to the ultimate jungle predator, the Bengal Tiger, close-up views of this feline is an unforgettable experience. As well as Tiger, Kanha is an excellent place for Gaur, Swamp Deer, Wild Dog and Jungle Cat. Sloth Bear and Leopard are occasionally seen, but require more luck! Whilst it would be inappropriate to guarantee a sighting of any wild animal, your chances of seeing Tiger here are high. When a Tiger is located in cover away from the trails, it is often possible to transfer from your jeep to an elephant to increase your chance of a close encounter. Here in Kanha birds are abundant and species include Scarlet Minivet, Red Avadavat, Orange-headed Thrush, Verditer Flycatcher and Plum-headed Parakeet. Species come in all shapes and sizes, from the elegant Asian Paradise-flycatcher and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo to the rather ugly yet eclectic Lesser Adjutant stork and the impressive Changeable Hawk-eagle. Silhouetted against the sky hornbills are prominent with both Indian Grey and Malabar Pied possible, the latter of which is near-threatened. As you turn a corner you might come across Red Spurfowl or Red Junglefowl along one of the forest trail. If we have seen Bengal Tiger and most other mammals and birds we may use our jeep to explore some of the areas outside of the park.
Day 11:- Spend a final few hours having a last look around the lodge area . Then later in the morning we will be taken to Nagpur Airport to check in for an early evening flight back to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi we’ll collect our bags and will head for our last meal at a hotel near the airport before checking in for our international flight home.
