Mumbai – Nagpur – Kanha – Bandhavgarh- Khajuraho - Agra - New Delhi – Fly Back home
Day:1
Arrival Mumbai
Upon arrival transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
When you arrive at the airport in Mumbai you will be received by the representatives of Nature Safari who will then take you to the Hotel. Overnight at Mumbai.
Day: 2
In Mumbai
Morning full day city tour of Mumbai. Overnight at Mumbai
Mumbai formerly known as Bombay, is the capital city of the Maharashtra state. One of the four metros of India, Mumbai is referred to as the financial capital of the country. The city deals with all the major business houses and also the headquarters of many Indian companies. Situated on Salsette Island, Mumbai is made from a cluster of Seven Islands and derived its name from Mumbadevi, the goddess of the Koli fisher folk. Mumbai has a deep natural harbour, which handles more than half of India's passenger traffic and a large amount of cargo. The city which never sleeps, cannot be bounded by time frame of day or night. It remains always active with its attractive shopping arcades, exciting sport activities, night clubs, discotheques, theaters, music, restaurants and picturesque sights. Mumbai is home to world famous Hindi Film Industry known as Bollywood, which is one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world. The fast foods like Pani puri, Bhel Prui and Bada Pau, offered by the roadside vendors are a major attraction of Mumbai.
Day :3
Mumbai – Nagpur- Kanha -
Flight + 250K.m /5 hrs
Early Morning transfer to domestic airport to board a flight to Nagpur at 0640 hrs. Meetings and assistance on arrival Nagpur at 0755 hrs and drive to Kanha National Park 250 kms 5 hrs drive. Lunch at Resort and afternoon game drive to the national Park
Day :4 In Kanha
Morning and afternoon game drives, meals at Resort
Kanha's sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendour which form the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare hardground Barasingha (Cervus Duvaceli Branderi).
This is original Kipling country of which he wrote so vividly in his Jungle Book. The same abundance of wild life species exists today in Kanha National Park, as it must have when Kipling roamed these parts.
Dinner and overnight at Chitvan Jungle Lodge
Day 5 :In Kanha
Breakfast and lunch at Chitvan Jungle Lodge. Morning and afternoon Jeep safari to the National park.
The Kanha National Park, stretching over 940 sq km, the vegetation, chiefly made of sal and bamboo forests, grasslands and streams, this park is the sole habitat of the rare hardground barasingha.
The forests of the Banjar valley and Halon valley, respectively forming Kanha's western and eastern halves, had even , at the turn of the century, been famous for their deer and tiger population. By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a string of stringent conservation programmes have been launched, for the overall protection of the park's fauna and flora. It is one of the most well-maintained National Parks in Asia, and a major attraction for avid wildlife buffs all over the world.
Kanha boasts of about 22 species of mammals. Some of the inhabitants of this park are the gaur, the largest of the world's cattle; the sambar, the largest Indian deer; and the chausingha, the only four-horned antelope in the world. Other frequent visitors include the Nilgai antelope, the sloth bear, the dhole, or Indian wild dog, and an occasional panther. Some 200 species of birds inhabit the park, that include the cattle egret, black ibis, hawk eagle, and the red-wattled lapwing. Shravantal is an old, earthenbound tank in the central Kanha meadows, which happens to be an important watering hole, for a large number of water fowl in winter. Bamni Dadar, known as Sunset Point, is the most beautiful section of the park, and the view of the sunset from this spot is absolutely mesmerizing. Quite a few animals can be sighted around this area which include the sambar, gaur, the four-horned antelope and the barking deer.
Evening bar be que dinner followed by Tribal Dance. Overnight at Chitvan Jungle Lodge
Day 6:
Kanha - Bandhavgarh-
250 k.m/ 6 hrs
Morning game drive, after breakfast depart for Bandhavgarh, 250kms, 6 hours drive, Evening relex and overnight at Tiger Den Resort
Day 7 : Bandhavgarh
Morning and afternoon game drives, meals and overnight Jungle Lodge
Bandhavgarh
The national park is mainly known for its tiger population. This is the place where famous White Tigers of Rewa were discovered. The other wild attractions in the park include Nilgai, Chausingha, Chital, Chinkara, Wild Boar, a Fox and a Jackal. There are at least 22 mammal species and about 250 bird species in the Park. The grasslands in the park consist of chinkara (Indian gazelle), nilgai (blue bull) and chausingha (four-horned antelope) and wild boar. The dense forests contain sambhar (Indian stag), the muntjac (barking deer) and the herds of chital (spotted deer).
The other animals found in Bandhavgarh are ratel, porcupine, small Indian civet, palm squirrel, lesser bandicoot rat, the jungle cat, hyena and jackal, sloth bear, and the elusive Leopard. The reptile population in the park includes cobras, karaits, vipers, ratsnakes, pythons, lizards and turtles. The two primate species - the rhesus macaque and the Hanuman langur - inhabit the Bandhavgarh Park
Day 8 :Bandhavgarh
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning & Evening Jeep drive in the park. Overnight In Bandhavgarh.
HISTORY
Bandhavgarh has been a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000 years, and there are references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch Ratra and the Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, stopped at Bandhavgarh on his way back to his homeland after defeating the demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two monkey architects, who had engineered a bridge between the isles of Lanka and the mainland, are said to have built Bandhavgarh's fort. Later Rama handed it over to his brother Lakshmana who became known as Bandhavdhish "The Lord of the Fort". Lakshmana is the particular God of the fort and is regularly worshipped in a temple there. The oldest sign of habitation in the park are caves dug into the sandstone to the north of the fort. Several contain Brahmi inscriptions dating from the 1st century B.C. Various dynasties have ruled the fort, for example, the Maghas from the 1st century A.D., the Vakatakas from the 3rd century A.D., From that time onwards Bandhavgarh was ruled by a succession of dynasties including the Chandela Kings of Bundelkhand who built the famous temples at Khajuraho. The Baghel Kings, the direct ancestors of the present Royal family of Rewa, established their dynasty at Bandhavgarh in the 12th century. It remained their capital till 1617 when the center of court life moved to Rewa, 75 miles (120Kms) to the north. Without royal patronage Bandhavgarh became more and more deserted until forest overran the area band it became the royal hunting reserve. This helped to preserve the forest and its wildlife, although the Maharajas made full use of their rights.
At independence Bandhavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja until he gave it to the state for the formation of the National Park in 1968. After the park was created poaching was brought under control and the number of animals rose dramatically. Small dams and water holes were built to solve the problem of water shortage. Grazing by local cattle was stopped and the village within the park boundaries was relocated. The Tigers in particular prospered and the 1986 extension provided much needed forest to accommodate them.
Bandhavgarh is justifiably famous for its Tigers, but it has a wide range of other game. The undergrowth is not as dense as in some northern terai forests, but the best time to see the park inhabitants is still the summer months when water becomes more scarce and the undergrowth dies back.
Day 9 :
Bandhavgarh - Khajuraho
Morning game drive to the a National park and later drive to Khajuraho 280 /6 hrs drive
Khajuraho discovered by chance, India's second biggest single tourist attraction, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval temples that are adorned with numerous sculptures of extraordinary grace and delicacy celebrating the stylized and refined courtly accomplishments of beauty, love and creative arts. Once the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs, the temples of the city date from 950-1050 AD. A wall with eight gates encloses the entire area and two golden palm trees flank each of them. Originally, there were over 80 temples, of which only 22 now can be said remarkably preserved. The set of temples at Khajuraho celebrating Hindu religious thought in its mystifying variety of scope and inclusion stands distinguished from rest of the Hindu temples. The temples highlight the existential ethos in religion that venerates 'Yoga' and 'Bhoga'. 'Yoga' is union of the self with the Almighty, while 'Bhoga' is the path to God through physical pleasure. The temples at Khajuraho, dedicated to physical love and pleasure are a testimony to this philosophy. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1986, Khajuraho is a prominent, must-see destination and its temples are India's unique gift to the world as they capture life in every form and mood in stone.
Evening Sound and light show at Khajuraho. Overnight at Khajuraho
Day 10 :Khajuraho - Agra
Morning : visit the Eastern and Southern group of temples. The Parsvanath temple of the Eastern group is the group’s largest Jain temple. The themes depict, in charming detail, everyday activity. Also visit the Duladeo temple dedicated to Shiva and the Chaturbhuj temple of the Southern group Later drive to Jhansi 180 kms /4 hrs drive to Board a A/C Chair car train to Agra at 1750 hrs. Arrive Agra at 2000 hrs. Overnight at Agra.
Day 11:Agra- New Delhi
Morning sight seeing of Agra including famous Taj Mahal and
Morning : Proceed on a city tour of Agra. Visit the Agra Fort, built by three Mughal Emperors starting from Akbar the Great in 1565 AD, which is a masterpiece of design and construction. Within the fort are a number of exquisite buildings including the Moti Masjid, Jahangir’s Palace, Khas Mahal and the Sheesh Mahal, Diwane-i-Am, Diwane-i-Khas and Musamman Burj, where Emperor Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor, died a prisoner. Later visit the Taj Mahal - the inimitable poem in white marble. Built over a period of 22 years, by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1630, for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains, it is one of the seven modern wonders of the World.
Afternoon drive to New Delhi 220 kms/5 hrs drive. Overnight at New Delhi.
Day 12: New Delhi to fly back home
Morning: Visit the Old City of Delhi to see the historic Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque from the outside. See the colourful bazaar of Chandni Chowk and take a cycle rickshaw ride through the back streets of Old Delhi to get a first hand experience of the hustle and bustle of this traditional city. This ride through the small by-lanes will be most fascinating. Return to the hotel for lunch or eat at an interesting restaurant in town
Afternoon: Visit New Delhi, seeing the Qutab Minar, a tower of victory built in the 12th century and India Gate - the war memorial. Drive past the Rashtrapathi Bhawan, the residence of the President of India, the houses of Parliament and the Government Secretariat buildings.
After dinner transfer to International airport to board a flight back home.
Note: The driving hours given above from one city to another are based on the normal conditions
of the roads. Any break for Food / Tea / Toilets / Sightseeing on the way will take extra time than the above given hours.
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