Wildlife
Tours In India
Wildlife & Adventure
Duration : 14 Nights
& 15 Days.
Destination Covered : Delhi - Jaipur - Ranthambhore - Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh
- Umaria - Delhi - Rishikesh - Delhi
Day 1 : Arrive at Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport
in Delhi. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis with
a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction
to the composite culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope -
that is India.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day
2 : Delhi
Start a full-day tour of Old and New Delhi after breakfast.
OLD DELHI - A sightseeing tour of Old Delhi would entail visiting the Raj Ghat
- the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; Jama Masjid - the largest
mosque in India and the Red Fort - once the most opulent fort and palace of
the Moghul Empire.
Enjoy a Cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk.
NEW DELHI - An extensive sightseeing tour of New Delhi would include a visit
to the Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive along the ceremonial avenue
- Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House, the President's Residence
and the Lotus Temple and would end with a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave.
Spend night at Delhi.
Day 3 : Delhi - Jaipur
Proceed to Jaipur after breakfast. Reach by noon.
JAIPUR - The origins of the beautiful city of Jaipur can be traced back to the
eighteenth century, during the reign of Jai Singh II who ascended the Amber
throne in 1699. Jaipur today, epitomizes the spirit of Rajputana. In-spite of
growing into a bustling metropolis, it still retains its character and history
- Beautiful fusion of the yesteryears and modernity. It is popularly known as
the Pink City because of the extensive use of the locally abundant pink plastered
stone, painted so in honor of the visit of the royal consort of Queen Victoria.
Jaipur thrills the soul with its massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite
temples and lush gardens.
Visit the markets of Jaipur and proceed to Choki Dani Village for dinner. Overnight
will be at Jaipur.
Day 4 : Jaipur
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for morning excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant
ride ascent to the fort.
AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthani fort palace. Man
Singh I in 1592 started the construction. It was completed by his descendent
- Jai Singh I. Its forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful
fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate expression.
Continue city sightseeing.
CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture,
the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in the walled city. It
houses the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum.
JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of the five observatories
built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country. This observatory consisting
of outsized astronomical instruments is still in use.
HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds" is a
prominent landmark in Jaipur. It is a five-storey structure of sandstone plastered
pink encrusted with fine trelliswork and elaborate balconies. The palace has
953 niches and windows. Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, the Mahal was a royal
grandstand for the palace women.
Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 5 : Jaipur - Ranthambore
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed to Ranthambhore.
Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and you can relax
or watch some slides on the tiger.
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas,
is a unique example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously
in the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers
from Sawai Madhopur. Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the heart
of the jungle.
It spreads over a highly undulating topography varying from gentle to steep
slopes; from flat topped hills of the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks and sharp
ridges of the Aravalis, from wide and flat valleys to narrow rocky gorges. An
important geological feature the 'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhya plateaus
meet the Aravali hill Ranges, meanders through the Reserve. The National Park
is bound by the rivers Chambal in the south and Banas in the north. Tiger, at
the apex of the food chain, lord over the kingdom in a subtle way. Solitary
by nature, it operates in stealth. Therefore tiger sightings, frequent as they
are, are always a matter of chance. However, even evidences of tiger's activities
are very exciting.
Proceed for evening tiger safari into the park. Dinner will be served at the
resort and relax for the night at resort.
Day 6 : Ranthambore
Wake up early morning and leave for your safari into the National Park. Track
the tigers and other wildlife through the morning. Return to the resort / lodge
by 1000 in the morning and have breakfast.
Freshen up and either spend time at the pool or visit the town. You could also
go for a nice visit to the temple on top of the fort.
In the afternoon have lunch and then leave again for you afternoon safari. The
safari will be till evening 1700 - 1800 hr and then return to the resort / lodge.
Dinner will be at the resort and retire early for the night. Overnight will
be at Ranthambhore.
Day 7 : Ranthambhore - Agra
Drive to Fatehpur Sikri after breakfast.
The deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and
palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating experience. It a veritable
fairytale city and its "ruins" are in pristine condition ... it's
not hard to imagine what the court life must have been like in the days of its
grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the largest gateway in the world.
Continue drive after sightseeing to Agra. Reach and check in at hotel.
AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the little
village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving
it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is
caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble,
narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this favorite
city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising, that modern Agra still
reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling
streets of the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai
cuisine.
Overnight will be at Agra.
Day 8 : Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh
After breakfast proceed to visit Taj. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.
TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which is
always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah
Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal.
This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by
Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect
symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately
carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.
Proceed for sightseeing to the AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor
Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within
is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction.
Visit Itmadullah's Tomb built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father
(The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj).
Compass Representative will see you off at the station and take train to UMARIA.
Overnight would be onboard the train.
Day 9 : Bandhavgarh
Arrive early in the morning.
Reach Bandavgarh and check in at hotel.
Bandavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya
hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a
wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number
of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the
old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known
in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace
of Maharaja of Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh
had long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of
Rewa. The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife
was well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot
109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914.
There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort
at its center. The fort's cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet
(300 meters) above the surrounding countryside. Winter temperatures (Nov-mid-February)
vary from almost freezing at night to around 68 degree Fahrenheit in the daytime.
Summer nights are also cooler than the daytime temperatures, which rise to 104
degree Fahrenheit. Bandavgarh is justifiably famous for its Tigers, but it has
a wide range of other game.
Check in at the resort and spend whole day in tiger and wildlife tracking. All
meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 10 : Bandhavgarh
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Trip to the Bandavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more
than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of
this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored.
Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide.
Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around
the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a
place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and
preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the
surrounding countryside.
The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permission is required to
visit it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandavgarh
is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort. The staff of the
resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the trek to the fort.
All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 11 : Bandhavgarh
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) All meals will
be in the resort. Overnight will be in Bandavgarh.
Day 12 : Bandhavgarh - Umaria - Delhi
By overnight train at 1600 hr.
Spend the morning at the National Park and breakfast will be at the resort.
Proceed to the station after lunch for train to Delhi.
Overnight will be in the train.
Day 13 : Delhi - Rishikesh
Reach Delhi in the morning and after freshening up (The Compass representative
will pick you up) leave for Rishikesh by surface.
Rishikesh is just 45 minutes from Haridwar and a well known place for RIVER
RAFTING, ASHRAMS, YOGA & MEDITATION.
Rishikesh represents the Gateway to the Himalayas in the Tehri-Garhwal region
of Uttar Pradesh. It abounds in natural splendor. The spectacle of the Ganga
rushing through the Himalayan foothills is an awesome sight. Several temples
dot the banks of the Ganga at Rishikesh. Rishikesh is located at a height of
about 1360 feet above the sea level. It is believed that several yogis and sages
lived and practiced penance here. Rishikesh represents the site where Vishnu
vanquished the demon Madhu.
Tapovan on the other bank of the Ganges houses a temple to Lakshmana. It is
believed that Lakshmana carried out penances here. It is also believed that
his brother Bharata meditated here, and there is a temple to Bharata here. Also
seen here are the Swargashram and the Geeta Bhavan temples.The Lakshman Jhula,
a 450 feet long suspension bridge was built in 1939. A newer bridge the Ram
Jhula has been added recently. The Ganga abounds in fish.
Offerings of puffed rice are made to these creatures. The freshness of the air,
and the sound of flowing water, the scenic beauty of the region and the distant
sound of bell chimes create an unforgettable experience for those that visit
this ancient pilgrimage town. 12 km away from Rishikesh is located the Nilkanth
Mahadeo temple at a height of about 5000 feet, commanding spectacular views
of the region.
Stay in Rishikesh and visit the ASHRAMS and enjoy the River Ganges.
Overnight will be at riverbank camp in Rishikesh.
Day 14 : Rishikesh
Spend the whole day rafting in the white waters of Ganges. All meals will be
in the camp.
Overnight will be in the camp.
Day 15 : Rishikesh - Delhi
Proceed to Haridwar after breakfast.
Haridwar located in the foothills of the Himalayas, represents the point where
the Ganga reaches the plains. Haridwar is an ancient pilgrimage site, held in
reverence for centuries. The Chinese pilgrim Hyuen Tsang who visited India in
the first millennium CE, describes Haridwar as Mayura, on the eastern banks
of the Ganges. Several temples and ashrams dot this town and a visit to Haridwar
is like stepping in a totally different world. Legend has it that Bhagiratha
brought the Ganges into the earth and into this point where his ancestors were
burnt to ashes by the curse of the sage Kapila. Kapilastaan, a spot in Haridwar
is pointed to as Kapila's hermitage. Haridwar was once known as Gangadwara.
Continue drive to Delhi and reach by evening.
Enjoy the farewell dinner with COMPASS and share your experiences. Proceed to
airport for connecting flight home.