two tigers at national park in India

Custom Tour in Central India 

Come to India with us and experience the jungle!

India for Beginners is proud to announce our Wildlife and Tiger Safari tour! If you want to see a tiger in the wild, India is the place to be: India is home to 70% of the world’s wild tigers.

The Wildlife and Tiger Safari Tour in Central India from India for Beginners is for adventurous travellers who love nature and wildlife tourism and want to experience India’s jungles. The tour will take you to the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, also known as land of the tiger. Here, you will get to know India’s leading tiger reserves – Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, and Satpura – and have the opportunity to see tigers in the wild. Plus, you will see an abundance of India’s rich flora and fauna in pristine, natural settings.

This tour is for travellers who have an adventurous spirit, who enjoy going off the beaten path, and want to immerse in the culture of India. There will be some walking, and it will be hot, so a moderate level of fitness and a healthy level of enthusiasm is required!

Bookings need to be confirmed about three-four months in advance as the tiger reserves book up completely well ahead of time. For more details about booking, deposits, etc., see contact info below.

Wildlife and Tiger Safari small group tour: 14 nights / 15 days

Khajuraho and Orchha Extension: 4 nights / 5 days

WILDLIFE AND TIGER SAFARI TOUR COSTS:

The India for Beginners Wildlife and Tiger Safari tour is a custom tour and the cost will depend on several factors. Please contact us and we can put together a custom itinerary for you.

TO BOOK:

Contact [email protected] for information regarding booking the tour and payment due dates, or fill out the form on our Contact Us page.

India for Beginners tours

India for Beginners tours are designed around relationships — the relationships founders Mariellen and Anjani have nurtured with people they have met on their extensive travels across India over many years. The local experiences we recommend both support the community and offer you memorable experiences of incredible India.

The Wildlife and Tiger Safari Tour also represents Mariellen’s passion for wildlife and conservation. In 2020, she graduated from PRONAT (Professional Naturalist Training) in Satpura Tiger Reserve. You can read about her naturalist training here. She has been on many wildlife safaris in India and has thus far seen 29 31 tigers in the wild.

To find out more about India for Beginners, please read about our Travel Philosophy and check out some of our glowing Testimonials.

Important: Please read our FAQ and Terms & Conditions page thoroughly before booking.

Wildlife Tourism in India

India has about 70% of the world’s wild tigers, and is home to about 50 tiger reserves — it’s the ideal place to plan a wildlife and tiger safari. Thanks to robust tiger protection and conservation measures that started in the 1970s, India’s wild tiger population is actually on the rise — it has almost doubled in the last 10 years.

Madhya Pradesh, a large state in the very centre of India, has six tiger reserves – the most of any state in India – including my favourite, Kanha (read my Guide to Kanha National Park here), Bandhavgarh (read my Guide to Bandhavgarh National Park here) and Satpura Tiger Reserve. We will be visiting all of these parks, plus Pench Tiger Reserve, too. Pench was the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book! Click here for a comprehensive guide to the animals of India.

There are wildlife lodges scattered outside the main gates of almost every tiger reserve in India. My favourites are the Pugdundee Safaris lodges for four reasons, below. We will be staying exclusively with Pugdundee Safaris on our tour. Please read more about them here: Pugdundee Safaris: Home base for tiger safaris in India. 

  1. The lodges are truly beautiful, and away from the commercial zones, surrounded by nature and authentic Indian villages.
  2. The company is dedicated to sustainable tourism practices and is TOFTigers certified. The lodges are constructed from natural materials, they have banned plastic water bottles, and much more.
  3. They serve delicious, fresh food (with much of the produce coming from their organic gardens), and offer lots of interesting activities, plus unexpected surprises. 
  4. The most important reason: their naturalists are excellent. When you book with a company like Pugdundee Safaris, well-trained, English-speaking naturalists accompany you on safari, and other outings, to make the experience much richer and rewarding.

Itinerary

 Day 01: – Arrive Delhi

Arrive Delhi and we will meet you at the airport. We will also help ensure you get a local SIM card and set you up with our WhatsApp numbers so that we can be in contact 24/7.

There will be a private chauffeur driven car to take you to the hotel or guest house. Rest of the day is free to get over jet lag (depending on when you arrive).

HOTEL: Claridges, one of the finest heritage hotels in Delhi.

Day 02: – Delhi

Let’s get to know Delhi, one of the oldest and most historic cities on earth — which is also one of the greenest capital cities in the world.

We will start with a tour of Old Delhi that will take you into the heart of this fascinating and chaotic crowded area. We will see temples, mosques, and gurudwaras and explore the alleys of Chandni Chowk via bicycle rickshaw.   

Later drive through Lutyen’s Delhi — India Gate, Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan — and visit Humayun’s Tomb. If time permits, we can either stroll in Lodhi Garden or drive to Qutab Minar.

Denwa Backwater Escape

Day 03: – Delhi – Denwa Backwater Escape

Transfer to airport for flight to Bhopal. Drive to Bhimbetka (47 kms / 1 hr) for sightseeing. Later drive to Tawa Dam (84 kms / 2 hrs) for a boat cruise to the lodge.

Day 04: – Denwa Backwater Escape

Morning and afternoon jungle activities (selection from Jeep safari / boat ride / walking safari / canoe ride subject to availability).

Day 05: – Denwa Backwater Escape

Morning and afternoon jungle activities (selection from Jeep safari / boat ride / walking safari / canoe ride subject to availability).

Pench Tree Lodge

Day 06: – Pench Tree Lodge

After breakfast, drive 4 hours to reach Pench Tree Lodge. Stay in a tree house!

Day 07: – Pench Tree Lodge

Morning game drive in Pench national park. Afternoon visit to organic garden followed by cooking class by an expert chef.

Kanha Earth Lodge

Day 08: – Kanha Earth Lodge

Cycle the Pench-Kanha Forest Corridor with lunch break in the jungle. Later drive to Kanha Earth Lodge (215 kms/ 5 hrs), one of the most prestigious and award-winning lodges in India. Read our Guide to Kanha National Park here to learn more about this incredible park, which is the best tiger reserve in India.

Day 09: – Kanha Earth Lodge

Morning and afternoon game drives in Kanha national park.

Day 10: – Kanha Earth Lodge

Morning and afternoon game drives in Kanha national park.

On safari in Kanha National Park

Day 11: – Kings’ Lodge Bandhavgarh

Drive to Bandhavgarh national park (245 kms/ 5-6 hrs)

Day 12: – Kings’ Lodge Bandhavgarh

Morning and afternoon game drives in Bandhavgarh national park.

Day 13: – Kings’ Lodge Bandhavgarh

Morning and afternoon game drives in Bandhavgarh national park.

Day 14 – Kings’ Lodge Bandhavgarh

Drive to Jabalpur airport (165 kms/ 3-4 hrs), fly to Delhi. 

Or 

Drive to Khajuraho for an extension (230 kms/ 5 hrs). Arrive Khajuraho and check in at the hotel.

Day 15: – overnight in delhi

Transfer to airport for onward  flight.

Khajuraho and Orchha Extension

Day 14: – Khajuraho

Arrive Khajuraho and check in at The Lalit Temple View hotel.

Day 15: – Khajuraho

Visit Khajuraho temples.

Khajuraho is famous for its enchanting temples and the legendary Khajuraho Dance Festival. The name Khajuraho is derived from the Khajur tree (the date palm tree) which is grown abundantly in the region. The Khajuraho Temples are dedicated to a celebration of life, designed and carved to lead the eyes from ground level upward until you seem to be looking at heaven. 

On the way up, many facets of life are depicted including the famous erotic carvings and many beautiful images of women. Women are seen writing letters, applying eye makeup, combing hair, dancing, and playing with children, all in exquisitely sculpted details.  

Orchha

Day 16: – Khajuraho – Orchha

Drive to Orchha (175 kms/ 3 hrs) and check in at The Amar Mahal hotel.

Day 17: – Orchha

Spend the day exploring Orchha.

Orchha is a very special place, one of those many incredible treasures intrepid travellers find all across India. A small town in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Orchha is built on the banks of the rushing Betwa River, surrounded by forest. It’s a peaceful and beautiful place, one of those destinations that invite slow travel and lingering for a while to simply soak up the atmosphere.

Orchha is a stunning heritage city built on legend. The city was founded in the 16th Century by Rudra Pratap Singh and it became the capital of the Bundela Rajput dynasty. Orchha was planned along the Betwa River, and today it is a complex of magnificent forts, palaces, and cenotaphs in a beautiful and natural location. Read more here about Orchha.

Day 18: – Orchha – Delhi

Morning is free to relax. Later drive to Jhansi (15 kms/ 30 mins) to take a train to Delhi (Gatimaan Express; 15:05 – 19:30 hrs). Arrive Delhi and check in at the hotel. 

Day 19: – Delhi

You will be transferred to the airport as per your flight timing to connect with your departure flight. 

Wildlife and Tiger Tour Inclusions & Exclusions

Tour includes:

Cost is based on exclusive safaris in all the parks with a maximum of four guests per jeep. Safari permit booking opens 4 months in advance. Safaris are pre booked online and get sold very quickly so we suggest you book early. We need passport details for all guests to book safari permits

  • ACCOMMODATION AT SUGGESTED HOTELS OR SIMILAR
  • DAILY BUFFET BREAKFASTS WILL BE SERVED IN DELHI HOTEL,
  • ALL MEALS WILL BE SERVED AT JUNGLE LODGES,
  • SIGHTSEEING TOURS AS MENTIONED IN THE ITINERARY,
  • MORNING AND AFTERNOON JUNGLE ACTIVITIES IN SATPURA (SELECTION FROM JEEP SAFARI / BOAT RIDE / WALKING SAFARI / CANOE RIDE – SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY)
  • 04 EXCLUSIVE JEEP SAFARI ALONG WITH EXPERIENCED, ENGLISH-SPEAKING NATURALIST IN KANHA NATIONAL PARK
  • 04 EXCLUSIVE JEEP SAFARI ALONG WITH EXPERIENCED, ENGLISH-SPEAKING NATURALIST IN BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK
  • 01 EXCLUSIVE JEEP SAFARI ALONG WITH EXPERIENCED, ENGLISH-SPEAKING NATURALIST IN PENCH NATIONAL PARK
  • EXCLUSIVE BOAT CRUISE FROM TAWA DAM TO DENWA BACKWATER ESCAPE,
  • VISIT TO ORGANIC FARM WITH COOKING CLASS AT PENCH TREE LODGE,
  • CYCLE IN THE PENCH-KANHA FOREST CORRIDOR WITH LUNCH BREAK,
  • VILLAGE VIST IN KANHA
  • PRIVATE CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN TOYOTA INNOVA / TEMPO TRAVELLER FOR SIGHTSEEING AND TRANSFERS,
  • ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE FOR SIGHTSEEING IN DELHI AND AT BHIMBETKA,
  • RICKSHAW RIDE IN OLD DELHI,
  • MINERAL WATER BOTTLES AND TISSUES DURING DRIVES,
  • 24X7 TOUR MANAGER WILL BE AVAILABLE OVER PHONE DURING TOUR,
  • ALL APPLICABLE TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES, AND
  • ALL ROAD TAXES, GOVERNMENT TAXES AND DRIVER ALLOWANCES,

TOUR EXCLUDES:

  • PERSONAL EXPENSES,
  • LUNCHES & DINNERS IN DELHI,
  • CAMERA FEES, TIPS, ETC,
  • MONUMENT ENTRANCE,
  • ANYTHING WHICH IS NOT MENTIONED IN INCLUSIONS,
  • INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC AIRFARE,
  • VISA CHARGES.

Terms and Conditions

  • Booking Deadline: TBD
  • 50% advance payment and balance before 60 days prior to arrival date.
  • No adjustments or refunds in case of not availing any facility from the package.
  • For safaris: We request all guests to carry a photo-identity to present at check-in and also for safaris. Foreign nationals are required to present their passport and valid visa. This should be the same as submitted at the time of safari bookings.
  • Standard check-in time for wildlife lodges is 1330 hrs and check out time is 1100 hours local time.

Cancellation policy

  • 60 days and less – No refund
  • 60 days and above – 20% cancellation fee
  • No refund given on non-refundable bookings such as safaris, wildlife lodges, trains, etc.

IMPORTANT POINTS

  • Hotels mentioned are subject to availability at the time of booking.
  • The company assumes no liability for personal loss of tourists, medical emergency or other losses
  • For safaris: In keeping with our heightened security procedures, we request all guests to carry a photo-identity to present at check-in. Foreign nationals are required to present their Passport and valid visa. This should be the same as submitted at the time of safari bookings.
  • Safari permit booking opens 4 months in advance. Safaris are pre booked online and get sold very quickly so we suggest you book early. 

Khajuraho and Orchha Extension Inclusions & Exclusions

TOUR INCLUDES:

  • ACCOMMODATION AT SUGGESTED HOTELS OR SIMILAR
  • DAILY BUFFET BREAKFASTS WILL BE SERVED IN DELHI HOTEL,
  • SIGHTSEEING TOURS AS MENTIONED IN THE ITINERARY,
  • PRIVATE CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN AC SEDAN CAR / TOYOTA INNOVA FOR SIGHTSEING AND TRANSFERS,
  • ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE FOR SIGHTSEEING IN KHAJURAHO AND ORCHHA,
  • MINERAL WATER BOTTLES AND TISSUES DURING DRIVES,
  • 24X7 TOUR MANAGER WILL BE AVAILABLE OVER PHONE DURING TOUR,
  • ALL APPLICABLE TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES, AND
  • ALL ROAD TAXES, GOVERNMENT TAXES AND DRIVER ALLOWANCES,

EXCLUSIONS:

  • PERSONAL EXPENSES,
  • LUNCHES & DINNERS IN DELHI,
  • CAMERA FEES, TIPS, ETC,
  • MONUMENT ENTRANCE,
  • ANYTHING THAT IS NOT MENTIONED IN INCLUSIONS,
  • INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC AIRFARE,
  • VISA CHARGES.

IMPORTANT POINTS:

  • Hotels mentioned are subject to availability at the time of booking.
  • The company assumes no liability for personal loss of tourists, medical emergency or other losses