Indian Tiger Safari 2021
$1200 Additional for Single Supplement
Itinerary
You’re all familiar with “ The Jungle Book” and it’s famous Sher Khan, yet nothing can prepare you to experience this magnificent predator in the wild. Enjoy the beauty of the surrounding grassland and dense forest that is home to this beautiful cat, the Bengal tiger.
Bhandhvagarh National Park and to the south of it Kanha National Park, also known as Kanha Tiger reserve, is located in the central Indian state of Madya Pradesh, and is home to a large population of Bengal tigers, as well as other wildlife.
Capture the moments in photos with expert guides. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Arrive Delhi and our Tiger Safari Begins as follows:
Day 1
Arrive in Delhi from your International Flights – Most flights arrive late night, so overnight will need to be at a hotel near the airport.
Day 2
Fly to Jabalpur on a Domestic Flight (included in our price). We will depart in the morning and arrive in Jabalpur around mid day. We will be picked up by our transfers in fulle AC Car and we will drive to Kanha National Park – Around a 4 hour drive. We will be greeted by our tesam members at the lodge check in and possible snack or late lunch.
LODGE: Kanha Earth Lodge
Day 3
Early morning we will wake up before sunrise and head out to Kanha National Park for our Morning Game Drive. There will be a light quick breakfast before we head out. Back again for a hearty lunch at the lodge and a short siesta. Afternoon you can arrange one of the optional paid activities OR you can join the afternoon game drive until sunset. We get back to the lodge evening followed by Naturalist talks, snacks and then a hearty dinner overnight.
Day 4
Early morning we will wake up before sunrise and head out to Kanha National Park for our Morning Game Drive. There will be a light quick breakfast before we head out. Back again for a hearty lunch at the lodge and a short siesta. Afternoon you can arrange one of the optional paid activities OR you can join the afternoon game drive until sunset. We get back to the lodge evening followed by Naturalist talks, snacks and then a hearty dinner overnight.
Day 5
Early morning we will wake up before sunrise and head out to Kanha National Park for our Morning Game Drive. This is our last day so after lunch at the lodge we will say Goodbye to Kanha and drive to our next park Bandhavgarh. This si a 6 hour drive in our AC Transfers. Arrive in Bandhavgarh evening. Checkin to Kings Lodge at Bandhavgarh. We will get a brief orientation by the manager here and check in to our luxurious eco friendly lodge rooms.
Day 6
Early morning we will wake up before sunrise and head out to Bandhavgarh National Park for our Morning Game Drive. There will be a light quick breakfast before we head out. Back again for a hearty lunch at the lodge and a short siesta. Afternoon you can arrange one of the optional paid activities OR you can join the afternoon game drive until sunset. We get back to the lodge evening followed by Naturalist talks, snacks and then a hearty dinner. Overnight.
Day 7
Early morning we will wake up before sunrise and head out to Bandhavgarh National Park for our Morning Game Drive. There will be a light quick breakfast before we head out. Back again for a hearty lunch at the lodge and a short siesta. Afternoon you can arrange one of the optional paid activities OR you can join the afternoon game drive until sunset. We get back to the lodge evening followed by Naturalist talks, snacks and then a hearty dinner. Overnight.
Day 8
Our final morning game drive at the famous park. We return and start preparing for our trip back to the Jabalpur Airport. Checkout, say Goodbye to our friends at Kings Lodge and get transferred back to Jabalpur Airport for our flights back to Delhi. We will arrive in Delhi evening. Most flights out of Delhi back to USA are after midnight. So if you want you could arrange you flights this evening after 10PM. Optionally, we do have a 3 Day Taj Mahal Extension that you can join, in which case you will be transferred to the Hotel for the Optional Extension Tour.
Optional Delhi/ Taj Mahal Extension Tour
Day 8
Overnight in Delhi at a nearby 5 star luxury hotel.
Day 9
Delhi Sightseeing After breakfast (Included) will Proceed for Delhi city tour of old and New Delhi. you will visit:
Overnight in Delhi
Day 10
Delhi to Agra – Agra Sightseeing – Overnight in Agra
After breakfast will be driven to Agra, reach Agra proceed for a guided tour to Itmad ud Daulah (Baby Taj). Later visit Mehtab Bagh for sunset view of Taj Mahal. Great phot options of Taj Mahal at Sunset.
Overnight in Agra
Day 11
Agra Sightseeing – Overnight in Agra
Early in the morning leave for sunrise view of Taj Mahal before its get crowded later back to hotel for breakfast.
After proceed for sightseeing of Agra Fort. later proceed for excursion of Fatehpur Sikri. In the Evening go for Moonlight visit of Taj mahal. Exclusive tour of Full Moon under Taj with exclusive tickets.
Overnight at Agra
Day 12
Agra to Delhi drive – drop at airport as per flight timings for your departure back to home. Arrange for flights after 10PM that night.
After breakfast will be driven to Delhi & transfer to the airport as per flight timings.
Price Includes
Exclusions
Optional Activities are as follows
Optional Activities can be done at your convenience at either of the parks in lieu of game drives.
PRICE for Optional Activity: $45 per person per activity.
A fantastic opportunity for observing and looking for the little things that you normally would pass by. Watch for the little insects and smell the fragrance of the grasses that line the pathway. As an avid birder or even a beginner, you will be delighted by the wide array of bird species found at the lodge and the surrounding fields and water holes. The lodge has successfully managed to retain the existing forest and supplement it with protecting root stock which has helped us record several species in the lodge itself. You can join the resident naturalists for interesting Nature trails, on foot or on bicycle in and around the lodge.
Enjoy the countryside and enchanting forests on a cycling trip guided by our naturalist. Let nature put its best foot out for you, charming and enticing you, as you pedal around the little hamlets and forested lands.
Enjoy a guided tour or a leisurely walk/bicycle ride to the local villages and weekly haats (bazaars). You can have your fill of indigenous crafts and products of the area and more likely than not, get invited to visit a villager’s home to share a cup of tea. Pugdundee Safaris supports local schools, education initiatives and provides employment to the local youth. We encourage giving back to the community we operate in and these walks are an excellent way for our guests to immerse in the local culture and experience rural India.
We are taking utmost care about cleanliness and safety at the lodges. Masks are mandatory for both lodge team and the guests. Read more at https://www.pugdundeesafaris.com/blog/guest-safety-and-corona/
While we are all hoping that things will improve in next couple of months, we understand guests’ concers about the same at the time of booking. If the travel conditions remain unfavourable and guests are unable to travel as planned, we will allow rescheduling instead of cancelling. We are flexible with our reschedule policy and there will be no charges for any rescheduling from our end till 7 days prior to arrival. Only forest permit charges will be applicable in case safari permits are issued.
What to bring
Passport & Visas
A valid passport is required.
Visas are required by all to enter India. Indian Visas can be obtained a maximum of 120 days before your travel date.
Please make sure you are well prepared with all documentations. Visa requires that you have a few blank pages left on your passport and your passport must have a minimum of 6 months of validity left on the dates of your travel. If not, then you will need to get a new passport BEFORE you apply for the visa.
Please visit the Indian Embassy website for detailed information.
HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION
If arriving from the USA, yellow fever vaccination is not necessary.
Your routine vaccinations should be up to date.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control and prevention) recommends most travelers to India should get vaccinated for Hepatitis A and typhoid, as these are transmitted through water and food, regardless of where you are staying or eating.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/india
A mosquito repellent is also advisable.
A course of anti-malarial tablets is essential; please seek advice from your doctor.
If you are on any personal medication, it is best to take a supply of medicines to last the entire trip.
Currency
The official currency of India is the Indian Rupee (sign: ₹; code: INR)
The rupee is subdivided into 100 paise (singular – paisa)
Denominations:
Banknotes – ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹200, ₹500, ₹2,000
Coins – ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10
US Dollars, Sterling Pounds and Euros are acceptable everywhere for money exchange.
‘Bureau de change’ are available at all airports and in the cities. A commission is levied for changing of the foreign currency.
Most of the banks and establishments will not accept US Dollar bills printed prior to the year 2003.
ATM’s are also popular and seen in most areas (you may only withdraw in the local currency).
Credit Cards are widely accepted at the hotels and lodges we travel to and all higher end shops and stores.
Baggage Claim
All bags arrive on the conveyor belt.
Each person picks his/her bag, puts it onto a trolley and then clears Customs. You will be asked to put your luggage through an X-ray machine upon exiting.
RECOMMENDED CAMERA GEAR
Power & Internet
In India the power plugs and sockets are of type C, D and M. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
For stress-free travel, we recommend you carry a universal adapter.
All our lodges have basic internet connection. Our offices in the lodges have an extra computer which can be used free of cost for emailing. Internet may not be reliable at all times as breakdowns take time to fix as we are remotely located.
Water
Most of India’s tap water is unfit for consumption. Restaurants will offer treated drinking water, but it’s advisable for visitors to always drink bottled water.
It is highly recommended that you use the purified or mineral water provided for you at the hotel or you may buy some at the hotel bar/shops and service stations.
WHAT TO WEAR & PACK
November offers beautiful weather with warm sunny days and cold nights, but temperatures may drop dramatically, so layered clothing would be advisable. Travelling in an open jeep, it is necessary to keep yourself warm, as the mornings and evenings can get chilly. Carry a light jacket and perhaps a ski cap to cover your head and ears.
Practical colors to wear to the park are khaki, beige and white in all seasons. Please avoid bright and flashy clothing and strong perfumes and deodorants. It is advisable not to wear sandals or shorts during nature walks.
Sensible walking shoes, sunglasses and a hat for protection against the sun.
Swimsuit, if you want to jump into the swimming pool.
Here are some of our packing suggestions:
For winters, pack extra:
TIPPING & GRATUITIES
Tipping is customary and, in many occasions, actually ‘paves the way’. It is indeed a way of life in this part of the world.
Whilst the actual amount of money to tip is left at your discretion, we would like to offer some guidelines here below (values are in USD):
At Pugdundee Lodges in Kanha & Bandhavgarh, we request guests to refrain from tipping any individual staff. We have placed common tipping box at the lodge and tip collected is shared between the operations staff, junior staff and many behind the scene members. We suggest tipping at the end of the stay at each lodge. Recommended at INR 1000 ($15) per room per night (So if you are doubled up INR 500 ($7) per day per night per person).
Naturalists & Nature guide are not part of the common tip pool and may be tipped directly. Tipping of INR 1000/- ($15) per room per night is considered good.
For Park Guides from forest department during safaris, we suggest INR 100 ($2) per drive per person. For Naturalist, we suggest INR.500 ($7) per day per person.