Tigers, Leopards & Sloth Bears
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Overview
Central India wildlife tour is a fantastic treat for nature lovers and anyone else with a passing interest in the adventure. It conjures up an incredible variety of experiences, least of all the chance to spot tigers, leopards, sloth bears, bison and crocodiles within a range of stunning environments.
This tour will take you to the four best national parks in the world to see wild tigers and other animals. Bandhavgarh, infused with history and the highest density of tigers globally, makes the perfect destination to see tigers. With its rich biodiversity, Kanha offers a chance to see a tiger and other animals. The dry deciduous forest of Pench is the original setting of the Jungle Book, with a thriving tiger and leopard population. The tour’s final leg will take you into the realms of nature to the lesser-known Satpura National Par, known for tiger, leopard, sloth bear and Indian giant squirrel and a host of activities to explore the beautiful landscape on foot, in a canoe or through jeep.
Aside from the wildlife, India is blessed with a bounty of ancient sites of interest, with the UNESCO-listed Bhimbetka cave paintings providing a fascinating finale to this fabulous India wildlife tour.
Highlights
- Big cat safari tours in India’s most prestigious tiger reserves with excellent chances of seeing sloth bears, leopards and other wildlife alongside the slinking figure of Shere Khan himself.
- Explore Central India’s best-regarded jungle regions, which are known to be the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book.
- Take a guided tour of Satpura Tiger Reserve either on foot, by boat or through a jeep safari.
- Experience an array of chances to go bird-watching and embark on nature photography trips.
- Find out more about the 30,000-year-old cave paintings within the cave shelters of Bhimbetka.
- Enjoy comfortable and well-equipped luxury safari camp accommodations.
- Tailor-make the tour to suit your exact wishes as the tour can also be combined with the golden triangle to see Jaipur’s mighty fort and beautiful palace to the magnificent Taj Mahal.
Location
Itinerary
From New Delhi catch a morning flight to Jabalpur in central India. You will be met at the Jabalpur airport and transferred to Bandhavgarh. Five hours drive will take you through rural environs of central India. At Bandhavgarh you will be staying in a comfortable lodge on the edge of the reserve. Drain the day’s exhaustion with hot or cold beverage and retire early to begin tomorrow’s adventure in the park.
Please note: If your international flight timing does not allow to catch flight to Jabalpur, we can easily arrange a hotel for you to send a night or have some rest.
Wake up early and set out on a game drive on 4×4 in search of the world’s most elusive cat. World renowned Bandhavgarh is known for its high tiger density and thus offers the best chance to see tigers in the wild. Wildlife includes the spotted deer or chital, sambar deer, wild boar, barking deer, blue bull, Indian gazelle, Indian bison, langur monkey and rhesus macaque. Leopard, sloth bear and wild dogs can also be seen here along with Indian jackal and fox. The main focus will be searching for tigers and thinking everything else that comes along the way.
Bandhavgarh has a rich history. The remnants of the past can be sill seen here. The place has been named after the fort which is in the center of the park on a hill. Sadly, it is not open to tourist but few places such as Sheshaiya can be visited where a gigantic one-piece reclining Vishnu statue can be seen. Bandhavgarh hill offers many crevices for endangered vultures to nest. Keep a look out for Indian vulture, white-rumped vulture and migratory but rarely seen cinereous vulture.
Explore tigers and other wildlife of Bandhavgarh in morning and evening game drive.
The day starts early in Bandhavgarh. You will be given a wake-up call with tea/coffee and biscuits to awaken your senses. Then, head out into the jungle in an open 4×4 jeep with a park guide searching for the world’s most elusive cat – tiger and other wildlife of Bandhavgarh. Breakfast will be carried along to enjoy in the designated spots in reserve.
The Reserve is named after the highest hill Bandhavgarh (807 m.), in the centre of the Reserve. Wildlife includes the spotted deer or chital, chinkara, wild boar, sambhar, muntjac and nilgai. In more significant numbers, other animals in reserve include three species of mongoose, rhesus macaque, Indian bison or gaur and the delightful palm squirrel. Common Langurs are also plentiful. Two hundred forty-two species of birds have been identified in Reserve. The most commonly seen are the peafowl, red jungle fowl, grey hornbill, red-wattled lapwing, crested serpent eagle, white-breasted kingfisher and lesser adjutant stork.
Bandhavgarh is one of the best national parks in the world for tigers. Few return without seeing this most magnificent of animals and largest of the big cats over a three or four-day stay. The park’s biggest draw is its unparalleled opportunity to observe and photograph tiger behaviour for sustained periods. Tracking the known individuals by territory and movement, the extraordinarily skilled guides and drivers yield intimate photo opportunities and unique insights into the public life of the enigmatic big cat.
After the morning safari, relax at the lodge until the late afternoon safari. Alternatively, explore the park’s periphery on foot or by bicycle, engaging with local villagers and observing diverse bird species. Spend two more nights indulging in morning and afternoon jeep safaris, in search of tigers and other wildlife.
After easy morning travel west to Pench Tiger Reserve (4 hours), the forest inspired Rudyard Kipling. On route, you will see some Indian birds, typically black kites, laughing and spotted doves, rose-ringed parakeets, little swifts, little green bee-eaters, black drongos, and a variety of shrikes, mynas, bulbuls and babblers. You are also likely to see cheeky roadside rhesus macaques.
Arrive at Pench in the afernoon and check into your camp to relax amidst its natural setting. It is well placed in the buffer zone of the park. Ethnically designed in keeping with the native culture, the camp showcases a rustic jungle theme making it a unique holiday getaway.
Named after the Pench river, the reserve spans over 700 sq. km of tropical dry deciduous forest dominated by teak trees. The Pench Reservoir serves as the primary water source, attracting diverse birdlife, especially during winter. Renowned for its high herbivore density, Pench hosts a variety of ungulates such as spotted deer, sambar, blue bull and the majestic Indian bison, along with apex predators like tigers, leopards and wild dogs. With 39 mammal species, 13 reptile species, and over 200 bird varieties, Pench is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts.
Spend an adventure-filled day here with morning and evening game drives searching for birds, the elusive leopard, wild dog and tiger or just relaxing and watching your lodge’s local wildlife.
Start early after breakfast depart for Satpura Tiger Reserve, which is about 7 hrs drive. The route circles the Mahadeo hills and will take you through the forests and winding ghats, all combined to make some of the most breath-taking landscapes of Central India.
Your destination is the luxurious jungle Lodge, which has set the benchmark of high standards in Indian wildlife circles. The lodge is beautifully located on the jungle’s edge, where deers, leopards, and other animals often pass. Lodge also has a local expert masseur and you can enjoy a rejuvenating massage under the forest canopy.
Satpura National Park, nestled in the Satpura mountain range, stands as a unique and diverse biosphere reserve offering exceptional wildlife viewing experiences. Home to a variety of major mammal species, including the gaur, sloth bear, and Asian wild dog, tiger and Indian giant squirrel. In addition, sambar, chital, muntjac, nilgai, blackbuck, wild boar, rhesus macaques, common langurs, marsh mugger crocodiles, and even the elusive chousinga may also be seen, while Indian skimmer, bar-headed goose, grey junglefowl, both red and painted spurfowl, Malabar pied hornbill, blue-bearded bee-eater, river tern and tawny-bellied babbler are amongst Satpura’s avian specialities.
Satpura’s secluded location and low tourist numbers contribute to its tranquil atmosphere, ensuring a natural and undisturbed habitat for its inhabitants. The park offers a range of activities, from guided walks through designated paths to boat safaris on the Tawa reservoir, providing opportunities to encounter wetland wildlife. Night drives unveil a different world, with sightings of nocturnal species like palm civets, Indian foxes, and various owl species.
Enjoy two full days of exploration, including boat/canoe rides, jeep safaris, night drives, and forest walks.
Today after last morning’s jungle activity, bid farewell to Satpura and drive to Bhopal (four hours). Pause south of Bhopal to see the extraordinary cave paintings at Bhimbetka. The paintings at this UNESCO site are believed to be up to 30,000 years old. You will have a guided tour for about an hour visiting numerous cave shelters that contain paintings from different eras. Although it is a World Heritage site, interestingly, you might find you are the only tourist there.
From Bhimbetka, continue to Bhopal airport to catch a flight to New Delhi.
After morning safari drive to Nagpur city (4 hours) to catch flight to New Delhi or any other cities for your onward journey. Nagpur is well connected with many metro and big cities of India with flights plying almost on daily basis. Please contact us for more flight details.
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