Wildlife and Adventure in Kipling's India

DAY 1 DEPART THE UK

Depart and fly to Delhi.

DAYS 2 & 3 Delhi

Arrive in Delhi and transfer to your hotel in the heart of New Delhi. In the afternoon, you'll enjoy part of our ‘signature’ Delhi experience, as your guide opens up a side to the city that even second time visitors are unlikely to have experienced.

To get a sense of this sometimes chaotic, sprawling and disorientating city, we suggest an exploration of both Old and New Delhi, taking in the main sites and building up a sense of where you are: taking in the sights and smells. You’ll travel by vehicle and rickshaw so you can get as close as possible to the incredible action.

Note that for second-time visitors, we can arrange alternative Delhi experiences today.

DAYS 4 & 5 Kanha National Park

An early morning flight will take you to Jabalpur, where you will meet your private chauffeur for the next part of your holiday. Transfer from there through remote Madhya Pradesh to Kanha National Park.

Kanha National Park is one of the larger parks, made up of a forest and open grasslands, making it particularly beautiful and scenic. It is also the only park in India to have Barasingha, or swamp deer, brought back from near extinction. There is also a healthy tiger population and, harder to see, leopards and sloth bears.

After checking in at your relaxed and informal glamping retreat, there is time for an afternoon safari and your first glimpse of the legendary wildlife of Madhya Pradesh.

During your stay, you will have time for both an early morning and late afternoon safari, with plenty of relaxing in between at the lovely camp.

Day 6 Cycling around Kanha

Embark on a real adventure as you cycle along the country lanes that wind through charming Gond and Baiga villages. See first-hand the rural life in the Indian heartlands, whether at a traditional market, harvest or local celebration. Each village has its own distinct charm; there are enchanting forest settlements and more prosperous family villages with impressive gatehouses and open courtyards. Of course, village life changes daily depending on the season, so no two trips will be the same.

DayS 7 & 8 Pench Tiger Reserve

Today you depart Kanha after breakfast, driving through Madhya Pradesh to Pench Tiger Reserve, the jungle region that inspired Kipling’s Jungle Book. Although relatively small, it’s a different visual experience from the neighbouring Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks, with its lush teak forests and many water areas. It has the highest concentration of herbivores in any of the parks. There is a healthy tiger population here, and the beautiful Indian wild dogs are often sighted, too. There is time for an afternoon safari.

On your second day here, you will embark on a morning safari before having time to relax back at your luxury safari lodge. In the afternoon, head out on a guided walk to further explore the area and neighbouring villages.

Days 9 & 10 Satpura National Park

A long drive today will transport you into Satpura National Park for a two-night stay. Until fairly recently, Satpura was virtually unknown, and even now, it has very few visitors. The main park is surrounded by water, which has protected its forest and ensured that it's woodland and wildlife residing in the area have remained pristine. Wild dog, leopard and bear sightings are plentiful and, now that naturalists are getting to know the park and the animal territories a lot better, tiger sightings are increasing. 

Satpura is the only park in India where a variety of safari options are available to you. In addition to the usual jeep safari, canoeing and boating safaris are possible, as are walking safaris through the park's core area. Or, try a night drive through the buffer zone to search for nocturnal animals.

DayS 11-13 Trek to Jhela Camp-dehelia camp & pachmarHi

You will be driven to Matkuli, a village at the foothills of the Satpuras, and from here, you will begin your trekking and two-night camping adventure. There is an 8 km trek towards Jhela, the site of your night's camp. En route to Jhela, you will walk through open woodland towards the Denwa River, which you will then follow all the way to the camp. All these areas lie within the reserve, and you are likely to encounter all kinds of birdlife.

The following day, you'll wake up in the forest camp to the sound of the flowing Denwa River and the chatter of birds. After a leisurely breakfast, you'll begin a 7 km walk along the banks of the river towards your camp. The walk is quite adventurous and includes high sandbanks and narrow waterways. It may also be necessary to wade through knee-deep water at times. The endangered Indian vulture can be seen on a cliff they use as a nesting site. The campsite is a picturesque sandy beach on the river bank, and this is where you will spend the afternoon.

On Day 13, you will walk 10 km to Pachmarhi. The first half of the journey is mainly on light hilly terrain. Kanchighat marks the halfway point, where you will stop for snacks. There is a beautiful stream here where you can take a dip and enjoy the birdlife. From Kanchighat, you will begin the 6 km ascent to Pachmarhi, moving from teak forests into thick sal forests until you reach Pachmarhi Hill Station for lunch.

This afternoon you'll drive back to Reni Pani Lodge for an afternoon and evening of relaxation and reflection.

Day 14 Depart via Bhopal

Transfer from Satpura to Bhopal for your connecting flight to Delhi and beyond.