Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
| country: | India |
| location: | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kanha, Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec 2009: 16 Jan, 30 Jan, 13 Feb, 27 Feb, 13 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr |
| price: | From £1565 - £2145 (17 days) including flights from the UK, from £1159 - £1349 excluding flights. Local payment £70, single supplement £210 |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Immortalised by The Jungle Book, Northern India is home to many National Parks, each with a unique character, and which provide numerous species with a safe haven. On this trip we visit three tiger parks and the bird sanctuary at Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and enjoy some magnificent wildlife in its natural environment. Each park sustains a healthy tiger population, and the abundance of prey animals and birdlife make for a fascinating spectacle. Ranthambore, the former hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Jaipur, now also boasts large numbers of sambar, chital and nilgai.
The park includes a number of lakes and pools where deer and other local fauna congregate including leopard, hyena, jackal, sloth bear and marsh crocodile. Kanha is one of India's most spectacular and exciting parks, covering a horse-shoe shaped valley with grasslands and forests teeming with varieties of deer, monkey & wild pig. Langurs, wild boar, water fowl and the 'hard ground' barasingha can also be seen.
Fascinating to watch, they are also prey to the elusive tiger. Bandhavgarth, one of the smaller and least visited National Parks, enjoys an impressive setting with a stunning cliff-top fort overlooking grasslands, birch forests and bamboo that provide cover for the indigenous wildlife. True tiger country, these parks are ideal for viewing both predator and prey. Tigers are regularly spotted in each, and by visiting all three our chances of seeing this magnificent beast are greatly increased. Away from the parks we sample the extraordinary culture of the region as we visit the temples of Khajuraho with their erotic carvings and the impossibly romantic Taj Mahal.
Cricket
For over a year we have worked with Friends of Conservation in heavily sponsoring the local school in Tala, adjacent to the school in Bandhavgarh. They are also involved in equipping the anti-poaching patrols. To celebrate this there will be two cricket games/festivals, during the early afternoons of two days while we are there. We will be sponsoring this but it would be great to have some decent players as well. It will not be an overly serious affair for some but for the people of Tala and the pupils of the school this is a huge event, in the first year over a thousand supported, there was massive coverage in India and in the UK papers – The Independent (5 pages), the Times and Telegraph – It will be covered by the Sunday Times in ’09.
The games will be played in the school grounds and should be very special occasions, extremely well supported again. This should not put non-cricketers off (though it is a religion in India, despite their appalling World Cup) and the main purpose of the tour is tigers, but it should be a memorable distraction for players and spectators alike, oh yes, and I don’t fancy losing again for the fourth time (Paul). The games are organised so that no game drives are missed. Probably a Twenty/Twenty International one day game following ICC rules.
The park includes a number of lakes and pools where deer and other local fauna congregate including leopard, hyena, jackal, sloth bear and marsh crocodile. Kanha is one of India's most spectacular and exciting parks, covering a horse-shoe shaped valley with grasslands and forests teeming with varieties of deer, monkey & wild pig. Langurs, wild boar, water fowl and the 'hard ground' barasingha can also be seen.
Fascinating to watch, they are also prey to the elusive tiger. Bandhavgarth, one of the smaller and least visited National Parks, enjoys an impressive setting with a stunning cliff-top fort overlooking grasslands, birch forests and bamboo that provide cover for the indigenous wildlife. True tiger country, these parks are ideal for viewing both predator and prey. Tigers are regularly spotted in each, and by visiting all three our chances of seeing this magnificent beast are greatly increased. Away from the parks we sample the extraordinary culture of the region as we visit the temples of Khajuraho with their erotic carvings and the impossibly romantic Taj Mahal.
Cricket
For over a year we have worked with Friends of Conservation in heavily sponsoring the local school in Tala, adjacent to the school in Bandhavgarh. They are also involved in equipping the anti-poaching patrols. To celebrate this there will be two cricket games/festivals, during the early afternoons of two days while we are there. We will be sponsoring this but it would be great to have some decent players as well. It will not be an overly serious affair for some but for the people of Tala and the pupils of the school this is a huge event, in the first year over a thousand supported, there was massive coverage in India and in the UK papers – The Independent (5 pages), the Times and Telegraph – It will be covered by the Sunday Times in ’09.
The games will be played in the school grounds and should be very special occasions, extremely well supported again. This should not put non-cricketers off (though it is a religion in India, despite their appalling World Cup) and the main purpose of the tour is tigers, but it should be a memorable distraction for players and spectators alike, oh yes, and I don’t fancy losing again for the fourth time (Paul). The games are organised so that no game drives are missed. Probably a Twenty/Twenty International one day game following ICC rules.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Delhi. Afternoon train to Ranthambore. |
| Day 3-4: | Explore the park by jeep; optional visit to ancient forts, temples and villages. |
| Day 5: | To Bharatpur. Explore bird sanctuary by cycle rickshaws. |
| Day 6: | Dawn visit to bird sanctuary; to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri, 16th century Moghul capital. |
| Day 7: | Morning visit Red Fort & Taj Mahal; free afternoon; overnight train to Jabalpur. |
| Day 8: | To Khana N.P. |
| Day 9-10: | Explore the park by jeep and on elephants. |
| Day 11: | To Bandhavgarh N.P. |
| Day 12-13: | Explore the park by jeep and on elephants. |
| Day 14: | Drive to Khajuraho. |
| Day 15: | Visit temple complexes; to Jhansi; evening train to Delhi. |
| Day 16: | Free day sightseeing in Delhi. |
| Day 17: | Fly to London. |
travellers' tales
The excitement of seeing Tigers in the wild, was wonderful, we did not expect to be able to get as close as we did on the elephant, and each sighting was as exciting as the last... we were only yards away from a male Tiger and its Sambur kill. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.award winner
This tourism business won an award in our 2004 Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical, Magazine of the Royal Geographical Societyhow this holiday makes a difference
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The world's tiger population has reached critical levels, poaching, population pressures and deforestation have left an indelible mark on their precarious numbers, only through tourism and conservation will the greatest predator be saved. We are delighted to be helping in this manner, firmly believing that getting small groups of tourists into the game parks to enjoy sightings of this extraordinary cat is the best way to ensure their survival.
The 'Land of the Tiger' tour is two weeks long and, unlike many other tours of India which just touch on the game reserves, spends the majority of the time in the comparatively tiger rich areas of Kanha, Bandhavgar and Ranthambore with visits to Khajaraho, Delhi and Agra also. No wildlife experience on earth (except perhaps going toe to toe with the endangered mountain gorillas) can compare to a sighting of these noble beasts. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |