| This tour package has been designed for those who want to experience some of India's wildlife reserves, whilst also savouring something of the country's rich cultural heritage. The emphasis is very much on India's diverse flora and fauna, but visits to cultural centres have been woven into the trip to provide a diverse travel experience. The combination of the natural beauty of a few of India's parks and the architectural splendours of Rajasthan, makes this trip uniquely fulfilling as it offers glimpses of different but equally relevant facets of India's identity. |
Day One
You will be met at Delhi airport and transferred directly to your hotel located in the heart of Delhi. Relax in the afternoon or do some shopping at the nearby markets. Dine at one of the hotel's restaurants.
Day Two
Today you will go on a half-day tour of the most interesting sites in Delhi, including the Delhi Fort, Gandhi's Memorial, Humayun's Tomb, Qutab Minar and the famous Jama Masjid mosque. In the evening, you will board the overnight train that will take you to Corbett National Park.
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Since the 12th century, Delhi has seen the rise and fall of seven major powers. The Chauhans took control in the 12th century and made Delhi the most important Hindu centre in northern India. When Qutab-ud-din Aibak occupied the city in 1193, he ushered in six and a half centuries of Muslim rule. The Delhi Sultanate lasted from 1206 to 1526, and was followed by the mighty Moghuls from 1526 to 1857. The basis of what is today 'Old' Delhi, including the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, was built during the reign of the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658). In 1803, the British captured Delhi and installed a British administrator. When the British decided to make Delhi the capital in 1911, they built New Delhi in a grandiose imperial style. |
Days Three to Five
You will arrive early at the station near Corbett Park and you will be transferred directly to the Wildspace lodge located on the banks of the Kosi River in the buffer zone of the park. You will spend the next three nights here. Your first day in the area will be spent relaxing in the environs of the lodge. A guide will be available to take you on walks into the jungle or to the nearby temple. Your second day will comprise two trips into the park, one on elephant back, and one in an open jeep, both in the company of a knowledgeable guide. On your final day in the area, Day Five, you will go on a short guided walk in the morning through the fabulous forests in the park's buffer zone, followed by a last jeep safari in the park. Spend a relaxing final night at the lodge.
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Jim Corbett National Park is another of India's most beautiful wildlife areas. With a tiger population numbering some 160 animals, it is an important stronghold of this endangered cat. The park's 600 square kilometres of virgin forest and jungle are home to numerous other species of fauna from the rare Himalayan black bear to the common spotted deer. For bird enthusiasts, the area is considered one of the best bird-watching areas in India, with some 600 species having been sighted in the park. |
Day Six
After breakfast, embark on the drive back to Delhi. The six-hour drive takes you over the fertile Gangetic plains en route to the capital city. Upon arrival in Delhi, you will be taken directly to your hotel.
Day Seven
Today you will need to make a very early start for the trip to Agra. You will be picked up from the hotel and taken to Delhi Railway Station in time for the Shatabdi Express departure. Upon arrival in Agra, you will be met on the platform and immediately begin your guided tour of the city. Visit the Taj Mahal and the famous Red Fort. After an optional lunch at the Amarvilas hotel, continue your tour by driving out to Fatehpur Sikri, and afterwards drive the short distance to a characterful Rajasthani mansion, or haveli, located in a small village close to the world-famous Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary, where you will overnight.
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Agra, in the populous state of Uttar Pradesh, used to be the Capital of India during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries under Mughal rule. It is now distinguished only by the wonderful monuments left behind as a legacy of that time. The Taj Mahal needs little introduction. This exquisite Mughal monument was constructed by the emperor Shah Jahan as a testament to his love for his wife after she died during childbirth in 1631. The Taj Mahal took over twenty years to build and twenty thousand people are said to have worked on its construction. |
Day Eight
After breakfast, you will be provided with a packed lunch and taken to Keoladeo Ghana, enabling you to spend as much of the afternoon as you wish in the sanctuary. There you have the option of being driven around the sanctuary roads and paths on a rickshaw, or you can hire a bicycle and ride yourself. Many prefer to merely walk the miles of pathways, leisurely observing the many species of birds that come there to breed. After you have had sufficient time in the sanctuary, return to the haveli, where you will stay overnight.
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The Keoladeo Ghana National Park near Bharatpur in eastern Rajasthan is a World Heritage listed bird sanctuary where more than 350 species of birds have been identified. It is particularly well known for its migratory birds including the very rare Siberian cranes, which visit each winter. Even for non-ornithologists this beautiful park, covering 29 square kilometres of woodland and shallow lakes, is a lovely place to spend a day observing the immense variety of birdlife. |
Days Nine and Ten
Today you will catch the morning train from the nearby station to Sawai Madhopur, the town nearest to Ranthambhore National Park. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to a luxury tented camp on the outskirts of the park. After lunch, take your first drive into Ranthambhore park. The following day you will go on two jeep safaris into the park, one in the morning, one in the evening.
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Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan was among the first nine Tiger Reserves declared in 1973 at the launch of Project Tiger in India. It is one of the finest places in the world to see wild tigers. Its name is derived from the 8th century fort, which dominates the park from atop a hill in the middle of the park. Emperor Akbar fought for control of the fort in the 16th century, and by the turn of the century the Ranthambhore forests had become the private hunting reserves of the Maharajas of Jaipur. However hunting was banned in 1971, and today the ruins and the entire park are the domain of the tigers which have made the sanctuary famous. |
Day Eleven
After breakfast, you will drive onward to Jaipur. You will reach your hotel around lunchtime, and you will have the remainder of the day for relaxing or optional sightseeing or shopping.
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Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is popularly known as the 'pink city' because of the ochre-pink colour of its old buildings and city walls. Maharaja Jai Singh II (1699-1744), took advantage of declining Moghul power to move his somewhat cramped hillside fortress at nearby Amber to a new site on the plains in 1727. Today Jaipur is a city of broad avenues and remarkable architectural harmony, built on a dry lake bed surrounded by barren hills. It's an extremely colourful city and, in the evening light, it radiates a magical warm glow. The city now has 1.5 million inhabitants and has sprawled beyond its original fortified confines, but most of its attractions are compactly located in the walled 'pink city' in the north-east of the city. The most striking sight is the stunning artistry of the five-storey facade of the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, which is part of the City Palace complex which forms the heart of the old city. |
Day Twelve
Today, you will be picked up by a car & guide and spend the whole day seeing the sites of this famous city, the capital of Rajasthan, including Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and the City Palace.
Day Thirteen
In the morning, your car & driver will take you the 40-odd kilometres to Samode Palace Hotel, located in the small town of Samode north of Jaipur. A day here will give you an idea of small town life in Rajasthan, and the Palace is one of the most characterful properties in the state. Overnight at Samode Palace Hotel.
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Samode Palace is one of India's most charming and romantic hotels. Samode Palace was transformed into one the country's premium palace hotels in 1987, and is a perfect example of Rajput-Moghul architecture. The palace is built on a small hillock and planned in a progression of courtyards of increasing height. It offers a quiet, elegant and luxurious atmosphere. Considered India's finest hotel for its consummate standards of modern hospitality, accommodation, services, cuisine and amenities, it is the flagship of the Samode Hotels. |
Day Fourteen
Today you will depart in time to catch your short flight from Jaipur to either Delhi or Mumbai in order to catch your connecting flight home.
Inclusions |
