Holiday Breakdown

Day 1

Delhi

On arrival at the Delhi international airport, you will be met by your zoologist guide and a local guide/driver. We will then transfer you to our hotel, level 3* (Hotel Rockland / Hotel Florence Inn). Delhi, was once the capital of kingdoms and empires and is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an ancient land. Depending on the time of arrival we will spend some time exploring the city. Any meals today will be at our hotel (if we arrive early enough for dinner).

Day 2

Kanha National Park

After breakfast we will be transferred to the airport to catch our short flight (1.5 hours) to Jabalpur. On arrival at Jabalpur, you will be transferred to hotel/restaurant for lunch. After lunch we will start our drive to Kanha National park (4.5-5 hrs). Kanha National Park- is one of the largest and most scenic national parks in India, it has an ideal habitat for both tigers and their prey species. The lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha shelter a significant population of rare species such as tiger, leopard, sloth bear, barasingha and dhole. Once we arrive at Kanha National Park we will check into our accommodation, level – safari lodge (Kanha Jungle Lodge). The rest of the night is free and dinner will be at the accommodation.

Day 3

Kanha National Park

This morning we will rise early and after some tea and coffee we will head out on our first jeep safari with a local naturalist guide, your zoologist escort and the national park driver. Kanhas mixed forests are interspersed with vast meadows known as maidans. These meadows support a high density of herbivores, including chital, barasingha, sambar and gaur, attracting predators such as the tiger, dhole or leopard to the fringes of the clearings. Perennial streams run through a number of such meadows, providing a source of water for the wildlife even in the hot summers. Kanha meadow, with its hundreds of chital grazing on a carpet of green grass against the backdrop of the majestic Sal forest, has been aptly referred to as (the Ngorongoro of India). Kanha is particularly well known for its endangered barasingha, which populate the large open tracks of grass amidst the forests of teak and bamboo. Brought back from the brink of extinction, these handsome animals are a remarkable conservation success story for Kanha. Our breakfast will either be enjoyed in the field (a picnic breakfast in jungle with a cup of hot tea/coffee) or it will be once we return to the lodge. Rest of the morning is at your leisure we can enjoy birding in the lodge grounds or go for nature walk /nearby village/school. After lunch at the accommodation we will have another afternoon safari by 4×4 open jeep accompanied by resident naturalist and forest park guide. Return to lodge and have evening tea and rest of the evening is free for star gazing. Dinner at our accommodation, level – safari lodge (Kanha Jungle Lodge).

Day 4

Kanha National Park

We will rise early this morning and after some tea or coffee we will leave for our second morning jeep safari. You will wake up to misty mornings and sounds of birds calling, which will make an exciting start to your day. As soon as dawn breaks, leave for your Jungle Safari, accompanied by a resident naturalist and forest park guides in 4x 4 Jeeps. Early morning is the best time for tracking the tiger and other wildlife. Our breakfast will either be enjoyed in the field (a picnic breakfast in jungle with a cup of hot tea/coffee) or it will be once we return to the lodge. Rest of the morning is at your leisure we can enjoy birding in the lodge grounds or go for nature walk /nearby village/school. After lunch at the accommodation we will have another afternoon safari by 4×4 open jeep accompanied by resident naturalist and forest park guide. Return to lodge and have evening tea and rest of the evening is free for star gazing. Dinner at our accommodation, level – safari lodge (Kanha Jungle Lodge).

Day 5

Kanha National Park

This morning will follow the same pattern as yesterday with two jeep safaris and our meals being in the same locations. Dinner at our accommodation, level – safari lodge (Kanha Jungle Lodge). After the sun sets the peace and tranquillity of the night is temporarily broken by various animal calls – an alarm-call of the deer or the howling of jackals, or an occasional roar of the tiger.

Day 6

Kanha National Park

Once again today will be the same as yesterday as we enter the park for a seventh and eighth time in hope of seeing the elusive tigers, sloth bears, leopards, jungle cats, golden jackals and dhole which make up the major carnivores here. To help us every morning the park authorities send elephants with their mahouts out into jungle in search of tigers. When a tiger is spotted by the elephants and their mahouts, a message is passed on to park rangers through walky-talky which is further onward passed onto guests in the jeeps. Dinner at our accommodation, level – safari lodge (Kanha Jungle Lodge).

Day 7

Jabalpur

This morning will start off the same as the previous days with a early rise and a jeep safari. Once we come back to the accommodation we will have our breakfast and then be transferred to Jabalpur (4.5-5 hours) in our private air conditioned vehicle. After lunch there will be a late afternoon excursion to Bhedaghat to see the Marble Rocks, Duandhar Falls and Chausath Yogini Temple as well as having a boat ride on the Narmada River. Our evening meal will be at our accommodation, level – 3* (Welcome Heritage Narmada Jacksons).

Day 8

Delhi

Today after breakfast we will be taken to Jabalpur airport in time to catch the flight back to Delhi, our evening meal will be at our Delhi accommodation, level – 3* (Hotel Rockland / Hotel Florence Inn). If we have time sight seeing and souvenir shopping in Delhi is an option.

Day 9

Home

Today we will be transferred to Delhi international airport after breakfast to catch our return flight home.

The National Parks Authority for Madhya Pradesh have announced that with effect from 1st April 2011, all National Parks within the State will remain closed to public access on Wednesday afternoons until further notice. This order will affect Pench, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Satpura and Panna Reserves. The inconvenience caused to Royle Safaris tour participants is regretted but unfortunately there is nothing we can do to facilitate entry during these closures. On occasions when our tour itinerary would normally include entry to one of these reserves on a Wednesday afternoon we will try arrange alternative natural history activities either around the periphery of the park. In the event that this is not possible we will offer the opportunity to watch a Tiger related documentary during this time.

Please note that the itinerary stated above is correct as our planned intentions for the tour. However adverse weather conditions and other local considerations can necessitate some modifications of the itinerary during the course of the tour; any changes will be made to make the best of the time and weather conditions available to us.

This tour is available on different date (subject to availability) please contact us for more details about running this tour on a date which suits you more.