TIGER SAFARI & THE DIVERSITY OF INDIA
16 days of Tigers, Wildlife, Historical Sites, People & Culture, - March 2007
This is a fantastic 16 day photographic tour of India, leaving London on a Saturday morning, returning on a Sunday morning two weeks later. Our main subjects on this holiday will absolutely amaze you, but you will be just as blown away by what you see when travelling between venues. In the countryside people still harvest sugar cane, corn etc by hand, plough with oxen, thresh flax by hand and process sugar cane manually on tiny farms. Women carry huge loads of all descriptions. We will stop and photograph these subjects when we find them.
Amazing Photo Opportunities
We will have a full 14 days in India. This fascinating country provides endless photo opportunities that never cease to amaze. The tour has been carefully designed to maximise your time at locations that will provide the best chances of great photos of a diverse range of subjects. This tour caters for all interests and will, without doubt, leave you with a huge desire for a return visit. We will constantly be on hand to offer any relevant photographic advice or tips that you may require.
Tiger Safaris & Elephant Rides
There are no less than ten Tiger Safaris scheduled. No trip to India is complete without seeing the elusive Tiger. Our 2006 trip provided viewings on all but one day. Five full days of viewing should virtually guarantee sightings for everyone. When tigers are spotted in deep undergrowth we will approach them on elephant back. We will get within a few metres of the tigers. This is without doubt AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.
Ancient Culture & Rituals
India is a country which continues to amaze and enthral the world as it unfolds its tremendous cultural and natural treasures, be it ancient culture, wildlife, customs, or rituals. The hustle and bustle in the cities has to be seen to be believed. It is as though people have been lost in time. Oxen and Buffalo pulling carts are the norm, and you will not believe what is loaded onto bicycles.
Tal Mahal & the River Ganges
The Taj Mahal is absolutely awe-inspiring. It is the seventh wonder of the world. Mere words cannot describe this wonderful place. We will spend a day and a half in Agra to enable you to see the Taj Mahal at both sunrise and sunset. We will also witness primitive agricultural practices on the banks of the Ganges.
Haridwar & Rikishesh
These towns offer fantastic opportunities to photograph Holy Saints and Hindus performing their rituals on the banks of the Ganges. Witness not only everyday washing and bathing, but families bathing the sick in the river to heal their bodies, and watch their offerings of floating candles and flowers pass by.
Itinerary
Day 01: ARRIVE DELHI
You will be met on arrival at Delhi airport and transferred to 'Hotel Vikram (4-star hotel)'. Dependant upon flights, arrival is normally around 10.30 p.m. Overnight stay. Meals: not included
Day 02: DELHI
Your guide will meet you at the hotel. After breakfast, we commence with a guided tour of historic city of Delhi. The city where one can experience the influence of the many rulers who ruled this region, a city built and destroyed and re-built over seven times. The guided tour takes to the monuments that depict the different eras. The tour includes the magnificent Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Asia's largest mosque, Rajghat - the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi - the "Father of the Nation". Afternoon tour of New Delhi to include Humanyun Tomb, Birla Mandir, Bahai Temple, Qutab Minar, India Gate, President'' House and drive through Connaught Place. Evening, see Son-et-Lumerie at Red Fort (optional extra). Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 03: DELHI-HARIDWAR
Pick up at 0600 hours to transfer to the railway station. Connect train at 0700 hours to Haridwar. Arrive at Haridwar at 1140 hours. You will be met and transferred to Hotel Ginger or similar. This is a great place to photograph saints along the banks of the holy Ganges river. This is a hub for Hindu mythology and devotion. Visit Har-Ki-Pauri ghat for floating candles in the river at dusk. Visit the market lanes and bylanes etc. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 04: RIKISHESH EXCURSION
Early morning excursion to Rishikesh with a guide. Option of visiting the Ganga ghat (banks) to enjoy the early morning prayer. Day visit to the Laxman Jhoola, Ashrams, temples and places of interest. Evening witness the fascinating prayer on the Har-ki-Paudi (ghat) in Haridwar on the banks of river Ganga. Hotel Ginger or similar. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 05: HARIDWAR-DELHI
Drive to Delhi (6-7 hours) stopping en route for photographing local farming, sugar harvesting and processing. This is a long day`s drive but there are some amazing photo opportunities along the way. You will witness farming and cultural practices from a bygone era. Dinner in an Indian restaurant. Hotel Vikram. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 06: DELHI-KANHA NATIONAL PARK
Pick up at the hotel in the morning to transfer to the airport. Connect flight to Jabalpur. You will be transferred to Krishna Jungle Resort (4-5 hours). Stop en route to photograph local people, villages, markets, fields etc. Again the countryside is really interesting. You may see and photograph women carrying huge piles of logs, women harvesting crops by hand, women carrying water on their heads, men ploughing with oxen, and maybe even corn being thrashed using oxen to tread out the grain. We drive through countless villages rarely visited by people from afar. There is no set itinerary for today and we will stop and photograph as often as the group wishes. For those who wish, and if there is still time, we will explore the village at Kanha, although there will be plenty of time to do this on subsequent days.
Krishna Jungle Resort. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
N.B. Our 2006 trip provided sightings of tigers on all but one day. We have 4 days of viewing here, so seeing a tiger is almost guaranteed. The thrill of spotting your first tiger is immense, and you feel most privileged to have done so. Here at Kanha, when a tiger or tigers are spotted lying in thick grass or in a wooded area by the mahoots, we can go on elephant back and get within a few feet of these magnificent animals. This is an experience that you will constantly relive and never forget. The cost of these elephant rides are included in your holiday price.
Day 07: KANHA NATIONAL PARK
Two drives per day in Kanha National Park for tiger tracking and wildlife viewing (Max 3 clients per vehicle). This arrangement guarantees a window seat for each client and also room for your camera gear.
KANHA TIGER RESERVE
Nestled in the ranges of the Satpuras in Madhya Pradesh and abounding in Sal and mixed forests, Kanha was one of the first 9 Project Tiger areas initiated in 1973. The total area covers 1945 sq. kms with a core area of 940 sq. kms. The area was enlarged after Project Tiger was initiated and still awaits final legal notification. The tiger population was said to be 48 in 1976 and is estimated today at 100. The management input into Kanha Tiger Reserve of the Central Indian highlands, from where the reverberating call of the tiger and the braying of the mating hard ground Barasingha resounds has probably achieved quite spectacular results during the past two decades.
Kanha Tiger Reserve is the true flagship of Project Tiger in terms of management. The rare endangered Barasingha (Cervus Duvaucelli Branderi) , has made world conservation history.The Leopard, Wolf, Bison, SlothBear, Sambhar, Chittal, Barking Deer, Four Horned Deer, Jackal, Langur, Neelgai, Fox,Wild Dog, Flying Squirrel, Mongoose, Ratel,Civets many others make Kanha their home not forgetting 250+species of Birds Reptiles, Insects the list is endless......... Some of Birds of Kanha: Racket Tailed Drongo, Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Peacock, Golden Oriole, Treepie, Whitenecked Stork, Shikra, White-eyed Buzzard, Roseringed Parakeet, Shama, Red Munia, Large Green Barbet, Crimson Breasted Barbet, Lesser Golden Backed Woodpecker, Hair Crested Drongo, Common Teal, Pintail Duck..
Krishna Jungle Resort. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 08: KANHA NATIONAL PARK
Two drives per day in Kanha National Park for tiger tracking and wildlife viewing (Max 3 clients per vehicle). This arrangement guarantees a window seat for each client and also room for your camera gear.
Krishna Jungle Resort. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 09: KANHA NATIONAL PARK
Two drives per day in Kanha National Park for tiger tracking and wildlife viewing (Max 3 clients per vehicle). This arrangement guarantees a window seat for each client and also room for your camera gear.
Krishna Jungle Resort. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 10: KANHA NATIONAL PARK- JABALPUR-AGRA
Morning drive in Kanha National Park. Drive to Jabalpur (3½ hours). Connect train at 15.55 hours to Agra. Overnight in air-conditioned sleeper class train. Meals: breakfast, lunch & packed dinner
Day 11: AGRA
Arrive in Agra at 0405 hours. You will be met and transferred to Howard Park Plaza or similar. Your guide will meet you at the hotel. After breakfast, guided tour of historic city of Agra, the city of world famous 'Taj Mahal' - 7th Wonder of the world. The tour will en compass Agra City, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Itmad-ud-daulah. Overnight at hotel. Overnight stay. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
N.B. The Tal Mahal is absolutely awe-inspiring. So much so that the 2006 group spent the entire day in and around this one incredible masterpiece, and did not visit any other monument. It is without doubt the most impressive building I have seen.
Day 12: AGRA-BHARATPUR-RANTHAMBHOR NP
Morning visit to the Taj Mahal at sunrise. After breakfast, drive from Agra to Bharatpur visiting Fatehpur Sikri en route, the erstwhile capital of the Mughal Empire built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. Arrive in Bharatpur by noon. Lunch in a restaurant. If time permits we will make a 2 hour visit to Keoladeo Ghana Bird Reserve, one of the finest wetlands of Asia. You will be transferred to the railway station to connect train at 1540 hours to Ranthambhor National Park. Arrive at 1800 hours. You will be met and transferred to Nahargarh Fort or similar. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 13: RANTHAMBHOR NATIONAL PARK
Two drives per day in Ranthambhor National Park for tiger tracking and wildlife viewing (Min 4 clients per vehicle). Individual jeeps with window seats for each client have been booked for each game drive during our stay at Ranthambhor. It must be stressed, however, that this does not always happen and we may find ourselves on a larger cantor (open minibus type of vehicle) with more passengers for some of our safaris here. The final allocation of vehicles is outside our control, and seating arrangements can change at the last minute for any morning or afternoon. None of our safari drives fall on a weekend when the park is at is`s busiest, so hopefully we will be lucky and keep to our original booking. Ranthambhor used to be the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Today, it is famous for its tigers and is one of the best places in the country to see these majestic predators in the wild. The tigers may be easily spotted even during the day. The Park which covers an area of nearly 400 sq. km. and is set between the Aravali and Vindhya ranges. Its deciduous forests were once a part of the magnificent jungles of Central India. The terrain is rugged and there are rocky ridges, hills and open valleys with lakes and pools. Ranthambhor's royal past manifests itself in the picturesque ruins the dot the Park. There are lake palaces, chhatris, old fortifications and a majestic thousand year old fortifications and a majestic thousand year old fort on a height overlooking the Park. The forest rest house at the foot of the Ranthambhor fort is located in the lovely Jogi Mahal. It overlooks a tank the pretty Padam Talao, afloat with water lilies. Nahargarh Fort or similar. Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 14: RANTHAMBHOR NATIONAL PARK
Two drives per day in Ranthambhor National Park for tiger tracking and wildlife viewing (Min 4 clients per vehicle). Individual jeeps with window seats for each client have been booked for each game drive during our stay at Ranthambhor. It must be stressed, however, that this does not always happen and we may find ourselves on a larger cantor (open minibus type of vehicle) with more passengers. The final allocation of vehicles is outside our control, and can change at the last minute for any morning or afternoon game drive. None of our safari drives fall on a weekend when the park is at is`s busiest, so hopefully we will be lucky on all drives.
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 15: RANTHAMBHOR NATIONAL PARK-DELHI
Transfer to the railway station to connect train at 07.55 hours to Delhi. Arrive at 12.35 hours. You will be transferred to a small hotel for wash and change. A vehicle will be at our disposal for visiting any sites that you may wish to see, or shopping. After dinner, you will be transferred to the hotel to connect flight home. Return flight usually departs Delhi approximately 23.00 hrs.
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 16: ARRIVE LONDON
Cost: £2270.00
Twin-shared room accommodation, based on a minimum of 4 clients travelling.
Single room supplement if required: £495
Estimated flight cost London to Delhi return £450
Cost Includes:
Accommodation for 03 nights at Hotel Vikram (4 star) Delhi on twin share.
Accommodation for 02 nights at Hotel Classic Residency, Haridwar on twin share. Accommodation for 04 nights at Krishna Jungle Resort, Kanha on twin share. Accommodation for 01 night Howard Park Plaza, Agra on twin share. Accommodation for 03 nights at Nahargarh Fort, Ranthambhor on twin share. Day room for wash and change at Hotel Sunstar, Delhi All Train tickets and surface transfers. All safaris as per the itinerary
All meals
Cost Excludes:
Entry fees to monuments and ghats where charged.
International flights
Camera fees where charged. Entry fee to bird reserve
