16 Days - Ultimate India Wildlife Tour

Welcome to India! You'll be met at Delhi International Airport by our local staff and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay, ahead of your early departure for Satpura the next morning.

Fly to Bhopal, where you'll be met on arrival and driven to Satpura. Your accommodation, Forsyth Lodge, is a small eco-friendly wildlife retreat set in 17 hectares of reclaimed jungle at the edge of Satpura Tiger Reserve. The lodge features independent cottages built from cob, offering simple yet comfortable stays with excellent views of the landscape. Unlike other parks, Forsyth Lodge isn’t solely focused on tigers, ensuring a quieter and more meaningful wildlife experience.

Established in 1981, Satpura National Park covers 524 square kilometres of rugged, hilly terrain with sandstone peaks, deep gorges, waterfalls, and dense forests. The park's flora includes over 1,300 species of plants, such as sal, teak, bamboo, and medicinal herbs. Its diverse fauna includes Indian bison (gaur), sloth bears, several species of deer, four-horned antelope (chausingha), nilgai, wild dogs, wolves, hyenas, and rhesus macaques. Unusual species for central India, like the Malabar giant squirrel and mouse deer, can also be spotted here. Smaller mammals include Indian civets, palm civets, Indian porcupines, Bengal foxes, black-naped hares, jungle cats, and rusty spotted cats. Satpura National Park is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to over 300 species of birds, including hornbills, peafowl, and various migrant waterfowl like bar-headed geese, pintails, and ruddy shelducks. Birds of prey such as black eagles, rufous-bellied eagles, shahin falcons, Bonelli’s eagles, and mountain hawk eagles are often sighted, adding to the park's rich biodiversity.

Today, head into the heart of Satpura National Park for a range of wildlife experiences. Satpura offers several ways to spot wildlife and birds, including jeep safaris, canoe rides, and walking safaris, and how you choose to explore this region is entirely up to you.

Jeep safaris, led by expert naturalists, run early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and at night, providing chances to spot nocturnal species like owls, civets, and rusty spotted cats, as well as leopards and sloth bears. In contrast, a canoe safari on the Denwa River is ideal for birdwatching and photography. With three-man canoes, you can glide through bays and inlets to spot sandpipers, red-wattled lapwings, cranes, herons, stilts, and various types of kingfishers. You might also see marsh mugger crocodiles sunning on the banks or animals stopping to drink.

In addition, Satpura is one of only two protected forests in India that allow walking safaris. These are led by a naturalist and a tracker in small groups, usually at dawn. Before setting off, you’ll be given a quick safety briefing on what to do if you encounter wildlife, such as a curious sloth bear.

Spend another day exploring Satpura National Park with game drives and wildlife activities. When you’re not on safari, relax at your accommodation – take a dip in the eco-friendly pool with minimal chlorine or unwind on a planter’s chair at your cottage. For those new to wildlife travel, consider joining a fun and interactive course with Forsyth’s naturalists. Running for about 2 hours each day between safaris, it covers jungle skills like species identification, tracking, and nature photography.

If you wish to extend your stay, the lodge offers excursions to Pachmarhi, the highest point in the Satpura Hills, known for its unique flora and fauna. You can also take a scenic two-day hike on the Forsyth Trail to or from Pachmarhi.

Take a train to Jabalpur, a great way to experience India’s vast rail network. You’ll be met on arrival and driven to Kanha, a journey of about 4 to 5 hours.

Kanha National Park, established in 1955, is the largest in Central India, covering 1,940 square kilometres. Known for its lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows, and ravines, it served as the setting for Kipling’s Jungle Book. While Bandhavgarh National Park has a higher concentration of Bengal tigers, Kanha is renowned for its older and larger fauna and its stunning landscapes.

Kanha is home to around 22 species of mammals, including the barasingha (swamp deer), which has uniquely adapted to hard ground. Other commonly seen animals include the stripped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pig, chital (spotted deer), sambhar, and black buck. Less frequently spotted are tigers, Indian hare, dhole (Indian wild dog), barking deer, and gaur (Indian bison). The park also hosts Indian foxes, sloth bears, striped hyenas, jungle cats, panthers, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, porcupines, and wolves. The park's birdlife is equally impressive, with around 300 species recorded. Common sightings include cattle egrets, pond herons, black ibises, common peafowl, crested serpent eagles, racket-tailed drongos, hawk eagles, and various flycatchers. Other notable birds include woodpeckers, pigeons, doves, parakeets, babblers, mynahs, Indian rollers, white-breasted kingfishers, and grey hornbills.

Despite the focus on tigers in other parks, Kanha’s diverse wildlife and beautiful landscapes offer a well-rounded and unforgettable wildlife experience.

Spend the next two days exploring Kanha National Park, with the option of early morning and late afternoon safaris. Forest Department guides lead visitors along designated routes that offer excellent opportunities to spot a wide range of wildlife. Birdwatchers will find plenty to admire both on safari and around the lodges, which are conveniently located near the park. Many of the better lodges have in-house naturalists, some of whom specialise in birds.

In addition to game drives, some lodges offer guided nature walks and visits to local villages, allowing you to experience more than just the park’s wildlife.

Spend another day enjoying game drives and wildlife activities in Kanha. A lovely way to end your stay is with a late afternoon safari to Bamni Dadar, known as Sunset Point. This is one of the park’s most picturesque spots, offering stunning views and a chance to watch a spectacular sunset before you leave. Offering panoramic views of the park's expansive grasslands and dense forests, Bamni Dadar is a haven for photographers and nature enthusiasts. The area is frequented by various wildlife species, including sambar, gaur (Indian bison), and the four-horned antelope, often seen grazing in the open meadows.

Travel to Jabalpur today for your flight to Delhi. On arrival, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay, ahead of your departure for Kaziranga the following morning.

Head to the airport this morning for your flight to Guwahati. On arrival, you'll be met and driven to Kaziranga, a journey of about 5 hours. Your stay is at the eco-friendly Diphlu River Lodge, set on the banks of the Diphlu River overlooking Kaziranga National Park. The lodge is designed to blend naturally with the forest surroundings, featuring individual cottages built from bamboo and wood with thatched roofs. The cottages are tastefully furnished with local items and artefacts, providing a comfortable and authentic stay.

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spans around 430 square kilometres in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River. The park's diverse landscape includes vast grasslands, dense tropical forests, interconnecting streams, and numerous small lakes. Home to the world’s largest populations of Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephants, Kaziranga also supports about 35 other major mammal species, including 15 of India’s threatened mammals. Commonly sighted animals include water buffalo, swamp deer, hog deer, barking deer, sambar, wild boar, hoolock gibbons, leopards, and sloth bears. The park also has the highest density of tigers in India, though the thick vegetation can make them hard to spot. Reptiles such as the Assam roofed turtle, water monitor, Indian python, common cobra, and king cobra can also be found here. Kaziranga is also a paradise for birdwatchers, with over 400 species recorded, including the rare Bengal florican. The park's many water bodies attract thousands of migratory birds from as far away as Siberia, making it a must-visit for nature enthusiasts.

Spend the next two days exploring Kaziranga National Park with experienced guides and park rangers. You can take early morning and late afternoon safaris in open-top 4×4 jeeps. At some point during your stay, set out on a unique forest walk. This two-hour guided walk allows you to appreciate the finer details of the park's ecosystem that you might miss in a vehicle.

The lodge offers a range of activities beyond wildlife viewing, which can be tailored to your interests. Visit the homes of local Bodo, Mising, and Karbi tribes for an insight into their way of life. You can also explore a nearby tea garden to see how tea is grown, plucked, and processed amidst pristine natural surroundings. For a more hands-on experience, help a mahout bathe a domesticated elephant in the cool waters of the Diphlu River. Alternatively, take a guided walk through lush rubber forests, scenic landscapes, and local villages to see how rubber is produced. For a change of pace, you can go on a daylong boat safari on the Brahmaputra River, with the chance to spot river dolphins along the way.

Spend another day enjoying game drives and wildlife activities, or simply unwind in the peaceful surroundings. Relax in one of the comfortable cane chairs on your cottage veranda, a perfect spot for birdwatching. You could also take a picnic lunch by the riverbank and end the day with a lively dance performance, followed by a bonfire and a delicious barbecue dinner.

Transfer to Guwahati today for your flight to Kolkata. On arrival, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay, ahead of your departure for Bangalore and Nagarhole the following morning.

Kolkata, known for its colonial architecture and vibrant cultural scene, is a city that offers a fascinating blend of history and modernity. If you have time, you might like to explore some of its landmarks, such as the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, or the bustling markets of New Market and College Street. Kolkata's street food, including kathi rolls and puchkas, is also worth trying. Spend a relaxing evening at your hotel, preparing for the next leg of your journey to Nagarhole, known for its rich wildlife and scenic landscapes.

Head to the airport for your flight to Bangalore. On arrival, you'll be met and driven to Nagarhole National Park - a scenic 5.5-hour drive through plantations of ginger and lemongrass and charming villages.

Nagarhole National Park covers 645 square kilometres of lush forests, steep valleys, waterfalls, and streams, making it one of Karnataka’s most popular wildlife destinations. The park is home to herds of elephants, gaur, chital, sambar, barking deer, sloth bears, langurs, leopards, tigers, and crocodiles, as well as over 270 species of birds.

Your stay is at The Serai, a secluded and peaceful retreat featuring individual cottages and villas along the banks of the Kabini River, with the dense Nagarhole forest on the opposite side. It’s not uncommon to hear animal calls and the trumpeting of elephants passing by the resort, adding to the sense of being immersed in nature.

Spend a full day enjoying the resort and taking part in two jeep safaris - one early in the morning and another in the late afternoon - led by experienced drivers and naturalists.

The resort also offers other nature-based activities, such as a coracle ride on the Kabini River, where you can spot aquatic birdlife, crocodiles, and other wildlife along the water's edge. You might also like to spend some time in the watchtower, observing a variety of animals as they come down to the waterhole. For a taste of local life, take a bullock cart ride to a nearby village, where a guide will share insights about the crops and the villagers' way of life. You can even stop by a tribal home for a cup of tea or coffee with the locals. If you're feeling active, consider a 3-hour cycle ride along trails with stunning mountain views.

​Spend another day immersing yourself in the rich biodiversity of Nagarhole National Park through game drives and various wildlife activities. The park is renowned for its substantial populations of Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, and Asiatic elephants, offering ample wildlife viewing opportunities. Alternatively, you might choose to indulge in a rejuvenating Ayurvedic treatment at the resort's spa, relax in a hammock, or simply enjoy the serene views of the Kabini River and the surrounding forest from your private veranda. Conclude your stay with a magical lantern-lit dinner on the riverbank, enveloped by the sounds of the wilderness.

We hope you enjoyed your wildlife tour of India! Depart Nagarhole today for the drive to Bangalore and flight home, or onward travel to your next destination.