India Photography Safari with Paul Goldstein − Second Departure
India Photography Safari with Paul Goldstein − Second Departure
India Photography Safari with Paul Goldstein − Second Departure
12 Days Starting and ending in Delhi
Visiting: India
Tour Overview
Embark on a thrilling tiger safari in India with renowned wildlife photographer Paul Goldstein and his esteemed colleague, naturalist Himanshu Bagde. This newly extended journey now includes four days in the lesser-known Tadoba National Park, plus six days in Bandhavgarh National Park. Both are among the best places in India to see Bengal tigers, but there’s also plenty of other wildlife to spot, including leopards, jungle cats and sloth bears. With Paul’s expertise behind the lens and Himanshu’s infectious enthusiasm and deep connections to the region, you have the perfect blend of technical guidance and local insight to capture once-in-a-lifetime images.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrival In Delhi; Fly To Nagpur; Transfer To Tadoba
Meals Included: Dinner
The adventure begins in Delhi, you will meet your local Exodus representative at Delhi International Airport, terminal 3 – see the Joining Instructions for more details.
We transfer to the domestic terminal at Delhi International to catch the 1hr 40min flight to Nagpur in the state of Maharashtra. On arrival, we will meet Paul and Himanshu at the Arrivals Hall and drive (approximately three to four hours) to Tadoba National Park. You have time to relax at the resort before dinner, perhaps with a refreshing post-flight dip in the pool.
Accommodation: Irai Safari Resort
Day 2 - 5 : Four Half-Day And Two Full-Day Game Drives In Tadoba National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Spend four full days exploring the wildlife-rich Tadoba National Park, where deep valleys, riverbeds and small grassy meadows are home not only to tigers but also leopards, sloth bears, honey badgers, bison, wolves, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs and foxes. The habitat also suits both forest and wetland birds, making it a popular destination for birders and photographers.
The reserve is 667sqmi (1,728sqkm) with a 241sqmi (625sqkm) Core Zone, which is further divided into the North Forest and South Forest. The North Forest is the original Tadoba National Park, declared a Tiger Sanctuary in 1935 and a National Park in 1955, with an area of 45sqmi (116sqkm); the South Forest is the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary with an area of 197sqmi (509sqkm).
We have two days with morning and afternoon game drives (first day in the Core Zone, and the second day in the Buffer Zone), and two full-day game drives.
Game drives start each day at 6am and 3pm; the morning drive finishes at 10am and the evening drive finishes when it gets dark. The days in Tadoba are very special and should give some wonderful sightings.
Accommodation: Irai Safari Retreat
Day 6 : Drive From Tadoba To Bandhavgarh National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Bid Tadoba farewell and travel to Bandhavgarh National Park, an 11 to 12-hour journey of 375mi (600km). We have an early morning wakeup call, leaving Irai Safari Retreat by 7am.
Our long journey is mostly on the plains, through the rural part of central India; in between, we cross the Pench-Kanha Corridor, which helps the wildlife of central India cross national parks without any trouble.
Along the way, we take comfort stops as well as a lunch to break up the journey and stretch our legs. Our aim is to reach our hotel in Bandhavgarh for check-in by 7pm.
Accommodation: Nature Heritage Resort
Day 7 - 11 : Three Half-Day Safaris In Core Zones And Two Full-Day Safaris; Free Afternoon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We spend five full days in the national park; three half-day (morning and evening) game drives in the core zone, and two full-day game drives. There is one free afternoon on Wednesday when the park is closed for you to relax by the pool or chat through your photo skills with Paul.
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. It also hosts up to 150 bird species including many on the migratory trail, such as the steppe eagle.
Look forward to early starts for our morning safaris in Bandhavgarh National Park. Gates open at 5.30am and your leader will advise on wake-up times and breakfast arrangements, which will either be a packed breakfast to take into the park or on return from the safari. Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided before we drive to the park.
Accommodation: Nature Heritage Resort
Day 12 : Morning Game Drive; Transfer To Jabalpur Airport; End Delhi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Rise early for our last safari in Bandhavgarh National Park before breakfast. On return, it’s time to pack up and check out. We can enjoy an early lunch together before a transfer to Jabalpur Airport, where we catch our return flight to Delhi, where the trip ends on arrival at Delhi Domestic Terminal.
Depending on your flight time, you are welcome to join a transfer to the Ashok Country Resort airport hotel to freshen up and have dinner before a return transfer to Delhi International Terminal later this evening. Please speak to your sales representative to confirm times and your place on these transfers.
Alternatively, if you would like to extend your stay in Delhi, we have a selection of options for airport or city hotels. Please speak with your sales representative for more information.
What's Included
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11 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
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11 nights accommodation
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All ground transport as per itinerary
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Return domestic flight from and to Dehli
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Game drive jeeps exclusive to Exodus
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Four full-day and 10 half-day safaris across two National Parks
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Services of Paul Goldstein and his esteemed colleague and friend Himanshu Bagde
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Photography permits for full-day game drives
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
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Visas and vaccinations
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Single supplements where available
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Day room at Delhi airport hotel (supplement where available)
Accommodation
We split this photography safari in India across two resorts, both very close to the national parks we visit.
Tadoba: Irai Safari Retreat (nights 1-5)
Just minutes from Tadoba National Park, this peaceful retreat is ideally placed for our tiger-watching adventures. We stay in comfortable cottages with a private veranda and shared terrace. During downtime, make use of the swimming pool or, if you’re full of energy, there’s a small gym. Dinner brings a multicuisine buffet with plenty of Indian dishes - the Maharashtrian thali and local chichpalli chicken are highly recommended. On the other side of the retreat is the tribal village of Bhamdeli, which gives a true feel of rural Indian life with an authentic jungle atmosphere.
Bandhavgarh: Nature Heritage Resort (nights 6-11)
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 guests often gather around the campfire, swapping stories about the day’s wildlife sightings.
Food
11 breakfasts, 11 lunches, and 11 dinners included
Breakfasts at the parks are taken after the morning safaris and afternoon tea is provided on some days. There is a restaurant at the hotels serving a variety of options. There are usually some non-spicy curries, but these are in limited supply. If you are a vegetarian, India is probably one of the best destinations to travel to with a wide range of dishes on offer.
Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large) bottle of beer is approximately 410 rupees (US$5). Mineral water is widely available.
Check out our Q&As
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.