Delhi Kaziranga Khajuraho Bandhavgarh Tour     

Tour Duration: 9 nights/10 days

Places Covered:  Delhi, Guwahati, Kaziranga, Khajuraho & Bandhavgarh.

Day 01: Arrive Delhi
Arrival at Delhi. On arrival met at outside of arrival lounge. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 02: In Delhi
After breakfast, spend the day exploring India’s capital. In Old Delhi, visit the Red Fort, built in 1648 during the reign of Shah Jehan in red sandstone, which gave the fort its name. Jama Masjid is India's largest mosque, built of red sandstone and white marble in the middle of the 17th century. Chandni Chowk (Silver Street), once the imperial avenue down which Shah Jehan rode at the head of lavish cavalcades, is today bustling with shops, stalls and silversmiths' ateliers. Also visit Raj Ghat where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated.

In the afternoon, sightseeing of New Delhi includes a visit to India Gate, built in memory of Indian soldiers killed during the First World War. Rashtrapati Bhawan, built in the early 20th century as the Imperial residence of the Viceroy is today the official residence of the President of India and Parliament House, an unique circular building with huge colonnades, houses the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament. Connaught Circus is the commercial hub of New Delhi. One of Delhi’s most striking monuments is the 70-meter high Qutb Minar, which looms majestically across the wide plains of Delhi. Dinner and overnight at HOTEL IMPERIAL.

Day 03: Delhi –Guwahati (flight)- Kaziranga (217 kms)
Early morning transfer to the airport for flight to Guwahti. On arrival met & assistance at the airport & transferred to Kaziranga National Park, which lies 217 km (five to six-hour drive) from Guwahati, the capital of Assam.

Out of Guwahati, the road heads into the forested hills, arrows past villages to the hamlet of Jorabat. From here the left fork heads for the premier Indian rhinoceros sanctuary of Kaziranga. Much of the road now seems to be a causeway between low-lying fields.

A little later the road enters tea country: flat lands with clipped bushes and shading nurse trees. But between the tea estates, the countryside begins to take on a watered look with villagers paddling across the ready lakes, gliding above their own reflections. After that it rises along a fairly steep drive and the visitor is in the tourist complex serving the Kaziranga National Park. Stop en route for lunch/refreshments at Hornbill Cafetaria.

On arrival at Kaziranga check in at the lodge. Time permitting, enjoy a Bihu dance show. Dinner and overnight at Resort.

Day 04: Kaziranga
After breakfast take a jeep safari in the Western Range. The park lies in the floodplain of the Brahmaputra sloping, very gradually, from east to west. The Karbi Anglong Hill ranges rise around the Park pressing it against the great flood of the Brahmaputra flowing as its northern boundary. The many rivulets flowing down the ranges bring down rich silt and sand, spread in small lakes known as `bheels', silt up the lakes to make swamps and marshes, alluvial grasslands rising to alluvial savannah woodlands; and then, as the lands loose their moistness with height, rise to mixed deciduous forests and, finally, to tropical evergreen forests.

The main attraction of Kaziranga, the great Indian one- horned rhinoceros for whose protection the Park was established in 1908, is very easy to see. Rhinos graze like domestic cattle in the grasslands and marshes around the Park and can be spotted belly-deep in the marsh, chomping contentedly on succulent grasses. The other wildlife encountered here include wild elephants, tiger, wild buffalo, gaur, swamp deer, sambar, hog deer, wild boar and a large number of interesting birds. After lunch take a jeep safari in the Central Range. Dinner and overnight at WILD GRASS JUNGLE LODGE.

Day 05: Kaziranga
Early in the morning, take a nature walk in the Panbari Forest Reserve in reach of the rare Hollock Gibbon – the only ape in India. Return to the camp for breakfast. Later in the morning you can visit a tribal village or a tea garden (prior arrangement required). Lunch at the Hotel/resort.

In the afternoon take another jeep safari in the park. Dinner and overnight at resort/hotel.

Day 06: Kaziranga-Guwahati (Surface)- Delhi (Flight)
After breakfast transferred to Guwahati in time to board the flight to Delhi. On arrival at Delhi you are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 07: Delhi –Khajuraho (Flight)
After breakfast transfer to the airport for flight to Khajuraho. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon take a tour of the temples. Khajuraho is renowned the world over for its fine temples, built between 950 and 1050 AD, which are among the most creative examples of Indian architecture. Only 22 of the original 85 temples survive today. The most popular theme is woman: reflective, playful, amorous. The carvings also depict gods in cosmic evolution, griffins, nymphs, beasts, demons in revolt and the several emotions of man - fear, doubt, jealousy, ardent love and consummate passion.

The western group, contained within a fenced enclosure, is well maintained as a park. The large Lakshmana Temple is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the earliest of the western enclosure temples, dating from 930-950 AD. It is also one of the best preserved, with a full five-part floor plan and four subsidiary shrines. The Vahara Temple, dedicated to Vishnu’s boar incarnation (Vahara avatar) faces the Matangesvara Temple and has a huge solid and intricately carved figure of the boar incarnation, dating from around 900 AD. The Kandariya Mahadev Temple is not only the largest but also artistically and architecturally the most perfect. Build between 1025 and 1050 AD, it represents Chandela at its finest. The Mahadeva Temple is small and mainly ruined. However, it houses one of Khajuraho’s best sculptures - a fine sardula figure caressing a lion. The Devi Jagadamba Temple was probably originally dedicated to Vishnu, but later changed to Parvati and then Kali. The Chitragupta Temple is unique in being dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. The Matangesvara Temple, standing next to the Lakshmana Temple, is not within the fenced enclose, because it is still in everyday use, unlike all the old temples. Overnight at HOTEL CHANDELA.

Day 08: Khajuraho –Bandhavgarh (199 kms)
After breakfast depart for Bandhavgarh National Park. The 6- to 7-hour drive is interesting, passing through forested and agricultural land. The road crosses the Ken River, a tributary of the Ganges. Some stretches of the river have been declared a sanctuary for the gharial - a rare fish-eating crocodile. Also pass through the small town of Panna, famous for its diamond mines. From Satna, the mid-way point, turn off on a subsidiary road across the ridges of the Vindyachal to Bandhavgarh Jungle Camp.

In the late afternoon take a jeep ride in the park to view some of the game found here: Cheetal (Spotted deer), Sambar, barking deer, Chowsingha (four-horned antelope), wild boar, Nilgai (blue bull), wild boar, grey langur, Rhesus macaque, Dhole (Asian wild dog) and a variety of birds. In the evening there is a slide show or lecture on the park and its flora and fauna, with resident naturalists always on hand to answer any queries you may have. Dinner and overnight at Resort/Hotel.

Day 09: Bandhavgarh
Early morning visit to the Park in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger and other game. Bandhavgarh is renowned, and justly so, for the relatively easy sighting of tiger, especially by daylight. Before returning to the camp for breakfast, you can visit some of the ancient monuments found here, including a huge 10-meter status of Vishnu, reclining on a bed of serpents. There are also several ancient cave dwellings in the area - the inscriptions on their walls have yet to be identified. The rest of the morning is at leisure. Lunch at the camp.

In the afternoon take another jeep drive in the Park. With a road network of over 200 km, it is possible to cover every habitat type in the park. Return to the Camp for dinner around the fireplace. Overnight at Resort/Hotel.

Day 10: Bandhavgarh –Khajuraho (Surface) - Delhi
After an early breakfast depart on the return drive to Khajuraho in time to board flight to Delhi.
You are met on arrival and transferred into town. You have free time to explore Delhi’s colourful bazaars and chic boutiques. Late evening transfer to the airport for your onward flight.