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India Tiger Safari

Name: India Tiger Safari
Brand: Exodus
SKU: WIW
Availability: LimitedAvailability
Rating: 4.7 (115 reviews)

115 reviews

Overview

Embark on a comprehensive wildlife tour of the best tiger parks in India

Bengal tigers are a highly seductive class-A predator; they are also desperately endangered. Seeing one in the wild is intoxicating, which is why this comprehensive safari visits three of the best tiger parks in India. Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh national parks are all ideal for viewing both predator and prey, and with 15 game drives included the chances of seeing the magnificent Bengal tiger are greatly increased. There are many other animals to see, too, but tigers remain top of the agenda throughout, plus we’ll donate £25 to the Tiger Habitat Project for each person who books this trip.

Key Information

Travel Style Superior: Adventure with a softer landing, thoughtfully elevated through upgraded stays and added comfort: Superior
Activity: Wildlife
Activity Level: Easy & Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Trip Code: WIW
Ways to Travel: Guided Group, Superior
Countries: India
Carbon Footprint: 68.1kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All accommodation: 12 Superior Comfort nights (hotels), 2 Comfort nights (hotels), 1 Simple night (sleeper train)
All breakfasts and 12 dinners
Immersive itinerary with all transport (4x4, train and air-conditioned private bus) and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure
Arrival and departure transfers

Positive Impact

We donate to our Foundation and rewild 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller. Find out more about how our adventures support nature and people to thrive.

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations.

Highlights

Immersive yourself in the wilds of India on an in-depth tiger-watching adventure

Maximise your chances of seeing a Bengal tiger with 15 game drives across three national parks

Search for other wildlife: leopards, sloth bears, monkeys and more

Visit the magnificent Taj Mahal, a New Wonder of the World

Support our Tiger Habitat Project, with £25 donated for each person who books the trip

Itinerary

First Destination: Delhi
Next Destination: Delhi

Accommodation:Indus Biznotel (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:Pench Jungle Camp (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:Pench Jungle Camp (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Celebration Van Vilas (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Celebration Van Vilas (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Nature Heritage Resort (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Nature Heritage Resort (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Overnight sleeper train
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Howard Plaza The Fern (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Indus Biznotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Delhi
Next Destination: Delhi

Our adventure begins in Delhi, a colourful and chaotic city full of architectural masterpieces.

Around 6pm, say namaste to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Want more time in Delhi? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation:Indus Biznotel (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

The group will transfer to Delhi Domestic Airport for a flight (around 1hr 40min) to Nagpur. The drive to Pench National Park, where your safari adventures begin, will take approximately three hours.

Accommodation:Pench Jungle Camp (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Spend two days exploring Pench National Park in the lower southern reaches of the Satpuda hills. It provided inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book and marks our first chance to see our very own Shere Khan.

This designated tiger reserve is home to around 45 Bengal tigers, plus leopards, wolves, monkeys, deer, and nilgai (the largest antelope in Asia). Our two days include four game drives, in which we’ll keep our eyes peeled for the incredible creatures that live here.

Accommodation:Pench Jungle Camp (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

We depart in the morning and drive to Kanha National Park. Although the distance is not far, the journey usually takes approximately four hours. On arrival, there is time to relax by the pool and share wildlife stories with your fellow travellers.

Accommodation:Celebration Van Vilas (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Created in 1974, Kanha National Park is often described as the greatest wildlife reserve in India – during our time here, we go on five game drives to explore it.

The park is vast, encompassing expansive grasslands, plateaus and dramatic rocky escarpments that house hundreds of wildlife species. The tiger population – which currently numbers around 500 – has been affected by poaching in recent years but the huge abundance of animals makes the game drives a memorable experience.

Accommodation:Celebration Van Vilas (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

We leave Kanha National Park after breakfast and drive to Bandhavgarh, stopping en route for refreshments. This journey will take approximately six to seven hours. On arrival there is free time to settle in.

Accommodation:Nature Heritage Resort (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Bandhavgarh is one of the smaller national parks and enjoys an impressive setting with a cliff-top fort overlooking grasslands, birch forests and bamboo.

It is home to a wide variety of game, including leopards, sloth bears, jungle cats, wild pigs and, of course, tigers. The healthy tiger population of approximately 60-70 means this park has the highest tiger density of any reserve in India. The park also hosts up to 150 bird species including many on the migratory trail, such as the steppe eagle. During our stay, we embark on six games drives.

Accommodation:Nature Heritage Resort (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we drive for approximately three hours to Katni Railway Station. We stop for refreshments, conveniences and photo opportunities along the way. In the evening, we catch the overnight train to Agra.

Accommodation:Overnight sleeper train
Meals included:Breakfast

Arriving in Agra in the morning, we transfer to our hotel. No stay in Agra would be complete without a visit to the Taj Mahal, built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The Taj is serenely beautiful and never fails to amaze a first-time visitor – the white marble exterior changing colour according to the position of the sun. Nearby is the imposing Red Fort of Akbar, whose mighty sandstone walls enclose the beautiful white marble Pearl Mosque, palaces, halls, courtyards and fountains.

Please note: In December and January, our Taj Mahal visit is earlier in the afternoon to avoid fog that can limit visibility during sunset.

Accommodation:Howard Plaza The Fern (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

After breakfast, we begin our journey (approximately four to five hours) back to Delhi, stopping on the outskirts of Agra to visit and support Wildlife SOS. Their work is dedicated to rescuing and caring for sloth bears and elephants. At the Agra Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, we meet an education officer to learn about their vital work and commitment to rehabilitating abused elephants and advocating for their conservation through public awareness campaigns. We take a tour and see some of the rescued elephants and hear their stories.

After this informative visit, we resume our drive to Delhi and check into our hotel. It’s your last night together so the tour leader can help to arrange a group dinner.

Accommodation:Indus Biznotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Our adventure draws to a close after breakfast. If you’d like a little more time in Delhi, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Need flights or extra nights? Book through us and fly with confidence

Call us: 020 3733 5948

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Accommodation

Hotels, lodges and sleeper train

On our search for tigers, we spend 14 nights in hotels and lodges and one night on an air-conditioned sleeper train. The accommodation typically used is on the day-to-day itinerary. However, below are a few of the notable places we stay on this trip.

Kanha National Park: Celebration Van Vilas (nights 5-8)

India Tiger Safari

Just moments from the park entrance, Celebration Van Vilas is ideally placed for our exploration of Kanha. When you’re not out wildlife watching, take a refreshing dip in the pool or treat yourself to an Ayurvedic treatment in the spa. There’s also an outdoor yoga-meditation space, plus a gym and hot tub.

Bandhavgarh National Park: Nature Heritage Resort (nights 9-12)

India Tiger Safari

Immerse yourself in the wilds of India at Nature Heritage Resort, which is just moments from Bandhavgarh National Park. We stay in air-conditioned cottages with views from the balcony over the Vindhyachal hills. There are also two multi-cuisine restaurants serving produce from local farms, plus a swimming pool with loungers. At night, our groups often gather around the campfire, swapping stories about the day’s wildlife sightings.

Katni to Agra: Overnight train (night 13)

Experience an icon of travel: the Indian sleeper train! Our journey takes us from Katni to Agra, skipping the long drive, while also allowing us to interact with the local people and sample the snacks often sold on board. On the sleeper train, you may be sharing a compartment of four mixed-sex beds with members of the public depending on how the seats are allocated.

Worth knowing

Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are only a couple of months when the weather can get cold. You can, however, request more blankets if needed or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.
On the rare occasion a lodge/hotel is overbooked, the accommodation in national parks will be in fixed safari tents, which are fitted with electric lights and an attached toilet with shower with hot and cold water readily available.
It’s common for hotels in India to have limited times in the day for hot water use to save energy. If you find your shower is cold, please let your leader or reception know so they can make sure the water heater is on.
Within the sleeper train, you may be sharing a mixed-sex compartment of four beds with members of the public, depending on how the seats are allocated.
Single accommodation excludes sleeper trains.

Essential Information

Trip Expert

Krishna Kumar

Expert Leader: India

Introducing Krishna Krishna hails from Bharatpur, the city of birds, in the Rajasthan region of India.

This trip has been rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Five. Please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page for more information on our trip gradings, or our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

This tour is not physically demanding; however, days can be long (up to nine hours) and busy on occasion, especially when taking the overnight train and driving from park to park. The roads are generally pretty good, but local traffic and/or road damage after the monsoon can slow us down. We travel on comparatively quiet roads for at least half the journey but the road between Pench and Kanha is known to be bad.

Please be aware, there are very early morning starts (4.30am for example) on consecutive days at each national park as this is the best time to get out and spot tigers, which can make for much longer days. We do expect you to have several tiger sightings across this trip; however, the wildlife is free-roaming and unpredictable and we, unfortunately, cannot guarantee you will see tigers or other animals on every game drive. 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 for the wait!

The jeeps throughout the national parks are simple and will often require you to step up into them and have a noticeable step down from them. On the game drives, you will be navigating bumpy tracks for most of the day and this can be uncomfortable for some after a long day in the jeep.

Monuments

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for the conservation of many monuments in India, including the Taj Mahal. Very occasionally, this means work is taking place at sites visited on this trip. The ASI schedule is never published, so it is impossible to predict when work will take place.

Game drive regulations – book early!
The management of national parks by the Indian authorities and the system for booking game drives is very rigid. The number of 4x4s that can enter national parks has been reduced, and all game drives need to be booked and paid for well in advance.

We must provide a list of client names and passport details at the time of booking each game drive. Once game drives are booked, they are non‐refundable and name changes are not permitted. If you renew your passport after the game drives are booked, you must travel with both your old and new passports so the authorities can ascertain the authenticity of the previous passport mentioned in the booking.

You cannot change or swap 4x4s during the trip. It is four people per vehicle, so please let us know at the time of booking if you are a group of five or more travelling together with separate bookings to ensure you are seated appropriately.

Due to ongoing changes in the system, the following guidelines and conditions now apply to all bookings:

1) We cannot guarantee the operation of any departure until we have the necessary game drives secured. We aim to secure game drives from a variety of gates/zones as per the itinerary, but please be aware that 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, usually will be around 120 days before travel but this is subject to change.

2) Within 120 days prior to travel it may be possible to book passengers onto a departure after the game drives have been confirmed but additional supplement 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 a further three or four clients ready to book before we can secure an additional vehicle and spread the cost of any supplement.

3) At the time of booking the game drives, approximately 120 days prior to travel, they are non‐refundable. If for any reason we are unable to secure the game drives and we must cancel the trip, you receive a full refund.

4) We want to encourage you to book this trip as far in advance as possible; we are confident we can secure the game drives needed if passengers are book four to five months in advance of the departure date.

5) It is important we have your correct passport details at the time of booking. If you end up travelling on a different passport, you must carry your old passport, or a photocopy of it, with you. If this isn’t possible, you will 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.

We regret that these measures are necessary, but we are keen to ensure we secure the game drives as early as possible.

Key information

Start hotel: Indus Biznotel, R-71, Hansraj Gupta Rd, Greater Kailash-1, Block R, Greater Kailash I, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, Delhi 110048 (+91 11 4026 7700)
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time. There will be a welcome briefing around 6pm.
Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 30-40 minutes’ drive from the airport. We provide free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. Check in is usually around midday. Your tour leader will be meeting up with the whole group later in the day and there will be information at the hotel reception about this meeting. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

Catching your return flight

We provide free departure transfers for all customers to Delhi Airport (DEL) from the end hotel.

Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.

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, please click on this link: Indian Visa Information

New Digital Arrival Card: Travellers from the UK, US, EU and Canada must also complete a Digital Arrival Card. This can be filled online up to 72 hours before arrival via the official Indian visa website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival/. This is separate from the Indian e-visa process and this remains the same. Physical cards will remain at the arrival airport until 1 April 2026, at which point the Digital Arrival Card will be made mandatory.

Self-declaration form requirement: All international passengers arriving in India are currently required to complete the Air Suvidha Self Declaration Form before travel, preferably before boarding their flight. The form can be completed up to 24 hours before arrival and should be presented on arrival if requested by local authorities. Complete the form via the official Air Suvidha 2.0 Portal. Requirements may change at short notice, so please check the latest guidance before departure. This additional requirement is currently being taken amid concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreak and in the interest of passenger safety and public health.

Allow around 1,400 – 2,400 rupees (US$20-US$35) per day for lunch and dinner. You can eat out very cheaply in India, but if you go to the more expensive restaurants, you will spend more than the suggested amount. In Agra and Delhi, there is a good choice of restaurants and a selection of Indian and Western food. 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 while we’re at the national parks, but these are in limited supply. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large) bottle of beer is approximately 600 rupees (US$7). Mineral water is widely available. Please note, service in restaurants can be quite slow.

During the game drives (days 2–12), lunches can be purchased at the resorts where we’re staying. These typically offer a good selection of both Western and local cuisine. Drinking water is provided during the drives, and a large container is available in the main vehicle for refilling your personal bottles throughout the journey.

September to April is the ideal time to visit these areas of northern India. Days are normally warm to hot and nights cool or mild. Humidity is very low with little or no rain. In March/April and September/October, it can get very hot during the day. Evenings in Delhi and at the game parks can be surprisingly cool. It gets very cold in the early mornings and evenings between December and February.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

You’ll also find Thriving Nature, Thriving People moments across our trips. These experiences are often a highlight of your adventure, while also benefiting the natural world or local communities.

On this trip, we:

Visit the Wildlife SOS centre in Agra to learn how rescued elephants are rehabilitated and protected from exploitation.

Most Inspirational Moment

The tiger scratching the tree by our jeep or the sloth bear digging for food. Or maybe the elephant charging us & speeding away

Thoughts on Group Leader

Krishna was amazing. He was so knowledgeable and looked after everything for us. He would rotate between the heating safari vehicles each trip & we were always happy when he was in ours as he was a lucky charm. Krishna became part of our group & a friend.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It's not Africa so don't expect to see the constant abundance of wildlife you did there. Go on each safari with an open mind & just enjoy the scenery & any animals you do spot, remember it's wild so if you spot a tiger, bear, leopard it's a big bonus! Take bite sprays we did get bite at the lodges in the evenings. The food was amazing. Breakfasts on safaris plentiful so we didn't need to buy lunches. Although limited can be abit hit and miss we could pay our bills by card at the lodges.

Suggestions

I felt you should be given the options of an optional something on arrival. Even if it's just arranging a tuk tuk to a local park. Some of us felt like we needed to keep going to stay in Indian time. So it was difficult having nothing on as a single traveller, not so easy to nap when sharing with a stranger at that point. It felt like the tour didn't really start until day 4 as day 3 was then just a travel day.

Mark Ireland

Added March 2024

Appropriate

Comprehensive game drives in 3 tiger reserves, Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh

Most Inspirational Moment

Encountering a male tiger close up

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, efficient and amusing throughout

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for cold starts so layer up although blankets are provided. Worth doing additional games drives on Wednesday afternoons when Parks are closed. Good guides and drivers who speak good English are at a premium so ask to keep good ones.

Suggestions

Picnic breakfasts disappointing in Pench and Bandhavgarh, would be better to offer either Indian or European alternative

E Sophie Clement-Jones

Added March 2024

Indian tiger safari

Would recommend this to anyone

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing a tiger and other wild animal including leopards

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very Good

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go go go!

Suggestions

Read all reviews

£ 3499

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Trip Notes

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£ 3499

16 Days Excluding Flights

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India Tiger Safari

Overview

Embark on a comprehensive wildlife tour of the best tiger parks in India

Key Information

What's Included

Positive Impact

Don't Forget To

Highlights

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Need flights or extra nights? Book through us and fly with confidence

Your Group, Your Adventure

Accommodation

Hotels, lodges and sleeper train

Essential Information

Trip Expert

Key information

Getting to the start hotel

Catching your return flight

India

Reviews

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

India Tiger Safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Amazing Tiger sightings

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Appropriate

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Indian tiger safari

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

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