India Birds, Tigers & the Taj
Saturday 15th to Saturday 29th November 2008
Saturday 14th February to Monday 2nd March 2009
Saturday 21st November to Saturday 5th December 2009
AA8025
AA9025
AA9026
The Taj Mahal is perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when people think of the vast, colourful, crowded country of India. It is indeed a most imposing edifice and one which, along with the Red Fort at Agra, we visit on all of our tours. But for those wishing to see birds and mammals, India also offers some of the most spectacular, astounding and exotic wildlife. Our itineraries include wetlands teeming with wildfowl and waders, dramatic scenery and high-elevation specialities in the Himalayan foothills plus deciduous jungles with an abundance of birds and mammals. India really is a priceless jewel! Amongst the mammals the Bengal Tiger is the main attraction and our best chances of seeing one of these enigmatic animals will be at Ranthambore, Kanha, Pench and Corbett National Parks, all of them special reserves designated as part of Project Tiger, a wildlife conservation project initiated in 1973 with the aim of maintaining a viable Tiger population in their natural environment. To see one of these majestic predators in the wild is a heart stopping experience! We are offering two new itineraries, with the aim of combining the finest bird and mammal watching that India can offer. Each tour includes at least two Tiger reserves and all of the following venues are covered by the two itineraries: Keoladeo Ghana N.P. (Bharatpur): -Is a very famous and extremely important bird sanctuary and one of the finest wetlands in the world. The reserve is a manageable size, thus allowing it to be covered on foot, by bicycle or even rickshaw – quite a novelty. Amongst a vast array of wetland species are Little Cormorant, Sarus Crane, Black-necked Storks, Bar-headed Goose, Crested Serpent Eagle, Greater Painted Snipe, Indian Courser, Collared Scops Owl, Dusky Eagle-Owl, Rufous Treepie, Common Woodshrike, Citrine Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, Blyth’s Reed & Greenish Warblers. Ranthambore: - Was formerly the hunting preserve of the Maharajahs of Jaipur and is now a Tiger reserve. The reserve is noted for it’s daylight sightings of Tiger, which appears less shy here than elsewhere. The habitats of tropical dry deciduous forest and dry thorn forest together with adjacent lakes attract numerous birds and mammals, including Painted & Woollynecked Storks, Greater Spotted Eagle, Painted Spurfowl, Indian Courser, Brown Fish Owl, White-naped Woodpecker, Indian Pitta, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Striped Hyaena, Caracal, Nilgai, Sambar, Grey Langur. Corbett National Park: - Located in the foothills of the Himalayas is home to a wide range of fauna and flora; it is famed for it’s wild populations of Tigers, Leopards and Elephants but also boasts an excellent array of bird species. Corbett is a haven for Tigers as well as their prey species, which include four types of deer plus Wild Boar. Other mammals include Fishing Cat, Himalayan Palm Civet, Sloth Bear, Black Bear and Dole (Wild Dog). Amongst a wonderful selection of bird species are Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Crested Kingfisher, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Streak-throated Woodpecker, Slaty-blue Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Fantail, White-browed Wagtail, Brown Dipper, Spotted Forktail & Blue Whistling Thrush. Nainital:- Deep into the Himalayan foothills, at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, is the resort of Nainital (formerly a Hill Station). This increase in elevation will allow us to seek out some real Himalayan specialities including Altai Accentors, Spotted Forktail, Golden Bush Robin, Chestnut-crowned & White-throated Laughing-thrushes and White-browed Shrike-Babbler. Superb birdwatching with a dramatic scenic backdrop! Kanha: - Is one of India’s largest national parks, located in Madhya Pradesh in the heart of “Kipling Country”. Kanha's sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streamsstretch over 940 sq km and are home to a great variety of wildlife. The many Central Indian bird species present, include Black Ibis, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Jungle Owlet, Red Junglefowl, Bronze-winged Jacana, Crested Treeswift, Scarlet Minivet, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Tawnybellied Babbler and Sirkeer Malkoha. A superb selection of mammals are present amidst the meadows and mixed forest, including Chital, Barasingha, Gaur, Golden-backed Jackal, Jungle Cat, Leopard, Sloth Bear and Dole (Wild Dog). Game drives are undertaken twice a day normally by Jeep but when Tigers are located it is possible to go searching for them by Elephant. Pench: - The reserve is nestled in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura Hills in central India and named after the Pench River that meanders through the National Park. The undulating terrain consists of tropical moist deciduous forest and tropical dry deciduous Teak. Seasonal streams and pools serve as water holes for the animals and help create diverse habitats that are an ideal environment for a wide variety of fauna which includes a number of endangered species. There are about 55 Tigers and 30 Leopards present in the park as well as Jungle & Leopard Cats and Palm Civet. A fine selection of bird species includes Lesser Whistling Duck, Long-billed Vulture, Oriental Honey Buzzard, White-eyed Buzzard, Jungle Bush Quail, Red Spurfowl, Asian Koel, Large Cuckooshrike, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Babbler and Thick-billed Flowerpecker.
Itinerary - Tour No. 8025:
Day 1: Daytime flight from UK to Delhi.
Day 2: Take Golden Temple Express to Ranthambore. Afternoon birding by our
hotel.
Days 3 - 4: Game Drives In Ranthambore.
Day 5: Afternoon express to Bharatpur.
Days 6 - 7: Birdwatching in Keoladeo Ghana NP and locations around Bharatpur.
Day 8: After breakfast drive to Agra, visiting Fatehpur Sikri and Taj Mahal.
Later drive to
Chambal River for one night
Day 9: Morning in Chambal. Overnight train to Nagpur
Days 10 - 11: Transfer to Kanha for two days. Game drives by Jeep for birds
and mammals
and Tiger viewing by Elephant.
Days 12 - 13: Transfer to Pench Luxury Tented Camp for two days bird and
wildlife watching
by Safari Jeep Tiger viewing by Elephant.
Day 14: Morning in Pench, followed by lunch and a drive to Nagpur and
domestic flight to
Delhi. Return flight to UK.
Itinerary - Tour No. 9025:
Day 1: Daytime flight from UK to Delhi. Overnight Delhi.
Day 2: Golden Temple Train to Ranthambore.
Days 3 - 4: Morning & Afternoon Game Drives in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
Day 5: Golden Temple Train to Bharatpur. Transfer to hotel then afternoon
birding.
Days 6 - 7: Visits to Keoladeo Sanctuary as well as locations around
Bharatpur, including Band
Baretha.
Day 8: After breakfast drive to Agra, visiting the Fatehpur Sikri and Taj
Mahal. After dinner
catch the overnight express (sleeper) to Lalkuan.
Day 9: On arrival we’ll drive to Corbett NP.
Day 10: Bird & mammal watching near Corbett NP.
Day 11: Transfer to Dhikala inside the park for two days of wildlife
watching, including game
drives.
Day 12: Full day birding and game viewing in the national park.
Day 13: Travel to Nainital, birding en route.
Days 14 & 15: Birdwatching in area around Nainital, including Sat Tal &
Mangoli Valley.
Day 16 - 17: Transfer to Kathgodam and catch express to Delhi and dinner,
followed by return
flight to UK.
Itinerary - Tour No. 9026:
Day 1: Daytime flight from UK to Delhi.
Day 2: After breakfast drive to Bharatpur.Days 3 & 4: Birdwatching in
Keoladeo NP and locations around Bharatpur.
Day 5: After breakfast drive to Agra, visiting Fatehpur Sikri and Taj Mahal.
Later drive to
Chambal River for two nights.
Day 6: A days birding and wildlife watching at Chambal.
Day 7: Morning in Chambal. Overnight train to Nagpur.
Days 8 - 10: Transfer to Pench Luxury Tented Camp for three nights. Bird &
wildlife watching
by Safari Jeep Tiger viewing by Elephant.
Days 11 - 13: Transfer to Kanha (Hotel The Bagh) for two Days. Game drives
by Jeep for
birds and mammals and Tiger viewing by Elephant.
Day 14 - 15: Morning in Kanha, followed by lunch and a drive to Nagpur &
domestic flight to
Mumbai. Return flight to UK.