India Tiger Safari

What's Included

• All breakfasts and 11 dinners included

• All accommodation

• All transport as per itinerary

• All entrance fees and activities as per itinerary

• 15 Game Drives, including park fees

• Free arrival and departure transfers for everyone

What's Not Included

• Travel insurance

• Visas and vaccinations

• Single supplement

Food

Breakfast and 11 dinners are included.



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.

Accommodation

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)







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)







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. The accommodation is basic: we normally stay in two-tier sleepers, the compartments sectioned off from the aisle by privacy curtains. Seats are allocated at the time the tickets are issued, so the whole group isn’t always together; however, our tour leader is an expert at making the journey as hassle-free as possible and will regularly check in with you.



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 compartment of four beds with members of the public depending on how the seats are allocated.

Single accommodation excludes sleeper trains.