India Photography Safari with Paul Goldstein

Bring your camera to capture an unforgettable journey into the tiger-ruled lands of Bandhavgarh National Park

Join Paul Goldstein, passionate conservationist and expert behind the lens, on a photo safari in Bandhavgarh National Park. The setting could not be better: the reserve is home to leopards, sloth bears, jungle cats, wild pigs and up to 150 bird species. But the stars of the adventure (apart from Paul, of course) are the 60 to 70 tigers that roam this relatively compact national park.

This trip is all about taking the time to not only see incredible wildlife but to capture once-in-a-lifetime images. Along the way, Paul will be sharing his expert knowledge on wildlife photography, while our local leader Himanshu Bagde will share his infectious enthusiasm for the wildlife of India while ensuring your trip runs smoothly.

Please note, if you are travelling on the 29 April 2024 departure, the game drive itinerary will be adjusted slightly due to the National Park being closed on Wednesday afternoons. Please see additional notes on Day 3 and Day 4 of the itinerary.

People, Places & Planet

Back in 2020, Exodus Travels’ expert guide, award-winning wildlife photographer and conservationist, Paul Goldstein aimed to raise £100,000 over two years for the protection and conservation of the endangered Bengal tigers by running both the London and Everest marathons in his iconic 14ft Bengal tiger suit. This was fully supported by the Exodus Travels Foundation.

Due to travel restrictions with the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul postponed his marathons to 2021/2022. He has now completed the Brighton Marathon in September 2021, the London Marathon in October 2021 and, for his grand finale, travelled to Nepal to complete the gruelling Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon on 29 May 2022.

We are thrilled to confirm that to date, Paul has raised a remarkable £305,600, achieving his fundraising target and more due to the incredible generosity of so many friends, clients and Exodus Travels Foundation supporters – thanks to each and every one of you who has donated.

Money raised so far

All donations are going towards rebuilding and equipping two schools neighbouring Bandhavgarh National Park. By providing well over 1,000 children with an education effectively underwritten by conservation, this initiative highlights to the surrounding communities the benefits of their striped neighbours and contributes to the protection of tigers from poachers.

Despite delays to the building work caused by lockdowns in India, our partners have already built the protective boundary walls around both schools and installed solar water pumps, supplying schools with clean drinking water. They have also constructed school kitchens and toilets and planted hundreds of saplings in the school grounds. For more information about our sustainable travel, please visit: www.exodus.co.uk/sustainable-travel

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, Exodus supports the TOFTigers’ campaign to protect biodiversity and restore habitats across India’s national parks through the wise use of sustainable tourism.
• Exodus will donate £25 for every passenger travelling on this itinerary to support the TOFTigers campaign to protect biodiversity and restore habitats through sustainable tourism.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Visa

India

To avoid possible problems at immigration, make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.

Travellers from the UK, US, CA and EU normally need a visa to enter India. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/india
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/india
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/India.html

Travellers eligible for an e-visa, which includes those from the UK, US, CA and EU, can apply at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.

For more information on applying for your Indian Visa/eVisa, please click on this link: Indian Visa Information

Vaccination

India

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

You will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of a polio vaccination may also be required by some travellers. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Additionally, dengue, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, is a known risk in India. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approximately 6,560ft (2,000m), there is little risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips above 9,840ft (3,000m), there is a risk of being affected by acute mountain sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the Trip Notes for further information.

Eating and Drinking

Eight breakfasts and eight dinners are included

As breakfast at the park is taken after the morning safaris and afternoon tea is provided on some days, most people find they don’t need lunch. However, there is a restaurant at the resort serving a variety of options – allow around 410-800 rupees (US$5-US$10) per day for lunch. If you are a vegetarian, India is probably one of the best destinations to travel to with a wide range of dishes on offer.

Please note, there are usually some non-spicy curries at the national park, but these are in limited supply. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large) bottle of beer is approximately 410 rupees (US$5). Mineral water is widely available.

Weather

April-May is the ideal time to visit. Days are normally warm to hot (sometimes very hot) and nights cool or mild with little or no rain. Evenings can be surprisingly cool, so bring something warm as well as a sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.

Is this trip for you?

This trip has been rated Activity Level 1 (Leisurely). This is not a physically demanding adventure; however, there are very early morning starts (4.30am/5.30am, for example) on consecutive days as this is the best time to spot tigers. You will, however, have a minimum of three to four hours between morning and afternoon safaris to relax at the resort (with the exception of the full-day safaris).

Animal sightings: We expect you to enjoy several tiger sightings on this trip. However, the wildlife is free-roaming and unpredictable; therefore, we cannot guarantee which animals you will see. Some days may feel long and uneventful on your search for the elusive tiger but the sightings you do have are always an exhilarating reward.

Drives: The 4x4s used in the national park are simple and often require you to step up into them and step down from them. On the game drives, we navigate bumpy tracks for most of the day and this can be uncomfortable for some after a long day in the vehicle.

Game drive regulations

The following guidelines and conditions apply to all bookings:

1) We cannot guarantee the operation of any departure until we have the necessary game drives secured. Our aim is to secure game drives from a variety of gates/zones as per the itinerary, but this is subject to availability. The date at which we book the game drives will vary depending on when the booking system allows us to do so for your departure. If we are unable to secure the game drives and have to cancel the trip, you will receive a full refund.

2) It will sometimes be possible to book clients onto the trip after the game drives have been booked; however, large supplements (additional costs) are likely to be incurred. If we have made initial game drive bookings for a departure, we may need to wait until we have further clients ready to book before we can secure an additional jeep.

3) We must provide a list of client names and passport details at the time of booking each game drive. Once game drives are booked, name changes are not permitted. This means that you cannot change or swap jeeps during the trip.

4) It is vital we have your correct passport details at the time of booking. If you end up travelling on a different passport, it is imperative you carry your old passport, or a photocopy of it, with you. If this isn’t possible, you need a letter from the passport agency regarding the change of passport, specifying the details of the old passport and the details of the new passport issued.

Photography permit requirements

The three full-day game drives include photography permits. To secure these, we must submit a few good-quality sample photographs in high resolution to the national park from each jeep on the permits. These photographs should be with the date and times confirmed as having been taken during the photography safaris in the park. Therefore, everyone travelling on this trip must be willing to submit sample photographs to the tour leaders before leaving Bandhavgarh. The leaders will assist in collecting photographs.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.